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Reviews For: ICOM IC-756PRO2

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : ICOM IC-756PRO2
Reviews: 152MSRP: 2969.95 Street
Description:
HF+6m Transceiver
Product is in production
More Info: http://WWW.ICOMAMERICA.COM
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001524.5
VK2EAT Rating: 2023-01-28
New to VK2EAT Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Well the Icom 756 Pro 2 is new to my station and I've always been an admirer of this radio. So now I own one, a good one. This is uniquely also a DXer's radio and on receiving it I would believe the audio setup was abominable! This takes time to navigate a little and your compressor settings are very critical here, especially if you are considering a 4-6k bandwidth and possible essb audio! But it is not just a DXer's radio it is also an audio nuts radio to!
So I set to work, and with some persistence stumbled across the real settings....this radio is in a class of its own add I might be a bit late coming home on my review, but it will still count.
First, don't start changing mics and settings on your outboard gear either!
My friends tell me they love the studio quality that comes through the Yaesu FT950 via the gear also and now, they cannot tell the FT950 nor the 756 Pro2 apart.

So read your manual carefully, impedance matching is where it starts, and select your trusty audio weapon of choice! Don't fiddle with the bass and treble settings until you have determined what bandwidth you're after then what compression settings, which are generally acceptable within the mid range. Then, go about adjusting you bass and treble slowly listening each time. These adjustments are nothing to write home about, and they were updated in the Pro 3 to give the operator greater scope to taste.
This 756 Pro2 uses just under 4k of bandwidth on 40mtrs and it is rather clean.
I need do very little adjusting of anything at all once setup. The PBT is very touchy so go easy on those eager fingers! Likewise the notch filter, gently does it and you will see the Icom is about quiet, minimal, adjustments not vast ones.
The Screen: once you've picked your favorite color and font, set about adjusting the bandwidth on your sweep scope and select your grid spacing you will see it get's sharper as you go a nice experience if you've not gone in for this type of technology before, I really do appreciate its content now and what it shows me how the band is behaving and within the limits of my station and propagation expectations.
Drive power: 15 -18 watts in gives me the legal limit for VK quite reassuring the Icom is not exerting itself which is ideal for then our audio and rf stages are not put to the proof under HEAT! Look after the internals and you will have many years of HF fun with the Icom 756 Pro2.
I will update my review with a deeper dive into some more technical features later, for now I'm happy to be announcing my call sign over the air still folloing my friends that I'm on my trusty 950.
M0JFG Rating: 2022-01-15
Love it Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Moved from a Kenwood to this and it's like moving into the modern age. Just beware of the menus etc. which can be a bit daunting and I'm a techie with a photographic memory. I had copied all over Europe and into the US on 20M.

I have now moved on to an ic7000 for the V/UHF capabilities. Still consider it an excellent unit with menus that are usable unlike the 7000's.
MM0IGN Rating: 2021-10-24
Excellent Rig. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought the Pro II on a bit of a whim as a kind of 'beater' rig which is usually left on.

I have grown to love it. Easy to use, great audio reports, reliable, fantastic Icom UI. It has some minor irritations, as every rig does. But I don't regret buying it and use in in preference to the 7610 frequently.
N1UMJ Rating: 2021-05-26
great radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Forever I've been a Kenwood guy, the list of Kenwood radios I haven't had is a lot shorter than the ones I have. The only Icom I've had is the ic-706MKIIG in my go box and mobile. Well I've used my TS-2000 in my shack for over 12 years, manymany others before that and in that time and about 5 months ago I got a deal I could not pass up if I had even 1/4 of a brain on the IC-756proII. It didn't take long, I fell in love with it in the first few minutes I had it on the air and it's my primary radio right now. the receive is better than I'm used to and I even find contacts sometimes easier with this radio than others. I always get good reports with it. It looks hard to use at first but I learned it pretty quick and it's not that bad. Filtering, sound, noise level, all better than I'm used to. I may have my primary radio for another 12 or more years now, I didn't buy it new but looking at it it might as well be.
N4JLR Rating: 2020-05-28
not currently in production Time Owned: more than 12 months.
not currently in production and it only has one usable antenna port for xmit and receive... the other port is receive only... They do still sell the IC-756 proiii which has roofing filters and is basically the same in most other ways. Clock wont hold time as in most Icoms... they have not figured out how to charge lithium batteries that will last more than 6 months
N2DTS Rating: 2020-05-28
Very nice! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I picked up a like new almost unused one of these and find it to be a very user friendly radio, unlike many others.
The filters are good, the audio is good, the tuner can even tune an antenna, unlike the modern radios like the 7300.
This radio does not chop off the audio on RX at 200 Hz so broadcast and AM and ESSB signals sound very good!
I get 100 watts, the receiver seems fine for normal use, maybe not as good as new radios under contest situations, but it has plenty of knobs and buttons at your fingertips.
AM TX is a bit limited in response and its slightly grungy, but it modulates ok to 100% on my radio.
Power output is stable.
Two antenna ports plus an RX antenna port, line in and out audio, quiet fan, and a REAL meter, not a cheap bar graph.
A very nice radio for the price they are going for these days!

IK2CNC Rating: 2020-01-30
Easy and powerfull radio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Thanks to a friend Dealer, I got a PROII for a good price. The radio is a verity good performer as receiver, I use mainly SSB, and a rock as transmitter. The tuner is very fast and it tunes impendences well out its specifications.
It is a 15 years old radio but it may still compete with today radio.

Carlo IK2CNC
K2JF Rating: 2019-06-13
back home again! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've had the Pro line in the past then moved on to the 7300, 7600 and other brands like the Yaesu Ft 950 and Kenwood 570 DG. Thankfully I found my way back home. Damn I love this radio! It's so beautiful and colorful to operate. Simply stated it's gorgeous! I do think it needs a little help I can give it with the West Mountain Radio Clearspeech DSP filter.. really quiets it way down more than the built in NR can - at least at my QTH in the middle of noisy NYC.
WY7CHY Rating: 2018-02-12
Excellent radio if you get a good price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The IC-756 ProII is an excellent radio. When first produced, it was one of the best radios on the market. Unfortunately, customers are still very proud of their used IC-756's and the price. New, the ProII and ProIII are close to $2,900. Used, a ProIII is around $1500. A ProII; if you can find them; is still around $1,000. I was able to get this one mint condition for $800. Couldn't be more please.

Full power out 105+/- watts. Best receiver I've ever had. Isolates noise superbly and allows me to hear QSO's that my Yaesu loses in the noise. Notch filter, 3 internal filters, etc. make this one of the best receivers I've ever had. Excellent mic audio with mic gain and Compression.

My only complaint, but it's strictly a personal thing, is that I prefer a menu to change output power instead of a knob. Everything is basically on the front panel. Only a couple of menu items. I use different amps, and each requires a different amount of input RF power. With a knob instead of a menu numerical setting, I have to test power out before transmitting into amp. With a menu/numerical, I could simply set it to 15, 75, or whatever setting/power I needed. But this is definitely not a deal breaker. The IC-756 ProII in my opinion is BETTER than the newer IC-7300 and many other radios. Too bad it's no longer produced. But if you can find one at a decent price, BUY IT!!!
NY7Q Rating: 2017-08-08
MINE WAS LOADED Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I HAD ALL OUTBOARDS INSTALLED. IT WAS MARVELOUS RIG. NOW IT IS OLD TECHNOLOGY BUT NICE RIG. LOVE TO HAVE A TODAY RIG LIKE THE PRO2. MINE NEVER BROKE DOWN, USED ON CW DAILY.LOVED IT.