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Reviews For: ICOM SM-50

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : ICOM SM-50
Reviews: 25MSRP: $$$ SHOP AROUND
Description:
NEW ICOM DESK MICROPHONE IC-SM50

This NEW high performance base microphone

FOR IC-7800/7700/7600/7200/756PROIII/7400/910.
FOR IC-706/703/7000 WITH OPC-589 Adapter
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.radioworld.co.uk/~radio/catalog/sm50-dynamic-desk-microphone-with-flexible-neck-p-6300.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15254.3
KA3BQE Rating: 2022-12-08
Maybe 2022 version is better Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I upgraded to the IC-7300 and got the SM-50 shortly thereafter. It has been my desk mic now for a while and several HF nets and nothing but good reports. I keep the Low Cut button enabled and 7300 Compression at 6 and Mic Gain at 65% and it gets through for me. No clunking complaints here.
K4SRF Rating: 2021-06-06
So Far The ICOM SM-50 Seems To Do The Job Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this mic from DX Engineering to complement my ICOM 7300. Out of the box I could tell it was well made and durable. The connection to the radio was not an issue at all. I adjusted the Mic Gain and Compression on the 7300 before taking to the air. I asked for a few reports and had some minor issues that were resolved with a slight tweak of the mic gain (under the mic) and Mic Gain / Compression settings on the rig. Once this was done, I had no issues, just good reports.

I think this mic has to be adjusted per each user since everyone's voice is different. All in all, though definitely not inexpensive, it is well worth the money.
WA6TWJ Rating: 2021-01-14
The PTT Clunking harsh sound that people reported to me was bad Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well I bought the SM-50 to improve the quality of my outgoing audio on transmit for my IC-7300. The actual audio quality on TX was great, that is what I wanted in a more expensive microphone. However, I asked one guy what it sounded like on his end and he said audio quality was great, but he said, the PTT button was creating a sound like someone threw a bag of ice against a wall. AKA: the CLUNK that others have mentioned on here. I contacted ICOM to get some advice on how to fix the problem and they told me the Mic should not be doing that. and that I could send it to them to fix or contact the dealer for resolution. Well I contacted the dealer and sent it back for a refund. The terrible clunk sound was a deal breaker for me. When you spend almost $300.00 for a Microphone it should not have a problem like this. My opinion of course. It was interesting that ICOM was kind of in denial about the problem, like they have never heard about this problem. I don't buy their response. I own a lot of ICOM radios and I am a loyal ICOM user. But this mic had to go out of the radio room sadly.
KW2Q Rating: 2018-11-28
Works better without the preamp on my 7610! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
At one time or another I've owned most of Icom's preamped base microphones. I decided to try the SM-50 for two reasons. It was recommended by Icom for use with their 7610 and because it used a dynamic mic element. The first thing I discovered when setting-up the mic level is that the level pot under the base just had to be cracked on! Even at that and with the level on the 7610 adjusted properly, the transmit audio sounded as if it was over-driven from the mic. I sent a message to Icom's customer service explaining exactly how I adjusted the mic and radio set-up and asked for help. The response I received said "the microphone and radio have to be adjusted very carefully"! At this point I decided to by-pass the mic preamp and run the mic element directly to the radio by making a wiring change under the mic base. What a pleasant surprise! I was able to properly modulate the radio with the radio mic gain set at 40 (out of 100). Now I was receiving reports that my transmit frequency response was much better than when the audio was going through the preamp. So, in my opinion, the SM-50 is a keeper as long as the internal preamp is bypassed. Be sure to use a 1 uF DC blocking capacitor when connecting the mic directly to pin 1 on the radio or turn the mic bias off.
VK4SX Rating: 2018-07-30
Excellent audio reproduction Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ok I use Radio Sports RS-60CF virtually exclusively, wanted a good desk top microphone, I heard some friends on air with ICOM SM-50, I was USING dynamic capsule for many years, I read the CONS of the SM-50, most referring to the PTT CLUNK etc,
ok firstly this mic is delivered with the PRE AMP pot FULLY OPEN, so if you do not reduce the gain, the PTT CLUNK will modulate S9+ with no audio,
secondly, the Goose neck is secured to the Alloy base with 4 Grubs screws, ONE grub screw had a INDENT drilled into the alloy base collar,if the first grub screw IS NOT locked up into the Indent, the Goose neck collar WILL NOT PULL UP TIGHT with the four screws, the first locking screw has to be located into the indent, this movement is 85% of the NOISE so if NOT locked tight, wobble and clunking will cause the high level noise when ptt etc,

