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Reviews For: Turner Plus 3b

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : Turner Plus 3b
Reviews: 24MSRP: 52.00
Description:
desk microphone
Product is in production
More Info:
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00244.7
M0DNR Rating: 2020-09-23
Turner fan Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had many mic over the years all the big famous names i keep coming back to my turner mics yes i am a big fan and its a damn shame that they are not making them no more,if you ever get the time search the web for the turner story makes interesting reading, they will match most radios have not found one yet it has not. I always get glowing reports on the audio and keep getting asked what mic am using not bad for a old mic they still command a good price here and across the pond because people know how good these are would i swop my turners for any other mic no chance you would have to remove it out of my dead cold hands if you get the chance buy one do you will be converted
K7PWR Rating: 2018-09-07
The Best of the Best! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had many high end microphones in my day. But, there is only one microphone that will remain in the shack, and thats my Turner plus three! Over 35 years old, and still in operation. Big broadcast sound audio without any distortion whatsoever. Recently I gave this jewel a complete makeover. Please visit my Qrz page to see the finished product. Turner, a name you can trust. They just dont make em like they used to... Plastic is for toys! 73 :)
N8FVJ Rating: 2016-04-03
Great Mic Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is the black painted version of the Turner Plus 3 microphone. It is the only Turner microphone with a built-in audio compression amplifier. Somewhat like a speech processor it compresses the audio to a higher average output without distortion or over-modulation. It is a good sounding microphone for SSB with plenty of audio punch.
AE4XL Rating: 2014-09-07
GREAT MIC. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been a fan of the turner mic's for a lot of years and still am.
I like the 3+B the best if I had to pick one.
I know a lot of hams don't like them but truth is truth and they are a very well made and sounding mic I have used them on many radios and have never gotten a bad audio report from anyone.
LIKE everyone else I have tried a lot of mic's and have yet to find one that will out do the turner 3+B and I for one think for the price you can pick one up for you will be hard pressed to find a better mic.
JUST my 2 cents worth.
NU0C Rating: 2014-06-08
Not CB 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.
KB1WSN Rating: 2013-07-17
great mic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I 1st bought one NOS in the early 80's, GREAT MICROPHONE!!
I recently acquired another on the used market, still a great microphone, I have many other mics such as the countless Heil mics and the Yaesu MD-200ABX, countless other Turners and Astatic Mics and to read some of you reviews calling the Turner +3B a "muffle box" or a cheap cb mic just burns me up, nothing is farther from the truth. Turner has ALWAYS put out a quality product made in the USA and not some cheap jap/china junker, the simple fact they have stood the test of time is a testament to that fact.

My advice to anyone reading this.. If you see one at hamfest , buy it.
ZS6DJD Rating: 2012-10-12
my best modulation ever. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently bought a turner + 3 b mike off a guy who sold his whole station. He is moving to Ireland and hopes to start afresh with all new equipment. I am using this mike with my spare radio Icom 735 and SB 200 Linear. Judging by all reports so far this is my best modulation ever. Very loud cuts through any noise and QRM but very clear.
WB8UHZ Rating: 2012-09-22
Poor Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a CB mic, a ham radio has plenty of gain and such a mic with a amp to "turn up the audio" is not needed. It is well made but when you have "booming audio" its usually due to over driving your rig. The best audio sounds like you would hear when talking to someone in person.I really don't want to hear a guy breathing, smacking his lips or other non essential noise, turn it down, way down or put it on the shelf.
KD5SPJ Rating: 2012-09-21
Excellent loud sounding mic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I love this mic on both AM and SSB. It is an old mic, probably 25+ years old, but is a cracker! Gets thru the pileups like almost nothing else! I get some bad JUJU from other HAMs since it was thought of as a CB mic, but man, I don't care! It just works great on my FT-107M and every other radio I use it on.
31DELTA90 Rating: 2009-11-22
Garbage Time Owned: more than 12 months.
How could anyone give this mic a good review. I call it the muffle box, because that is exactly what it sounds like.