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Reviews For: Kenwood MC-90

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : Kenwood MC-90
Reviews: 22MSRP: conversion 190 GB pounds
Description:
Dedicated microphone for Kenwood DSP tranceivers.
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
13224.6
KQ6IG Rating: 2023-02-04
Ok, but could use help Time Owned: more than 12 months.
When I purchased my TS-890, I bought the MC-90 microphone to use with it. I like good fidelity and had a very good experience in the past using a MC-60 mic with my TS-940, and thought the experience would be duplicated in this case. However, when listening to recordings of the MC-90 into the radio and a recording quality preamp, I was disappointed with the audio quality. I expected better performance from such an expensive microphone. In my broadcast days I had very good experience using the Heil PR-20 for remote broadcasting. It's a rugged, great sounding mic that won't break the bank. Since the MC-90 uses a XLR connector, swapping the mics would be easy. However, the mic clip is not professional quality and will break if you push the wider-body PR-20 too far onto it. When comparing the audio recordings of the original MC-90 mic with the PR-20, the difference in audio quality is remarkable. The PR-20 is more articulate and just higher fidelity sounding. The 600 ohm PR-20 also better matches the 600 ohm input impedance of the 890. I am very happy with this change.
W6UNX Rating: 2018-11-15
Excellant Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The MC90 is a Microphone that compliments the TS2000 very nicely.

First off, most radios will have an input impedance of around 600 ohms.
Audio microphones in general are divided rather loosely into three classes
of impedance. Low ... 600 ohms or less, the other two you can Google (Which are higher); the point
is the input impedance is low (Low-Z) which is what the MC90 and the Kenwood TS-2000
has. So you do not have to worry about any mismatches to be concerned with. The MC90 received great reviews on my Audio quality!
DONMTEXAS Rating: 2016-08-08
Ok mike Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the mc-90 thinking that Kenwood would make their mikes a perfect match for their radios. WRONG. The mc90 is 250 ohms where my ts2000 is 600 ohms at the input. Anyone with audio experience knows that the lower the mike impedance the lower the output level, so I had to jack up the fm mic gain to get the mike to work on 2 meters. With that problem solved I finally got an hf antenna in the air and immediately began getting reports of rfi in my audio. I ran a ground wire from the mike base to the rig ground terminal and that went away. I am wondering what other issues are lurking in the background.

73
Don KB5DON
W3GWM Rating: 2016-03-11
Great Mike Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought the Kenwood MC-90 because I wanted a desk Mike to use with my Kenwood TS-480XM. I've always liked Kenwood equipment and had to choose between a Heil Mike and the MC-90. I selected the MC-90 for ease of interfacing to my TS-480.

The MC-90 looks good and is heavy enough to not get knocked over easily. I liked the dual Mike heads and adjustable frequency response via the slide switch on the bottom of the Mike stand.

The one sheet of documentation included a graph showing the frequency response with the different switch settings. This looked good, but the real test is over the air.

I had to adjust the Mike gain on my radio, but the documentation had advised me of this. I watched the ALC and adjusted it for the recommended deflection.

The audio reports I've gotten are good. Everyone says I've got good punch for bad band conditions with pleasing audio. No distortion.

I've been using the MC-90 for two years now, and yesterday another Ham recorded me on the air and emailed the recording to me. I worked in radio for a number of years, and listened to my voice through headsets and playback in the recording studio. I was pleased to discover that even with the reduced fidelity of SSB, it sounds like me!

My only complaint, and it's a minor one, is that the MC-90 can't be configured for VOX. I'm an NCS on several nets and being able to use VOX would be a convenience.

I like the way the Mike sounds and the signal reports I've been getting are good enough to just deal with it.

I'd recommend the MC-90 to any of my friends with a compatible rig.
N8MJS Rating: 2016-01-06
Great Microphone Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is the best microphone I have used with my TS-2000. The audio quality on HF and VHF is excellent.
I'm so glad I purchased this microphone.
KB6HRT Rating: 2015-11-07
GOOD but Heavy! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Clear as a bell does not pickup background noise, looks very well built, works good, sounds just like me when I ask for feedback! No battery to change! PRICIEEEEEE!.....kb6hrt
MM0HRL Rating: 2015-08-03
Superb audio Time Owned: N.A.
I seldom rate things with 5* but this one I feel deserves it. I've only had it one day... but even so, read on.

Picked it up at a very large discount indeed at a ham rally here in Scotland, even so wasn't sure if it was going to be good buy or a bit of turkey since I'd read numerous poor reports relating to RF issues with its smaller brother the MC-60. So I checked with the dealer that I could return it later in the week if any problems turned up.

So brought it home, hooked it up to my new-ish TS590s and right away saw with trials into a dummy load that output on ssb was low. So instead of despairing did come checking around and found that it needs the gain to be cranked up pretty high compared to other mikes. Which I did.

Also conducted some evaluation transmissions into the Hack Green SDR record facility here in the UK and found my rig giving out the creamiest, punchiest audio ever. I went through the various equaliser presets in the 590s, finding that the Hb1 setting seemed to give a good sharp biting audio likely to succeed whilst DXing, and a couple of softer settings likely to be easier on friends' ears for a bit of casual ragchew. Two settings - bb1 and bb2 I found very muffled and can't see what use they'd be, unless the user has a shrill high voice that needs toned down for the sake of listeners.

I'm not sure I found much difference between the two headshells provided, but it's early days yet.

Suffice it to say I'm very glad I found this bargain mike; but not sure I'd have been prepared to shell out the full retail price I've seen on dealer lists - but at my price paid it was a very good buy indeed.
PA3HGT Rating: 2015-01-02
Very good mike Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used this mike for more then 3 years and it worked very well on my TS950SDX (i tried the MC60 and the Heil PR781 before). For FM is TX-audiolevel a bit too low but overall performs very good due there's no mike-amp present in the mike so there's no RFI like the MC60.I bought the MC90 new but beware when buy 2nd hand ask if there are 2 mike-heads included (one on the mike and one in the box for different freqeuncy response) .

Cheers for now ,Hans,PA3HGT
www.pa3hgt.nl
KC8WAR Rating: 2015-01-01
didnt work Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just Got my kenwwood M90 for Christmas and didn't work I send my back at HRO
I think the kenwood are poor craftsman and they are just throwing things together for not sinking out of business
HA7WX Rating: 2014-08-15
Best of Kenwood's mics Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Lots has already been said here, although i want to let you know my comments :
1) Top quality mike worth its used price (i was lucky enough to find a mint one) ; however its new price is overpriced IMHO ;
2) Non-solicited reports of great quality audio on my TS-870 Kenwood ;
3) Low output: take care which TCVR you hook that one on, you'll maybe have to crank up your mic gain ;
4) For fun, i hooked it up on my studio mic preamp (an M-AUDIO DMP3) : wow, what an audio!!! I need to make a longer cable to use it properly this way ;
5) One can choose the type of response (wider or narrower with more treble).

As usual, here's the question :
Would i recommend it?
Definitely yes, especially if you find a used mint one.
Reasons :
1) This one is better than the MC-60 (a great mic too) because not prone to RFI ;
2) Audio tailoring possibilities.
3) Great looking design and hi quality craftsmanship.
73s de Chris HA7WX