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Reviews For: Shure 444

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : Shure 444
Reviews: 48MSRP: 80.00
Description:
Microphone
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.shure.com/pdf/discontinued/444.pdf
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00484.9
G4ZRZ Rating: 2004-07-08
ugly but works a treat Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I aquired one of these some years ago and use it with my TS570D. The result is great. I've been complemented on the audio many times.

Mine has been around a bit, two of the feet are missing and it's covered in scratches (and dust!). But it's the best mike I've had.
KG6UEQ Rating: 2004-07-07
Clear Sounding Desk Mic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought mine in 1980 and used it briefly with a Navaho base station citizen's band radio and was told it had a very clear sound to it as opposed to the D-104 I also tested. It's been in storage 24 years and now I will use it again, soon, with an old Kenwood TS-120 once I get my General Class ticket.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by KG6UEQ on 2004-04-26

Bought a new 444D in 1980 and used it on a CB rig. Was told it had very clear sound to it. I haven't used this on any ham equipment yet, but that day may come.
GM0ONX Rating: 2004-07-06
Never bettered Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My wife bought me my 444D some twenty years ago and it’s been used on every HF rig I’ve ever owned. Although I've tried other mics I've always come back to the 444D, it suits my voice to a T and I’ve had numerous unsolicited complements about the audio quality.

They bounce very well too having dropped mine of the desk more times than I care to remember.

Forget your Heil mics, buy one of these off Ebay and spend the change on something else for the shack, you’ll never regret it!

Len GM0ONX
WV4R Rating: 2004-05-24
Rugged Restricted & Reliable ole '444' Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Rugged Restricted & Reliable Audio of the ole '444' is a benchmark from yester-year.
I bot my original all-black model in 1978 as an alternative to the higher priced factory desk mics. After hearing them on-air I actually preferred the in-your-face '444' sound to the bassy-sounding factory mics I heard.
I successfully used the '444' on TS-130, TS-820, TS-830, TS130, TS-940 from 1978 to 1985 when it was replaced with the HEIL HC-3 dynamic for all rigs.
Physically, the hi-impact plastic desk mic. has a 2.5" vertical adjustment, PTT bar has a locking notch. The cable is rugged. The sharp case-edges & fixed-angle of mic. element are not suited for anything but desktop operations. A switch enables continuous 'hot-mic' for VOX ops. The Only Real difference I could determine between the original model & the later model is the Color.
Operationally, the controlled magnetic element is hi-impedence(15-100k) ONLY & factory spec'ed 300-3000hz so at best it is 'telephone quality' or 'taxicab dispatch' audio. Omni-directional pickup pattern picks up your voice And everything else in the shack... a great match to the old rigs.
Certainly reliable, an audio benchmark & alternative to high-priced factory mics earns it the wv4r FOUR-Star rating.
73 es God bless, murf/wv4r.
KJ7CY Rating: 2004-05-24
Excellant Audio Quality Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using the Shure 444 for about five years now. I first used it on a Yaesu FT840 for a couple years with great audio reports. Then I used it on a Ten Tec Omni D and now use it on my main rig which is a Ten Tec Corsair II. I switched the impedence switch to high impedance for the Omni D and the Corsair II. I always receive excellant audio reports with it. And more than once I have had hams contact me just to comment on the excellant audio and wonder what mic and radio I am using. For the low price these are going for used they are a great buy. Pick one up if you get a chance. I think I paid $35.00 for mine.
KX2S Rating: 2004-04-26
Great Mike Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using my Sure 444 since 1981. Purchased it new to use with my Cubic Astro-103.
I sill use both mike and rig. I have always received excellent audio reports with it. I know everyone now says the standard is Heil. But when questioning Bob Heil at Dayton he was not even sure one of his mikes would even work with my rig. I guess if it aint broke dont fix it.
73 Ed
W3DCG Rating: 2004-02-28
Price vs Performance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It's a microphone.
Have received unsolicited reports of "great audio" with a Pegasus, barefoot to a dipole.
Generally on the narrower than default TX bandwidth setting, 2.25 Kc.

Mine came with an old Corsair I bought. Worked great with it, too.

If one can get over the Sheriff's office/Taxi Cab company look, and focus on the sound, one would be hard-pressed to objectively rate it lower.

But with microphones, as with Keys and Paddles, ratings are probably subjective.
M3SKF Rating: 2004-02-28
good reports Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
great audio reports with this mike works fine with my 3 hf rigs go get one now.
W7XBS Rating: 2003-12-15
Crystal Clear - Punches Through Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my 444D in 1979 and used it briefly. Now some 25 years later it will be resurrected for its second life. I've been told this mic has a very "clear" quality to it. If you have a chance to buy one, I'd say grab it.
GW4JPC Rating: 2003-08-07
Never Bettered Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my 444 in June 1980 and have used it with a variety of British and American rigs.It suits all the old KW tube rigs made in England during the 60's and 70's.Worked well with a Swan 100MX, Drake TR4C,Ten Tec Omni-C and Omni-V.Currently use it with my Omni-C.The response characteristic is spot on for SSB with it rise toward the top end.
Some people are under the impression that the 401A is a handheld version of the 444.It is not,the capsule is different having a flatter response making it less intelligible over the air.
Mechanically it may not look pretty, but it is very tough.Even the cable is extra durable.
Highly recommended,although I do not know what the spare parts availability is like.I have never had to find out.