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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
GI0ZGB Rating: 2002-05-09
MC-85 High Quality Audio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I currently own the MC-90, MC-85, MC-60, Shure 526T, and overall I prefer the MC-85. Reading the previous reviews it seems troubled by stray R.F., I never had any such problems because my shack is free of such problems. However, I had to sort a friends R.F. problems and the worst affected was the MC-60, improving the earthing on his MC-85 sorted the problem with it, but the MC-60 was so hot it required two ferrite rods inserted into the coils of the mic lead. Later on the fitting of two line isolaters and better earthing arrangments cured the R.F. problems entirely. DSP rigs in particular require good earthing and isolation arrangments otherwise you'll get a lot of feedback problems. The audio quality of the MC-85 is superb, that said much depends on the type of voice the user has, I find Japanese audio engineers seem to have a strange concept what an American or European voice sounds like, that or they set their products to suit the Japanese voice, which to my ears seems higher pitched than what would be regarded as the average voice in stateside for example. I always got very complimentary comments about my TX audio quality using the MC-85, even when in standard unmodified format. Certainly, Kenwood should look to improving the shielding and R.F. immunity, but they are always mindful of making an already expensive mic more expensive.
In my opinion the MC-85 is one of the best in it's class, and it doesn't cause R.F. feedback, rather its excellent performance is degraded by it, so in fairness, it behoves the Radio Amateur to eliminate in shack R.F. before embarking on a critical review, for whilst that situation exists any mic cannot do its self justice.
OZ9ABC Rating: 2001-11-23
Great Mic after mods Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have an Kenwood MC-85 but it was very RF-sensitive when i touch the microphone neck especially when the micgain was in the upper level.
I removed the bottomplate of the MC85 and:

1. Connected a wire from the bottom of the mic Goose neck and directly to the microphonecable shield that comes from the Tranceiver and enters the MC85.

2. Connect the shield that comes from the tranceiver to the bottomplate of the MC85.

3.I dismounted the screw that connects the metal housing of the MC85 to the PCB and connected instead the Shield that comes from the Tranceiver and enters the MC85 to the shield from the microphone wire the comes out of the gooseneck.

I have not any problems with my MC85 anymore and is a very happy owner.
VK2CJC Rating: 2001-03-05
buy an MC60 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am in complete agreement with John CT2HME.
I too sold my MC85 cheap to by a MC60.
The MC85 will work fine with some rigs, but not others. My TS450 was border line.
Great mic when its working, but it has a design fault.
CT2HME Rating: 2000-10-02
Good mike but RF sensitive... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Had one for 2 years.
Sold it and bought a MC-60A.
The good stuff about this mike:

- Sounds "ok", but a mc60 will sound *much* better on a Kenwood rig.
- You can hook up 3 diferent rigs to the same mike
- Easy to adjust the mic level
- The meter on the mike is beautifull and it works very well
- The mike is well finished

Now for the bad stuff:

- This mike *hates* rf. Place near 200W or more and you'll have some rf into your transmission. There is a mod out there for that. I think I have it here on paper but I never did it to mine so I don't know if it works. If you want to try the mod send me an e-mail.
- The compressor does not work at all. It's there but I tried it with different radios and it never worked properly. A few other mc-85 users have experienced the same problem.
- The goose neck is a bit fragile

If you have a Kenwood rig then I advise you to spend your money on the mc60, not on this one.
73s.

John, CT2HME