Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Heil "The Traveler Boomset"

Category: Headphones & Boom-microphone Headsets

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Heil "The Traveler Boomset"
Reviews: 45MSRP: 89.00
Description:
Heil's headset for the 706
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.heilsound.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00453.2
KC2MLZ Rating: 2006-03-28
thumbs down Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
bought brand new heil traveler mike..
failed in less then 1.5 weeks..

ok got a bad lot..
bought second..
it failled prior to 2 weeks..

will Never buy another heil mike..

I sent the email and I got a reply from Bob Heil himself.

to little too late..
damage done..
product is without doubt Thumbs Down... Period

too bad...i was looking foward to try what i heard were very good mikes..

both my Icom 706MKIIG and IC-7000 use heil elements and sound great..

still will never buy another heil product..

Later
K6RQR Rating: 2006-02-09
Very satisfied Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the improved version of this headset a few months ago to use with my new Kenwood TS-480HX in the car. I have been very pleased with the performance and have continually received unsolicited reports about the good quality of the audio. The mike element also seems to drive the rig to full power easily.
The headset is comfortable and I can wear it for extended periods if need be and I got used to the fact that you have to wear the earpiece on the left side. I was wondering about whether the buttons for frequency change and PTT would last as there had been a complaint about that in an earlier review but there have been no problems at all. The use of the adapter cables makes this a versatile headset that can be used with a variety of rigs.
I am glad that I purchased this headset and would recommend it.
YI9VCQ Rating: 2005-08-06
Decent Portable Mic Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Originally bought for my IC-706MkIIG but had issues getting the proper adapter cable from the dealer. So, it was put in the box for a few months.

It hooked directly to my new Icom IC-756ProIII and audio reports were good. Of course, it needed compression and I had to reduce the bass response, but it ended up sounding good. VOX worked FB, also.

73,

Korey
YI9VCQ/KA5VCQ
JCRD Rating: 2005-08-06
Poor Audio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Got good Tx reports but the audio in the single sided headphone was very poor in my opinion - QSO's that I could make out through the Icom IC706MkIIG's internal speaker were much more difficult to understand through the Heil's headphone.

I realise that it can take time to get used to headphones, but these were simply not up to the same standard of audio that I get from the radio - I would have expected it to be the same or better quality.

KG4RUL Rating: 2005-07-02
My BM-5 also Failed Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I use the BM-5 boomset with the HC4 DX element on my FT100D mobile rig. It, like the previous poster's Traveler, has ahd a failure of the mike element. Is this endemic of the 'breed'?

Dennis KG4RUL

----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by KG4RUL on 2003-04-27

I am using the BM-5 boomset & HC4 element, mobile, with an FT100D. I had to provide my own PTT switch which is attached to the transmission shift lever for easy access. I have no problems with the fit or functioning of the BM-5. Of course, it uses the same type of adapters as the Traveler so, no help there. However, this setup might better serve your needs.

Dennis - KG4RUL
K7NA Rating: 2004-05-16
Value-Priced Heil Sound Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
With the purchase of a new Icom 706MkIIg at my home station, I received the Traveler 706 as a birthday gift from my brother, who is a DXer long familiar with the benefits of his HC4-modified mic. Although the overall build quality is not quite as robust as my Heil Proset (with HC5) which will work on the little Icom, it nonetheless feels light in weight (and thus, comfortable on the head), and performs to expectation. I admit that at first, I was a little stumped about how best to adjust my rig for the best overall audio with this item. I quickly learned that, with the Traveler, one needs to ALWAYS use the speech processor on the IC706. I found the audio sounded slightly "mushy" without the processor. But.......when you turn on the processor, AND adjust the carrier offset control (see the owner's manual), the Traveler begins to come alive. As Bob Heil quickly suggests, one needs to listen to his audio in an auxillary receiver to make these adjustments. I found a carrier offset of about +150 Hz introduced sufficient high end content to produce a balance of highs and lows for good articulate audio. On-the-air reports with several hams confirmed these settings. The speech compressor gain control was adjusted per the owner's manual and a mic gain setting of about 4 on either SSB or VHF FM seems to work well for my voice. As with my Proset, I keep the boom and special "iC' electret mic close (within 1") of my lips. The Traveler boom is not quite as infinitely adjustable as the flex tubing on the Proset but then....the price is not as high either. Overall, I'd say the Traveler does what it set out to do and also serves as a good single-ear earphone when I'm operating CW. The newer HSTA 706 mating cable has a separate earphone mini jack as well as the modular mic connector that mates with the IC706. The PTT fob is quite useful and the VOX works well, although I found that I needed to set my VOX gain at 9 in order to enjoy smooth VOX operation. I guess I must be a soft speaker (?). I'm generally pleased with the product and recommend it for your consideration for those times when you prefer not to hold a mic in your hands.
VE6XX Rating: 2003-07-07
,Charge more, build better! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Greetings: Audio reports are better with stock mobile mic on IC-706MKIIG. No amount of fiddling with TX audio or "carrier set point" improves the audio. Cord was intermittent, & Heil supplied a replacement no charge. General construction quality reflects the low dollar price. Bob, your products are great, generally speaking, but this one needs reworking & an expected bump in the price. Heil means quality, & quality costs money.
The unit sits in a desk drawer, & I modified a David Clarke headset for mobile.
K7AAF Rating: 2003-07-06
Great addition to the 706-2-G Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well, despite the gloom and doom comments of previous users, the headset works great on my IC-706-2-G ... very clear audio, apparently both ways... works great on nets... up/down buttons are handy... looking forward to using it on summer camping trips.. cheers.. de KF1KF
IV3EPO Rating: 2003-05-12
Good on FT-897 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
They produced it for FT-817..but maybe they had to call it "Traveler 897".
I tried to use it with a FT-897 and it works good.
You have to reduce mic gain below 50 in SSB and also mic. compressor.
Good audio quality and no distorsion.

Good job for FT-897.

73 de Giorgio




----------------------
Earlier 2-star review posted by IV3EPO on 2003-05-08

I'm just using Heil mic. in my shack, so i decided to buy a new ones for my FT-817 !!
I'm sorry but it's not so good like Heil standard quality Hi !! Hi !!
In Fm you got to reduce mic gain and also in Ssb the audio quality is not so good like FT-817's Yaesu mic.
Dear Bob Heil improve this mic. or we'll keep our money.

73 de Giorgio IV3EPO
KB8VWV Rating: 2003-04-27
Still Ticking after 6 months Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have been using the headset for the last 6 six months both mobile and at the base station with no problems. Significantly better reports with the headset over my stock Icom mike. I have had the problem of reaching too fast for the PTT and hitting the scan buttons......ah well.....it would be nicer to have a dedicated cable rather than the bulky adapter to the RJ45 plug....all in all I havent found anything better.