[Elecraft] K3 Speaker buzz - But which external speaker ?

[Bill Coleman]

A different problem & a different solution...

This discussion has involved a single rig (K3) and it's speakers.  My
situation is different, but I suspect likely relevant to many.

When I ordered my K3 and settled in for the early order wait I spent a bit
of time (months) contemplating how to fit the K3 into my op desk.  An
inventory of the op desk at the time of the order:

Elecraft K2, Icom 756, Small HD AM/FM radio, PC with "standard issue"
amplified speakers (aka cheap),  2M FM, 440 FM, and probably some other
stuff I simply don't recall.   Oh, there was an entire shelf of mis-matched,
garbage to OK speakers connected to most of the radios.

Add in a legal limit amp, and a separate desk with a couple hundred pounds
of AM stuff - and another speaker.  You get a lot of hideous squawks from
the abundance of speakers and RF.

Add to the mix the forthcoming K3 - and it needs TWO speakers!

The fix:  Two new gizmos:

Behringer "Eurorack Pro" (~$100 back then) high level mixer.   Handles
line-level into 8 stereo inputs 
Bose Companion 2  PC speaker set (~$200 I think)

I built a handful of stereo and mono isolation boxes (600:600 Hammond
transformers) - not needed for the K3.

Yeah it's a lot of $$.  But each radio can be easily mixed with all the
other sources, silenced with the push of a button, and there is a mixed
headphone level output with its own gain control.  The entire speaker system
can be silenced with a touch of a button.
ZERO RF issues.  The top shelf of my op desk is no longer is no longer
sagging under the tonnage of a pile of ugly speakers. AND IT SOUNDS GREAT!
(I'm a grey-hair and still like my 70's music....LOUD).

I had listened to Bose audio goodies many times but found the $$ a bit of a
stretch.   The same is true of the PC speakers... but not out of this
universe.  The first thing I did was subject the system to some RF abuse
with the intent of taking it back forthwith.  That was years ago.

So... solve lots of problems, spend a few more bucks, and enjoy!

Aim harpoons off list pls.

73, Bill

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