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KX3: CM500 best price/use with

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john@kk9a.com

KX3: CM500 best price/use with

I was also confused by the posts that the CM500 works best with bias off.
Thanks for explaining why this works only with the KX3/KX2.

John KK9A

Don Wilhelm wrote:
Sat Nov 11 10:23:55 EST 2017

Yes, all electret microphones must have bias applied in some manner.
I am not certain why you think this is a KX3 "problem".
The tip and ring connected together is a characteristic of all
microphones intended primarily for computer use - and the Yamaha CM500
is one of those. The ham microphones normally have a mono plug, and do
not apply, although with mono plugs, MIC BTN must be turned off in the
KX3/KX2 so that PTT is not activated when the mic plug is inserted (the
shell grounds the PTT ring).
The normal computer jack applies bias to the ring, not the tip.
In the KX3, there is residual voltage from the MIC BTN circuit applied
to the ring even with MIC BTN turned off - the combination of the tip
and ring connected together and the residual voltage from the mic button
circuit in the KX3/KX2 is why it works that way.

That is true of both the KX2 and KX3 - yes, it does not apply to the
K3/K3S which has no connection to the ring contact in the jack.

So not a "problem", it is just the way things work.

73,
Don W3FPR

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Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: KX3: CM500 best price/use with

I use the Koss SB-40 which has a dynamic mike. No bias needed.

Bob, K4TAX

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 11, 2017, at 3:51 PM, <[hidden email]> <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I was also confused by the posts that the CM500 works best with bias off.
> Thanks for explaining why this works only with the KX3/KX2.
>
> John KK9A
>
>
> Don Wilhelm wrote:
> Sat Nov 11 10:23:55 EST 2017
>
> Yes, all electret microphones must have bias applied in some manner.
> I am not certain why you think this is a KX3 "problem".
> The tip and ring connected together is a characteristic of all
> microphones intended primarily for computer use - and the Yamaha CM500
> is one of those. The ham microphones normally have a mono plug, and do
> not apply, although with mono plugs, MIC BTN must be turned off in the
> KX3/KX2 so that PTT is not activated when the mic plug is inserted (the
> shell grounds the PTT ring).
> The normal computer jack applies bias to the ring, not the tip.
> In the KX3, there is residual voltage from the MIC BTN circuit applied
> to the ring even with MIC BTN turned off - the combination of the tip
> and ring connected together and the residual voltage from the mic button
> circuit in the KX3/KX2 is why it works that way.
>
> That is true of both the KX2 and KX3 - yes, it does not apply to the
> K3/K3S which has no connection to the ring contact in the jack.
>
> So not a "problem", it is just the way things work.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

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Michael Walker

Re: KX3: CM500 best price/use with

I have used the Koss SB40 as well, but I think you will find there is no
high end on the Mic and you really have to do some EQ work to make it sound
normal.

73, mike va3mw

On Sat, Nov 11, 2017 at 5:32 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX <[hidden email]>
wrote:

> I use the Koss SB-40 which has a dynamic mike. No bias needed.
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Nov 11, 2017, at 3:51 PM, <[hidden email]> <[hidden email]> wrote:
> >
> > I was also confused by the posts that the CM500 works best with bias off.
> > Thanks for explaining why this works only with the KX3/KX2.
> >
> > John KK9A
> >
> >
> > Don Wilhelm wrote:
> > Sat Nov 11 10:23:55 EST 2017
> >
> > Yes, all electret microphones must have bias applied in some manner.
> > I am not certain why you think this is a KX3 "problem".
> > The tip and ring connected together is a characteristic of all
> > microphones intended primarily for computer use - and the Yamaha CM500
> > is one of those. The ham microphones normally have a mono plug, and do
> > not apply, although with mono plugs, MIC BTN must be turned off in the
> > KX3/KX2 so that PTT is not activated when the mic plug is inserted (the
> > shell grounds the PTT ring).
> > The normal computer jack applies bias to the ring, not the tip.
> > In the KX3, there is residual voltage from the MIC BTN circuit applied
> > to the ring even with MIC BTN turned off - the combination of the tip
> > and ring connected together and the residual voltage from the mic button
> > circuit in the KX3/KX2 is why it works that way.
> >
> > That is true of both the KX2 and KX3 - yes, it does not apply to the
> > K3/K3S which has no connection to the ring contact in the jack.
> >
> > So not a "problem", it is just the way things work.
> >
> > 73,
> > Don W3FPR
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > 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
> > Message delivered to [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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: KX3: CM500 best price/use with

It is a dynamic mike of which is typical of all dynamic mikes that
exhibit proximity effect. The closer to the mouth, the more bottom
end. It is a mike to mouth distance issue and 1" to 2" or so makes a
big difference.

It is not deficient in high end, it has an abundance of low end. If it
concerns you, attenuate the low end. Never boost the high end. You'll
have better sounding audio.

