[Elecraft] Use of external speakers/amp

[Tom Hammond]

Hi Rick:

Initially, I added a pair of Motorola (mobile) amplified speakers to 
my K2 (and subsequently to my K3) installation.  I found that having 
a PAIR of speakers on
the audio output of the K2 and K3 made a significant improvement in 
my enjoyment of listening and I seemed to have to 'work' less to hear 
signals.  And YES, my hearing is just fine (well... unless you ask my XYL...).

The speakers worked nicely, but the DC connections just meant more 
wires that had to be connected.

I then (about 2-3 years ago, I guess) switched to a pair of Motorola 
UN-amplified mobile speakers to replace the amplified pair I had been 
using.  I found these speakers on EBay for a total of $15 (shipped).

The new (3.2 Ohm) speakers work just great, have more than ample 
audio output for use in my somewhat noisy (at times) shack, and give 
me the audio quality I want for my (99% CW) operation... they also 
sound great on SSB, though they're certainly NOT tailored toward the 
hi-fi SSB scene.

ANY time you insert a set of amplified speakers into the ham station, 
you're risking problems with potential RFI into the amplifiers and 
then the associated fight to quell the RFI.  I'd much prefer to go 
with UNamplified speakers, if I can find the right ones.

The K3 audio system 'likes' a speaker load in the 4 Ohm range.  8-Ohm 
speakers should give adequate reproduction, but will generally not 
produce nearly as much output as a speaker more closely matching the 
desired 4-Ohm load.  The K3 seems to really like the 3.2 Ohm Motorola speakers.

73,

Tom Hammond   N0SS

At 08:16 10/04/2010, you wrote:

>Over on qth.com in the forums area (the "Talk" sub-forum) is a 
>discussion called "A sad thing happened
>on the way to a more perfect receiver."  Some interesting topics 
>came up in the discussion, such
>as
>- Are DSP based receivers fatiguing to listen to for long periods of time?
>- The benefits of using external audio amps and speakers.
>
>In connection with the second topic, I wonder what other K3 owners 
>might have done.
>Have you gained any improvement by using external speakers, PC-type 
>speakers with audio
>amps built in, or even something like a stereo amp with hi fi speakers?
>
>I have been experimenting with the receiver equalization, using an 
>external Collins 312B4 speaker
>but still don't have the audio to the way I want it, and I wonder if 
>the internal audio amp might
>be pushed to its limits in normal operation?  When I say it's not 
>the way I want it, that is not
>something I can quantify, at all!  I just haven't been able to make 
>SSB sound smooth and mellow
>like I want.  I won't go so far as to say it is fatiguing.  K3 has 
>the stock ssb filter.
>
>Rick  K2XT
>K3 #3814
>
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