[Elecraft] Microphone for the K3 questions

Sat Jun 8 06:43:55 EDT 2013

I've waited for a while to answer but I use separate headphones and mic. I
have several sets of headphones I use depending on how long they will be
worn. The mic never changed it is a Heil PR-781 and a natural to use with
any high-end radio with customizable audio settings like the
K3/FTDX-5000/9000/IC-7800/7700.

For all portable use I use the MH2 for the K3 but do have the Heil/Elecraft
headphones also for both the K3/KX3.

I use powered external speakers with my K3/KX3 in the shack or portable and
I tire of headphones quickly uncomfortable, hot and can't hear what's going
on around you.

73,
Fred/N0AZZ
K3 Ser #'s 6730/5299--KX3 # 2573--K2/100--KAT100
P3/SVGA--KPA500--KAT500--W2

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of George Thornton
Sent: Saturday, June 08, 2013 5:14 AM
To: don at w3fpr.com; Gary at ka1j.com
Cc: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Microphone for the K3 questions

I have the QC2 Bose headset, the Yamaha CM500 everyone recommends and the
MH2.  I work mostly SSB.

I am happy with either the Bose or Yamaha with the K3. The Yamaha works just
fine.  You don't need noise cancelling and the Yamaha does not need a
battery.  I reserve the Bose for use with a laptop while traveling.  The
Yamaha pretty much stays permanently attached to the K3.  The Bose works
just fine in conjunction with the MH2 however.  I got the Yamaha originally
not because I needed it but because it was cheap.  I have never regretted
that purchase.

I get uniformly complimentary comments on voice quality and excellent
results penetrating pileups on 100 watts with either the MH2 or the Yamaha
mic.  I see absolutely no need to buy anything more expensive.  

Mics on the K3 are not plug and play.  They have to be set up and configured
properly.  If anything is wrong the mic may perform badly or not at all.

As far as desk clutter is concerned, I love using a boom.  Completely hands
free, no desk clutter, the mic goes to your comfortable sitting position and
most importantly it looks cool and professional.  Used booms are available
cheap at flea markets if you don't want to spend about $100 for a new Heil
boom.

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm
Sent: Friday, June 07, 2013 2:24 PM
To: Gary at ka1j.com
Cc: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Microphone for the K3 questions

Gary,

Both those microphones should work well with the K3.  Couple that with the
fact that you hear things OK in the monitor.
That suggests that there is something else wrong with your K3.  I would
first check the filter selection for transmit using K3 Utility and make
certain the actual 2.7 (or 2.8) kHz filter is selected for transmit.
All the rest that I can offer is that one K3 I had a hand in testing needed
to have the Reference Oscillator re-calibrated because of a similar problem
- that is worth a try.
If you continue to have problems, contact Elecraft support for additional
assistance.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 6/7/2013 4:25 PM, Gary Smith wrote:
> I use a K3 and rarely work SSB and I'm 99+% CW. I normally use a set 
> of Bose QC15 headsets and have a very old Heil HC-4 Mic element in an 
> older HM-5 Ball tip desk mic.
>
> I've been consistently getting poor reports with SSB but listening to 
> the K3 monitor I'm not hearing anything unexpected. The HC-4 element 
> was geared to contesting and DXing, not for a pretty voice quality.
> Perhaps there's a problem with the mic or the settings but I bought 
> the element back around 85 or so and the mic has been dropped over the 
> years so maybe I should try another mic & see if that makes a 
> difference. Problem is I have no other mic to try except a few old 
> Neumann studio mics and the ones for voice take awhile for the tube to 
> warm up. A bit of overkill that's not worth exploring.
>
> I just looked on the Elecraft product list & see the MH2 and the Heil 
> Proset. The MH2 is surely wired properly for the K3 but I wonder about 
> the quality of sound its element generates. It looks like the Heil 
> proset would be the ideal if I worked SSB frequently but I don't. The
> MH2 would surely be fine for the occasional use but I've never cared 
> for having the thicker coiled wire hand for hand mics extending out on 
> the desk from the radio.
>
> If I got something like the heil proset I couldn't use my QC15 and I 
> seriously wonder if the Heil comes close to the audio quality in this 
> Bose headset, I don't know, I'd have to compare to know. The QC15 is 
> the finest headset I've ever used for radio, thanks to the electronic 
> noise cancelling feature I can't hear the amp at all and I keep the 
> fan at full speed. As a musician the QC15 give a really pleasant 
> reproduction and are very comfortable.
>
> Any suggestions on something else I might look into that is less 
> pricey than this Heil set & maybe better sounding than the MH2? I 
> don't have to have it now and am not in a rush.
>
> 73,
>
> Gary
> KA1J
>
>
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