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Reviews For: Yaesu MD-200 Hi-Fi Desktop Microphone

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : Yaesu MD-200 Hi-Fi Desktop Microphone
Reviews: 53MSRP: $399.00
Description:
Yaesu Newest Desktop Microphone, Hi-Fi
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00534.6
PA1HR Rating: 2001-12-04
MD-200 with $4 electret microphone element is excellent! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Dear Yaesu-fans,

Since a few months I own a Yaesu MD-200 desk microphone. My rigs are the
FT-1000MP, Mark V and FT-847.

The MD-200 looks very good in my shack. It is a very special microphone,
very different from the other microphones.
The base is very stable and the material which is used is of very high
quality. The switches work fine. The microphone gives us ultra low
distortion.

Compared to the standard microphone MH-31 the fidelity was the same. I was a
bit disappointed, because I expected the highest fidelity from the MD-200.
Nevertheless the reports on SSB were excellent and very natural-sounding.

However with the FT-847 in the FM-mode the reports of the MD-200 were less
then the standard microphone MH-31.
They find my modulation hissy and sharp; not nice to hear! They prefered the
MH-31. I really did'nt expect this.

I searched and found a very good alternative...

Another good feature of the MD-200 is, that you are able to install an
additional microphone element!

I bought a 3-wire electret microphone element for the price of $4. This is
expensive, hi! There are shops who
sell these elements for only $1.

The installation of the element is very simple, just follow the installation
part of the manual of the MD-200. The only think is to find the right source
for the >1,5 Volt power line on the electret element. I found this on the
anode of the red coloured led inside of the Yaesu MD-200. This gives us a
source of +2,75 until 3,75 Volt, depending if the led is 'on' or 'off'.

On the bottom of the MD-200 you will find a micro switch, which makes it
possible to switch between element A
(the high-quality Polyethylene Terephthalate Dynamic Element; BIG HI!) and
element B (the $4 Electret Element).

Reports...: Everybody told me that the electret element has more fidelity.
More natural sounding. And with much more
boost. It has more volume and power! With a little bit less high and more
low, so a broader spectrum. This is in the SSB-mode and FM-mode. I tried
this on local QSO's and DX. All the same reports. I did'nt tell the stations
which element I used; just A or B. I did this because I did'nt want to
influence the stations.

You are able to turn the head of the MD-200 foreward and backward. Yeasu
recommends the housing of the microphone should be canted upward by about 30
degrees to pick up your voice clearly when operating with the 'B' microphone
element. They are right, but beware that you don't talk right in front of
the electret element! Otherwise you will get the blowing-effects.

So, when you buy a Yaesu MD-200, which I really recommend to you, don't
forget to buy a $1 - $4 electret element at the same time. The installation
is simple and took my a half an hour, because I had to find the right
voltage source.
The results are really excellent!!

Kind Regards, Hans Remeeus, PA1HR.

e-mail: hans@remeeus.nl
site: www.remeeus.nl
Ham Radio call: PA1HR

W3GJD Rating: 2001-12-04
Outstanding: Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This mic works with most Yaesu transceivers. When used with a 1000MP, I have received outstanding on-air reports. You will need to play with the settings of the mic and the 1000MP menu. You will not need a "Heil" 4/5 element or any type of audio equalizer. The variable side control-allows adjustment of the audio. A Polyethylene Terephthalate Dynamic Element, (wow), provides a wide range. A "Flat" to a "High" Hi-Fi setting is possible. Room inside for another element such as a "Heil", (for you diehards) the switch is located on the bottom of base. Solder two mic wires to the pads inside base. The housing is suspended in a solid yoke and shock-absorbing rubberized ring to absorb low-frequency vibrations. You must unscrew two large screws on each side of the housing to get to the VSPC. Cost is a little high, but this is all the mic you need.
KB6HT Rating: 2001-07-29
Excellent Hi-Fi Microphone Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have owned the new Yaesu Desktop Microphone for about three days. It has a great punch thru for DX compared to Heil Goldline Mike, DX series product. The Yaesu product does not have the smell of bad order like the Heil. It is a absolutely great microphone for a true HF operator. If you are a series DX or HF operator you do not want to pass on the product.

Recommend the mike for anyone that has a Yaesu HF radio with a 8pin connection.