Hi Les, I fully agree with your comparison of the FDM-S2 versus the wonderful AR7030+. You stated the main points very well!
Have you ever heard the FDM-S2 through the Studio 1 software? I've been using it recently, and I'm very impressed with the improvement in audio quality when using Studio 1's "soft filter" mode. The review of this program on the Ham Radio Science web site says in part: *"Audio Quality: This is an area that Studio1 stands heads and shoulders above the other software offerings. To be able to fully appreciate this, you must have a fairly decent audio chain attached to your computer. At HRS the main SDR lab testbed computer is equipped with a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 <http://global.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/scarlett-2i2> connected to a pair of KRK Rockit 5 <http://www.krksys.com/krk-studio-monitor-speakers/rokit/rokit-5.html> studio monitors for audio output. This gives the ability to more critically evaluate audio quality than typical PC speakers. If you are using cheap computer speakers or your laptop speakers, you are missing out on a large part of what SDR can offer. You might want to consider investing in a nicer set of computer speakers or at least a good set of headphones. With that being said, the Studio1 DSP engine is a stellar audio performer. The other SDR programs just sound kind of tinny in comparison. Listing to Studio1, you will notice one thing right away-- the low noise floor. You won’t hear much unnecessary hiss with this DSP engine. (Optionally), Studio1 utilizes an AM “soft filter” that warms up the audio. The audio from the AM decoder is very reminiscent of a tube based amplifier and is very pleasant to listen to. Of course with all the filters and other adjustments you can make to the audio SSB and CW also sound excellent."* Besides this "AM soft filter" demodulation option, and other nice features, I think Studio 1's synchronous-AM detection is the best I've encountered in SDR-land. 73, Guy Atkins Puyallup, WA > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Les Rayburn <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Cc: > Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 11:46:32 -0500 > Subject: Re: [IRCA] 1st NEW STN on 1400 Khz since 1982!!! WDNY Dansville, > NEW YORK > Welcome to the dark side, indeed. > > Those of us who live in the "middle" and especially those of us who live > in suburban neighborhoods would never see the ever-so slight sensitivity > advantage of an AOR 7030+. The AOR 7030+ and the Drake R8B have another > intangible in their favor, they just sound "amazing"--and are easy to > listen to for hours. > > But I think price has to also be considered in the equation. You can > purchase a brand new Elad FDM-S2 for $539, while the AOR 7030+ is selling > for $1,500 on ebay. Buy the Elad, a decent sound card and speakers for your > computer--and enjoy the fact that you've made a smart decision--and your > DXing will never suffer. > > And no conventional receiver will ever be able to record raw I/Q of the > entire AM band overnight, effectively allowing you to "preserve" an opening > for years to come. I recorded a lot of the recent auroral conditions, and > happily spent hours during the middle of the day reviewing them already. > Try that with an AOR 7030+. > > http://shop.elad-usa.com/ > > > -- > 73, > > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63 > > _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: [email protected]
