[Elecraft] My A/B Testing of The K2 vs the IC-756Pro (Unscientific)

[Harry Yingst]

I have been playing with the filters, etc. and doing some A/B test with
the K2 against my IC-756Pro just to see how this rig compares.

Doing a bunch of A/B testing, thought the past few days the bands have
been pretty rough.

I set up the IC-756 filter close to the K2's, and turned off the noise
reduction (since my KDSP2 has not arrived yet) then I invited my wife
in to listen to a QSO while flipping the antenna switch from A/B back
and forth (her ears are probably better than mine) plus after a while
your ears tend to start to fool you.


The results of the Testing:

1. The Internal IC-756Pro Speaker does not sound pleasant sound
   (because of this I normally use it with an External RCA Speaker).

2. The Icom has a fuller sound more like listening to your home
   stereo system, but the sound was not as crisp as the K2's.
   (My wife said the Icom sounded "noisier").

3. The K2 sounds more like talking on the telephone but is well
   defined and clear.

4. The Internal Speaker on the K2 actually sounds better
   than the external speaker (now thats a switch).

As were doing the testing one of the stations dropped right into the
noise on the Icom (barely if at all readable), I flipped over to the K2
and it is completely readable.

I flipped back and forth a few times to make sure it was not just a
momentary fade out.


My next thought was Holy _ _ _ _!!!


I could hardly believe what I was hearing I knew I had carefully built
the K2, but the K2 had just blown away the IC-756Pro in comparison.


  Note: I had originally bought the K2 just because I had been eying
  it for some time and I was itching to build something substantial,
  not with any real thoughts of it actually replacing my IC-756Pro.


Then I asked my wife the question "If I could only keep one of the two
radios which one should I keep and why?

Her answer was the K2 because:

1. I had built the K2 and if ever breaks I would be able to fix it,
   unlike the Icom (I am not setup to do surface mount repair work).


2. It sounded clearer and was easier to understand the people talking.

   She compared it to listening to a lecture on tape and trying to take
   notes using either a home stereo system or a portable tape recorder,
   Where as the Stereo system may have a fuller sound it is actually
   harder to listen to the person talking but on the portable the voice
   is crisper and the background noise is not as apparent making it
   easier to hear what they are saying.


3. The K2 is special since I built it myself.


I felt that was a good answer.


Now for those of you looking to try to convince your YL or XYL to let
you buy a K2 and all those needed options.  It's quite amazing what
getting her a nice pair of diamond earing's can do :)


PS: Anyone want to buy a good used IC-756Pro.


=====
--

Harry - AB2PN

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