K3 New DSP board installed
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The installation of the Rev D DSP board went smoothly. I updated the
firmware and all is well. The first thing I noticed was how much louder the headphones (Bose 32 ohm) are. I use the FP jack. The difference is huge. Before the upgrade, I ran the CW sidetone at 38. Now it's at 14! I'm not sure about the speaker volume but I don't believe there was much if any change. I don't hear any change in the low frequency audio. It had already been improved earlier with one of the FW updates. Headphone impedance can affect this too. Using MixW, I can see a well defined null in audio level below 50 Hz. The 3rd harmonic is still present in the low level audio output. This has bugged me from day one on the K3. It's weak but visible on the waterfall. See the photo at http://n4lq.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=65288758 Don't bother telling me it's my sound card or my level is too high. I've already been trough that routine. As for audio quality and listener fatigue, time will tell. This radio is such an improvement over my IC-7800 that anything I say is just nit picking. Was the upgrade worth the money? I guess it depends on how you feel about money and your K3. 73 Steve N4LQ [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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How far down dB-wise is the 3rd harmonic?
On Sat, Jan 9, 2010 at 11:41 AM, Steve Ellington <[hidden email]> wrote: > The installation of the Rev D DSP board went smoothly. I updated the > firmware and all is well. > > The first thing I noticed was how much louder the headphones (Bose 32 ohm) > are. I use the FP jack. The difference is huge. Before the upgrade, I ran > the CW sidetone at 38. Now it's at 14! I'm not sure about the speaker volume > but I don't believe there was much if any change. > > I don't hear any change in the low frequency audio. It had already been > improved earlier with one of the FW updates. Headphone impedance can affect > this too. Using MixW, I can see a well defined null in audio level below 50 > Hz. > > The 3rd harmonic is still present in the low level audio output. This has > bugged me from day one on the K3. It's weak but visible on the waterfall. > See the photo at > http://n4lq.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=65288758 Don't bother telling > me it's my sound card or my level is too high. I've already been trough that > routine. > > As for audio quality and listener fatigue, time will tell. This radio is > such an improvement over my IC-7800 that anything I say is just nit picking. > > Was the upgrade worth the money? I guess it depends on how you feel about > money and your K3. > > > 73 Steve > N4LQ > [hidden email] > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
Re: K3 New DSP board installed
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I'm not sure about the db difference Guy. It would take me a while to get
set up to measure that. 73 Steve N4LQ [hidden email] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Guy Olinger K2AV" <[hidden email]> To: "Steve Ellington" <[hidden email]> Cc: <[hidden email]> Sent: Saturday, January 09, 2010 11:50 AM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 New DSP board installed How far down dB-wise is the 3rd harmonic? On Sat, Jan 9, 2010 at 11:41 AM, Steve Ellington <[hidden email]> wrote: > The installation of the Rev D DSP board went smoothly. I updated the > firmware and all is well. > > The first thing I noticed was how much louder the headphones (Bose 32 ohm) > are. I use the FP jack. The difference is huge. Before the upgrade, I ran > the CW sidetone at 38. Now it's at 14! I'm not sure about the speaker > volume > but I don't believe there was much if any change. > > I don't hear any change in the low frequency audio. It had already been > improved earlier with one of the FW updates. Headphone impedance can > affect > this too. Using MixW, I can see a well defined null in audio level below > 50 > Hz. > > The 3rd harmonic is still present in the low level audio output. This has > bugged me from day one on the K3. It's weak but visible on the waterfall. > See the photo at > http://n4lq.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=65288758 Don't bother > telling > me it's my sound card or my level is too high. I've already been trough > that > routine. > > As for audio quality and listener fatigue, time will tell. This radio is > such an improvement over my IC-7800 that anything I say is just nit > picking. > > Was the upgrade worth the money? I guess it depends on how you feel about > money and your K3. > > > 73 Steve > N4LQ > [hidden email] > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.725 / Virus Database: 270.14.131/2609 - Release Date: 01/09/10 02:35:00 ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Steve Ellington
Is the spur at 3.9 KHz gone?