73

Bob, K4TAX

On 11/11/2017 9:07 PM, Michael Walker wrote:

> I have used the Koss SB40 as well, but I think you will find there is
> no high end on the Mic and you really have to do some EQ work to make
> it sound normal.
>
> 73, mike va3mw
>
> On Sat, Nov 11, 2017 at 5:32 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX <[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote:
>
> I use the Koss SB-40 which has a dynamic mike. No bias needed.
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Nov 11, 2017, at 3:51 PM, <[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>> <[hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote:
> >
> > I was also confused by the posts that the CM500 works best with
> bias off.
> > Thanks for explaining why this works only with the KX3/KX2.
> >
> > John KK9A
> >
> >
> > Don Wilhelm wrote:
> > Sat Nov 11 10:23:55 EST 2017
> >
> > Yes, all electret microphones must have bias applied in some manner.
> > I am not certain why you think this is a KX3 "problem".
> > The tip and ring connected together is a characteristic of all
> > microphones intended primarily for computer use - and the Yamaha
> CM500
> > is one of those. The ham microphones normally have a mono plug,
> and do
> > not apply, although with mono plugs, MIC BTN must be turned off
> in the
> > KX3/KX2 so that PTT is not activated when the mic plug is
> inserted (the
> > shell grounds the PTT ring).
> > The normal computer jack applies bias to the ring, not the tip.
> > In the KX3, there is residual voltage from the MIC BTN circuit
> applied
> > to the ring even with MIC BTN turned off - the combination of
> the tip
> > and ring connected together and the residual voltage from the
> mic button
> > circuit in the KX3/KX2 is why it works that way.
> >
> > That is true of both the KX2 and KX3 - yes, it does not apply to the
> > K3/K3S which has no connection to the ring contact in the jack.
> >
> > So not a "problem", it is just the way things work.
> >
> > 73,
> > Don W3FPR
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft>
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>
> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > Message delivered to [hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>
> >
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>
>
>

Jim Brown-10

Re: KX3: CM500 best price/use with

On 11/11/2017 7:35 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
> It is not deficient in high end, it has an abundance of low end. If it
> concerns you, attenuate the low end. Never boost the high end. You'll
> have better sounding audio.

Exactly right. Virtually all mics should have the low end rolled off for
use in a ham station. This will also help a lot with wind noise and with
other noise in the shack. Go to TXEQ and start by setting the bottom
three sliders to full cut (that is, -18 dB), and the fourth slider to
cut at least 6 dB. Most mics benefit from 3-6 dB of boost on the two
highest bands, but no more.

For directional mics like Bob is describing, you may want to cut the
fourth band even more. This is the time to get signal reports from
trained listeners. The objective is to have good, crisp vocal sounds,
but with very little bass. Bass wastes transmitter power, makes speech
harder to understand, and also boosts noise.

73, Jim K9YC

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Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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john@kk9a.com

Re: KX3: CM500 best price/use with

In reply to this post by Bob McGraw - K4TAX

I thought that the discussion was about the subject Yamaha CM500. I do not
own this headset however I thought that it had an electret mic even though
it was advertised as dynamic. Either way this was good information by
W3FPR. I have a K3S and an electret mic so I keep my bias on.

John KK9A

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob McGraw K4TAX [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Saturday, November 11, 2017 5:33 PM
To: [hidden email]
Cc: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3: CM500 best price/use with

I use the Koss SB-40 which has a dynamic mike. No bias needed.

Bob, K4TAX

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 11, 2017, at 3:51 PM, <[hidden email]> <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I was also confused by the posts that the CM500 works best with bias off.
> Thanks for explaining why this works only with the KX3/KX2.
>
> John KK9A
>
>
> Don Wilhelm wrote:
> Sat Nov 11 10:23:55 EST 2017
>
> Yes, all electret microphones must have bias applied in some manner.
> I am not certain why you think this is a KX3 "problem".
> The tip and ring connected together is a characteristic of all
> microphones intended primarily for computer use - and the Yamaha CM500
> is one of those. The ham microphones normally have a mono plug, and
> do not apply, although with mono plugs, MIC BTN must be turned off in
> the
> KX3/KX2 so that PTT is not activated when the mic plug is inserted
> (the shell grounds the PTT ring).
> The normal computer jack applies bias to the ring, not the tip.
> In the KX3, there is residual voltage from the MIC BTN circuit applied
> to the ring even with MIC BTN turned off - the combination of the tip
> and ring connected together and the residual voltage from the mic
> button circuit in the KX3/KX2 is why it works that way.
>
> That is true of both the KX2 and KX3 - yes, it does not apply to the
> K3/K3S which has no connection to the ring contact in the jack.
>
> So not a "problem", it is just the way things work.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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 Message delivered to
> [hidden email]
>