audio

and mess around with CPDR and DX sliders. 

Yes, Keith, as others have said, the 300 has two different "flavors" of compression.  The CPDR is a mild compressor that ads more talk power and keeps your levels stead without adding too much "edge."  Depending on your other audio settings, you can often run it anywhere from a 2-6 with not much problem.  The DX button is more "edgy" and adds even more punch and some highs.  I wouldn't recommend running it more than about a 3 or 4.  

There is an excellent document on the FLEX support sight by W1AEX that details how to adjust all of the various audio settings in the audio chain.  There are about 8 of them and you can introduce distortion and problems at any level if you are not careful.  But once you get things set up the 3000 can can  sound really, really nice.  You can create multiple Transmit "Profiles" for different settings - DX, Rag Chew, ESSB, etc.,

W1AEX also has an excellent tutorial video on YouTube  if you are a more visual learner.

YES you will need to spend some time adjusting your TX EQ 10 band Equalizer.  This is one of the keys to great audio.  Never trust a mike and rig on their own.  A poorly adjusted rig can make an expensive mike sound like trash, but a well EQ'ed rig can make an average mike sound good, up to a limit.  You can't add what isn't there in the first place.  But you can help things out a lot with EQ and a little compression.

Good luck,
Ken - NM9P

Thanks, Tim.  Here is the Youtube of the process, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV_iolSf3OA

Here is another, more lengthy one by G7CNF that covers a few other adjustments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2trJjUObLkY


Ken - NM9P

So much for smoothness,,,lol cheers