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Reviews For: Ten-Tec 715 RF Speech Processor

Category: Audio Accessories for Transmitter & Receiver

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Review Summary For : Ten-Tec 715 RF Speech Processor
Reviews: 31MSRP: 249.00
Description:
Model 715 RF Speech Processor is a high performance true RF-type speech processor designed to operate with most modern HF Amateur Radio transceivers. RF speech processing is a superior system to the traditional AF clipping, AF compression, or RF compression found in a typical HF transceiver for achieving the highest ratio of average-to-peak power from an SSB transmitter.
Product is in production
More Info: http://radio.tentec.com/accessories/715
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00314.5
NJ6F Rating: 2021-05-08
Excellent, did the trick with FT100D/MD-1 dynamic mic ! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Pleasantly surprised! I have been in HF since 1967.
I really appreciated the results from this unit. Good clear audio. I listened to myself first with the band pass at an 11 setting as pictured for a very natural voice, but allows some penetration at a 9 setting for weak signals if needed. Keep it at 6 avg on bar graph and I peak to max slightly. With FT100-D and MD-1 mic works well and back of unit adjustment pot to barely above minimum for plenty of audio. Really makes a big improvement on SSB. Have not tried on AM yet but anything has to be better than a raspy processor and equalizer combo. I am hard to please but this one was a real pleasant surprise performance wise and eased my thoughts about audio quality. I have a plug on it for easy switching to another rig as needed. If the metal chassis is not insulated by the rubber feat and touches another chassis directly or capacity coupling it will offer some noise, so just keep keep some rubber/ spacing under it. I took the feet of it to give me more room stacking it in a narrow spot in my radio layout and just added some shallow rubber strips, that's all. Gives me 2 to 6dB increase which beats having to use an amp when not needed. I tried on weak signals in and out and they said it made all the difference intelligibility wise. Yes it has a special 2 prong Class 2 supply with no ground plug and works perfectly to eliminate ground loops etc. Never any RF problems either. Yes they are out of business but who cares if this well designed product really works. It eliminates the carrier in a double side band arrangement and then filters out one of the side bands. If you want to use on AM fine it should give you some intelligibility with natural band pass adjustment and little drive among all that bass the AM hams pump out, calling it high fidelity, if not switch it out, just a flip of the off switch. 73 Rich
NO9E Rating: 2018-03-06
Greatly improves KX3 but design failure Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used it with KX3 and Heil HC5 microphone. After A/B with the built-in processor, the reports stated that that with TT715 the signal was so much louder and nicer. Unfortunately, two TT715 that I have cut out output after 5-30 min. Have been troubleshooting and asked for assistance, without a success.
N5XJT Rating: 2018-03-06
Great Addition! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Easy to set up, works great, much improved signal reports. Don't overdrive it and you will love it.
AA8KY Rating: 2014-01-05
Fantastic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Best speech processor on the market. Not only will it boost my signal, everyone says my clarity of my voice improves as well. And you can't beat the price. I was shocked to see how well it preformed. I highly recommend this item, and I use it on the omni 7. FIVE STARS!
N4DOV Rating: 2013-12-12
my mini "amplifier" Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had the 715 for about 3 years. Used it previously with my Omni7. Recently added it to my TenTec Eagle set up and get consistent reports between on/off of about 2 S units difference in signal boost. Use it with an Icom SM-30 microphone - bought the TenTec/Icom eight pin adapter. Took time to set it up with a number of QSO's to help adjust. A rather cheap way to add some punch to ones signal. Of course the little TenTec Eagle is no slouch either !
K8JHR Rating: 2013-11-30
Works Well Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This works well - provided you use it correctly and do not expect more than it can deliver. This is one of those little gems that can add a lot of punch to your sideband transmit audio - but a little goes a long way and if you overdo it, you will ruin your signal, causing distortion and diminish speech intelligibility. It is an RF-based speech processor, which is more effective and it can add significant additional punch to your transmit audio, but, again, used in excess, will cause distortion and splatter.

