Ray T. Mahorney wrote: > this discussion makes me wonder if ID800 users have found a similar > issue as an 800 user I haven't > heard anyone complain about the audio. comments?
My ID-800H definitely sounds "a little tinny" to me, when heard on other rigs, even on FM analog, compared to other comparable priced rigs. I saw some posted mods for this once, but haven't done them yet (still in warranty, I think). They seemed to be changing the filter knees in the audio input section, like this is an analog audio design flaw -- not a CODEC or other digital problem... thus it should affect all uses of the rig -- analog, digital, you name it. That seems to be true from my observation. My Kenwood TH-F6A sounds far better than the ID-800H, and if an HT can kick a mobile rig's hiney... that's not right. Also, since I bought it, deviation on this particular ID-800H is set a little low, and I need to look that setting up in the service manual (if I can find a service manual, and if it even has a setting!) and hook the thing to the service monitor one of these days to get it "right". Having the mic gain set to "high" is a REQUIREMENT to carry on a normal QSO on FM because of the low deviation. Another local user also finds the mic gain setting on "high" is required for his voice. Neither of us seem to have any complaints or problems with background noise on "high", which if it were really "high", I personally would expect to see problems there. I attribute most of the above to it probably sneaking out of the factory a little mis-set on deviation on the low side. Since every HT for 10 years has come out of Japan over-deviated... I must applaud Icom for finally erroring on the "in-channel" side, really! Ha! ;-) These rigs (ALL OF THEM) simply do NOT sound as good as the current crop of small Icom business mobiles. The mics on those are better quality (I think, or so they seem) and they sound better. I wish Icom wouldn't do that. It's probably done on purpose... (Wouldn't you... to discourage purchase and modifcation of ham rig operating out of band and without a type certification in commercial services? Just degrade that audio just a LITTLE bit... I think they did.) Just setting the deviation to factory spec will probably make it both sound better on both mic gain settings, and also bring out some of the low-end the mic is PROBABLY passing to the rig, but just disappears in the deviation "loss", so to speak. Don't know for sure until it's swept with the service monitor. If I ever get time to mess with it, I'll report back. Meanwhile, it's a 2-way radio in a noisy Jeep and if you can understand me AT ALL in that environment, then we're communicating adequately... I don't care about getting too crazed about working on it -- for the moment! Some crazed audiophile ham can "go where no man has gone before", before I do. ;-) Nate WY0X
