[Elecraft] Knowles HC-3 Mic Element Replacement For Heil HC-5

[Don Wilhelm]

I agree with Fred (Skip)- electret mic elements are hard to beat, 
especially with Elecraft rigs or others which have frequency 
compensation.  The electret elements are small and inexpensive.  With 
their flat responses, they will need some equalization for use as ham 
mics - reduced low frequency response mainly.  If you want a boost in 
the 3000 to 3500 Hz, equalization Will do it.  They do need bias to 
function, but that is no problem with Elecraft gear, just turn bias on 
in the menu.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 3/21/2022 6:15 PM, Fred Jensen wrote:
> "It would be great if these elements could be modified to perform better"
>
> Au contraire, Tony.  They were designed for a particular purpose and 
> they perform very well for that purpose.  Unfortunately, that purpose 
> is just not normally found in ham radio.
>
> It is very hard to beat electret mics.  They're cheap, tiny, have flat 
> responses, and tend to be immune to breath-blasts if you talk across 
> them rather than into them. Some mics [dynamic and especially ribbon 
> velocity mics] will emphasize the lows as you move close to them.  The 
> classic RCA 44-BX series [fairly large, prismatic-shaped one, Johnny 
> Carson used to have one on his desk] was particularly afflicted ... 
> when I was 17 and on AM, I sounded like I was 17.  Crawl up very close 
> to the -BX and I sounded like Morgan Freeman playing God in "Bruce 
> Almighty."  There is little speech information in the low frequencies 
> but a lot of power. Electrets are generally less prone to this.  Most 
> of today's rigs provide the DC bias electrets require right on the mic 
> connector.
>