Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound
The K3 sounds very good as a SSB rig. Apart from a few digital modes, that's almost all I use it for. You have almost complete adjustment of your TX audio by adjusting 8 band EQ, compression, and noise gate. If you hear one that sounds bad, it's more than likely a setup issue by the operator. When I'm rag chewing on 75 meters, I almost always get someone new that passes by and stops to ask what rig I'm using because they like the way it sounds. Tim On Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 8:30 AM, Mike Rodgers mikerodgerske5...@yahoo.comwrote: I'm still hearing rumblings about how the k3 sounds on ssb. This concerns me. The k3 will be a huge investment for my income and I can't help but wonder if it will be the right one. I'm really not seriously considering anything else but I'm sure getting nervous about unloading the cash. I'm just a rag chewer so there's more to it than just making the contact. I have however listened to Hector's audio files and they all sound good. Happy QSO'ing. Mike R __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound
Mike, TX reports that I get are wonderful that I am easily understood and clear. I have the ability to mess this up as I have worked with some guys trying different settings and their comments reflected what I was changing. Also don't confuse with the audio discussion, I am able to hear weak signals and filter out others that are either close or splattering. Now that I have learned to use the filter options, it really out hears my 7000. Now the 7000 is deaf compared to the K3. But the good news is that the 7000 is in the Jeep and for that application I would not change anything. I am however, struggling to get the audio output to my liking. I think this due in part to frequiencies that bother my ears and second I should have not purchased the Heil setup as the earphones have to much fedality in the frequency range that bothers my hearing. Don KD8NNU On Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 11:30 AM, Mike Rodgers wrote: I'm still hearing rumblings about how the k3 sounds on ssb. This concerns me. The k3 will be a huge investment for my income and I can't help but wonder if it will be the right one. I'm really not seriously considering anything else but I'm sure getting nervous about unloading the cash. I'm just a rag chewer so there's more to it than just making the contact. I have however listened to Hector's audio files and they all sound good. Happy QSO'ing. Mike R __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound
I have had my K3, #1025 for 2.5 years now and have made a few thousand SSB contacts. I have not had a single negative comment about the audio. My secret? Don't use any exotic microphones or external audio shaping devices. Don't jack with the available audio shaping. Don't engage in any long conversations with the group that talks continuously about audio shaping. In short, don't work at screwing up the audio and it won't be screwed up. Willis 'Cookie' Cooke K5EWJ From: Mike Rodgers mikerodgerske5...@yahoo.com To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thu, December 2, 2010 10:30:07 AM Subject: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound I'm still hearing rumblings about how the k3 sounds on ssb. This concerns me. The k3 will be a huge investment for my income and I can't help but wonder if it will be the right one. I'm really not seriously considering anything else but I'm sure getting nervous about unloading the cash. I'm just a rag chewer so there's more to it than just making the contact. I have however listened to Hector's audio files and they all sound good. Happy QSO'ing. Mike R __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound
Mike, I've heard several of those complaints but have never really understood them. As a person who depends on sound more than most folks do I can tell you I've always been pleased with the sound of the K3 receiver on sideband. I used a Kenwood TS-440 for 21 years and I can tell you it sounds much better than that rig, at least to my ears. HTH. Lou, WA3MIX - Original Message - From: Mike Rodgers mikerodgerske5...@yahoo.com To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 11:30 AM Subject: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound I'm still hearing rumblings about how the k3 sounds on ssb. This concerns me. The k3 will be a huge investment for my income and I can't help but wonder if it will be the right one. I'm really not seriously considering anything else but I'm sure getting nervous about unloading the cash. I'm just a rag chewer so there's more to it than just making the contact. I have however listened to Hector's audio files and they all sound good. Happy QSO'ing. Mike R __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound revised
