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Reviews For: MALACHITE-DSP SDR

Category: Receivers: General Coverage

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Review Summary For : MALACHITE-DSP SDR
Reviews: 4MSRP: $50 ~ $200
Description:
The Malachite-DSP is an "all-in-one" portable SDR that is controlled via a touch screen and two control knobs. It covers 0.1 MHz to 2000* MHz with a bandwidth of up to 160 kHz, and the custom software supports all common modulation types. The whole device consumes 300mA and is powered by a Li-ion cell. A number of copies of the basic receiver hardware are in circulation, most of these come with a (very) basic version of firmware and require up(or down)grading to use.
Product is in production
More Info: http://hamforum.ru/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=193
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0043
KC2TRX Rating: 2022-06-04
Poor choice Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Buyer beware! I purchased one of the Chinese versions of the radio from Bangood. It was deaf, even when I added a wire antenna to boost the signal. In addition, it would not charge. There are videos on modifying both receive and charging functions on YouTube, but why should this be necessary?
K7FD Rating: 2022-02-03
Big bang for the buck! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
OK, I spent almost the entire day with the new receiver. Considering its cost and size, it gets 5 stars; once I ‘learned’ its quirks, it gets a big thumbs up. The two multi-function knobs…Frequency and Volume…required me to understand the detent clicks do not always mirror an immediate response on the display. Just keep turning the knob is the key. Could be the processor polling produces a slight lag when turning knobs and tapping the display. Once I got the timing down the Malahit and I got along fine.

Beautiful sharp display. Just like the big boy rigs. All in a radio about the size of a deck of playing cards.

Sensitivity and selectivity are surprisingly top drawer; I am hard pressed to find much difference between my IC-7300 receiver and the Malahit-DSP. Performance in the ham bands is excellent as is in the AM broadcast band.

I tapped on every menu option in every category. All work as advertised, even ones I did not fully understand. Noise reduction is extraordinary.

Battery consumption is very low. The thing ran all day and the indicator still says half full.

Lots of fun, fUN, FUN!!!

John K7FD
SV1AGK Rating: 2021-12-29
very good receiver for money. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchase before 10 days, version V1.0 50khz to 2ghz, very good for money, i test with my Kenwood TS-590 with same antenna , good dynamic range ,very good NR ,too mutch works, very good band with (variable ) My version is BLACK PC board. NO green. russian firmware.
G8UBJ Rating: 2021-05-26
A prototype/demo - shouldn't be sold as a commercial product Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
It would be best to describe this as a prototype product as it requires quite a high level of technical IT knowledge in order to update the firmware.

Its a shame these radios are so so widely and for so much to non specialists, as they represent very poor value for money unless you have the skill and time to upgrade them

Whilst this is a brilliant concept radio and demonstrates what can be achieved for DSP and SDR the firmware vastly overreaches the limitations of the hardware i.e. Its trying to do too much with too little. In brief
- The side controls are clunky and at times random
- The touch screen is also hard to use and often random in response
- The display creates a lot of noise (you can switch it off)
- A version is supplied in a wood enclosure :) fine until the wood shrinks
- Firmware is difficult to install
- The designer is intent on removing all previous versions of firmware across the web in an attempt to force users to lake his licensed firmware that for many doesn't work

I have tested the performance on several bands and it really works well but you have to spend ages setting it up to work on each specific frequency. If you want a nice toy to play with this is the product for you, if you want to tune the bands and enjoy radio reception there are lots of better products out there.