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Reviews For: Radio Shack 33-128

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : Radio Shack 33-128
Reviews: 9MSRP: $39.99
Description:
Super-Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2997390
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0094.6
W2NJU Rating: 2015-07-23
Capsule Has Been Changed Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Last year, I gave this microphone a good review. That was then. Now it appears that the mic capsule has been changed and it's just not the same microphone. The lower end of the audio just doesn't have the punch anymore. My original mic was stolen and when I opened the new one, bought a few weeks ago, I noticed the capsule change. My ears noticed it immediately. Too bad. It was a good mic. I can no longer recommend it.
W3LQ Rating: 2015-04-03
Works really well with my Kenwood ts 590s and Yaesu ftdx 1200 Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Save your bucks and grab this microphone!! Heard a ham on the air touting this mike. I bought mine on eBay for 20 bucks, and I love it. I have several mikes (including an EV RE320 and a Shure Sm7 D), and loads of audio gear. I use this with my Pronsous Preamp that has a built in audio compressor and parametric equalizer. This thing sounds wonderful in my montitor.
On air reports have ranged from "your audio could not be any better" to "best audio I have heard today." Will I keep my other mikes?? Sure, but I am a geek!!
Probably the best 20 bux that I have ever spent.
KC9WQR Rating: 2014-10-14
Great with FT-450 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I got this microphone used second hand after looking at heil mics and yaesu mics. I can say for the price I paid you can't find a better microphone. I use mine with my FT-450 and use setting 4 on the built in mic equalizer.
KD8QNC Rating: 2014-05-05
Best $40.00 for a great mic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
As described before, this is a Beyerdynamic Opius 29s with the RS moniker on it. It was recommended by W2IHY, so I bought it and hooked it up to my basic W2IHY 2 band EQ. After getting the right setting on the EQ, I couldn't get better audio reports than I'm getting. The 33-128 is a very flat, sensitive, cardioid mic with great front-to-back ratio. The EQ really makes it sing any way you want. I have baritone pipes and this mic/EQ combination gives me great clear and crisp upper end audio that is sharp yet full. No brassy-ness but high readable. Why spend the big bucks?
W2DI Rating: 2014-01-16
Superb with ft-450 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I was about to buy a desk mic for my ft-450 when I read the reviews here on the RS 33-128. So, for 39.95 I thought I'd take a shot at it. It comes with a mic holder and I had all the hardware to either make a desk mic or a 'boom' arrangement with a flexible goose-neck. I did the latter and the set-up looks nice and is ergonomic. I have a small project box double-side taped on the desk holding a momentary and an spst switch for PTT. The cord is way too long so I shortened it to about 4 ft. and placed a 1/8" mono rather then the 1/4" it came with.
Listening on the internal xmit audio monitor it sounded great - better than any of my other mics. The best setting is "0" or flat, and on the air feedback (no pun) confirms the great sound. No distortion (at #3 - highest mic gain) wide-range, good presence and very punchy.
The rig's alc keeps the level in proper range and the rf output meter really dances near the peak level (set for 85 w).
Thanks to the other reviewers. Got a good sounding mic at fraction of the cost.
W5HG Rating: 2013-05-09
Very nice microphone Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
A friend recommended this mic to me for a price of $40. I had been using the Heil Goldline and was very pleased with it but for forty bucks I thought I would experiment a little. I also have the W2IHY EQplus and 8 band equalizer which I highly recommend. Do you have to have it.... No. but its been a great accessory to someone who likes to play with the tranmitted audio. It makes most mic's sound better and the 33-128 was no different. I was told it sounds like the PR40 from Heil. for $40 bucks give it a try. I think you will be surprised at what your buddies tell you about the sound quality of this microphone. The feel and looks of the mic do not look cheap. If weight is a indication of a good mic then this one has some weight to it. :) I was thinking of getting a EV RE27. I still may get one but this mic made a good comparison to a operator using a RE27 at the time. I like it. Give it a try.
DC2060 Rating: 2013-02-02
Would still be a great deal at twice the price. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have used several different microphones costing between $250 - $400 ,and though they sound great,some people could hardly tell the difference between those microphone and the Radio Shack microphone. i recently sent one to a friend in Jamaica,WI and was amazed at what I heard. With a little processing,one would never guess. It's a keeper.
KD2 Around New Jersey (KD2ANJ)
W6QT Rating: 2012-09-10
Great Sounding Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Mine is used with a W2IHY 8 band equalizer and was personally recommended by Julius Jones, W2IHY Technologies.

You can spend big money on a microphone, but you don't have to in order to sound good. I used mics similar to this in my broadcasting career.
AD5MD Rating: 2011-09-14
Follow-up Reveiw Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
First, I noticed the typo in my 1st review...should be 33-128 not 33-158. Now for the follow-up, I noticed that it is more easier for me now to nail a station in a pile-up...a little "high" makes the killer audio in the pile-up. This one will be a keeper....time to get rid of the excess Heil mic I have :)

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Earlier 5-star review posted by AD5MD on 2011-09-14

I have used several Heil microphones which to me are good mics albeit the price. I then tried the Audio Technica ATR-30 which really sounded great and would give the PR-40 a run for its money. I used it for a couple of years and was really pleased with its performance. Lately I was given a tip by one of the audio gurus in the ham community to give the RShack 33-158 a try so I did. Boy oh boy....it performs way above the ATR-30! More mellow, round sounding audio with or without any external processing equipment. The bass and treble roll-offs is fantastic in my opinion. And the best part....its less than $50 bucks!