Mike, I guess you will just have to listen to one to make up your mind. I have had unsolicited comments from shack visitors who say it really sounds great - much better than their YKI transceivers. Now, I do not know whether it is my audio setup or not. I use two small wide-range external speakers and usually have AFX turned on - this is with the DSP bandpass set at 2.8 and with the stock 2.7 kHz roofing filter. My RX EQ is set flat. Yes, the internal speaker does not sound great - it is adequate for those times when external speakers are not available, and headphones vary a lot in their response unless they are made for a flat response (quality stereo headphones, not communication types). I am using a set of Radio Shack Optimus speakers that I picked up at a second-hand store. So my conclusion from my experience and those of a few other K3 owners is that complaints about the K3 receive audio are probably based on the transducers (speaker or headphones) chosen and not the K3 audio itself. If you want to hear how the K3 can really sound, take the line-out jack and plug it into a good quality stereo system - then you can judge how the K3 really sounds, and pick your transducers to create as much of that sound as you desire. 73, Don W3FPR On 12/2/2010 12:50 PM, Mike Rodgers wrote: I failed to mention it's the sound on receive and not transmit that concerns me.most are telling me it's nothing to worry about. Happy QSO'ing. Mike R __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound
Likewise,every night on 40M when I don't say to the station I am talking with, the radio I am using,they always ask because they say I sound too good and when I say its a K3 they start asking more about it.The K3 is a very versatil radio in which TX and RX EQ can be set to your taste.Nobody will be disapointed with the audio of this K3. AD4C If freedom means something,it is the right to tell others what they don't want to hear –George Orwell --- On Thu, 12/2/10, Tim Tucker ae...@worldwidedx.com wrote: From: Tim Tucker ae...@worldwidedx.com Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound To: Elecraft Reflector elecraft@mailman.qth.net Date: Thursday, December 2, 2010, 4:53 PM The K3 sounds very good as a SSB rig. Apart from a few digital modes, that's almost all I use it for. You have almost complete adjustment of your TX audio by adjusting 8 band EQ, compression, and noise gate. If you hear one that sounds bad, it's more than likely a setup issue by the operator. When I'm rag chewing on 75 meters, I almost always get someone new that passes by and stops to ask what rig I'm using because they like the way it sounds. Tim On Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 8:30 AM, Mike Rodgers mikerodgerske5...@yahoo.comwrote: I'm still hearing rumblings about how the k3 sounds on ssb. This concerns me. The k3 will be a huge investment for my income and I can't help but wonder if it will be the right one. I'm really not seriously considering anything else but I'm sure getting nervous about unloading the cash. I'm just a rag chewer so there's more to it than just making the contact. I have however listened to Hector's audio files and they all sound good. Happy QSO'ing. Mike R __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound
Hi Mike, I've always gotten compliments on my K3's audio. This is with the Elecraft MH2 hand mic. As others have said though, you will need to tweak the TX EQ settings for best performance, or to whatever suits your taste. 73, James K2QI On Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 11:30 AM, Mike Rodgers mikerodgerske5...@yahoo.comwrote: I'm still hearing rumblings about how the k3 sounds on ssb. This concerns me. The k3 will be a huge investment for my income and I can't help but wonder if it will be the right one. I'm really not seriously considering anything else but I'm sure getting nervous about unloading the cash. I'm just a rag chewer so there's more to it than just making the contact. I have however listened to Hector's audio files and they all sound good. Happy QSO'ing. Mike R __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- 73 de James K2QI President UNARC/4U1UN __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound
Mike, What sounds good seems to be very personal. When I use to monitor the TT web site there were those who were critical of the OII sound. We are all different. I go for a very low tone on CW of 320 Hz others prefer 500 to 600 Hz. I would say that the K3 is an excellent value radio and maybe overall the best radio on the market today. This does not take away from the competition, which also make good radios. You are purchasing a radio with backup and ongoing improvement from a most unusually good company run by hams that only make amateur radio equipment. They are not pulled off amateur products because of a military or commercial product whose customer has mucho clout. You are purchasing a modular built radio which makes service easier. You are on to a winner. Sleep well and be happy for you surely will when the K3 arrives. 73 Doug EI2CN -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mike Rodgers Sent: 02 December 2010 16:30 To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound I'm still hearing rumblings about how the k3 sounds on ssb. This concerns me. The k3 will be a huge investment for my income and I can't help but wonder if it will be the right one. I'm really not seriously considering anything else but I'm sure getting nervous about unloading the cash. I'm just a rag chewer so there's more to it than just making the contact. I have however listened to Hector's audio files and they all sound good. Happy QSO'ing. Mike R __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound revised
