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KX3 Mic/Phone Adapter Question

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James Bennett

KX3 Mic/Phone Adapter Question

I've got a KX3 that so far has only been used on CW or data, and have been using fairly bulky Sony headphones with it. Those phones work fine, but aren't exactly something I want to use in a portable / car camping environment. Yesterday while at Fry's electronics I saw a lightweight headset with attached mic that looked like a "junior" version of the Yamaha CM500 that I use with my K3. It has a single, 4-connector TRRS plug.

Does anyone know of a supplier of an adapter that breaks out the mic and audio into two separate cables/plugs like the CM500 has?

Or..... is there a lightweight "junior" version of the CM500 on the market - one that has two separate cables: mic and phones?

Thanks, Jim / W6JHB
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James Bennett

Re: KX3 Mic/Phone Adapter Question

Guys (and ladies) -

I had asked about using an inexpensive headset with my KX3. Got a couple replies off the list and wanted to share my results. I wound up purchasing an AC-404 mic/headphone set at Amazon.com for the paltry sum of $15.40. The package included a Y-adapter to break out the headphone audio and the mic signal. Plugged them into the KX3, turned off the Mic Bias and bada-bing, bada-boom - on the air. Followed the SSB setup instructions in the KE7X manual and was making QSO's. Worked AB0ZAN in KS and KA0KXI in ND on 15 meters with 10 watts into an 88-foot long doublet at 45 feet. Both stations said my audio was fine. Didn't knock their receivers off the desk with my 10 watts, but the AC-404 headset worked fine. Feels fairly comfortable - a little tight on the head, perhaps, but acceptable.

73, Jim / W6JHB

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w7aqk

Re: KX3 Mic/Phone Adapter Question

In reply to this post by James Bennett

Jim and All,

Jim Bennett posted his results from buying a relatively inexpensive gaming
headset for use with his KX3. I'm not surprised his results are good, but I
do wonder if that headset is not one that uses an electret cartridge--most
of the PC headsets do. Did you try it with the bias on? I'm not familiar
with the AC-404, but most computer headsets are electrets, or at least I
think they are.

Electrets are generally excellent choices for use with the Elecraft rigs.
The headset that Elecraft sells (made by Heil I think) is an electret. So
are the hand microphones.

Jim Brown's analysis of the Yamaha CM-500, which many of us use, is a case
in point as to how many of these less expensive headsets can do a very good
job, and match up with the rigs very nicely once you make all the necessary
adjustments, etc. Jim apparently tested several different ones, and found
the Yamaha to be the best match. Electrets can vary a good bit, but nearly
all of them should work if connected correctly. I've gotten excellent
reports just using a cheap Radio Shack electret cartridge which I inserted
in an old microphone housing.

For me, switching to the Yamaha CM-500 was as much about the improvement I
realized in the headphone portion. The Heil headset I own, and the Elecraft
headset I also own (made by Heil), were very disappointing to me as far as
the headphone performance. I don't think I'm the only one who felt the
Heils were inadequate as to headphone performance.

I see that Heil has a new headset available, and for a "mere" $250!!! I'm
sure they have some beneficial features, but it is very difficult for me to
envision $200 of benefit over my Yamaha!

In any event, if you have a PC headset laying around, or have access to one,
give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised at the result. Just be
sure to wire it up correctly.

Dave W7AQK

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Al Gulseth-2

Re: KX3 Mic/Phone Adapter Question

Dave,

Good point. Maybe someone could start a wiki/how-to/database of which computer
headsets or mics work and how they need to be wired and configured. If others
are like myself, there are at least one or two of these headsets available at
the QTH....

