STOCK MIC POOR ?

Rob Blackie

I recently bought a 6300, having lots of fun but the stock fist mic that came with it seems pretty poor, its VERY sensitive to wind ( breath ) , right now I have  my XYS's fluffy sock over it :0

is it just mine or they all like that ??

I have ordered a Heil pr-781-g  and appropriate cabe, hopefully this will work well on the  radio

Jim Gilliam

The Pr781 works very well. Also, you might consider purchasing a USB to XLR converter and you can use this microphone on a computer if you desire to remote the radio.

Rob Blackie

thanks Jim, good to know, yes i  might get that cable too

Jim Gilliam

Further, I use a neat program called RoMac. It is a 10 band equalizer and is easy to set up on SmartSDR. Also it has much better gain control as well as many other features that allows one to tailor the microphone characteristics to your voice and ambient noise.

Jim

Steve W6SDM

I have used my PR781 on a Flex 3000, 5000, and now on my 6300.  It's an outstanding mic and it's also a plus that there are existing presets for it in the SmartSDR software.  You won't be disappointed.

Just remember, it's an end fire mic.  That means you talk straight into it rather that talking across it like you do with many other mics.

Rob Blackie

thanks il check it out

Rob Blackie

hi Steve, yes, i will remember that, lots of experimenting

cheers Rob 2M0LDT

Scott N8UMW

Is the audio on PR-781 good through USB? I thought about trying that with mine. A
microphone plugged directly into the front seems to require the gain set around 80% or better with the 20db boost enabled to get loud enough. Don't know if that's related to the problem some guys have sent their rigs back to Flex for or not. My old 1500 did not have such an issue and neither does a competitors radio I now own.
I am still not real clear on the impedance of the input since the manual says one thing and the guys at flex have said otherwise here in the community.

Scott N8UMW

Jim Gilliam

I can't see any degradation of using the microphone with USB. However gain is a problem and the Romac software is a great program to get more than sufficient gain and response tailoring before vritually connecting to the 6000 radio

Burt Fisher

I got far better results with a $3 web cam mike hooked to my 6300 than the stock mike

Rob Blackie

Hey Burt,

I know traditionally that stock mic's that come with radios are pretty lousy, but at these prices i expected a little better ..

oh well, lesson learned

regards Rob

Jim Gilliam

Electret microphones work very well but they are very sensitive to voice changes. I have found that if one goes above a certain speaking level they immediately go into high distortion. I have to constantly monitor myself to maintain an appropriate level.

Scott N8UMW

Hi Jim. So this is typical of the 6300? I've read of guys have raspy sounding audio or clicks and other noise as well. I don't have that issue, but it just seems like you have to run it nearly at max to get good audio. I can run it 100% and still not trigger alc if I stay far enough away from the mic. Maybe something that could be fixed in a future software update. I don't know. Might have to go ahead and order that mic and try your setup. 

Scott N8UMW

Rob Blackie

i find its the wind sensitivity .. its OK with the wife's fluffy sock over it.. i simple 50 cent  sponge inside / deadcat would  have sorted this .

EA4GLI

I also think a better mic should come with the 6000 series. 

George KF2T

When using the stock mic, remember to apply the appropriate TX EQ. It makes a big difference.

Rob Blackie

it does mate, but does not help the wind sensitivity IMHO.

rob

Duane_AC5AA

Also, with most hand mics, speak across the front, not directly into it - solves a lot of the wind pop issues.

Steve W6SDM

I am fine with the inexpensive mic coming with the Flex radios.  My reasoning is that whatever mic they include, I am most likely going to replace it with something that I want to use.  Increasing the quality of the mic would increase the cost.  The mic that came with my Flexes all stay in the box until I sell the rig.

Including a mic allows you to get on the air and also test the radio as you figure out how to wire the mic you really want into the radio.

Mike va3mw

I have had no issues with the hand mic.  Make sure you have the gains set correctly.  I assume your 20db boost is off.    

I'm not sure what settings you may have looked at, but there are a few.  I'm a Heil fan, but the Radiosport headset are darn good too.

Mike va3mw

KY6LA_Howard

I never used the Hand Mike until I started to beta test the Maestro as I was strictly a RadioSport Headset guy... In fact, I thought.. why bother because its the same **** mike that comes with Yaesu radios... and they have a terrible reputation.....

However.. much to my pleasant surprise, when I followed the very easy to understand video instructions from Ken NM9P using the duplex trick he suggested for setting up the mike (Someone please post the link)  I was able to adjust the TX EQ so that I started to get superb audio reports on the allegedly "****" mike.

Bottom Line;

It's actually not a **** mike ... it's rather that you have not spent the time to adjust the TX EQ to optimize them for your personal voice characteristics...

BTW,.  you really need to do optimize TX EQ with every mike you use as it really can make a huge difference

Dave - W6OVP

The furnished mike actually works OK. I got terrible audio reports until I learned how to set up the audio for it. Then I got good unsolicited reports. (But I do use a Heil hand mike now since it does seem to be better, and am using the FLEX mike on the Maestro during this shakedown cruise.)

KC7ES

NM9P has the videos posted on his YouTube channel. I'm looking forward to trying his methods tomorrow.

Rob Blackie

thanks , link here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LytzQGpE5ZM

i still think you should be able to talk directly in a hand mic, don't have this problem with my other radios mics, needs an internal dead cat.

also Why do the defaults for this mic not fix the EQ automatically ?? surely that's the point in pre-sets ? seems sloppy ..

cheers rob

Rob Blackie

"shakedown cruise " ??

Rick Hadley - W0FG

Because the optimum EQ settings will be differerent for each individual voice and environment, just as they are for any audio equipment, ham radio related or not.

EA4GLI

I really don't think the hand mic matches the quality of the rest of the 6000 series gear. I find a hand mic a viable option with the Maestro.

Ken - NM9P

You should be able to go to www.youtube.com/nm9p for all three of my Audio Tutorials.....
Ken - NM9P

Ken - NM9P

@Rob,
Rick is correct.  The presets are to get you in the ballpark.  But everyone's voice and mic technique is different and will require some fine-tuning to get optimal performance.  Good audio is not a one-size-fits-all activity.  Many rigs only give you two or three options for TX EQ.  With the Flex, you can have as many as you want to spend time creating.  Just remember to save the Mic Profile after getting it the way you want it.  It is also a good idea to Export all of your profiles once you get them done, just in case.....

BTW, I agree that the Standard Mic (made by Yaesu) is not the best ever made.  But wit work, it can sound pretty good. Since I have my studio mic, the hand mic sits in a box.  But I have made two profiles for it and can use it if needed for portable work, or if my other mic develops a problem.

Ken - NM9P

Rob Blackie

yes it looks a lot like a stock Yaesu mic, thing is i have a couple of Yaesu fist mics for my 857D, none of them are as sensitive to wind as the flex mic, I'm not sure what that is all about.

rob

Delbert McCord

Mine was bad until I had some friends on the air help me get it set up. I now use it with either a wireless Headset that sounds great or I have my PR-40 wired into it but I understand it was so disappointing when I first got my new Flex 6300 on the air and received all the bad audio reports. A new rig with default setting with the supplied mic should not sound that bad. I do not think that Flex expects anyone to use it and just had to include something so they just put the cheapest thing they could find with it.