[Elecraft] K3 v. TS-590

[WILLIS COOKE]

Very interesting report Paul!  I would have expected better from the TS-590.  I would be interested in a comparison between the TS-590 and the TS-480.  I own a K3, TS-480 and TS-850.  The K3 is my favorite by far, but it is not so superior to the TS-480 that I don't like the 480 for mobile where the split architecture is a big advantage for me.  I have not had the 480 long enough to completely evaluate it, but at least I don't throw rocks at it when I switch from the K3.  Some of my favorite things about the K3 are how well the QSK and VOX work.  I would not use either with the TS-850 because the relay made too much noise with QSK and the VOX setup was too touchy to use during contesting.  I used a foot switch with the TS-850 when contesting.  The K3 switching is so good that I don't hear anything at all when using QSK.  I also found by accident when I started using the K3 that semi-break in with a short delay is so much like QSK that it took
 me a while to realize that I was not operating QSK.
 
I guess most of us never tire of singing the Elecraft praise about the very fine products.  Thanks Elecraft and Thanks Paul!

Willis 'Cookie' Cooke 
K5EWJ & Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart
 

________________________________
 From: Paul Christensen <w9ac at arrl.net>
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net 
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 9:12 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 v. TS-590
 
Just picked up a TS-590 to evaluate against the K3 and ADAT ADT-200A.  First 
impression is that build quality and panel layout is exceptional.  However, 
things that do not bother other ops, bother me a lot.  For example, plugging 
in headphones into the TS-590 results in audible hiss.  Activating 
noise-cancellation on my Sennheiser headphones (to quiet down room noise), 
results in even more hiss -- something that's not a problem with the K3.

QSK:  It doesn't exist with the TS-590.  Sure, it's called Fast-Break-In, 
but of all the Kenwoods I've tried (TS-950/850/870/2000/480/570), it's the 
slowest of the bunch.  Audio between keyed elements is lost at about 15 WPM. 
T/R switching is smooth, however.

Strange IF/Audio DSP relationship.  In SSB mode, as the DSP is opened up 
past 2.8K, the IF keeps opening, but the audio response stays relatively 
fixed.  In other words, by opening up DSP, the audio response stays 
relatively constant and only allows for more adjacent QRM.  I'll take the 
adjacent QRM, but please open up the audio commensurate with the IF.

I was going to add a Clifton Labs buffer amp to at least get a pan display 
into my SDR-IQ on the down-conversion bands.  If the '590 didn't have these 
fatal flaws, I would proceed. As it is, it's just not worth it to me. 
Sorry, Jack.  I promise a another sale in the future!  Your product deserves 
better.

Paul, W9AC



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