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Author Topic: Listening fatigue IC 7300  (Read 2150 times)

K1VSK

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #15 on: December 02, 2020, 07:52:02 AM »

As others have implied, the 7300 is what it is - an entry level radio with all the inherent weaknesses. It’s not a mystery why listening to it especially through its internal speaker is annoying. Why buy a budget radio and then complain about it?
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K6AER

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #16 on: December 02, 2020, 08:17:57 AM »

Another adjustment is to set your filter skirts to soft instead of sharp.

For the "baiters", why would I "jump in to defend"?  If you don't like the way your rig sounds, then adjust it till you do. And if you still hate it, then sell it.

I think both my 7300's and my 7610 sound great. I adjust them until I am happy with them.

As James had mentioned you learn to adjust the filter band width, filter shape, audio EQ, Noise reduction (static is a high frequency noise source). The speaker in the 7300 is small. It is not a book shelf speaker. Audio output is about 1 watt and that is what most small speaker in HF radios have.

Run the audio into a larger speaker and the lows and mod range will be helped. Most of the radios mentioned are much larger and many have separate speakers. Not an apples to apples comparison.

Many IC-7300 users have not explored the radio other than the quick menu.
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K7JQ

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #17 on: December 02, 2020, 08:26:23 AM »

This is all subjective. Some people like smooth, warm FM sounding audio, while others prefer a crisp communications type response.

First of all, the internal small speakers mounted on top of radios are a compromise at best if you're concerned about RX audio. You're talking about "hi end static", so why did you boost treble above mid-point, and bass at mid-point? You should reduce treble, and increase bass to mitigate high end response. What kind of electrical household noise is affecting receive? Normal propagation band noise floor is a factor. Reduce RF gain. Use a larger speaker with a woofer driver. NR should help reduce the "noise", but will color the audio. There are many ways to get the audio you want, without buying a more expensive, feature-rich radio.

I've had all kinds of higher end radios in the past, and I find by adjusting the audio/filter controls on my 7300's to my liking and using an external speaker, they sound as good as any other radio I've owned. Again, a purely subjective topic. Like..."What kind of mic sounds better on my radio?" It depends on your individual voice characteristics, and what you're trying to achieve (sharp DX/contest audio or ragchew). When you ask..."How's my audio?", you'll get all kinds of answers, depending on what the other individual likes.

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KC6RWI

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #18 on: December 02, 2020, 08:33:23 AM »

Thanks, I use the radio at my work and use an external speaker that greatly improves the audio and its directional.  I'm going to try the tips and thanks for the replys.
I really like the radio and I never think of it as an entry level radio, for me I feel its ten steps forward from any other radio I had in the past.
Thanks KOUA, I just  wanted to get your opinion, not trolling.

Another post popped up before I posted this, I just feel that turning the treble down is blurring, taking away from the signal, I like a sharp voice sound, I was concerned about the airplane background static sound.
 Half the problem is relying on the internal speaker.
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K9IUQ

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #19 on: December 02, 2020, 08:38:52 AM »

Run the audio into a larger speaker and the lows and mod range will be helped. Most of the radios mentioned are much larger and many have separate speakers. Not an apples to apples comparison.


NOT True. I do apples to apples. I have owned and used a Sounds Sweet speaker for a many many years. It is been on countless radios I have owned including Kenwood, several Icoms and my Yaesu. Hands down the Yaesu has superior audio thru the Sound Sweet.

Icom rx audio defenders like K0UA and others remind of a story my mother once told me:

There once lived a fly named FLY. Now FLY was raised on eating cow manure and other dung, he after all lived on a farm. He thought Animal Poop was the greatest meal in the world, until one day he flew in the Farm's House and landed on newly made Cherry Pie. FLY started eating the Cherry Pie and wondered, why did I ever think Animal Poop was great???

LMAO,
Stan K9IUQ
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K0UA

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #20 on: December 02, 2020, 10:09:55 AM »

Quote
LMAO,
Stan K9IU

You know, Stan, You have been doing that so much here lately it is a wonder you have any left to "laugh off".  Oh, by the way Stan, the display on my 7610 that I paid $2200 is still perfect despite all the doom and gloom you predicted with you "stigma" BS a couple of years ago. I was just thinking about that a couple of days ago when I took this photo with my camera of the face of my 7610.  :)

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73  James K0UA

K0UA

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #21 on: December 02, 2020, 10:19:22 AM »

And just for those that think of me as a Yaesu "hater", I wonder why I have two of them in my truck, one in my car and another in the hamshack?  Thats 4 for those of you with a new found taste for "cherry pie" :)




« Last Edit: December 02, 2020, 10:22:09 AM by K0UA »
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73  James K0UA

K0UA

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #22 on: December 02, 2020, 10:30:41 AM »

Some may have noticed an external speaker in the truck mobile installation.  It is for the FT90R dual band VHF/UHF.  The internal speaker in that very tiny radio must be about 1 1/4 in diameter at best. The external speaker was a must. The internal speaker in the FT-891 is good enough even when mobile in the truck. It does a good job of overcoming road noise.  Not that the road noise in a modern Chevrolet truck is that bad to begin with, what with that superior GM engineering.  :)  cough, cough.
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73  James K0UA

K7JQ

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #23 on: December 02, 2020, 10:52:00 AM »


Another post popped up before I posted this, I just feel that turning the treble down is blurring, taking away from the signal, I like a sharp voice sound, I was concerned about the airplane background static sound.
 Half the problem is relying on the internal speaker.

