Elecraft

K2 DSP vs. Audio Filter

Classic

List

Threaded

6 messages Options

John Lyon-4

K2 DSP vs. Audio Filter

Darwin, Keith

RE: K2 DSP vs. Audio Filter

Yea, me too! I want those same answers :-)

I couldn't decide so I ordered the AF and have been using it for a week
or so. Eventually I'll probably order the DSP and then try them head to
head, selling the one I don't want.

So far the AF is pretty cool. I use the AF1 setting (wide AF bandwidth)
with wide and medium Xtal filter settings. AF does a nice job of
eliminating wideband audio noise. In the narrowest position (AF2) there
is some ringing but there is also more filtering. I'm not sure yet
whether the AF2 is going to get used all that much. It probably will.
On really weak stations the ringing doesn't help copy - I need more time
with it to really get used to it.

On SSB, I find the passive LPF in the AF did darken the response of the
rig. I'm considering widening the bandwidth per elecraft instructions -
or maybe not. I don't even have the SSB option in my rig, but I do
listen from time to time.

- Keith KD1E -
- K2 5411 -

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of John Lyon
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 1:11 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K2 DSP vs. Audio Filter

I am considering these two filters for a K2 that I'm about to buy. I'm
mainly a cw guy.

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Ron D'Eau Claire-2

RE: K2 DSP vs. Audio Filter

In reply to this post by John Lyon-4

I am considering these two filters for a K2 that I'm about to buy. I'm
mainly a cw guy.

I've had experience with audio filters, but not DSP. Actually now that I
think about it, my TS-570DG has an audio DSP filter of sorts. I strongly
dislike the audio coming out of it as harsh and grainy.

I've listened to the demos for ssb and cw on the Elecraft site for the DSP
filter. The noise reduction is dramatic, but the audio sounds, well,
digital. If the K2 is as quiet a receiver as I've read, does the DSP trash
up the received audio? And how does it do with power line noise?

I would be interested in anyone's comments and impressions of these two
filters in real world operating situations, even though they are apples
and oranges. Is DSP worth three times the money in your opinion, and why?

-------------------------------------------

You might gain some experience with the K2 for a while and decide what there
is about the rig without either module that you'd like to fix.

The DSP has awesome capabilities but, like you, I don't like the sound of
digitized audio.

The KAF2 was something I had planned on when I built my K2 in 2000, then
when I listened to a couple of them I sort of never got around to ordering
my own - and haven't missed it.

For my ears, the K2's I.F. filters do the whole job just fine.

That's the inherent advantage of the K2. We have a lot of options to tailor
it to our personal interests and needs. I'm 99.9% CW yet I added the SSB
option for the flexibility to work SSB and digital modes whenever I wanted
to do so and I've never regretted doing so. If I had been trying to
logically deduce what I'd want before using the K2 as a CW op, probably I'd
have skipped the SSB module and gone for one of the filters instead.

>From the messages I've seen here on the reflector, if you do buy a module
you don't want there's usually someone around the reflector who is looking
for a pre-built unit so you can recover the bulk of your costs to try it
out.

Ron AC7AC

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Curt-17

Re: K2 DSP vs. Audio Filter

In reply to this post by John Lyon-4

I owned the 570 Kenwood and agree with you.

I own the PROIII and the K2/100 with the DSP option and here is what I found: The Icom when listening to SWL or AM BC is nicer since you can go out to 9 K but in real world listening on the ham bands the K2 has a DSP that is at least as good as the PROIII and the noise blanker, at my QTH anyway shows the K2's NB winning out, although the Icom NB works good too and in fact a lot better the original PRO I had. If you want BC sound coming from your speakers then the K2 is not what you want, but if you want a radio that hears really well with a knock out filtering system using DSP, the K2 works great. I couldn't believe how well the DSP performs when I first tried it, and on weak signal work using the DSP doing A&B tests the PROIII versus K2, it's a toss up.

