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Reviews For: Turner Plus 3

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : Turner Plus 3
Reviews: 30MSRP: 75 in 1972
Description:
Amplified Desk Mic
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00304.9
NU0C Rating: 2014-06-08
Excellent sounding mic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
These mics are sleepers, if you find one at a garage sale or 'fest cheap, buy it! The Turner +3 series is the same cartridge and body as the sought-after Drake 7075, but with a compression amplifier added. Yes, it has actual compression, I have the factory prints to prove it! I would love to have been in the room to see someone tell Bob Drake he had a CB mic.

As a general rule I discourage the use of pre-amped mics with ham rigs unless the rig is designed to require one. They cause more problems than they solve. If you have a rig that has no speech processing or compression built-in, this is a good solution. Or you can disconnect the amplifier and drive a high impedance mic input with the "bare" mic and you will essentially have a Drake 7075.

As with any active mic you need to be very careful not to over drive your radio. Use good mic-ing techniques and speak across the mic at a distance of no more than about 2 inches. Watch your peaks and keep the level to the minimum necessary. Resist the temptation to lean back in your easy chair and talk at arm's length from the mic, that's just bad mojo.

I compared this mic against a host of others on my Drake TR-7; Shure 444, Turner 254 and 454HC, Drake 7077 (Astatic), E-V 729 and 927, and D-104/T-UGxx with the amplifier removed and a 470K series resistor in it's place. On-air comparisons were made with friends who know my voice. The favorite was the Turner +3 series, with the D-104 on the modified T-UGxx stand a close second.

In regular usage I often get unsolicited reports of great audio. It doesn't get much better than this. If you want to spend the money on a Heil or other fancy mic, go for it. But don't pass one of these up because someone told you it is a junk CB mic.

If you don't care for the hammertone gray of the original +3, the +3B is the same thing in black. If neither of those are to your liking, I know a guy who does powder coat mic repaints.
DO9GB Rating: 2012-01-28
Amazing Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have a Turner Super Sidekick for over 30 years now and was using it for working Satellites amongst others. Sound is great, but the FT-847 disables speech processor in SAT mode, so I was looking for a microphone with even more punch.

I bought a Turner +3 on ebay for 50 €. It has the same clear modulation, but even more punch, due to its compressor circuit. It is really fun hearing yourself back from HAMSAT or the like. The audio is brutal :-)
KK4EQE Rating: 2011-10-22
Loud & Clear! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I was given two Turner + 3 desktop microphones from a friend, ill be completely honest i did not like the way they looked. I knew they were old & i gave one to a ham buddy of mine. I kept the other to try it on my RCI-2995dx 10-12 meter base unit, what did i have to lose i didnt pay anything for it. My buddy & i wired it to my 10 meter rig & WOW this mic can walk the walk! I was amazed at the way this mic sounded. I would have never expected such clear audio out of an old mic but nice on AM & Beautiful on SSB. I loved it so much i bought a Turner M+3B handheld for the mobile brand new in the box on ebay. Got lucky with that one! Its a shame this mic is not made anymore :-( Its a keeper for sure! 73s from KK4EQE
KB4JKL Rating: 2011-07-18
Fantastic Mic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have 4 of these mics. The original one I have is from my 11 meter days when I was 12 years old and I am 54 years old! It still works as great as the day I got it. Back then they were made for tube radios with high impedance inputs. These mics have so much gain that the low impedance solid state rigs don't even notice the audio mismatch. One of the three I got off E-Bay had a blown preamp circuit. If I remember correctly it is a simple two transistor circuit and it was a very easy fix. The transistors are common. Anytime I use these mics I always get great comments and with the preamp I don't have to close talk this mic to get great audio. They are very sensitive. The proof is the price they still get for these mics. They are still in demand! The styling still looks modern till this day and they are built like a tank! Not bad for a Mic made in like 1972!
N3VZ Rating: 2010-05-28
Works Very Well So Far Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have one of these and the performance seems to be good with my Icom 751a.

I have yet to try it with my Yaesu FT-920 as Im using the Heil Microphone with that radio.

After a thorough test and evaluation period, I should have more to say about them


N3VZ (The REAL N3VZ, ACCEPT NO FAKES OR IMITATIONS)
K4SPS Rating: 2010-04-28
Auditorily, nothing else comes close Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just wired up an old E-bay Turner +3 to my new Kenwood TS-480HX. Got the mic for $30.

I used an old ethernet cable (picked up from the local thrift store) for the 'modular plugs' that so many new radios have gone to. When I buy a used, common ethernet cable, I can get two modular plugs for $1.50! Forget the $30 add on cables from Heil, etc.

With schematics and plug diagrams from the web, wiring it was done in 15 minutes. It works perfectly and is brilliant sounding. It has golden audio, and I can transmit much more comfortably from a relaxed position with this mic.

I discovered the theoretical virtues of this old microphone from perusing these eham reviews and I must say, they were right on.

I am more satisfied with this mic than any others I have tried. And for a fraction of the price of a Heil Gm or Kenwood M-60 desk mic.

THESE EHAM REVIEWS ARE THE GREATEST! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. 73'S FROM K4SPS (soon - N3VZ)
KC9HVA Rating: 2009-12-09
good old + 3 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
i used it on my johnson 223 and hr2510 and now its on the ic718 and still going strong
VK5FDAV Rating: 2008-12-12
GODS MICROPHONE! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well, apart from being built like a bullet and using simple leaf switches that never seem to fail, This mic is in my opinion the best microphone ever made for radio communications.
I have heard many other famous mics like the "shure" & "heil" and such, and although these other mics might look nicer and appear to have better specs, they dont come close to acturately reproducing the human voice as the turner does.
Once in a while a company will produce something wether it be a car, a Hi-Fi, a marvel of construction, or a new wheel. And the turner +3 is no exception! I think of the turner +3 as the 8th wonder of the world, as they are still yet to make a mic the equals or betters it in performance.
DL7ISA Rating: 2008-11-18
Power Mic Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Traded it for an old 2m mobile Transceiver. This Mic is LOUD and proud! On SSB this Mic sounds better with a Foam Cap. I have yet to find a better Mic.
VE4MM Rating: 2008-11-10
Great for my CB Days Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Used it on my Cobra 139XLR.

I bought a NIB one a few years back just to have as a reminder of the good old days in 1977.