Balanced Mic Input Difference 6500 vs 6600

Mark NS9N

I have been extremely happy with the balanced mic input on my 6500. I am using a PR781 Heil mic directly connected to the balanced mic input on the 6500. After seeing the 6600 at Dayton, I have place my order for the 6600. However, I did notice that the balanced mic input connector is no longer offered. A call to Flex revealed that the mic input is now a 3.5mm jack. I am told with an adapter, which Flex will now add to my order, will allow me to connect my PR781 cable. I was also told that the new input keeps the balanced input all the way to the circuit board input where one side is grounded. Is this the same circuit design on the 6500 or is the 6500 a true balanced input? If this mic input circuit has indeed changed on the 6600, are there any RF interference concerns with the new design? Will the Ver 2 code still show a balanced mic input?

Tim - W4TME

Mark,

The mic input on the back is a pseudo balanced audio input that is electrically equivalent to the one in the 6500/6700.  The only difference is that it is a 1/8" TRS jack and you can enable a +5 VDC bias on the MIC+ line to accommodate condenser mic elements.  So you can use your dynamic mic or a computer headset type mic on the same jack.

I do not know for certain that the input will be labeled as balanced on the SSDR console for the 6400/6600.  I suspect it will be "Mic" and you have the option to enable the mic bias or not.  You can use unbalanced mics with the same jack by changing the input wiring to unbalanced rather than balanced.

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

Tim could you give us an example of what the Heil adapter will look like?  I'm having a hard time imagining it?  Tnx

Tim - W4TME

Which mic?

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

The Heil PR-781 for example. It is a 3 wire xlr cable. Tnx Tim

Tim - W4TME

Here you go.



https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-XVM-115F-XLR3F-Right-Angle-Microphone/dp/B000068NZF

Rich McCabe

Thanks Tim.  I realize you might be the wrong person to ask, but I wonder why Flex when 1/8" instead of 1/4" like previous models?  My 6500 of course is 1/4.

Tim - W4TME

If you haven't noticed, the new FLEX-6400 and FLEX-6600 have very aggressive price points.  This was in response to customers asking for more price conscience high-performance products.  In order to do that, we have to make allowances for cost reducing the radio.  The XLR balanced connectors are more expensive from a component standpoint and from a manufacturer and assembly standpoint too.  We'd rather cost optimize things like connectors than the really important stuff like ADCs and FPGAs that really make a substantial difference. 

PA1EC

Hi Tim, I use a footswitch for the PR-781, But the cable you mentioned is only a cable between the PR-781 and the Flex. Can I connect the footswitch anywhere?
I am now using the CC-1-XLR-Y cable between the Flex and the PR-781.

Tim - W4TME

The back of the radio has an RCA connector for PTT

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

Kinda of my question about getting ptt I us the heil trigger grip

Tim - W4TME

Yes, it would interface to the radio's RCA PTT jack on the back of the radio in the same way.

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

I also use a 4 pin xlr connector with a heil gold line gm-5. Will you have an adapter for microphones like these as well? Sorry Tim I just want to have all my ducks in a row. Thanks again for all of your hard work

Tim - W4TME

I cannot say for certain that we will provide that specific cable, as we haven't finalized the specifics just yet, but if we don't, it is a strightforward cable to make.

Norm - W7CK

Does the radio have a connector on the back to turn the rig on and off or has it been incorporated into the board design so one can cycle the radio via TCP?

Elan Paim

hello Tim 
thank you kind okay i see it will not say BL only Mic . 
what about the gps on the back antenna connection is there any GPS built in >/?

Tim - W4TME

Norm - The 6400s and 6500s have the same Remote On feature found on the 6300, 6500 and 6700s.

Elan - the connectors are installed for the optional GPSDO module.

Larry - WA7LZO

Hi Tim, 

This may be premature for me to ask this at this juncture, but do you know how the 6600M might handle the new high end Yaesu M-1 mic, which is simultaneously both  a dynamic and condenser mic?

It has user settings so the user can select to configure it as a dynamic mic, or a condenser mic, or a combination of both, at the same time. The latter mode (combo mode) provides the very highest quality frequency response.

Not sure how to wire things up for the 1/8 inch plug going into the 6600M, given this mic's unique arrangement.

Thanks!

Larry
WA7LZO

Tim - W4TME

You are correct, it is a little premature at this juncture to discuss interfacing non-standard "hybrid" type of mics with the new 6400 and 6600.

Elan Paim

thank you kind Tim 
73 elan 

Mike W9OJ

Is the pseudo-balanced inputs on the new rigs the same as the pseudo-balanced input on the 6300?

Tim - W4TME

Yes.