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Reviews For: Kenwood MC 85 Deluxe Microphone

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : Kenwood MC 85 Deluxe Microphone
Reviews: 14MSRP:
Description:
A unidirectional electret condenser desk mic
Product is in production
More Info:
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00144.1
ZL4AI Rating: 2021-06-26
2 extra S points to DX punch when working Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Good DX punch when working properly.
Time Owned: 8 years.
When faults are removed MC-85 is considerable enhancement to transmission capability.

Repairs for Faults:
1. The Electrotet mic unit outside conducts to the goose neck housing, which creates an earth loop in between the circuit board, the goose neck housing and the mic element. This causes RF feedback when the mic is connected and some distortion to audio. Solution: from PB2DD; Place Teflon tape between the mic element and the housing [and remove the metal gauge strainer and do not screw back in the top ring, Instead put a foam pop cover over the end of the stalk]. Use an ohm meter to verify no electrical connection.

2. Solution by ZL4AI: Look at the MC-85 manual circuit diagram on page 4: Find the point where F-GND and MIC-GND arrive at the Main board. Connect a 0.01 uF capacitor onto the Main Board between these 2 wires (or between an existing solder point on 'the ground copper shield of the Main circuit board' to an existing solder joint on the trace to which F-GND is connected to).

[Note: In the original Kenwood design:
- The F-GND is not directly grounded to MC-85,
- 'the microphone Ground [MIC-GND which finishes on pin 7 on the end of the cable is already directly connected to 'the ground copper shield of the Main circuit board'. Pin 7 on the transceiver is the transceiver microphone ground,
The 0.01uF capacitor actually connects F-GND to the MC-85]

3. When using an amplifier when the metal case is touched by the fingers of the operator an RF oscillation occurs and is amplified. Solution: from OZ9ABC; Disconnect the metal case from 'the copper ground shield of the Main circuit board'. Disconnection leaves the metal case and goose neck as an isolated metal cover. [ 'The MIC-GND is connected to copper ground shield of the Main circuit board' which is grounded by pin 7 on the end of the cable to the transceiver microphone. ] To disconnect: Remove the screw which grounds the Main circuit board ground copper to the metal case. On the board scrap away the copper so this screw does not contact from Main circuit board ground copper to the metal case.


The above 3 steps removed 100% of the RF feedback when you are running an amp at over 500 watts power when touching the mic body with your hand.

YU2SRB Rating: 2020-08-09
Super mic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Will not say much here but great build and design. Mine works great with Kenwood TR 751E and do not have any RF issues. Excellent audio resport, clean and clear. dB meter works awesome and sensitivity is just right.
The best when needle comes at about -50dB. Soft touch PTT and LOCK control, way much better and improved feeling of touch controls comparing with MC-60.
Reccomended.
N5XJT Rating: 2014-07-30
Excellent Mic! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Read many negatives about this mic but purchased a nice used one anyway. Wired it for my Yaesu FT-840 and found it works great if you use certain precautions: 1.) leave the compressor off 2.) Stay about 6-8 inches from the mic when talking and 3.)keep the mic gain down to 2-3 for best results. No issues, audio reports are great and signal reports generally about 1 S-unit higher using this amplified mic. Couldn't be happier!
N9UY Rating: 2011-12-09
Quite a piece of work Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I got my MC-85 at a hamfest for a price I couldn't turn down, because it enhanced the look of my Kenwood station, and because I have 2 radios. At almost 2 pounds and with all the controls, it is a formidable-looking piece of gear.

This is the first powered condenser mic that I have ever used; I quickly discovered that it is a LOT more sensitive than the generic desk mic that I formerly used. It took some getting used to. Once I learned to keep my distance from the thing, everything worked much better.

I do not use the compression or low cut features, preferring to let my radios handle those duties. Also, in my shack, with the mic level set low so it doesn't overdrive, the output level meter doesn't register at all. Maybe it's just my settings. Every once in a while, it puts out a very distorted signal for no apparent reason, and then this will go away.