I not accept the claim it is like adding a 500 watt amp to your shack, but it does give you substantially greater punch in a pile up and can mean the difference between being heard or not when you are a weak signal to another operator. And this is sometimes just all you need to rise above the noise and make the contact. It has made the difference between success and failure to me on multiple occasions.

This is not something you need to run all the time. It is sorta like using a DSP filter - you only need it when you need it, and you would not run one during a routine contact when you have a good clear signal. As with DSP filters, there is a bit of a distortion trade-off by which I mean you can give your signal more punch, but it comes at the expense of added distortion. I use DSP audio filters on my receive audio - both on the rig and via outboard audio filter units - and they introduce some digital artifact and distortion if set to high - but sometimes this is an acceptable trade off if it means I can make out what the other op is saying. Similarly, there is a bit of audio distortion from this RF speech processor - when used at a reasonable level, the added punch offsets the added distortion, but if you set it too high, it will have a deleterious effect on the entire output, making it worse than not having it at all.

Am I clear on all this? YES, this is a helpful tool, and has made a difference in my ability to make many contacts. But be sure to have someone who is honest and who has a good ear help you set it up on the air, so you get the most bang, but the least noise and distortion out of it. It is well worth the price when used correctly.

That is just MY take... your mileage may differ...

Happy trails. // K8JHR //
GI0ZGB Rating: 2012-12-05
Good Stuff Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I hooked it up to my TS-50S and the standard dynamic mic, and after adjusting the clipping level etc it really delivered the goods.
The supplied power unit is of no use here in the UK with 240 volt mains, so I hooked it up to the PSU, here you need to leave the ground lead disconnected otherwise you will create a ground loop with howl around feedback. Things become more complicated when using rigs with built in mic EQ capability, and here it's possible to produce some terrible sounding audio. All the EQ settings and Speech Processor need to be disabled or bypassed, then the TenTec 715 will come into it's own. As has been said in previous posts, certain mics do not work at all well with the 715. I would suggest using the rigs own dynamic mic as I find they work best. IMHO using a studio mic is pointless given that it's feeding an RF Clipper and most certainly studio audio quality will not be produced as this is DX/Contest equipment designed to improve readability under adverse conditions, and this it does with great effect with a simple dynamic fist mic. I would recommend the 715 for DX/Contest use.
WB6ZRP Rating: 2011-03-31
It's microphone dependent Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It is definitly microphone dependent. It will not work on broad mics like a Heil Pro as stated elseware here. It does what it says on a stock hand mic. or a Heil Dx type. A Watt meter or a scope tells the story. It gives about a 6 Db increase in your average power output. If you want to punch through a pile up or noise with a narrow mic it will do the job. Not to be used in a rag chew session. Poor audio.
KI4PMW Rating: 2010-09-26
Great peice of equipment Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I got won this little toy at the Huntsville Hamfest in 09 and the guys in the TenTech booth was VERY helpful!!! I brought it home that night hooked it up thru the Rig Blaster Plus using an ICOM stock mike and no joy AT ALL!!!. Reading the reviews I read the with ICOM mikes DONT BOTHER!!!! The TenTech person at the hamfest said the same thing. I hooked up a stock mike from a Kenwood TS-430S and wala it work fine. Once you get the passband and proc gain down and the tentech guy made it clear to only have the meter get to 6 and not all the way up it worked great on my IC-718 and with a rig blaster the any mic to any radio is the best!!!. I just was given a IC746 and pluged the tentech to it and wala perfect audio,
KC1MR Rating: 2010-08-18
The Best DX Chaser !!! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I've used this gem since Nov w/o issues on my
IC-7700 & ALPHA 87A .

The reason I'm writing now is to relay a comment by
JY4C indicating how easily I cut through the pile
up !! He was very interested in my equipment !!

One caviot it DOES NOT WORK WELL WITH BROAD MICS (
Heil Goldline on wide ect .) !!

Tnx Ray KCIMR