THIS is a very very good mic,
nice clean RF free modulation, correct ferrite beads over wiring internal to the pre amp, makes for a wonderful Microphone,
Icom 7610 setting, BASS - 0, TREBLE - 0
MIC GAIN 20%, CMP - L2, SM-50 Gain +7%
it takes 5mins to tighten goose neck, and 10 secs to BACK OFF SM-50 Gain, after that, there should be NO CONS
Dennis
VK4SX

KC8Y Rating: 2017-08-10
i use up-down buttons Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I acquired the SM-50, because I must use (due to handicap)the up-down buttons when varying the frequencies on my ic-7200. Operate only CW and digital/do not use the SSB mode.

In the near future, I may try to use the SSB mode ?

Ken KC8Y


----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by KC8Y on 2016-05-22

Obtained SM-50 a few weeks ago. Because of handicap, required large UP/DOWN switches (SM-30 had none). Love the microphone, too :)

WB9DZS Rating: 2017-08-09
Great audio, but susceptible to vibrations Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I loved this microphone in comparison to Icom-HM36 hand mic that came with my Icom IC-9100. I later realized that when I turned on my Alpha 374 amplifier, the vibrations from the fan picked up by my desk caused a high noise level on this mic. I resolved the issue by building a pad of mic base, by using two 6" x 6" x 1/8" rubber pads purchase in the plumbing section a Lowes and placing a couple sheets of 1/8" pipe insulation between the rubber pads. I also put rubber feet on the Alpha Amp. The cushioning of the mic base substantially reduced the noise level from the amp vibration to the desk. Also, the Low Cut filter on the mic does the job, but did not want to limit the audio. I took me hours to figure out the noise came from the vibration of the amp, and not the just the background blower noise.
G3OZN Rating: 2017-02-17
A good mic nice audio reports Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Run with my new IC7700 and I am getting excellent reports, some stations actually ask what I am using audio wise. A bit lighter than I thought it would be but still very stable on the desk. I think this will remain in my shack for a long while.
N5WJ Rating: 2016-01-09
Nice Mic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Got this mic a few weeks ago to replace my SM-30 which worked fine but I just wanted a bigger footprint mic... and the SM-50 is much bigger.. I have found it to work great and have not found the noise a lot of guys have complained about on this mic.. I love it .. get great Audio reports from most everyone I work...

73's Frank.. N5WJ
N1GMV Rating: 2014-03-19
Very good but not perfect Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I get great compliments but not giving it 5 stars and here is why. Clunk when you key, it's not aweful bad but why is it there? I have it connected to a 7600 and in the rig I bumped the treble 2 notches and the bass 1 notch and run at 3khz. I then backed off the level on the bottom of the microphone a bit so the alc would run normal when radio mic gain is centered.
I then opened the bottom and on all sides of the inside base of the microphone I applied small strips of Dynamat I also added some cotton wadding up the gooseneck so that it would cut some of the hollow sound. This helped eliminate some of the noise from my power supply and anything thumping the table. I also keep it on a mouse pad.

It seems every time I use my rig I get unsolicited compliemnts on the audio. I have had on a couple occasions a station to break in just to ask me what I am running.
Pretty happy with it so far but I do miss using a boom.