Good Luck

k3ey K2/100 S/N 5417 my 2nd K2/100---K4WH has my first one

John Lyon <[hidden email]> wrote: I am considering these two filters for a K2 that I'm about to buy. I'm
mainly a cw guy.

I've had experience with audio filters, but not DSP. Actually now that I
think about it, my TS-570DG has an audio DSP filter of sorts. I strongly
dislike the audio coming out of it as harsh and grainy.

I've listened to the demos for ssb and cw on the Elecraft site for the DSP
filter. The noise reduction is dramatic, but the audio sounds, well,
digital. If the K2 is as quiet a receiver as I've read, does the DSP trash
up the received audio? And how does it do with power line noise?

I would be interested in anyone's comments and impressions of these two
filters in real world operating situations, even though they are apples
and oranges. Is DSP worth three times the money in your opinion, and why?

John W9LHG K1 #2174

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

n6wg

RE: K2 DSP vs. Audio Filter

In reply to this post by John Lyon-4

Hello John
I have both the KDSP2 and the KAF2 filters.
I only use the DSP filter anymore.

The DSP filter makes a good supplement to
the basic crystal filter. Set up the crystal
filter first, using Spectrogram. Then turn
on the DSP filter at comparable bandwidths
and adjust the crystal filter/DSP filter
combo for the best overall cw passband. Works
very well indeed.

The noise reduction ability depends somewhat
on the bandwidth of the crystal filter before
the DSP. With too narrow a filter the noise
is less readily reduced, but it can be reduced
to some degree. At wider bandwidths, the DSP
NR is more effective. The NR would be readily
apparent in ssb service, as there the BW is a
couple of kHz or more. The "digital" sound
from the DSP depends on how aggressive you have
set the DSP.

DSP NR complements the regular noise blanker, and
is less effective on the kinds of noise sources
where the blanker shines. Together, they do a
decent job of reducing noise overall.

Good luck and 73
Bob N6WG

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of John Lyon
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 10:11 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K2 DSP vs. Audio Filter

I am considering these two filters for a K2 that I'm about to buy. I'm
mainly a cw guy.

I've had experience with audio filters, but not DSP. Actually now that I
think about it, my TS-570DG has an audio DSP filter of sorts. I strongly
dislike the audio coming out of it as harsh and grainy.

I've listened to the demos for ssb and cw on the Elecraft site for the DSP
filter. The noise reduction is dramatic, but the audio sounds, well,
digital. If the K2 is as quiet a receiver as I've read, does the DSP trash
up the received audio? And how does it do with power line noise?

I would be interested in anyone's comments and impressions of these two
filters in real world operating situations, even though they are apples
and oranges. Is DSP worth three times the money in your opinion, and why?

John W9LHG K1 #2174

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Robert Allbright

RE: K2 DSP vs. Audio Filter

In reply to this post by John Lyon-4

I agree with Ron AC7AC

The K2 just by itself for cw is excellent

I also have the KDSP2 but don't use it much

73 Robert G3RCE (K2 #5219)

-------------------------------
You might gain some experience with the K2 for a while and decide
what there
is about the rig without either module that you'd like to fix.

The DSP has awesome capabilities but, like you, I don't like the
sound of
digitized audio.

The KAF2 was something I had planned on when I built my K2 in 2000, then
when I listened to a couple of them I sort of never got around to
ordering
my own - and haven't missed it.

For my ears, the K2's I.F. filters do the whole job just fine.

That's the inherent advantage of the K2. We have a lot of options to
tailor
it to our personal interests and needs. I'm 99.9% CW yet I added the SSB
option for the flexibility to work SSB and digital modes whenever I
wanted
to do so and I've never regretted doing so. If I had been trying to
logically deduce what I'd want before using the K2 as a CW op,
probably I'd
have skipped the SSB module and gone for one of the filters instead.
Ron AC7AC
--------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com