K3 headphone level

[Ed Picha]

Hi folks:

I've read with interest the recent discussions about headphone level on
the K3, and specifically problems with Heil headsets.  I have found that
the level in my ProSet is fine for my purposes using either the AF GAIN
HI or LO in the K3 configuration menu.

Our FD group used a K3 and Heil ProSet this year, and we were really
hoping to configure the K3 to have the speaker and headphones both
active.  When we tried to use the SPKR+PH configuration, we found that
the speaker and headphone levels were mismatched such that when the AF
gain was adjusted to get adequate headphone level, the speaker was
excessively loud, to the point where the loud speaker audio was annoying
to the operator wearing the headphones.

A quick review of the schematic for the K3 leads me to believe that the
headphone level is programmable.  By programmable, I don't mean in the
sense that it can be configured from the existing user configuration
menus, but programmable in the sense that the headphone driver ( U2, an
LM4811MM, see K3 DSP IF: DAC AUDIO, page 3 of 9) can have its gain
controlled by an up/down pulse provided by U17, the EPM240.

What do folks think about a possible future enhancement to make
headphone audio level user-programmable?  It would address issues with
different headphone brands where users can't seem to get enough
headphone audio, and it would allow independent headphone and speaker
levels to address the issue that I described.

73,

ed N9EP

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[N5GE]

On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:07:24 -0500, "Ed Picha" <[hidden email]> wrote:

>Hi folks:
>
>I've read with interest the recent discussions about headphone level on
>the K3, and specifically problems with Heil headsets.  I have found that
>the level in my ProSet is fine for my purposes using either the AF GAIN
>HI or LO in the K3 configuration menu.
>
>Our FD group used a K3 and Heil ProSet this year, and we were really
>hoping to configure the K3 to have the speaker and headphones both
>active.  When we tried to use the SPKR+PH configuration, we found that
>the speaker and headphone levels were mismatched such that when the AF
>gain was adjusted to get adequate headphone level, the speaker was
>excessively loud, to the point where the loud speaker audio was annoying
>to the operator wearing the headphones.
>
>A quick review of the schematic for the K3 leads me to believe that the
>headphone level is programmable.  By programmable, I don't mean in the
>sense that it can be configured from the existing user configuration
>menus, but programmable in the sense that the headphone driver ( U2, an
>LM4811MM, see K3 DSP IF: DAC AUDIO, page 3 of 9) can have its gain
>controlled by an up/down pulse provided by U17, the EPM240.
>
>What do folks think about a possible future enhancement to make
>headphone audio level user-programmable?  It would address issues with
>different headphone brands where users can't seem to get enough
>headphone audio, and it would allow independent headphone and speaker
>levels to address the issue that I described.
>
>73,
>
>ed N9EP
>

[snip]

I don't see that anomaly with my K3 and my Heil ProSet Plus.  I keep the
speakers and headphones both on all the time.

Tom, N5GE - SWOT 3537 - Grid EM12jq

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just the parts you like.

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[Jim Brown-10]

On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:07:24 -0500, Ed Picha wrote:

>What do folks think about a possible future enhancement to make
>headphone audio level user-programmable?  

If the K3 is capable of it, it should be there because of the wide
range of sensitivities of various headphones and loudspeakers and
also a range of noise levels in various shacks.

73,

Jim K9YC



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[John King-10]

>
> Our FD group used a K3 and Heil ProSet this year, and we were really
> hoping to configure the K3 to have the speaker and headphones both
> active.  When we tried to use the SPKR+PH configuration, we found that
> the speaker and headphone levels were mismatched such that when the AF
> gain was adjusted to get adequate headphone level, the speaker was
> excessively loud, to the point where the loud speaker audio was annoying
> to the operator wearing the headphones.
>
- snip -
> ed N9EP
>

Here's what we did for our K3 CW station at FD:

The K3's Line Out was configured for "=PHONES" (this is a
fairly new firmware feature that sends both rcv audio and
sidetone to Line Out.) The Line Out fed a 20 Watt hi-fi
audio amplifier which drove a big honkin' loudspeaker
which sat outside the CW tent. The gain pot on the audio
amp was used to control the PA volume - we played it loud
during the day and were a little more conservative in the
wee hours of the morning while some of the crew caught a
little sleep. The effect was perfect - there are few things
as satisfying as hearing your ace CW ops running pileups
all over the FD grounds.

73,
  john WA1ABI


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[k6dgw]

Ed Picha wrote:

> What do folks think about a possible future enhancement to make
> headphone audio level user-programmable?  It would address issues with
> different headphone brands where users can't seem to get enough
> headphone audio, and it would allow independent headphone and speaker
> levels to address the issue that I described.

It would also help those of us who are just sort of deaf.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2008 Cal QSO Party  4-5 Oct 08
- www.cqp.org
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