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Reviews For: Clear Speech Speaker by Heil Sound

Category: Speakers for communications

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Review Summary For : Clear Speech Speaker by Heil Sound
Reviews: 33MSRP: 210
Description:
DSP speaker for communications use. New Heil design using the technology from the NCT Group with a number of improvements over the old Am-Com design. The Heil design now includes a 5 step DSP level switch, improved speaker and acoustically tuned enclosure, increased output, variable volume and tone controls and a sensitivity input level monitor.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.heilsound.com/amateur/clear_speech_speaker.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00333.8
AD5TH Rating: 2005-04-23
The Cat's MEOW!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This speaker is the cat's meow. I previously owned the AmCom CS Base unit and this blows it away not just aesthetically but in performance and features too. With 1KW HF output I had some RFI issues (audio feedback) I followed Bob Heil's tips in the included manual. I used 2 Amidon RFI Suppression cores (2x31-4281p2)and used 1 each on signal in and power line. Those steps plus using the included grounding wire to attach to the shack ground (6ft rod)at my 746 Pro did away with ALL RFI issues entirely. I cannot stress enough to read the manual and do as Bob suggests if you have issues. Barefoot I had no issues at all. The 2 cores cost me a whopping $3.95 total. This unit is a powerful audio processing product. Even with my Icom 746 Pro and it's IF-level 32-bit DSP processing for noise reduction the Heil speaker further reduces received audio noise well beyond what the 746 Pro does...and the 746 Pro does do a lot! You gotta get this speaker! I tuned several weak signals on HF and VHF and this unit DID make the difference between "no copy" and "good copy". It is THAT good! I already snagged an all time new grid on 2M SSB thx to this product. I am using a Radio Shack 12v/500ma (273-1773) adapter with the "H" (3.4MM)"adapta-plug". Bob's speaker measures 7.5 wide x5 inches deep x5 inches tall. It might be a tad large for some sub-compact vehicles but for base use it is a sweet sounding and sexy looking unit.

Is it worth $210? Absolutley. Plus HRO sometimes has "open box" deals for less ($179.99)

PHOTOS of the INSIDE and OUTSIDE,the RFI suppression cores and the brief but informative 4 page OWNER'S MANUAL at my site for download.

www.ad5th.com
N1YZ Rating: 2005-04-21
Fabulous Sound, excellent static attenuation on 75m phone. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well it is a dark and stormy night with thunderstorms all over the deep South. This is the kind of night that I can only stand listening to 75m phone for a few minutes at a time. With Bob Heil's improvement to the original Clear Speech Speaker, listening is a joy, not a chore. The set up instructions are clear as a bell, the advice on grounding is plentiful. There are several solutions that he suggests regarding power supplies and RFI. I opted to use an old 300ma wall plug-in power supply instead of using the same power distribution that supplies the transciever. Transmission tests revealed no detectible RFI problem with this set up. A & B tests with other speakers, as well as switching the DSP off the Clear Speech proved time and time again what a good piece of audio equipment this speaker is.

There is one experiment that I'll run on this set up. I will plug this speaker's power into the same 12v distriubution (a RigRunner 4008) that runs the N1YZ station at some time in the future. I just want to know what will happen. If anything noteworthy happens I'll report back in this space.
73,

Rod, N1YZ
WB0UGO Rating: 2005-04-16
Another Great Heil Product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just got this speaker and am very impressed with the performance. The DSP works better than my MP, TS2000, FT897, IC703, and Timewave 59+ and DSP9. Only the Orion is as good or better. The build quality is excellent. On the size, yes it is larger than many other speakers. Thats one big reason why it sounds so much better. I am sure Bob could have built it smaller, but I would guess he wants it right and this is the size it had to be. The unit looks great. As for the RFI problems. I found absolutely no RF problems using the unit next to various amps and setups in the shack running from 100 to 1400 watts output on various antennas. Its always very important to have a good ground and /or torriods and chokes on any type of powered audio equipment in the shack or mobile. The ground on the power lead will not be enough, as I have seen on some mobile setups. In conclusion, this is one great unit and addition to the shack. On the Collins net last thursday night the noise and carriers were terrible. After I checked in with my KWM2 I switched over to the Heil which was on my FT817. The noise and carriers just plain went away and I had perfect copy. This unit works!! Excellent addition to any shack or mobile setup where an external speaker and/or DSP is needed. 73.s Steve WB0UGO
W5AKW Rating: 2005-04-16
Outstanding Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Without question this is the clearest sounding station speaker I have heard. The audio is crystal clear. The DSP is quiet and without any distortion. The tone control allows each user to fine tune to his or her exact desires. The quality of physical construction is outstanding as well, all knobs turn smoothly with no slop. Overall a great addtion. As others have said though your station must be clean of Rf or there will be some feedback, but then we should have a clean station anyway so not a problem
K6LCS Rating: 2005-04-01
No "Feedback" Problem Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Those experiencing "feedback-like" problems with their units probably haven't installed them correctly.

Without proper grounding and a clean power supply, you might encounter problems like some have written about. And Heil recommends that you NOT power your ClearSpeech from the same power supply that runs your transceiver.

Clean up your stray RF in your shacks and properly install your ClearSpeech - and you will be totally pleased with the results!

Clint Bradford, K6LCS
WA9UKW Rating: 2005-03-22
Speaker Feeding Back Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I to am getting feed back from my Clear Speech speaker. In testing it out, I found the feed back is worse from headphones than the speaker. I am using it with a Yaesu FT-840. I have checked various bands and the feeback is present on all bands. It appears like a sidetone on a telephone handset. Ferrite beads do not help either.

