Speakers for Flex 6000 Series

Mark Griffin

I just read the quick start guide for the Flex 6000 series. It said that one needs to connect powered speakers to the Flex radio. Is there a reason why it needs to be powered speakers and just can't be a regular speaker or speakers? I realize that probably the need to have two speakers is that you can monitor 2 slices at the same time. But do they absolutely need to be powered speakers? Thanks!! Mark Griffin, KB3Z

Steve N4LQ

Yes. There is no power amplifier in the audio section. Believe the manual.

Ken - NM9P

The output from the rig is at line level, similar to the the output on a computer, which requires powered speakers, like computer monitors.  There is not enough power in the output to drive a passive speaker very loudly, if at all.  

Yes, they are stereo, which lets you pan slices to different positions in front of you, if you wish.  It also adds to the quality of the sound for a single channel that is centered in both speakers.  If you get a good set of speakers, you will be amazed that SSB can sound so good, even with only 2.9 KHz bandwidth.

Ken - NM9P

Neal_K3NC

When they say you need powered speakers, you can believe them!

Jim KJ7S

I am using Altec Lansing powered speakers with their subwoofer and they sound great, but I would be aware that in some cases you may find that you get a little, and I do mean a little, audio garble back at higher powered speaker volumes.. The nature of the beast, even if you have no other rf issues in the shack.

Jim KJ7S

*** When you go into transmit***  :{)

Dave -- W7IWW

There are several powered speakers that work well. I have Bose Companion 2 Series II powered speakers that sound great and work well. Got them from Amazon.

Lee - N2LEE

Mark. Advice.

Don't cheap out on the monitors. Get a good pair of powered studio monitors with XLR / TRS inputs.
Not only does this help with RFI issues but this way you will get the most the Flex has to offer in great audio quality.

When ever anyone gives me an audio report the first thing I want to know is what they are listening on. If it's a typical communications then whats the point.

Ian1

Ditto on the Bose they work well Ian

Clay N9IO

I also have Bose Companion 2 Series II.  $99 at amazon, Target, etc.
They have two inputs so you can also feed your computer's line out to them simultaneously
for regular web use of your machine.

Rob Fissel

I too use the Bose Companion 2 speakers. They are a phenomenal value for the money, IMHO, and sound very good. 

That said, they do add the typical Bose "color" to any audio I put through them. I feel that they add a little too much to the high end, and present a brighter audio than what is actually being delivered to them. I try and knock this down with a custom RX EQ setting, derived when I compare to a pair of MDR-7506 headphones that I feel deliver an unaltered, flat spectrum response.

Those Sony headphones, FWIW, are also a phenomenal value. I am not a fan of Bose headphones at all. I think that while they look nice and feel comfortable, they impart way too much color, especially above 8khz and also add too much low end. 

If you're a purist/audiophile, and have the monetary resources, I would go with Lee's suggestion. Eventually, I'd like to go the monitor route. But for now, the Bose speakers fit the bill. 

Bob Hinkle

The Bose 2 are just amazing... you'll hear them and never believe that's coming from a ham radio.... well worth the investment, sir.  Bob KK8ZZ

Ken - NM9P

BTW...I use the Bose Companion II Series III and love them.  They seem to be RF Proof in my station, though I did need to add a ground loop isolator when I hooked up both the 6500 and 1500 at the same time.

they have plenty of gain...I use the 6500 line out at full and the Bose speakers knob at one-half and it is all the audio I need with the slice volumes at one half. For me, this gives the best balance of audio, CW & SSB Monitor Audio, etc.

I hear that Creative Labs has an excellent speaker system also for abound $99 on Amazon.

