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Reviews For: Heil Goldline

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : Heil Goldline
Reviews: 101MSRP: 140.00
Description:
Truly, the full-range microphone for all occasions - FM - AM -
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.heilsound.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001014.6
K2BK Rating: 2005-07-31
Good, bad, and NOT ugly Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought a GM-4 to go with my new Icom 756 ProIII.
I have mixed feeling about this mic.

After many years of using the Kenwood MC-90, I thought the Icom SM-20 was a little winkie dink, and I did want a boom mic because of space considerations.

The mic is well made and beautiful, and the boom and suspension unit are top notch.

But - the output is so low that I have to run the gain at full (5 o'clock) position - (and I am 6'4" and have a "big voice").

Plus the output of the two cartridges are not even close, about 15-20db difference, so when switching, it requires a change in mic gain.

I would have rathered Heil put an attenuator pad on the louder cartridge to match the lesser, so that I could switch from one to the other without adjustments. I will have to buy an outboard preamp for this mic because at full gain the 756's audio amp is fairly noisy (hissy),

If the output was matched, and higher on both carts, I would rate this mic a "10"!

K2BK

N0AH Rating: 2005-07-14
Looks? Performance? Looks? Performance? Humm? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I always wanted a nice mic but was addicted to headsets. Then I went out and purchased a set of Bose earphones and decided I wanted to get the best mic I could find to go with them. I have the short boom from Heil and the Goldline mic that I am really pleased with in both looks and performance. My 756 Pro III was easy to set with the enclosed custom settings suggested by Heil. Like others, it gives me a great presence on the air.

Of note, I had a problem with a long boom my father-in-law had purchased. I got through to Bob Heil and found him to go beyond the meaning of good customer service. I had a QSO with him a few years ago and didn't know until half way through it who he was. For some of you wondering about what has been said about his temperment, don't believe everything you read. I have found him to be a very decent business professional concerned about his customers.

I'm not saying that I have not had some problems from time to time with Heil equipment, but so far, considerate customer service there is not an issue. I just think that anytime you deal with this kind of sensitive gear and those who buy it, issues are more prevelant and perhaps exagerated.

One suggestion I have about this mic is to consider using the mesh foam cover. I found that it really improved my audio dynamics. It covers the gold top but it sounds nicer for me-

After years of wanting something like this, it is great to have my shack look upgraded even if 90% of my DX activities are CW! It just looks cool-
KG6POG Rating: 2005-03-10
Great match for the Kenwood TS 480 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the Kenwood TS-480 while they had the HM-5/TS-480 promtion going on. I thought the HM-5 was a decent microphone and a big improvemnet over the stock hand mic. But I called Kenwood, (thinking about buying the MC-60A) and asked them which mic would be the best match for my new radio. Strange thing they said the Heil GM-5. I was surprised, but decided to take their word for it.

When I first put the new mic. on the air, I wasn't getting the best reports. Ok but not what I wanted to hear. I tried a few sttings, and found that the GM-5 sounds great, with good punch with the basic Q set to HB-2 and the gainat 65. I've been told it sounds great, and has enough punch to work DX well while on the HB-2 setting.

I am going to have to borrow an MC-60A, but from what I've been told so far, The GM-5 is going to be pretty hard to beat.
ASTROHAM Rating: 2005-01-02
As advertised Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought it with my ProII. With a few hours of experimenting with the rig's audio settings, using the studio cartridge, and the ProII set on wide compression, makes this mic sound like there's $500 worth of audio processing equipment behind it.
Forego the mic pre-amps, EQs, and other audio widgets and get 90% of the way there (for most mortals' ears) with only this mic on this particular rig.
K7FD Rating: 2005-01-01
Mostly hype Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It's awfully hard not to like Bob Heil; he's a true cheerleader for Ham Radio...and of course his line of accessories. That said, I've found my Goldline to be adequate with the IC-775DSP and IC-756PII but the Icom SM-20 always gets better reports. Unfortunately, I don't like being hunkered down over the SM-20 or stuck holding a desk mic in my hands. So, the Goldline on a boom is a good compromise. The audio is acceptable and it's a whole lot easier on this OM's bag o' bones...

73 John K7FD
AB0UK Rating: 2005-01-01
Not as Good as Expected Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Picked up my Goldline from R and L Electronics at the 2004 Dayton Hamvention. Got the matching cable to connect to my IC-746pro directly from the Heil booth to assure I got the right cable.

One of two elements in the mike was totally dead. Inside the front of the mike looked like kids had put it together with a glue gun. The replacement mike itself from R and L Electronics looked like a repack although the box and inner packing looked new. it appeared to be a repack at Heil not R and L. The mike had minor scratches, abrasions and finger prints in several places.

After starting to use the replacement mike I realized my transciever was in transmit mode all the time. It stayed in that mode even after disconnecting the mike from it's cable. A quick test of the PTT line in the mike connector on the cable found it shorted to ground. Pulled the connector apart and found the PTT line insulation was cut away about a half inch on one side of the wire and the bare wire was touching the connector shell.

To get an audio level equal to my Heil Headset Pro I have to run the Mike gain level at about the two o'clock position and afor the Headset Pro at about the eleven thirty position. To get an acceptable level from the Goldline with the gain set for the Headset Pro I have to really crowd the mike and force myself to talk unusually loud. At the two o'clock position the mike tends to pick up a background noise.

The Headset Pro has also had it's share of problems but that is a different review. I'm not terribly pleased with Heil's equipment especially as it seems to be the de facto standard for amateur microphones.
K8KAS Rating: 2004-12-31
Good Sounds Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had great luck with the Goldline on my Icom 756 Pro II, everyone comments on it's great sound. To rate it as a Zero, emm I wonder, some guys sound like heck on anything they use.
VE3TMT Rating: 2004-12-30
Excellent Microphone Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Previously owned the HM-10 dual element mic and wanted to give the Pro a try. I am not disappointed. Even without any external EQ'ing it sounds very natural on my FT-107. I have run it through a parametric EQ with does enhance it a bit, but running alone sounds very good. And the finish is typical of Bob Heil, in a word...stunning. A great microphone.
W0CKI Rating: 2004-12-30
It's terrific Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Not sure what the reviewer was talking about. (gave it a zero)The Goldline made my Yaesu MK 5 sing. Best sounding audio for this radio and also on my Icom 746. To each his own.
W4TME Rating: 2004-12-30
Tops in my book Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It is a shame that folks do not do a little more research about matching a microphone to a rig before giving a fine product like the Goldline a 0.

I have had mine on a 756 Pro II for almost three years and it sounds GREAT!!!!!

WB6MYL indicated that the mic doesn't work with a variety of rigs. Lets look at this in more detail. The Icom 775 and 781 are designed for an electret mic element, not the dynamic element of the Goldline. Mics with dynamic elements are lower in output and you need to use a mic preamp to bring up the levels. The Goldline will never sound good on those rigs without a preamp. The Heil IC element is recommended for those rigs.

The TR-7 and S/line are designed to use HI-Z microphones - again not a 600 ohm dynamic mic. There is an impedance mismatch here at the very least.

I don't know how the FT-1000 could sound bad unless the element was defective. There are parameter settings specifically for the rig and mic on the Heli Sound web page. I know several folks that use this combination and it sounds great.

As far as having AES or HRO setup you equipment for you, their main goal is to make the customer happy, not to do troubleshooting. They will take back you purchase and sell it to someone else because it is easier that way. You should ALWAYS contact the manufacturer if you have product issue.

-Tim