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Reviews For: MFJ ClearTone 281 Speaker

Category: Speakers for communications

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Review Summary For : MFJ ClearTone 281 Speaker
Reviews: 61MSRP: 12.95
Description:
Communication Speaker
Product is in production
More Info: http:// http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-281
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
25613.9
KM1B Rating: 2015-06-19
The Little Speaker That Could Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I got this speaker in a trade and didn't pay any attention to it because of its small size. One day, I needed a speaker quickly on a radio and used this little guy. As soon as I plug it in, I was blown away. I agree that there are many other 'bigger' speakers that sound better, but this little speaker sounds awesome for its size. For the price of it, nothing can beat the value. Why spend >$100 for a speaker when you can get a nice sounding speaker for $15? This little speaker found a permanent spot on my desk and gets used everyday.
W8AAZ Rating: 2014-11-10
Shrill but in some cases improvement Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have a mobile 2M set up to take in and out of the car with a homemade cup holder mount. IT is an older Yaesu FT-1500. The built in little speaker is wretched sounding to me. Even bad sounding compared to a large HT. SO I mounted one of these MFJ speakers on top of the rig. Well it is an improvement over the stock speaker but still was very sharp/harsh sounding. I did some sort of mods to tame it. Think maybe a cap to roll off some highs and maybe some sound absorbent padding inside. Still high pitched sounding but better. Mods did not cost anything to do. And smoother sound. Not as good as a big rig external speaker but perhaps it cuts thru road noise better than those would do. Certainly articulate if not totally pleasing. But tastes differ.

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Earlier 4-star review posted by W8AAZ on 2009-04-04

I have a removeable mobile 2M FM consisting of a Yaesu FT-1500. It's tiny built-in speaker is excreble and usable as a last resort. I got the MFJ and it's bracket mounted nicely on top attached by the screws that mount the 1500. However in the mobile, with this radio, I found the MFJ speaker to be rather tinny and sharp sounding also. As I recall, I stuffed some fibreglass batting inside to absorb the backwave, and I selected an electrolytic cap across the speaker inside, based on how much of the high freqs it rolled off. Be careful not to overdo it. But that can take some of the edge off of the tinny highs and make it acceptable as it fits my application well. What do you expect from a small speaker anyway? It ain't hifi but hifi speakers cost hifi prices. It is a comprimise for size.
W4SEX Rating: 2014-11-10
Nasty sounding speaker Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is a .25 cent speaker will poor build quality, and even worse sound quality, it's a shame that radio operaters think this is a good sounding speaker. High listener fatigue is what this speaker is all about, but you can't expect much for $13.00
Our club took them out of our "Go-Box" and replaced them with quality drivers that made everyone sorry we had purchased these things.
N4MJG Rating: 2014-04-18
great speaker since 2001 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I, had this speaker on differnce radio past years now with new radio (FT 350R in my pick up truck the 218 sounded better then built in and it mounted behind my head i can hear better then one in the rig !

Some of guy don't like mfj everyone is differnce then others !!


73
Jackie
N4MJG

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N4MJG on 2009-12-20

I brought mine back 2001 when i first got into ham radio,i love that how it sounded no noises at all.


73
Jackie
N4MJG
Tullahoma,Tn
WWW.N4MJG.COM

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N4MJG on 2006-01-06

I see 1/5 rating it make me thinking thought it was bad,not me sound good to me never a problem .I have 2 speakers one in the house and other in my truck, those are good speakers.



73
Jackie
KG4ORX
AI6JA Rating: 2014-04-18
Great for the price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I installed this speaker along with my FT-8800r. The radio is under the seat, so I needed something to mount where I could hear better. I think the speaker sounds great. The volume on my radio is never turned up more than 1/4 of the way because it doesn't need to be - this speaker is plenty loud. I get a lot of road noise in my car, but I can still always hear just fine with this speaker.

Very happy, and $12 well spent.
KJ6VCM Rating: 2014-04-16
Not worth what you pay. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought this speaker to have an external speaker for my Yaesu-897, figuring it was a bit larger and would be a bit better sounding. I was way wrong. Very inefficient tinny and poor quality sound. I have to turn up the output nearly all the way just to equal the volume of the internal speaker. Not really happy at all with it, but since it would take more trouble to take it back, I'll just throw it in a box somewhere for some future use if a speaker totally dies in something. Typical MFJ issue cheap stuff I guess. I should have tested it out before buying. I will give it minor positive points for the case and mount being OK. Case is sturdy and mounting bracket is strong enough, but that is about it.
KK4PSG Rating: 2014-03-11
Cheap and easy Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I needed an external speaker for the car, because I found my self turning the radio up higher than I wanted to for sustained periods of time. I simply wanted more volume, without overdriving the internal speaker on my 2900r. For $12 at HRO, it is louder than the internal speaker, even when placed on the floorboard. I wish it was a bit louder but I'm sure if it was mounted higher closer to ear level it would seem louder. My complaint however is that I cannot turn the volume knob on the yaesu more than 5/8ths up before i get distortion. The yaesu only puts out 3 watts and this speaker is rated for more, although I suppose it could be from the radio.

Again, for $12 why not? It will be louder than the internal speaker. Would probably give it a 3 but price kicks it up to 4.
N8KZH Rating: 2013-07-18
FB CW Speaker Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'm a CW only OP , and this little speaker is really excellent on CW. It peaks CW tones very nicely on all my rigs. Much better than the built in speakers in the radios. It also sounds just fine to me on SSB. I'm sure there are better speakers out there for SSB , but for the money it can't be beat. Ron/N8KZH
GW6ITJ Rating: 2013-07-05
Great communications speaker Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I usually use headphones but I wanted a small speaker for the shack and didn't want to spend the ridiculous prices asked for the Icom/Yaesu matched speaker.
The MFJ-281 fitted my price bracket and looked much better quality than equivalent priced units on e-bay and Amazon.
On receipt it was smaller than expected but very solidly built, I won't do a drop test but I think it would easily survive several!
First job was to take it apart and look inside, we have the generic mylar type speaker glued in and also 'clamped' in place with a substantial extrusion from the rear plastic housing.
Listening to SSB and CW with the case off and on gave best results with the case on (as designed!). There are some vents on the bottom of the rear case to provide a little airflow, the airflow is there but quite restricted but I really like the result.
The speaker is significantly better than the internal IC 718 speaker (much less high frequency noise) and better for comm's than a HiFi loudspeaker. Both SSB and CW are clear and lifted above the background radio noise makes for easy listening.
Due to the limited frequency response this is not designed for music listening but I gave it a go and it is as expected - pretty flat.
Pros: It looks good, is very solid, small, sounds great for CW and SSB, low cost
Cons: Non as long as you know it's not a HiFi speaker

KD2DIV Rating: 2013-06-18
can't beat it for the price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
ok not hifi quality but for the price go for it. I have had several speakers and this is the best under $80 and it is $14 ish! It beats the motorola clearer and smaller. I have ordered 3 of these they are so good I don't mind spending more but I am not sure I can get better sound out of something this small and simple.