A question for you DCC sound experts .......

I have a Zimo MX sound decoder awaiting fitting in my Bachmann K3 locomotive.  I understand it's not the easiest fit but time will tell ……………

My question is two-fold -

1.  From your experience, who offers the best sound project ?  I have previously used YouChoos, Digitrains and Paul Chetter (who, I understand, no longer offers his services to the public).  Some go for SW Digital, some for Legoman Biffo to name just a couple.  Do any of you have experience with different offerings ?

2.  Can I load any project via my Zimo MXULF or does the programme have to be specific for a particular make of decoder ?

SRman is probably your man for this Peter. He's done a few AFAIA

Cheers

Matt

Peter, as it is a Zimo decoder, the MXULF will load the sounds for you. When you purchase just the sound file, you'll have to read your decoder to provide information on the serial number so that the sound file can be locked to just your decoder (that prevents you offering the file to anyone else, which is fair enough for the provider to protect their copyright).

For steam sounds on Zimo, I like YouChoos. John Guymer is very helpful if you run into any problems. I have sounds from him on Hornby S15 and 700 class locos, and a Bachmann LBSC E4 0-6-2T, plus a Bachmann London Transport pannier tank.

Wheeltappers do a nice steam sound also, with my LBSC Atlantic having sound from him, but that is on an ESU decoder.

I do have Paul Chetter's sounds for Zimo on a Hornby Merchant Navy, and they are quite good. I like some of his diesel sounds as well, with a few running around (classes 24, 33 and 08). I won't swear to this, but I thought Digitrains actually offered some of Paul Chetter's work. I know he has also done projects for Bachmann (the class 158 is one).

For ESU, I like several sound providers. Legomanbiffo only does diesel and electric sounds, but I have quite a few of his running around. Don't forget that he and Jamie Goodman have provided factory sounds for Accurascale locos using ESU LokSounds.

For ESU, there is also the free library from ESU themselves, with many of them coming from the erstwhile South West Digital firm. Zimo do have some free files too, but very few are for British stock.

In short, the choices for Zimo are more limited, but still very do-able, using your MXULF programmer. I do mine with the MXULFA connected to my programming track, and a USB stick to transfer the file from the computer. Fine-tuning and adjustments are then done using JMRI Decoder Pro on the computer.

I'm not sure if I answered Peter's question at the end properly: you can only load files to a Zimo decoder with the MXULF unit. Sound files are specific to a particular brand of decoder, and the programmers likewise. Zimo requires the MXULF, ESU requires the LokProgrammer.

I said in my previous post that John Guymer is very helpful: when I bought the 700 sound file, it was actually intended for either the T9 or the M7 (I can't remember which), both of which have larger driving wheels than the 700 class. Both types were Drummond engines, as is the 700. John gave me very useful tips on how to adjust the synchronisation of the chuffing sounds to the driving wheel revolutions of the 700.

Hi Jeff - sorry, I completely missed your posts but have no2w read and inwardly digested the content.

I currently have sounds supplied by YouChoos, Digitrains (probably originating from Paul Chetter) and from Paul himself in addition to a couple of factory fitted projects.

I can't honestly remember (without checking) which locos were sounded by whom but they're all good with the exception of a Bachmann Class 25 - from the batch they sold off cheap-ish because the sound wasn't correctly installed - the loco moves off before the brakes are released but, once running, it's a great sound.  I really ought to have it re-blown but unfortunately, at that time Backmann were using ESU decoders and I don't have a Lok programmer so can't do it myself !

You've answered my query about loading sounds to other decoders via the MXULFA and the fact that the projects themselves are decoder specific.  It seems I'm stuck with Zimo decoders although they are very good.  I just wish their online guides were in more understandable English !!  At one time, I could speak German fairly well but I had a fully operational brain in those days ………………..

I've listened to the K3 from both Digitrains and YouChoos and it's very difficult to choose one over the other because they each show different functions, and it seems, have used different speakers and recorders for the videos.

I know Paul liked Digitrains (probably because he sold his projects to them and they are in Lincoln, not far from his base) but I've also found John Guymer to be extremely helpful in the past.

I'm quite a novice at this game but it does interest me enough to have a "play" with some of the deeper functions - chuff timing for example.  If all goes belly up, I can always do a re-set and I'd have the project of a flash drive anyway.

On balance, I think I'll probably go with YouChoos, even though I now source my decoders from Germany rather than from him (thanks to Brexit)

Thanks for your guidance on this Jeff and it may well be that I need to pick your brains again - I'm almost sure to mess things up and I tend to be embarrassed to let John know how little I understand about the "Tech Speak"  !!

Petermac said

Hi Jeff - sorry, I completely missed your posts but have no2w read and inwardly digested the content.

I currently have sounds supplied by YouChoos, Digitrains (probably originating from Paul Chetter) and from Paul himself in addition to a couple of factory fitted projects.

I can't honestly remember (without checking) which locos were sounded by whom but they're all good with the exception of a Bachmann Class 25 - from the batch they sold off cheap-ish because the sound wasn't correctly installed - the loco moves off before the brakes are released but, once running, it's a great sound.  I really ought to have it re-blown but unfortunately, at that time Backmann were using ESU decoders and I don't have a Lok programmer so can't do it myself !

You've answered my query about loading sounds to other decoders via the MXULFA and the fact that the projects themselves are decoder specific.  It seems I'm stuck with Zimo decoders although they are very good.  I just wish their online guides were in more understandable English !!  At one time, I could speak German fairly well but I had a fully operational brain in those days ………………..

I've listened to the K3 from both Digitrains and YouChoos and it's very difficult to choose one over the other because they each show different functions, and it seems, have used different speakers and recorders for the videos.

I know Paul liked Digitrains (probably because he sold his projects to them and they are in Lincoln, not far from his base) but I've also found John Guymer to be extremely helpful in the past.

I'm quite a novice at this game but it does interest me enough to have a "play" with some of the deeper functions - chuff timing for example.  If all goes belly up, I can always do a re-set and I'd have the project of a flash drive anyway.

On balance, I think I'll probably go with YouChoos, even though I now source my decoders from Germany rather than from him (thanks to Brexit)

Thanks for your guidance on this Jeff and it may well be that I need to pick your brains again - I'm almost sure to mess things up and I tend to be embarrassed to let John know how little I understand about the "Tech Speak"  !!

From “Post #292,112”, 26th April 2025, 3:44 pm

Glad I could be of some help. I too have dealt with YouChoos, Digitrains and Paul Chetter - John Guymer and Paul are extremely helpful. I've not really had any exchanges with Digitrains except purely as a shop. At present I prefer ESU because of the ease of tweaking them and loading the sounds from the LokProgrammer with it's much friendlier computer software. I buy my decoders locally (well, from New South Wales) but the sounds come from UK, mostly.