Ken Davis

FWIW - Install a good set of studio monitors. I have a pair of JBL 2Ps and they are great by themselves but I went one step further.  Install a good quality mixer board for controlling all your audio outputs.  I put in the Alesis Multimix 8 which manages audio for 5 radios and my PC. Two of the channels have parametric adjustments and they do a fabulous job of defining the mid range. 
Good Luck
Ken - W0KRD

KF4HR

I've been using the Bose Companion 2 Series III Multimedia Speakers on my Flex-6700 for several months now.  I thought they were working fine up until the other night when I compared them to a different rig using a real communications speaker.  Comparing the same CW signal received on my Flex-6700 with Bose speakers, with an ICOM IC-7800 and ICOM SP-20 Communications Speaker, even though the S-Meter reading was higher on the Flex, I found the 7800/SP-20 combination presented a  higher signal to noise ratio (easier to hear), especially on CW.  (Bandwidth and other settings were set the same on both transceivers.) 

At this point I'm thinking the Bose speakers might be the reason for the difference in S/N ratio, as their small (2 inch?) speakers are probably catering more to a broader range of noise, at least at the higher audio frequencies.  (That's my guess anyway.) 

I attempted to adjust the RX audio spectrum sliders on the Flex to help eliminate the noise and peak the signal, but the ICOM/SP-20 still presented an easier to hear CW signal.  My next step will be to try a higher end set of powered speakers on my Flex to see if that makes a difference.

I should also point out the peak S-Meter reading on my Flex was actually higher than on my ICOM transceiver, but again, the signal was easier to hear on the ICOM. 

I'm curious if others have made similar comparisons with their other equipment using communications a speaker?  And also curious if anyone has compared the Bose Companion 2 speakers to higher end powered speakers?  And if so, did you notice a difference? 

Gene - K3GC

I have both the Bose and a pair of Behringer MS20s.  Both sound good but to my ears the Behringers are considerably richer and clearer.

N6OIL

Hi Ken, I know you said that you use the mixer for all your radios but on the Flex do you really see a need for mixer since the one in SSDR covers it all for audio out? I just pulled the trigger on a set of JBL 2Ps and right now I only run two radios, other is a TS-820S. Thanks

W7NGA

The Bose Companion II speakers sound wonderful. However, the pair I own generate healthy spurs on all bands that migrate and cause me grief at times. It isn't the power adapter ... and though they sound bodacious I won't be purchasing another pair.

Rich McCabe

Since I switch my rigs with an iPlus I wanted to power my line output.  So just bought one of these little Muse amps for about 25 bucks. Works great.

So this is another option that will allow you to use existing speakers or new ones of your choice.

73

Rich

Kevin

Why not try the SP-20 communication speaker on the Flex? I'm curious how that works out or other purpose-built speaker works out. I'm using a pair of Mackie CR4s and they sound good playing Band of Skulls but maybe they are not as good as I thought playing SSB DX.

Ross - K9COX

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/gear/the-worlds-most-expensive-speakers-yours-for-only-15-million-2...

Ken Davis

In as far as the Flex is concerned, maybe not. But i do have the other radios and the PC and it is nice to have all the audio coming into the same point and one feed to the speakers.  Also, when I am listening to the Flex and someone comes on that is a bit hard to understand, I will tweak them in with the mixer easier than using the Flex. The other part of my mixer is the parametric adjustment. Not real sure what it does technically but Bob Heil explains it really well on Ham Nation episode 36.
73
Ken
W0KRD

N6OIL

Well I got my JBL's in and they really wake up the radio, I love the fact I can split panadaptors to left and right speakers. Still on the fence if I want a mixer I kinda like the clean desk layout with just keyboard, mouse and ****, what???

Ross - K9COX

Craft beers?

N6OIL

We have a good local that maybe in wider distribution called Hanger 24 Orange Wheat that I like and few from Oak Hills Brewery.

Moose

Ken,
Do you not have the issue I reported here: https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/bose-companion-speakers-power-supply-noise?

73 Chris AK4SK

Ken - NM9P

I haven't noticed any noise that I can trace to the Bose Speakers.  I have watched the display while unplugging the speaker power supply, and have not noticed any change on the frequencies reported by others.  (I DO have a lot of OTHER noise sources that I haven't been able to root out)  Perhaps I got a quiet set....  

Moose

Ok cool, thanks.