--- On Sat, 1/9/10, Steve Ellington <[hidden email]> wrote: From: Steve Ellington <[hidden email]> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 New DSP board installed To: [hidden email] Date: Saturday, January 9, 2010, 9:41 AM The installation of the Rev D DSP board went smoothly. I updated the firmware and all is well. The first thing I noticed was how much louder the headphones (Bose 32 ohm) are. I use the FP jack. The difference is huge. Before the upgrade, I ran the CW sidetone at 38. Now it's at 14! I'm not sure about the speaker volume but I don't believe there was much if any change. I don't hear any change in the low frequency audio. It had already been improved earlier with one of the FW updates. Headphone impedance can affect this too. Using MixW, I can see a well defined null in audio level below 50 Hz. The 3rd harmonic is still present in the low level audio output. This has bugged me from day one on the K3. It's weak but visible on the waterfall. See the photo at http://n4lq.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=65288758 Don't bother telling me it's my sound card or my level is too high. I've already been trough that routine. As for audio quality and listener fatigue, time will tell. This radio is such an improvement over my IC-7800 that anything I say is just nit picking. Was the upgrade worth the money? I guess it depends on how you feel about money and your K3. ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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How about the TX side. AFAI understand it should do
"things" to TX audio. / Jim SM2EKM --------------------- Wes Stewart wrote: > Is the spur at 3.9 KHz gone? > > --- On Sat, 1/9/10, Steve Ellington <[hidden email]> wrote: > > From: Steve Ellington <[hidden email]> > Subject: [Elecraft] K3 New DSP board installed > To: [hidden email] > Date: Saturday, January 9, 2010, 9:41 AM > > The installation of the Rev D DSP board went smoothly. I updated the > firmware and all is well. > > The first thing I noticed was how much louder the headphones (Bose 32 ohm) > are. I use the FP jack. The difference is huge. Before the upgrade, I ran > the CW sidetone at 38. Now it's at 14! I'm not sure about the speaker volume > but I don't believe there was much if any change. > > I don't > hear any change in the low frequency audio. It had already been > improved earlier with one of the FW updates. Headphone impedance can affect > this too. Using MixW, I can see a well defined null in audio level below 50 > Hz. > > The 3rd harmonic is still present in the low level audio output. This has > bugged me from day one on the K3. It's weak but visible on the waterfall. > See the photo at > http://n4lq.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=65288758 Don't bother telling > me it's my sound card or my level is too high. I've already been trough that > routine. > > As for audio quality and listener fatigue, time will tell. This radio is > such an improvement over my IC-7800 that anything I say is just nit picking. > > Was the upgrade worth the money? I guess it depends on how you feel about > money and your K3. > > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
Re: K3 New DSP board installed
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I can't comment on the TX side since I never use it except for a little
digital work. Also I have not seen any spurs. The headphone volume is the only major change I've noticed. You would probably need two K3s with old and new boards to really pin down what the differences are. Right now I'm listing to the NA test on 40m in LSB mode with the filter set at 4 Khz. The dynamic range of this rig is amazing. I can copy a dozen different stations simply by tuning my ears! Steve N4LQ [hidden email] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jan Erik Holm" <[hidden email]> Cc: "Elecraft Reflector" <[hidden email]> Sent: Saturday, January 09, 2010 4:51 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 New DSP board installed > How about the TX side. AFAI understand it should do > "things" to TX audio. ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Jan Erik Holm
The audio level differences remind me of a situation I had w/ a DSP
board, but had nothing to do w/ the Rev D upgrade. Your original DSP board may have been "defective". I had to replace one of my K3's DSP board a while back as I was noticing a significant audio level difference between the two K3s, ie. AF gain, monitor level, et.al., always had to be much higher on the one vs. the other. Swapping in a replacement DSP board resolved the issue and audio levels now match w/ similar settings. While the audio levels were drastically different on the "defective" DSP board, it still worked in all respects and would otherwise have appeared to have been a 100% perfect board if there was no point of comparison. The settings required to achieve similar audio drive on the removed DSP board were much higher, as you report on your original board, so I suspect your original had the same issue mine did, and was simply defective. 73 - no3m >> >> --- On Sat, 1/9/10, Steve Ellington <[hidden email]> wrote: >> >> From: Steve Ellington <[hidden email]> >> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 New DSP board installed >> To: [hidden email] >> Date: Saturday, January 9, 2010, 9:41 AM >> >> The installation of the Rev D DSP board went smoothly. I updated the >> firmware and all is well. >> >> The first thing I noticed was how much louder the headphones (Bose 32 ohm) >> are. I use the FP jack. The difference is huge. Before the upgrade, I ran >> the CW sidetone at 38. Now it's at 14! I'm not sure about the speaker volume >> but I don't believe there was much if any change. >> >> I don't >> hear any change in the low frequency audio. It had already been >> improved earlier with one of the FW updates. Headphone impedance can affect >> this too. Using MixW, I can see a well defined null in audio level below 50 >> Hz. >> >> The 3rd harmonic is still present in the low level audio output. This has >> bugged me from day one on the K3. It's weak but visible on the waterfall. >> See the photo at >> http://n4lq.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=65288758 Don't bother telling >> me it's my sound card or my level is too high. I've already been trough that >> routine. >> >> As for audio quality and listener fatigue, time will tell. This radio is >> such an improvement over my IC-7800 that anything I say is just nit picking. >> >> Was the upgrade worth the money? I guess it depends on how you feel about >> money and your K3. >> >> >> ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
Re: K3 New DSP board installed
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Makes me wonder if someone else will eventually end up with my old,
defective board. I just figured it was caused by the change in capacitor values but what you're saying makes more sense. BTW: Did you notice any increase of bass with this new board? I can't say that I noticed any change. Steve N4LQ [hidden email] > Your original DSP board may have been "defective". ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In the industry at large, refurbished boards tend to have a
significantly lower failure rate than new boards. The public's reticence to using reworked electronics that aren't straight from fabrication is based on an urban myth. Refurbished electronic items are by and large a very good value. Whatever it was that was going to go wrong has gone wrong and been fixed. That this strategy is not a risk is based on whether a company is reliable and responsive. We wanna go with Elecraft, or Kenyaesicom on that? 73, Guy ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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Guy,
In support of what you are communicating, I have been purchasing refurbished (and off-lease) IBM computers for some time now. They are always quite reliable and last me longer than other new computers that I have purchased in the past. The refurbished K3 DSP boards carry the full 1 year Elecraft warranty, so they are "good as new", and since most of the early life failures have already occurred, they can actually be "better than new". 73, Don W3FPR Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: > In the industry at large, refurbished boards tend to have a > significantly lower failure rate than new boards. The public's > reticence to using reworked electronics that aren't straight from > fabrication is based on an urban myth. Refurbished electronic items > are by and large a very good value. Whatever it was that was going to > go wrong has gone wrong and been fixed. > > That this strategy is not a risk is based on whether a company is > reliable and responsive. We wanna go with Elecraft, or Kenyaesicom on > that? > > 73, Guy > > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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