| KD2EMQ |
Rating:  |
2016-03-14 | |
| worse mike I ever owned |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| In the last few years I have purchased a Icom-7000 radio and a Icom SM-30 mike,They worked great together. I also purchased a Yaesu FTDX-3000 radio and a Yaesu MD-100 mike. They also worked great together. My latest purchase was a Kenwood TS-590SG radio and a Kenwood MC60A mike, what a train wreck that was! The mike wouldn't work at all with the radio. Thank god the good people at H.R.O.replaced it at no cost to me. However, the replacement mike worked no better than the original. After a lot of research, which I should have done before I purchased the mike,I found that this mike has had R.F.feedback problems since 2001, or at least that is the first report of this I found.I can't help but wonder why Kenwood hasn't corrected this problem.However, upon further research, I found a repair solution that corrected most of the problem, which I won't get into here. When I buy a top of the line mike, I don't expect to have to rebuild it in order to get it to work and if I could find a repair solution for this problem, why can't Kenwood? |
|
| KJ4KBC |
Rating:      |
2016-03-01 | |
| Great Mic! RFI easy to solve!! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I have three of these! They work well with everything I have, even my Boat anchors! This is the way I cured all of my RF issue's. The pre-amp off-on switch needs to be isolated from the base along with the circuit board. The microphone cord shield wire should not be attached to the base either. Attach it to the Microphone ground instead. That's it! No RF beads, no fancy capacitor jobs and no extra resistors. Try it! a no cost solution. 73's |
|
| G0LUH |
Rating:      |
2014-11-21 | |
| Must Have |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Hi
On my second one, regret selling first some years ago agree with rf issue, burnt my lips a few times, excellent choice, mind you I do have a Shure 444D as well |
|
| HA7WX |
Rating:     |
2014-08-18 | |
| 4.5 because prone to RFI |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have had this microphone for a while and this mike is a great mike once you have cured its RFI issues. If your antenna is close enough to your rigs you are likely to experience RFI. This can be cured with wire straps inside the mike. I have used it on my Kenwoods (850SAT and 950SDX) and it had a great sound (unsollicited reports), you know, the typical outstanding SSB quality Kenwood is so famous for.
If you're on a budget and have to choose between a MC-80 or a the MC-60A i think the 60A is a better choice as the price gap between them on the used market is not so big.
So all in all, i can recommend it if you don't want to spend too much $$ on a microphone to use your Kenwood or your Alinco rig. I give it a 4.5 rating.
Also, K8CPA gave 1 in his review to the MC-80 which is unfair, and yes this is a very good mike for its price. He is just disappointed he could not solve his RFI problems because of his ground loops... |
|
| K8CPA |
Rating:      |
2014-08-16 | |
| Works very well |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Previous to owning and using this mic, I bought new and used a MC-80 mic; and it sucked. I should have bought a new MC-60 mic. But, I thought I'd be brilliant and get a mc-80. Wrong! The MC-80 will RF like a buzzsaw on 75 meters, if you touch it.
I bought mine used from my friend, John N8QGC for $50.00 and I must say, it works well.
Only gripe is that the threads for the screws that hold the rubber feet on, one of the threads on the base or screw... is possibly stripped out. Which is most likely due to age.
I also pulled a bone-head move. I was trying to tighten down said rubber feet screw and stupid me forgot to take mic out of the holder and I broke the holder! Oopsie! Well, about 15 minutes, one bottle of loctite super glue, a wet paper towel and a few cuss words later --- I fixed the mic holder. you can get them at any music store, they only cost anywhere from 3 to 6 bucks. But, I glued mine.
Anyhow, I get good audio reports. So, I am not too worried about it. I don't get the RF problems on the audio, as I only run 150 watts here.
It's not a Electrovice RE-27 and it is not a Heil Mic. But, it is a good mic for someone who wants to get on the air. Don't ask me about Heil's stuff. I don't wanna get sued. :-/
All in all: It works well. Best $50.00 I ever spent. Now, if I can keep from breaking the thing! :-) |
|
| K1YPB |
Rating:      |
2013-08-13 | |
| Absolutely the Best! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have had this mic for almost 30 years now. Got it with my first TS-430. Now use it with the TS-2000. It always gets good audio reports. Only problem I had with it was a few years back when a small amount of grit got into the slider switch on the bottom plate. A little spray of contact cleaner and we were back in business like new. If you want good audio at a reasonable price and want a high quality, good looking mic, this is the one to get.
----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by K1YPB on 2010-10-25
Have had this mike since 1984. Only one issue, and just recent... the amp switch (on bottom plate) contacts had to be cleaned, because they were causing an intermittent in the audio. Cleaned them with contact cleaner, and it is now back to normal... perfect. Kenwood made a great product in this mike.
----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by K1YPB on 2005-03-21
I have been using the same MC-60 since 1984, and would not change it for anything else. I use it with my two TS-430's and my new TS-2000. It always gets great audio reports, and I have never had any RF problems or anything adverse. I find I do not need the mike's pre-amp. And I rarely use the transceiver's speech compressor. For my situation it is a great microphone. Good Kenwood quality and durability.
Dan
K1YPB |
|
| VE3UGG |
Rating:     |
2013-08-12 | |
| Nice Mic |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I purchased this mic used at a local hamfest for not a lot of money. Hooked it up to my older TS-680 and got on my favourite 40 meter SSB net the next morning. All I can say is reports were WAY better than my stock handheld mic. And no, I'm not using the built-in amp. Reports say my bass response is much improved yet still very natural sounding. I like the look and feel also. No RF concerns. |
|
| N4ZAW |
Rating:      |
2013-02-22 | |
| Better than Heil? |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I won't go there. But I will state that my on-air comparison revealed the free MC-60 I got from a friend sounded better than a Heil Goldline GM-5 (a comparably-priced mic) on my Yaesu FT-840 with no outboard EQ ,with and without the radio's processor engaged. Again, not knocking the Heil. Who knows what potential EQ would bring out on either mic?
If you are luckey enough to own an MC-60, keep it. It is hard to beat, even with Bob Heil's magnificent Goldline.
|
|
| AD4C2006 |
Rating:     |
2013-02-01 | |
| Great mic |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
In spite of I gave it a 4 because of the well known RFI problem that I had when I run 1.5KW, I have to say that my K3 sounds like it never did before.In spite of the mic booklet says its audio response is from 150 to 5000Hz, once I equalized it trough the K3 8 freq EQ, now my TX audio bandwith goes from 90 to 3000 Hz with an excellent articulate well balance audio that has impressed many of the K3 users who tough that was not the mic for the K3.
To solve the RFI problem, I just installed a couple of ferrite cores in the audio cable that goes to the radio and even running full legal power I don't her any RF in my signal.
Hector
AD4C |
|
| NN2X |
Rating:      |
2011-05-15 | |
| Great MIC |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have a Kenwood 590S, it took me over a week to finally figure out the adjustments on that rig while interfacing MC 60.
While working with awesome fellow Ham Operators, they help me along working with the MC 60,,,Having said that, once set the right adjustments, I can say, it works extremly well, am I am very happy with the MC 60...! |
|