73, Al

On Thu October 9 2014 8:19:35 am [hidden email] wrote:

> Jim and All,
>
> Jim Bennett posted his results from buying a relatively inexpensive gaming
> headset for use with his KX3. I'm not surprised his results are good, but
> I do wonder if that headset is not one that uses an electret
> cartridge--most of the PC headsets do. Did you try it with the bias on?
> I'm not familiar with the AC-404, but most computer headsets are electrets,
> or at least I think they are.
>
> Electrets are generally excellent choices for use with the Elecraft rigs.
> The headset that Elecraft sells (made by Heil I think) is an electret. So
> are the hand microphones.
>
> Jim Brown's analysis of the Yamaha CM-500, which many of us use, is a case
> in point as to how many of these less expensive headsets can do a very good
> job, and match up with the rigs very nicely once you make all the necessary
> adjustments, etc. Jim apparently tested several different ones, and found
> the Yamaha to be the best match. Electrets can vary a good bit, but nearly
> all of them should work if connected correctly. I've gotten excellent
> reports just using a cheap Radio Shack electret cartridge which I inserted
> in an old microphone housing.
>
> For me, switching to the Yamaha CM-500 was as much about the improvement I
> realized in the headphone portion. The Heil headset I own, and the
> Elecraft headset I also own (made by Heil), were very disappointing to me
> as far as the headphone performance. I don't think I'm the only one who
> felt the Heils were inadequate as to headphone performance.
>
> I see that Heil has a new headset available, and for a "mere" $250!!! I'm
> sure they have some beneficial features, but it is very difficult for me to
> envision $200 of benefit over my Yamaha!
>
> In any event, if you have a PC headset laying around, or have access to
> one, give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised at the result. Just
> be sure to wire it up correctly.
>
> Dave W7AQK
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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Jim Brown-10

Re: KX3 Mic/Phone Adapter Question

In reply to this post by w7aqk

On Thu,10/9/2014 6:19 AM, [hidden email] wrote:
> Jim apparently tested several different ones, and found the Yamaha to
> be the best match.

Hardly. :) W6XU introduced our contest club, NCCC, to the CM500 several
years ago. Over a period of ten years or so, I've evaluated perhaps as
many as a dozen cheapo headsets with electret mics. ALL of the mics work
fine and sound good with the K3 and other rigs, but there is HUGE
variation in the quality and comfort of the headphones. I've seen
reference to a Koss model similar to the CM500s that is described as
comfortable and sounding good.

> Electrets can vary a good bit, but nearly all of them should work if
> connected correctly.

Yes. Some of the first I tested were from a salesman's sample kit of
Plantronics products. All worked fine, but none were comfortable. Ditto
for several computer headsets I bought a few years ago for use with Skype.

73, Jim K9YC

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James Bennett

Re: KX3 Mic/Phone Adapter Question

I probably should have noted (maybe I did...?) that my purpose of the cheapie headset was not necessarily for use in the shack, but to take with me on hikes, car camping, back patio operating, etc. In these cases, super-comfort was not the primary objective - operability and compactness were what I was looking for. I needed something light weight and not real big. The headset I got on Amazon fit the bill for my use. I'd much rather be using the CM500 with the KX3, but they are simply too big to jam into a small bag with the KX3.

As with other posts - YMMV. :-)

Jim / W6JHB

On Thursday, Oct 9, 2014, at Thursday, 9:54 AM, Jim Brown <[hidden email]> wrote:

> On Thu,10/9/2014 6:19 AM, [hidden email] wrote:
>> Jim apparently tested several different ones, and found the Yamaha to be the best match.
>
> Hardly. :) W6XU introduced our contest club, NCCC, to the CM500 several years ago. Over a period of ten years or so, I've evaluated perhaps as many as a dozen cheapo headsets with electret mics. ALL of the mics work fine and sound good with the K3 and other rigs, but there is HUGE variation in the quality and comfort of the headphones. I've seen reference to a Koss model similar to the CM500s that is described as comfortable and sounding good.
>
>> Electrets can vary a good bit, but nearly all of them should work if connected correctly.
>
> Yes. Some of the first I tested were from a salesman's sample kit of Plantronics products. All worked fine, but none were comfortable. Ditto for several computer headsets I bought a few years ago for use with Skype.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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