Is this the first sighting of a Franzburg for sale...?

Zerogee said:
Interesting, Cliff... thanks!

So for a direct plug-in, it will either be the Massoth XLS-M1 or Marklin's own sound-decoder - any info on price/availability for either of those?
Muns, if you're reading this thread, any news on the XLS-M1, do you have a UK price for it?

Jon.
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Yes - the XLS-M1 is the same price as the XLS and will include a speaker (£165) and are listed on my website on the XLS page (which reminds me I must add the Franzburg sound option). Another option is the ESU LokSound XL v4 MultiPin. - but you may need to remove/bend a pin due to one of the sockets being keyed (one pin blocked).
 
The Marklin decoder for the Allegra came in at around £70..
It did not state it, but it had sound.. All the functions / lighting already sorted. Just dropped-in.

The extra cost / time (if you are paying for the job) of fitting a Massoth, IF there is a comparable Marklin decoder available, is just not going to be worth it.
IMHO.
 
PhilP said:
The Marklin decoder for the Allegra came in at around £70..
It did not state it, but it had sound.. All the functions / lighting already sorted. Just dropped-in.

The extra cost / time (if you are paying for the job) of fitting a Massoth, IF there is a comparable Marklin decoder available, is just not going to be worth it.
IMHO.
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Hmmm, this just seems to be getting more and more confusing and contradictory.... I have no doubt that you're right, Phil, about the Allegra decoder - but the 28-pin new style 55028 decoder listed on the Marklin/LGB website (for a gnat's whatsit under 100 Euros) makes no mention whatever of sound, it appears to be a driving decoder only. Modell-Land offer the Franzburg in a basic analogue version, and in a full DCC and sound version at about 200 Euros more, specifically with a Massoth XLS-M1 fitted; I'm sure that if there was a much cheaper Marklin decoder available (with sound) then they would be offering it. Maybe the "cheap" Marklin sound decoder for the Allegra was a small batch just for that model (maybe even a mistake...?) and they're not going to repeat it for other new locos...?
As far as I can see, M/LGB are not currently offering a sound decoder at all.... and if they were, especially at a relatively low price, I'd think they'd be making a big selling point of it? ???

If anyone out there in forum-space has any firm information on this one way or another, or can post a link to anything that answers the question, I'd love to know? :)

Jon.
 
Checked the German LGB product db and there is no mention of sound. Even more confusing: it's a 27-pin interface for locos with 28-pin i/f. They are not explaining their products well.
 
I thought that might be the case, but the nomenclature is nevertheless confusing. As I said: they are not explaining their products well.
 
Zerogee said:
Hmmm, this just seems to be getting more and more confusing and contradictory.... I have no doubt that you're right, Phil, about the Allegra decoder - but the 28-pin new style 55028 decoder listed on the Marklin/LGB website (for a gnat's whatsit under 100 Euros) makes no mention whatever of sound, it appears to be a driving decoder only. Modell-Land offer the Franzburg in a basic analogue version, and in a full DCC and sound version at about 200 Euros more, specifically with a Massoth XLS-M1 fitted; I'm sure that if there was a much cheaper Marklin decoder available (with sound) then they would be offering it. Maybe the "cheap" Marklin sound decoder for the Allegra was a small batch just for that model (maybe even a mistake...?) and they're not going to repeat it for other new locos...?
As far as I can see, M/LGB are not currently offering a sound decoder at all.... and if they were, especially at a relatively low price, I'd think they'd be making a big selling point of it? ???

If anyone out there in forum-space has any firm information on this one way or another, or can post a link to anything that answers the question, I'd love to know? :)

Jon.
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Hi Jon,

I understand that the limited edition Kof Diesel - LGB 22930 is fitted with the new decoder and has sound. I have one and the sound is most impressive. I have not yet opened it up to see how it is configured.
 
you can ask them directly.. at stafford, at the g scale society show.. G RAIL 8)
 
mike said:
you can ask them directly.. at stafford, at the g scale society show.. G RAIL 8)
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IF I can make it to the show this year, Mike, then I certainly will ask them! If I can't, then maybe someone who does go could ask the question and post the answers here? ;)

Jon.
 