Overall, I like the multiple-output feature and feel like it is a quality piece of equipment.
K3HKR Rating: 2009-10-16
Great Choice Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This is a CONDENSER microphone, they take a little care and feeding, but they create the best overall voice reproduction. The MC-60 has always been a problem in HI-POWER shacks. In fact most microphones can become problems if grounds are poor and proximity to antenna system is nearby.

The CURE is to ISOLATE using a good 1:1 audio isolation transformer, all your problems are solved. Stay away from RADIO SHACK type units and select a Jensen, Bill Jensen himself has written a lot of good WHITE PAPERS on this subject and they can be found on the Internet. You can also purchase an old HM-15 (Heathkit phone patch) and rob the audio transformer. It will work perfectly.

My MC-85 works very well and yes I have it ISOLATED in front of my TS-2000. I use the 2000 "USER" setting (TX EQ) and get great reports.

It is easy understand how so many "intelligent" opinions lead to really poor decisions in the radio room...just my thought, try doing some homework.
W4KVW Rating: 2008-07-05
NICE! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I run my MC-85 with a KENWOOD TR-751A 2 meter All Mode rig & get GREAT audio reports.It is a LARGE microphone with lots of bells & whistles but looks VERY nice on the desk.I have NONE of the RF issues so many talk about here in the feedback & have NEVER had such an issue with ANY microphone.Think I'll keep it since in my opinion it's a WINNER all the way around! }:>)
PD0RTL Rating: 2008-02-22
Nice, but got some glidges Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Got this mic now for 4 weaks.
works good, only the compressor looks a bit deaf with my high voice tone.

would be nice to have some spare cable for more rigs :)
G0YLM Rating: 2005-04-13
Serious RF problems! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Great audio reports and easy to use, but....
Don't buy this assuming it will do the job it says and work with up to 3 other radios. In order to use it on my old ts870 i first had to unplug it from the ts790 vhf rig, otherwise serious RF issues. Did the various mods suggested to no great effect! I now have a yaesu ft1000 mk-v and the Rf is even worse even with just that radio attached!!!
Nice Microphone, serious problems!
73 Linda
M0CUS Rating: 2003-01-10
Brilliant Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I use a Kenwood TS950SD with my MC85 and get nothing but R5 reports. I dont get any feedback but then it may have been modified as I purchased it second hand so I am not sure. It does take a while to set up though which is where a patient friend comes in handy. Remember its also the controls on the radio as well as on the mic that need setting up for optimum performance.
PB2DD Rating: 2002-07-18
A designers fealure? Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Bought my MC85 desk mike second hand, just for its shape, would look nice on the desk beside my MC80 which is currently in use for a UHF radio. After creating the connector Icom compatible, this mike seems to be very sensitive for HF fields. You should now that my wire antennas are very close by the radio shack.
After the modifications with the extra earth wires, as described bellow by OZ9ABC (he also follows the instructions as described by www.mods.dk ) it was a bit better, but on some specific parts of the HF bands, still present.
Measurements showed that the small electret element appeared to be connected with one side to its housing. This housing was in contact with the metal of the goose neck, so an earth gap / leak was created! No wonder this goose neck was so sensitive for HF fields.
Solved the problem by isolating the electret’s element, by wrapping it in thin Teflon tape, making sure it is isolated from the goose necks ground. All other mods were removed and all problems with distortion were instantly history!
I use the MC 85 without the build in compressor with a modern Icom HF radio and the TX tone setting on the Icom set to maximum high, and set compressor ´on´. With an older Icom HF radio, which I currently use for the holiday, with ´switched on´ compressor and ´low cut´ switch active. The microphone operates now like expected.

I hope that this modification solves your possibly problems also.

A designer’s failure? Or just a one-off mistake?

Best regards,

Peter PB2DD