Rich & company:
The 705 element is a small electrets device. Typical of very expensive
instrumentation mikes, B & K etc, are that they are very small diameter
condensers. The sensitivity is quite good and frequency response is very
uniform or flat. Quite often mikes used in the broadcast and recording
studio business, although sometimes quite expensive, are really not truly
flat in frequency response. They may contribute to a slight frequency rise
at the low end or even some have a rising response from mid range to the
upper end with sudden roll-off. In each case they color the sound, and used
correctly and creatively, contribute to the creative effect desired. One
example is the RE-20 used by many broadcasters and voice-over artists. By
no means does this mike have a flat frequency response but contributes to
the male announcer sound by the wonderful enhanced low end smooth response.
A second factor is the ability of a mike to handle high level sounds. Some
perform better than others and in this case, at the same time, the 705 would
not be a good choice for that application. Successfully, the "sound of a
mike" is more attune to matching the mike with the sound source to attain
the desired effect and result. All mikes are not created equal. In my
professional background, on more than one occasion I have changed mikes on a
vocalist to get what the producer was looking for in results. In many
cases, I have used the same brand and model as no two mikes sound exactly
the same.
Sitting here on the desk today is a 705 used on the Omni VI+, a Tentec/Heil
Studio One used on the Paragon II and a very old D-104 on the Collins
S-Line. With this combination of mikes on the Tentec radios, time and time
again I have used the 705 on both Tentecs and get excellent results.
However, consistently the reports using the Tentec/Heil Studio One on the
Omni VI+ are bassey or muddy audio while when this same mike is used on the
Paragon II the reports are excellent audio. It is a combination of radio,
microphone and voice that contributes to the overall result.
Don't be put out by the 705 mike. It is capable of delivering excellent
results when used correctly. A word of caution, ...... the foam wind screen
is a "must use" on this mike. I have seen where with age, heat and other
factors the wind screens deteriorate and have been discarded. One fact, the
accumulation of saliva residue, cigarette smoke and moisture from one's
breath WILL change the sound of the mike. Although it still may output
audio, the quality will be compromised.
Comment: as to using broadcast type equipment to feed a SSB radio, remember
the bandpass, the bandpass ripple, the position of the carrier on the slope
of the filter contribute heavily to what the radio will pass and sound like.
Also the method of generating the SSB signal thus the dynamic linear balance
of the modulator will contribute greatly into a low distortion signal.
Feeding a 20 Hz to 20 KHz signal into a radio is basically a waste of
effort, money and energy. Rarely will one find a SSB radio that will pass
anything below 200 Hz and very little above 2.6 KHz. A clean, low noise,
low distortion signal is one thing, while wide bandwidth is totally
different.
73
Bob, K4TAX
A connoisseur of fine radios
Craig,
I have had lots of mikes over the years and had good like with Heil on my
NON Ten Tec rigs. But, I never could improve on the 705 mike with my voice
on the Ten Tec gear.
This always frusrated me because I felt like I was using a 35 cent mike on
a
TOTL radio.
The 705s sound good.
Rich
kd0zv
I'm an old broadcaster and like hearing smooth, rich audio. I also like
to transmit it.
So, what specific microphones have sounded the best with the
Jupiter/Pegasus rigs? I'm currently using the Model 705 electret with
my Pegasus with decent results, but -- I suspect -- I can do better. I
have yet to try running my broadcast gear into my "new" radio, but may
experiment with that this weekend.
73,
Craig
W3CRR
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