Unfortunately, you can't have your cake and eat it too. A "sharp voice sound" (that is not already transmitted as "sharp") requires increasing treble and/or sharpening the bandpass filter, but will also increase high frequency noise/hiss. It also depends on the other station's transmitted signal. For instance, if he's transmitting a wide ESSB (Enhanced Single Sideband) signal, it'll have that warm, FM quality sound. Trying adjustments to "sharpen" and reduce that received bandwidth  might  make it sound somewhat distorted.

And yes, half the problem *IS* relying on the internal speaker.
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K9IUQ

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #24 on: December 02, 2020, 11:24:50 AM »

And yes, half the problem *IS* relying on the internal speaker.

Smart hams don't use internal speakers. Half the problem is half the hams aren't smart hams.  ;)

FWIW after owning 12+ HF Icom radios in my ham life I never thought that Icom audio was not "adequate". But comparing Icom audio to Yaesu audio is like my FLY story. FLY was perfectly happy eating Animal Poop and FLY thought Animal Poop was adequate, after all it was ALL he had ever eaten. FLY was happy - until FLY found that cherry pie.

Stan K9IUQ
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KX2T

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #25 on: December 03, 2020, 07:58:52 AM »

Stan that is very offensive, in reality most hams do not RTFM (read the frigging manual) and this is why they never understand what they get out of most radio's today regardless of manufacture.
As far as audio between radio's Icom's audio has always been on the sharp side, always seems to have a boost in the midrange and I think that is why they only include a bass and treble control. Yaesu has always been more on the rolled off hi end and seems always to have a more bass type sound but have no idea on the newest rigs like the 101D but the FTDX3K and 5K still seemed to have that type of response. Kenwood has always been middle of the road, smooth and not very pronounced in any particular frequency range.
All of these radio's benefit from a good external speaker or good headphones and if you just go by the internal speaker well you get what you get cause no mater how a company can make the metal enclosure its never going to sound like a larger speaker in a bigger box. I don't think you will see and amateur radio company subcontracting our to the Bose company anytime soon for a design to go into a internal speaker.
The audio from any of the radio's is almost like a shoe for any type of feet, some fit some don't and this is a gray area with the way some radio's sound, I have seen none out there were one type of sound fits all, purely subjective.
BTW Stan you remind me of the old Starkist commercial with Charlie the Tuna!
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K9IUQ

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #26 on: December 03, 2020, 09:00:59 AM »

Stan that is very offensive,

As far as audio between radio's Icom's audio has always been on the sharp side

BTW Stan you remind me of the old Starkist commercial with Charlie the Tuna!

Thanks for the offensive compliment, I suggest my FLY story is only offensive if you own an Icom,
However ALL Compliments are always welcome.  ;)


Stan K9IUQ




« Last Edit: December 03, 2020, 09:11:12 AM by K9IUQ »
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W6UV

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #27 on: December 03, 2020, 10:02:15 AM »

That is why I like the Flex radios, super audio, and you can limit the response to whatever you want, on both TX and RX.
If you do not want to hear anything over 2900 Hz, you can turn it off.
You also have a 10 band EQ, or even a 20 band.
If you want 20 to 5000 Hz for SWL or broadcast, or the AM guys you can have it.

The audio output is clean.
No other rig gives you such control and good audio as a good SDR like the Flex and Anan.

I'll second this. My Flex-6500 has the best audio of any HF rig I've ever used, and that includes Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood, TenTec, Drake, and Collins.

Of course, I've never used an HF rig with a speaker--I operate 100% with headphones and always have.
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K0UA

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #28 on: December 03, 2020, 12:45:23 PM »

Quote
Of course, I've never used an HF rig with a speaker--I operate 100% with headphones and always have.

Same here.  I may "listen around" with the built in speakers of any of the rigs, but when I get serious about working a station whether CW or SSB on go the headphones for sure. Besides the mic is on the headset anyway and if it is SSB I am sure going to need that. But for working CW the phones are many times better than the speakers for pulling out the weak ones. Besides that you need the phone for the spatial diversity of hearing the DX in one ear and the pileup in the other ear if they are working split.
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73  James K0UA

W1VT

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Re: Listening fatigue IC 7300
« Reply #29 on: December 03, 2020, 03:20:31 PM »

I used to buy external speakers from Radio Shack.  They would go on sale for really good prices, so I'd just wait for a sale.
The quality to price ratio was really good because RS bought a ton of product just to fill their stores and they had the distribution network needed to get merchandise cheaply to  stores.
 I mention this because those old speakers may still be useful today if you can obtain them cheaply enough.

Zak W1VT
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