Blogpost: Referee Channel - Test of referee whistles - 2023-03-10

Referee Channel on Youtube conducts a test and review of 15 referee whistles

We got in touch with Referee Channel on Youtube who wanted to do a test of 15 referee whistles. Below you will find a blog post with a review of all these whistles, ratings on them and a few sentences about each one. Maybe this can help you as a referee choose the right whistle? Remember that it is very individual, different for indoor and outdoor use, and some whistles are also designed for specific sports. If you click on Referee Channel here on Youtube, you can also see and listen to the whistles in video format.

"I had previously done two tests on outdoor whistles and this time I wanted to do an indoor test to show the differences there as well. Whistles used outdoors at the elite level also work indoors but there are whistles that are specifically made for indoor sports. These have adjusted frequency levels to sound better indoors. Mostly Molten focuses on this for sports such as futsal, handball, volleyball, and basketball.

It is very interesting how different professional whistles can sound. It is not only the sound tones and volumes that are most important, but usability is just as important. There is a big difference between these whistles in how easy it is to get signal variations such as double signal, triple signal or other. Sometimes it had to be retaken on certain whistles because it is not easy to get the sound you want. This often depends on how the hole is designed or the shape of the whistle itself.

As a referee, you never want to worry about a signal sounding bad, but you want to get a consistent and good sound every time. Things move fast and you need to quickly be able to put the whistle in your mouth to get the sound out.

One thing to note is that I blow with my tongue, which many people do and need to do to get the best out of a whistle.

The whistles I tested were:

Fox 40 Pearl

Fox 40 Electronic

Molten Blazza

Acme Tornado T2000

Fox 40 Fuziun CMG

Molten Valkeen

Fox 40 Epik CMG

Molten Dolfin F

Fox 40 Mini

Fox 40 Eclipse CMG

Acme Tornado 635

Fox 40 Sonik Blast CMG

Fox 40 Classic

Molten Vorca

Acme Thunderer 477/660

1. Fox 40 Pearl

A darker tone than most whistles but has a lower dB. This is suitable for those who want a slightly unique sound and don't want to be heard the loudest. It is smaller than the Fox 40 Classic, which means it is difficult to hold unless you connect it with another whistle or use a lanyard.

+ Unique sound
+ Cheap
- Requires a lot of strength but doesn't sound as loud as other Fox 40 whistles

Rating: 3/5

2. Fox 40 Electronic

The only electronic whistle I have tested. Obviously different from using a regular whistle. Fox 40 Electronic is excellent if you are multiple users who need to take turns being a referee or if you are a sports teacher, etc. because it is hygienic. It has three sound tones that sound completely different and the sound you get is completely consistent every time.

+ Consistent sound tones
+ Hygienic for multiple users
- Cannot vary signals
- Not loud enough compared to traditional whistles for elite activities

Rating: 3/5

3. Molten Blazza

An interesting whistle made for indoor sports, primarily basketball and volleyball. One thing that stands out with this whistle is that both sides are identically shaped. This is unusual for a whistle but it is positive. There is no wrong direction. It sounds the same regardless. It has a built-in mouthpiece so you don't get hurt if you bite it.

+ Identical sides
+ Sharp sound
- You should not blow too hard. Then the sound becomes inconsistent. You need to use medium or low volume.

Rating: 4/5

4. Acme Tornado T2000

A very wide whistle that gives a very sharp and impressive sound. It is easily heard over an indoor and outdoor arena. The T2000 is very difficult to hold if you do not connect it with something. If the usability were better, I would have given it the highest rating.

+ Very sharp sound
+ Clearly audible
- Difficult to use due to a very small hole and no mouthpiece. You have to bite it to get the sound out if you don't want to use a lanyard or similar. If you put tape on it to be able to bite it, it becomes even harder to use because the hole is so small. It is also difficult to vary signals because of this, such as double signals, etc.

Rating: 3/5.

5. Fox 40 Fuziun CMG

An interesting Fox 40 whistle. The sound is dark, and the whistle is quite large. It has a built-in mouthpiece, so it is suitable for those who bite when they blow. The name Fuziun is inspired by the fact that it sounds like a combination of Fox 40 Classic and Fox 40 Sonik Blast. I agree, but I don't think it's a particularly good combination. The sound is not sharp and not particularly pleasant. But if you can't decide between Classic and Sonik Blast, then you know that this is the one to go for.

+ Easy to use
- Dull sound
- Not perceived as sounding loud

Rating: 2/5

6. Molten Valkeen

A whistle that is complete according to me. It has all the parts needed to get a top rating. It is heard very clearly even in a crowded arena and the usability is excellent. You can vary the volume without it sounding bad and it is very easy to make quick and sharp signals. You can use it easily without biting it or connecting it with anything. A world-class whistle.

+ Very easy to control volume and technique
+ Easy to hold
+ Extremely sharp and loud sound if you want
- Nothing

Rating: 5/5

7. Fox 40 Epik CMG

This is a good whistle that I haven't seen many referees use. It produces the same loud sound as a Fox 40 Classic but with a slightly different background tone. As the name suggests, it comes with a mouthpiece and cannot be obtained without one. It is suitable for referees who bite on the whistle. The placement of the mouthpiece could be a bit further forward, as there is a risk of biting on the plastic sometimes. It is a whistle that definitely works for full arenas.

+ Loud sound
+ Easy to vary signals
- Mouthpiece could be placed a bit further forward

Rating: 4/5

8. Molten Dolfin F

You could say that this is the younger sibling of the Valkeen. There are some differences in design, which makes it a bit harder to hold if you don't have a lanyard or another whistle connected to it. The hole you blow into is also a bit narrower. Other than that, there are two things that stand out between a Dolfin F and Valkeen, which are the sharpness and the price. If you hear a Dolfin F and a Valkeen separately from each other, it is difficult or almost impossible to distinguish which is which, making Dolfin very good value for money. The edges of the hole are not as high as Valkeen, which makes it not as easy to use if you just want to hold it without connecting it to something.

+ Sharp and loud sound
+ Easy to vary signals and sound volume
+ Good value for money
- A bit harder to hold and blow into than a Valkeen if you don't connect it with a lanyard or another whistle.

Rating: 4/5

9. Fox 40 Mini

I would say this is a smaller version of the Fox 40 Classic. According to Fox 40, the Mini produces 109 dB and the Classic produces 115 dB, but I didn't notice any difference in sound level. The tone of the sound was also the same. The purpose of the Mini is to be more compact and easier to fit in a pocket or bag, according to Fox 40. I don't see how this would be a problem with a Classic or any other whistle as whistles are already small. Therefore, for referees at a high level, it is better to choose a Classic as this one is too small and thus its usability is not as good. This whistle is more suitable for children or organizations that are not elite sports.

+ Loud sound
- Small and therefore difficult to use

Rating: 3/5

10. Fox 40 Eclipse CMG

This is a whistle with decent usability as you can easily get the sound it is intended to produce and make quick and short signals the way you want. However, this whistle is not commonly seen on elite level or in general. The sound has a too light tone and does not sound sharp or loud. It is not suitable for football matches as it sounds like you are blowing it with the wrong technique even though you are doing it right.

+ Easy to blow
- Weak sound
- Too light tone

Rating: 2/5