I like the results of having the system, but dislike the sidetone effect. Mine came with instructions for removing the bracket if desired.
K4TBN Rating: 2005-03-20
Too big for my mobile installation Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
First, Heil is tops in my book. I have been happily using his products for about 25 years. When I saw the first advertisement for the Clear Speech Speaker, complete with mobile mounting bracket, I was jazzed. I got on the horn and ordered one. Later, with the Clear Speech in hand, I sat in the front seat of my Suburban trying to decide where to place the thing. It's big. About the size of four control heads. Bob Heil told me that sound quality was paramount to all of his products, hence, the design and size of this model. He said no smaller version is planned. XYL considerations only allow for so much radio equipment in the truck. So, I opened the Clear Speech and removed the electronics (this may have voided the warranty) and re-installed them in a small Bud box and remoted a small Motorola speaker alongside the center console.

The Clear Speech just blows away noise in my particular mobile environment. The little Am Com DSP box was good, but the addition of a Tone control to the Clear Speech was pure genius. With the DSP at max, the tone control allows the audio to touch the edge of being hi-fi.

I recommend the Heil Clear Speech for mobile use, but only if you have enough space to install it. Measure first.
KA6ELH Rating: 2005-03-12
This speaker could be better. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ok here goes. I have never wrote a review.

I bought the Heil clear speech and have feed back from the Heil speaker when I talk into the mike. The feed back is my voice coming back as loud as when I talk into the mike .
I have several ground rods, have made a rf filter in the coax, have bought radio shack split beads, have ran a battery as a spearatd power supply for the speaker,and reduced mike gain. I am still experiencing the same problem.
The feed back is worse on 60 metters. But I am still getting the feed back on 80 and 40 meters.
I have a G5rV multi-bander antenna and am using a LDG AT-auto tuner. The height of the antenna is 35 feet flat.
I was told by Bob Heil via an e-mail that this problem has never came up on any of his clear speech speakers on his bench.
If any one else is having this problem or knows how to fix the problem please e-mail me. I have never used any other DSP speakers but for $210.00 I might never buy another one of these.

3/12/2005

John Schaap
ka6elh@citlink.net
WB4PAP Rating: 2005-02-28
Excellent DSP Speaker! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have been waiting for these to show up at my local AES store in Orlando. I may have bought the first one that went out the door and I'm glad I did as I believe these are going to be back ordered when people find out how good they really work. I have been looking for a speaker solution that would improve my DSP inadequacies of my present radio, an Icom 718. The DSP in the radio is not really bad but I had debated buying a newer high performance radio that would include IF stage DSP processing and additional filtering capabilities. Well, I guess Bob Heil just saved me a few thousand dollars because this speaker with it's DSP processing make the 718 a whole new radio as far as recieve audio is concerned. I have tried the GAP "Hear It" and the predecessor "ClearSpeech" speaker and I must say I am amazed at the improved quality of the new Heil system. Bob has made all the functions conveniently available on the front panel, enlarged and developed a ported cabinet and replaced the speaker with a much more efficient driver that will impress you with it's audio output and lack of distortion at high volume levels. But where this unit really shines is in it's ability to remove noise from audio signals. I had been running my audio through a commercial recording interface, using the onboard noise reduction features in the software and them playing it through a pretty good monitor system capable of good HI-FI sound. Still a lot of noise but much better than the stock radio speaker and an auxilliary speaker box. A-B comparisons with the Heil ClearSpeech produced some amazing results that quite frankly dosn't seem possible for a product in this price range. The ClearSpeech literally produced intellegable signals where the same signal was lost in the noise level on the recording console. Now this comparison may seem biased in that some may say that I am comparing apples to oranges but as a part time recording and sound engineer I can tell you that the recording software and hardware I am using is designed for noise reduction and digital processing. And at a cost exponentially higher than that of the ClearSpeech Speaker. Noise is the biggest problem in recording at high saturation levels and this directly correllates to audio output quality. The circuitry and speaker that Bob Heil is using in the ClearSpeech speaker is really revolutionary for outboard equipment, a huge improvement to any radio. The next test was to take the output of the ClearSpeech headphone jack and run it through the monitor system and compare it to the software processed signal. Wow! with the Heil speaker in-line and the output from the headphone jack you get a processed signal into a low impedence input like an amplifier or computer soundcard. Add the DSP from your radio for even more processing and you can play with different settings that will amaze you. I found that level 1 on the ClearSpeech and 4 on the DSP for the 718 produce a very quiet background from normal band noise and electrical interference. You can then increase the DSP on the Heil unit to varying noise conditions. I used this setting combined with the Heil Pro-Set ic headset with the phase reversing and I was amazed at how good the signals were. Not only a reduction of noise but signal separation seemed much more defined, I couldn't believe I was using the same radio! I had some questions regarding the mounting bracket and called Heil Sound and the "man" himself will take your call and give all the customer service you require in answering your questions. This is the way a bussiness should be run and this is why Bob Heil has stood the test of time. Is it worth $210.00? I would emphatically say yes. As a matter of fact, I think I'll call Bob Heil back and personally thank him for saving me a few thousand dollars on that new rig.

73's
Tom Hadoulias, WB4PAP
K6JJB Rating: 2005-02-27
Worth it! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is a device that immediately and significantly improves the intelligibility of speech Rx. I also own two of the older AmCom clear speech speakers as part of mobile rigs.