Selecting USB mic audio source for tx audio?

K2CB Eric Dobrowansky

I believe I have read that some folks have been successfully using their USB based headsets with SmartSDR.

How do I set SmartSDR to use my USB microphone as the tx audio source?

With the open HPSDR software, I could go into the VAC window and directly choose the USB mic  without having to use any sort of virtual audio cable application, and port the USB audio right into the SDR  software. This worked great to use my USB based mic preamp (Focusrite 2i2).

With the SmartSDR, I have played with the DAX control panel, but it seems like I can only choose playback type devices to "drive" the tx audio of the Flex 6500. However, the USB mic device appears under recording devices in Windows.

So how are the folks using USB headsets getting the mic audio into the SmartSDR program? 

It would be nice if there was a way to simply choose the USB mic, or any other audio input (recording devices), from within the DAX control panel.

Eric

K2CB

K2CB Eric Dobrowansky

anyone?

Al K0VM

Eric,
  I haven't tried this myself but you may be able to open the USB mic 'Listen' properties in the audio device manager and check 'listen to this device' and select a DAX TX device as the play back device.  You will have to have DAX channel enabled for TX in the DAX control panel and DAX enabled in the phone/CW panel.. 

Good luck...

AL, K0VM

Lee

Any updates??

I would like to do that too...

Just got my 6300...Ha Hoo!

Lee, KC9CDT

Michael - N5TGL

Not exactly sure why anyone would pick the hardest way possible to get audio into the radio, which also adds distortion and latency with every transformation step.  Not only that, but the quality of audio coming out of random USB headsets is definitely questionable.  Why buy an expensive radio, capable of fantastic audio and then couple it to a cheap headset?  This is probably why you haven't received many responses.

If you want cheap and cheerful, buy an SM-58 mic, rig up a footswitch and get a desk mic stand.  You will get audio beyond your wildest dreams with a minimum of distortion and latency.

Lee

I agree,,,

I guess I was kind of interpolating the question to how I could use Skype on remote to get audio into the 6300. (get audio from the PC vs the 6300 itself)

I would like to use my 6300 remote when traveling??

73,

Lee

KY6LA_Howard

See my comments in Community about using iPad with 6000 series I have now worked FROM 17 different countries

KY6LA_Howard

I use a $24 Logitech Bluetooth Headset with my ipad for remoting when traveling. I consistently get comments like. "Your audio sounds like FM Broadcast Quality". Most Heil $150+ mikes are just $6 mikes in expensive packaging.

Lee

So...you CAN use the 6300 REMOTE?

How does the audio get to/from the 6300 from the PC??

Thanks,

Lee

KY6LA_Howard

Skype

KY6LA_Howard

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/parallels_access_ipad_app

KY6LA_Howard

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/remote_operation_on_ipad_using_parallels_access_but_it_needs_vox_on_dax Make sure u expand all the comments

KY6LA_Howard

Even more about remoting https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/notebook_or_ipad_for_remote_smartsdr

Lee

I'm encouraged....I thought the only way to get audio in/out of the 6000 series was the unit itself...not from the PC.

Is there details on how to do remote with the 6000 series somewhere??

Thanks,

Lee

KY6LA_Howard

See all the links I posted above

Ken - NM9P

And the same would be true of the SM-58 and other sub-$150 mikes, according to your logic. 

I have tried many other mikes, including the stock hand mike, SM-58, SM-58 copies, EV-664 "Hammer,"  Military headset mikes, homemade electrets, and others.  I'll stack my Heil PR22UT ($110) up against a Sure SM58 any day on my 6500... and have already.  That's why I use it, not for pride or bragging rights, but because I like the way it sounds with my own voice. 

KY6LA_Howard

I use a Radiosport Headset ($400 range ) for contesting http://www.arlancommunications.com/products/amateurRadio/radioSport/RS60CF.asp Mainly because I like the way it feels on my head and how it blocks outside noise Frankly the 8 band equalizer in SmartSDR does a really good job with almost any mike that when I switch mikes (I have some Heil's too) I get virtually the same reports albeit the Heil's usually score a bit lower.

Mike Walker

I know this will open up a can of worms, but for SSB communications you really want something where the audio shaping is correctly leveraging the ability to communicate. To really understand, you want to hear Bob Heil discuss his finding from the Bell Labs on how the ear hears things and why his elements are shaped accordingly. http://twit.tv/tri8 I found it very interesting on just 'how' the ear hears things. 73 de va3mw

Kevin Va3KGS

I see this is an old thread.  A local store has on sale a Blue Jeti USB Desktop "Studio Quality" Mic.  Various YouTube Video's show this to be a very good mic.  Has anyone used it, or similar?  PS my wife wants to buy it as a Christmas present for me, should I tell her to save the $100, and buy me a couple cases of ****?