I would take a listen to a K3 on ssb mode and compare it to others before deciding. A flat RX equaliser setting sounds terrible with aggressive white noise on my K3, using good quality headphones and/or ext speakers. The pink noise roll off setting for RX equaliser as per ; http://n1eu.com/K3/K3_notes.htm Red settings made the difference I can live with along with agc settings; AGC THR = 8 AGC SLP = 2 AGC DCY = soft AGC S = 15 AGC F = 80 AGC HLD = 0.2 AGC PLS = NOR RX Equaliser (This is what really makes the difference to me) 50hz = +16 100hz = +6 200hz = +2 400hz = 0 800hz = -1 1600hz = -3 2400hz = -5 3200hz = -10 Using RF gain reduction to reduce noise against audio level is beneficial until NR is required. Also recommend the 1.8k 8 pole ssb filter with 1.6~1.8 k rx bandwidth settings. Adrian ... vk4tux __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound
Hi Mike, I have posted some of this information to the reflector before, however I will copy it again here. Basically, there is enough adjustment to make the tx sound any way you prefer. However, it worked great for me straight out of the box. Here is an email I received about it after working a few NA contacts on the 75/80m DX window: Hi Andy, I was talking to David, W6ANR today he informed me you are running K3 transceiver and you had the best audio he has ever heard from any K3. So I am asking if you could give a run down on all your setting as you have them on your radio that pertains to Audio so I can help my neighbor Bob, W9KNI get his dialed in. His sounds lousy and he has always been a CW man but has now been enjoying using the mic instead of the paddle. He has had comments that he need to dial in his audio so I told him I would help. SO maybe with all your setting etc I can have a good place to start as I am not to familiar with that radio. I hope your summer was a good for you? Here we are anxious for spring to arrive so I can get out and do some real work out in the yard and get the veggie garden started. Best 73, Rich K7ZV Here is my reply to Rich: Hi Rich, Great to hear from you - it has been a long time since we have worked on 80/75m. I haven't been very active lately, due to work and family commitments. I hope I am not going to disappoint anyone when I reveal my audio setup on the K3 as it is far from spectacular..hi hi. The fist mic I was using is a five dollar CB type that you could find at any hamfest (no kidding!). I have not adjusted the TX equalizer so it is still at the factory default (all flat). I do use the compressor, but only allow it to indicate between about 5-10dB on the meter. I also always make sure the ALC bargraph indication is well below the upper limit. For what it's worth, my mic gain is set to 23 and the compression setting is at 19. Not very fancy is it? I found the K3 to work well out of the box. As the old saying goes if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I think this speaks for itself - nothing else required! Andy VK4KY -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-ssb-sound-tp5796621p5797525.html Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 ssb sound revised
On 12/2/2010 9:50 AM, Mike Rodgers wrote: I failed to mention it's the sound on receive and not transmit that concerns me.most are telling me it's nothing to worry about. I would generally agree with that. The RX in the K3 is excellent, the IF filters are excellent, the audio chain is quite clean, and there is a graphic equalizer that allows you to tailor the response to your speaker, earphones, and ear/brain. The only possible criticisms I can think are 1) the audio output stage is relatively low power, so if you have a problem with hearing loss, or if you want to use it with either speakers or headphones that have low sensitivity, it may not be loud enough for you. I'm 69 years old and have a fair amount of hearing loss, but I've never run into a situation where I wasn't very pleased with what I heard from the K3. 2) Early production K3s had 600 ohms in series between the output stage and the line output transformer. This was a lousy design, and caused the output transformer to create distortion. I'm told that a running production change reduced the value of those resistors to the minimum value needed to provide circuit stability, which has been good engineering practice in the pro world for at least 30 years. Note that this affects ONLY the line out, not the speaker or headphones, each of which have their own output stages. 73, Jim K9YC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
