IC-7000 audio issues?

[VK2AXL]

I've been looking at second hand IC7000s lately.

I recall when they were newly released they had bad reviews due to poor transmitted audio quality. If I recall correctly (which often i dont) it was an issue with the microphone which could be fixed.

I know my IC-7200 had a MH-36 mic which was "updated" from the IC-718 MH-36 which was identical in appearance. The updating was to make a good mic into a mic with dull low audio. there are some fixes on the web which I tried but I never did get it to sound good. But the IC-7200 in general was a dud in my opinion and only worked really well after I had converted it into a Yaesu.

Did the IC-7000 suffer similar microphone "improvements"?
Have the early poor audio issues been fixed on later 7000s?
Was it all just a figment of magazine publishers imaginations and they are not that bad after all?
If I buy a IC-7000 do I need to worry about poor TX audio?

Thanks for any advise.

[VK2HRX]

I have had lots of poor audio reports with my IC910H using a sucession of HM36 microphones. The report is that I sound very bassy and can be difficult to hear. I did the mod to improve the the high F resposne and the reports were better. I then purchased a new HM36 (made in China as opposed to the origional made in Japan) microphone on eBay for $17 delivered and I now get excellent audio reports. So the MH36 can be an issue but it is easily and cheaply fixed. I dont know how this would relate to an IC7000, my experience is only with the IC910H

[VK2AXL]

The MH-36 I had was one of the early Chinese ones. So it sounds like they have fixed the problems with them now. Bit of a major stuff up for a company like Icom to sell dud mics. You'd thing their reputaion would be worth more than that.

I'll be interested to hear if the HM-151 was similarly poorly tested.

[VK3HJ]

In 2009, when we were preparing for the VK9LA DXpedition, the audio issue with the IC-7000 was discussed. We used Heil headsets, with the HC-4 DX mic element, and had no complaints.
From this forum thread, it appears that the original microphone was the problem.
Another solution is not to use a microphone at all, HI!
73,
Luke VK3HJ

[VK5PJ]

There is a ham in the US that specialises in fixes for the ic7000 microphones, there was an add on VKHAM for a ic7000 that made reference to his improved microphone and a link to the eham.net reveiw for the fix, most gave 5/5 for the mod.

The MH-36 I had was one of the early Chinese ones. So it sounds like they have fixed the problems with them now. Bit of a major stuff up for a company like Icom to sell dud mics. You'd thing their reputaion would be worth more than that.

I'll be interested to hear if the HM-151 was similarly poorly tested.

here is the bit out of the VKHAM add:

Mic has been moded by Bob Nagy AB5N (USA)Great Audio, has weight added.
Eham Review at http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/6580

I too have thought about an IC7000 for VHF use but have not gotten there yet, so I did make a point of copying down the bits about improved microphone performance.

Peter, vk5pj

[VK2AXL]

Thanks for that info Peter. I have also just recieved an email directing me to Bob Nagy AB5Ns website.

If anyone is interested in HM-151 upgrades, take a look at http://www.7000mic.com/

I knew asking on here would be the right thing to do

Still cant believe that any company would make a real flash radio like an IC7000 and plug a dud mic into it. What were Icom thinking?

[VK2AAH]

I actually have to step in and defend the honor of the IC7000s audio here. I use the standard microphone and have received numerous complementary remarks about the transmitted audio. What I would say is that you need to be a little careful when tinkering with the audio settings. When I screwed around with that I did receive some very negative comments, but once I realised that it was my fiddling that had caused it I quickly fixed the problem.

But I have heard the difference between the standard mic & the Heil... the Heil does sound very good.

Cheers


Richard
VK2AAH

[VK5EI]

I have a Icom 7000 as well, very important to understand how all of the filters work (TBW settings) This may help
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hkve9VWdko

regards
Joe - VK5EI

[VK5EI]

and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe_THkyTwIA

[VK3MY]

From day one, when the IC-7000 was released it always had a bad wrap about the TX audio, it all comes down to one simple thing, RTFM, (Read The Flaming Manual).

Default settings on the IC-7000 are middle of the road for filter bandwidth, for FM you need to set the bandwidth to 15K, default is 10K, for SSB you also need to widen the bandwidth also to sound reasonable.

No need to waste money on other mics, although if you did the Heil would be the way to go.

Remember the Icom IC-706 series, this had the same issue, also RTFM applies, the fix for that radio was to set the carrier offset in the menu to -100 this solved that audio issue without the need for mods to mics or replacing the microphone.

Slim