Cheers, Kevin

Oxford English

Hi Kevin,

I use a Plantronics wireless headset into my 6300 via the USB on the computer and it works extremely well. My voice is not very good as I only have one vocal chord but people do comment that the audio is very good.

Tim

Larry _ NY8T

I have 2 Blue yeti usb mics I use for remote and they work excellent.

Ken - NM9P

WIll it work?  Yes, Absolutely!
But there are two drawbacks....

1) Sending audio to your computer via USB and then back to the 6000 will introduce some added delay that you won't have with a direct connection to the rig. If this is not an issue for you, it isn't a problem.  I have experimented using my USB Mixer and processing the audio using a program called "Stereo Tool" and had up to 250 ms Delay/latency due to the conversion and processing.  Not horrible in a rag chew, but it could spell death in a contest or hot & heavy DX pileup.

2) There may be some loss of audio fidelity due to limitations in your sound card/computer processing before the audio gets to the rig.  I have done A/B testing using my Heil PR22 and a Behringer Q802USB mixer.  I compared a) feeding the audio from the mixer into the Balanced input of my 6500 and b) getting an unprocessed feed from the USB output of the mixer through the computer and back to the rig using the the "Remote" function and "PC" mike input.  As I switched inputs, the audio was always clearer with the direct BAL connection.

I was able to make adjustments to the Transmit EQ in order to balance things out, but it never sounded quite as good when going through the computer as it did when connected directly.  Good enough, yes, but not quite as good.

If you are running remote, it would be a good mike to use.  I just wouldn't choose it for my main mike setup unless you can also connect the mike directly without the extra baggage of the USB interface.

Your mileage (and other people's opinions) may vary.  

In any case, please have a look at my Transmit EQ adjustment tutorials on Youtube.  Search Youtube for my call.  There are three  (at present) that may help you as you fine-tune your audio chain.

Ken - NM9P

Kevin Va3KGS

Thanks Tim, Ken and Larry. 

I have good mic's already in use on the 5000 here at my local station, its the remote 6500 that I was looking at using this mic for.  Ken I will look at your Youtube clips later tonight.  In the meantime it looks like I'm heading out to buy my Christmas present.  I will update everyone later (After Christmas?) on my setup results.

Thanks for helping my wife out !! 

Happy Cheers.

Kevin

PS Mic is called YETI, not Jeti as I posted above.

Larry _ NY8T

Use the cardoid setting for best results.

Kevin Va3KGS

Well out of the box with no set-up, John HK3C in Columbia, say's the Blue Yeti is the best he has ever heard me. (Always have been using Heil Elite Pro Headset with John).  The Silver Mic looks great against my Dual Silver Monitors.  I will only report back here if I have any bad news. 

Cheers, and Happy New Year

Kevin, Va3KGS

Norm - W7CK

All of this and I don't believe anyone answered this poor chaps actual question.  How do you get the audio from the wireless headset to the 6000.  Geezz.  

The receive audio is easy.  Just make sure the default speakers or listening device is the headset your using.  For transmit, I believe you will have to use one of the DAX channels and point it to your microphone.  I'm not at home or I could take a look at how I did it.  While there is some latency, it still works just fine.  I've gotten great audio reports using a wireless headset.  Shoot I'm not running an FM broadcast station here, this is ham radio, right?

Sometimes its nice to have wireless headset and not be tethered to the desk.  Other times, its nice to use the PR40 plugged directly into the BAL connector.  I love wireless headsets for copying CW or when it is late at night and I don't want to disturb anyone.

Hook it up and have fun!

k3Tim

When using a BT headset, one sets the BT mic to default recording device and select the "listen to this device" in the sound / recoding / listen submenu.

Using the REMOTE mode in SSDR panel will have audio from PC sent to the Flex 6k.  One also has to enable the "PC" in the P/CW menu.  

k3Tim

Ken - NM9P

Actually, if you are in the shack with your rig, you don't need to use REMOTE to use a USB Mike for transmit audio. You can simply make the USB Mike the DEFAULT Mike in the Windows audio Recording device panel. Then select PC as the Mike input. You can still use your powered speakers connected to the rig for receive audio. If you select REMOTE, the it sends your receive audio out to the Windows Playback Default device (whatever is selected in the properties panel.). You no longer need to use DAX for this either. (but it was necessary when this thread was begin two years ago.)

Norm - W7CK

Good job Ken.  I forgot that now we have REMOTE and it uses the default devices.  It's been a while since I've looked at that stuff.  Things have been working pretty smoothly here!!