Zerogee said:
IF I can make it to the show this year, Mike, then I certainly will ask them! If I can't, then maybe someone who does go could ask the question and post the answers here? ;)

Jon.
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I will get them in a corner, and ask any questions you would like me too..

I tend to refer to the interface as the '27/28 pin interface' as it depends whether you are counting 'holes' or 'pins'.. ;) ???

There are a number of questions that need answering.. I have been after a (replacement) 'Feldbahn' motor, and was told to wait for the new model, when they would be available again.. The 'new' motor is a different make (and size) to the older one. - Not had time to see if I can fabricate a mounting for this yet. But am loath to do this, as I am not sure I could make it robust enough.
 
MTheStrong said:
Hi Jon,

I understand that the limited edition Kof Diesel - LGB 22930 is fitted with the new decoder and has sound. I have one and the sound is most impressive. I have not yet opened it up to see how it is configured.
Click to expand...

Yes, this is what I can't quite figure - despite several of their recent and forthcoming locos having factory-installed sound decoders at little more cost than the old silent analogue versions (eg: the limited-edition KoF, the all-new V100, the promised new editions of the Spreewald and RhB Tm2/2 tractor), they still don't seem to be offering a sound decoder as a separate item - with the odd exception of the Allegra decoder, which (as has been mentioned above) seemed to come with sound almost "accidentally".... one of the oddest aspects of this is that M/LGB are making no big fanfare about the sound capabilities - in fact in some cases the fact that it is there at all is buried deep in the descriptive text of an item, plus a little icon that is poorly explained (a speaker symbol filled in black).

You would have expected them to be shouting it from the metaphorical rooftops..... ???

Jon.
 
My guess is the additional cost of a (motor only) circuit board, for what is a low volume item, is just not worth making..
If you are only making a short-run, he last thing you want is even shorter runs of (relatively) expensive electronic modules..

Just produce 'x' number of decoders, and be done with it.

A run of decoders will then probably make sense. - How many loco's are there in a production run? - How many (after market) decoders do you expect to sell? - Why make two items, when one will suffice??
If you don't make a 'thing' of it, and the end-user does not connect a speaker, then they will never know.
 
wow, I love the franzburg -but
I too think it a bit pricey,
will have to wait until im feeling wreckless and impulsive I think to buy that one.........

I have always wanted an 'uber Stainz', ie a very small loco, with all the features, lighted fire, sync smoke, sound, nice paint etc

this could have been that dream
 
Modell Land (usual disclaimer, other shops are available...) now have it in stock, and are offering it both as the standard loco but also with an eMotion XLS decoder installed.
 
I'm a big fan of Modell-Land as a supplier, and have bought from them several times making quite huge savings compared with the UK retail prices.... however there is just one point that folks need to be aware of now: ML have started taking Paypal as a standard payment option at last (previously you could use it with them, but you had to get them to agree to it and send a proforma invoice first - now they have it integrated into their store) BUT when you do this, they now slap a surcharge on the price to cover PP's fees.... for German customers this is 2% or so, but for those outside Germany it rises to 5%!
Now, it has to be said that ML's prices are generally so good that even with the extra 5% charge they are STILL cheaper than a lot of other suppliers in Germany, and still ENORMOUSLY cheaper than the UK prices - but it is an extra factor that you may need to consider when working out the price comparison.

Most other German sellers that I've looked at recently do NOT charge any extra for paying through Paypal, so you need to take this into account when working out where to shop for the biggest saving. All that aside, I'd still highly recommend ML for both their service and price!

Oh, and yes, I now have a Franzburg - not from ML, but from another ebay.de supplier - with no surcharge on my PP payment! Pics will follow when I have a chance to take some - it is very pretty - and I will also photo-document the installation of the XLS-M1 supplied by Mark (Muns - GRO)!

Jon.
 
I use a bank transfer using internet banking. I get the bank exchange rate which is very good and a very small cost (£3 for the Trainline mallet). ML sent me their details when I emailed them - no problem.
 
That's probably the best way, Alan - provided it's a reputable supplier like ML where you trust them completely. With a seller that has a less known reputation, the protection you get by using PP can be good to have.
As I said, we all know that ML are very good, I just wanted to point out their PP surcharge thing so that people could be aware of it rather than being surprised.

Jon.
 
Very fair comment Jon
 
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