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Reviews For: Astatic D-104

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : Astatic D-104
Reviews: 70MSRP: 90.
Description:
The Liliypop Mike
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.astatic.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00704.7
WI4NDS Rating: 2005-03-05
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Back in 1990, I just had 10 Meter privileges. I had a Realistic HTX-100 and stock handmic. I was doing alright with it on my attic dipole. I then switched and wired a T-UG8-D104 to it and adjusted it via on-air help with a friend. From then on, I was working DX easier and my average SSB output increased. The 104 did a great job and I went on to work over 100 countries with this setup. 104s, adjusted (and/or modified properly) are hard-to-beat mics.
KD4FUN Rating: 2004-01-26
Great Mic Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have owned a Silver Eagle D104 for about a year now and I use it with my Kenwood TS-450 unmodified..I recieve super audio reports. Looks pretty good sitting in front of the rig too.
N3IBX Rating: 2004-01-26
The D-TenFour still has it's place in the shack! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used this microphonium for many years and have always found it to most satisfactory with just about every application I've given it.

Be advised that there are a few different types of elements that are each different and tailored to specific requirements and each has it's own unique sound.

Bear-in-Mind that this is a communications grade mic and don't ask it to perform like something you'd record a symphony orchestra on!

My favorite is the crystal head pre-WWII D-TenFour head (Astatic Microphonium Labouratoree)produded from 1935 to 1941. Possibly due to their source for Rochelle Salts (I really don't know why) They seem to have a better response and dynamic range. The post-WWII crapstal head microphonium is equally adept at producing good results; but to my ear has a different sound and ever so slightly less outpoot. Maybe it's me???

The D-TenFour ceramic head needs the prefamplifier in order to get the same -DBM output as it's crapstal head counterpart.

I use all variants with a variety of rigs, from commuications grade sideband transmitters to a modified "Beastly 610" for AM work and find them all very satisfactory.

The D-Ten-Four has been omniprescent in the American Han Schack for many years and will continue to do so well into the new millenium. There must be a reason why!

Caw Mawn
KC4ZFC Rating: 2003-08-07
A keeper Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Out of all the equipment I've gone through in over 20+ years in radio the only item that's remained in the shack has been a D104 Silver Eagle. (And I've gone through plenty mics.)Currently wired to a 101ZD. Bypassed the amplifier and drives the rig to full output with no distortion and great audio reports.. Not to mention it's classic good looks. That's why it's a keeper.
W8MMQ Rating: 2003-02-23
Good mic when used properly Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have several D-104's and they all work and sound great on the air, WHEN USED PROPERLY!! A couple of the 104's I have are amplified, so I turn that mostly all the way down. Also, there is a reason why Astatic sold a SSB head ... for SSB!! Using the standard "lollypop" head is fine, but the SSB head produces a much better sound on SSB.
KD7EFQ Rating: 2003-02-23
Good if properly used! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
There's a saying...One thing that will keep a man
in everlasting ignorance is contempt prior to investigation. CB use is not a comparison with the
proper educated use by an amateur. There is an
amplified version and unamplified version of the
D-104 and Most of the CB'ers use the amplified version cranked up way too high because they think it makes them get out better which we know is false. Also it depends on which head you use.
there is the lollipop style, and the bullet shape
10-DAL head which is better suited for SSB. As
was mentioned, it just depends on the proper mix-n-match for your particular rig. But some are VERY GOOD!
KF4LVC Rating: 2003-01-23
GREAT! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used a D-104 many years ago in my SSB CB days. I liked it then. I came across one about 3-4 years ago and kept it in the shack for "sentimental" purposes. Today, I had some time on my hands and wired the D104 for my Icom 746. I have been using a Heil HM-i for a year and I thought I would not get better reports from the old '104. Boy, was I wrong! The D104 netted me overall better report than my Heil mic! My s-meter showed at least the full 100 watts when modulated, which never happened with the Heil.
The Heil had one advantage, the frequency response was much wider and gave "studio" sound. Yet, it did not have the same punch as the D104. If you have an old one in a junk-box, pull it out, polish it up, and use it!
NH6ZB Rating: 2003-01-19
Super Mic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had a D104 amplified mic about 10 years ago when I lived in Hawaii. It was wired to a TS 820. Unbeleivable audio quality. Great reports all the time. The neat thing I liked about having it wired for the TS 820 is that you could use the speech processor on the rig and put on a set of headphones to monitor your audio and then adjust the mic and the processor to tailor the audio to your voice. I will have one again one day.
VE2AKV Rating: 2002-11-05
The best of the best! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I collect microphone for many years..name it!
The D-104 gived you for the price the best performance in audio punch you can imagined.
True quality of the past and present in the schack for many years to come.

Normand ve2akv
mic.collector
WD40 Rating: 2002-10-26
Nothing better Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used D-104's for years but when I got my new Icom Ic-718, I thought the Heil mic was the way to go. Fact is, after adding a 33k resistor to the audio line of an amplifed D-104, I'm now getting better audio reports. Not tinny, no splatter and great sounding audio. The Heil was ok, my reports came back saying the audio sounded fine but nothing like the reports that I now get with the D-104.