[Orion] xmit audio muddy

[Jerry Volpe]

I had the same problem with the Studio One microphone. I was totally 
perplexed as to why the audio problem was so much more noticeable under 
2.056 than under 1.3x firmware. I wrongfully assumed that it had to be 
the Orion.... in particular the firmware. Afterall, so many had written 
about this in the reflectors and they all blamed the firmware! 
Nevertheless,  I eventually discovered that the problem was actually due 
to 'unbalanced' audio signals into the mic connector when it should they 
have been 'balanced.' And that the Orion's PTT return (the chassis 
ground) can NOT be connected to the mic return (even if you must use an 
unbalanced mic system such as a pair of ProSet headsets). I did an 
exhaustive write up on all of this a couple weeks ago, including why it 
appeared to be a firmware issue... but wasn't. Anyway, for me I found 
that my Studio One not only had bad internal grounds (places where there 
was a missing ground jumper internally and paint where metal needed to 
touch, etc. ) but that the supplied Heil cable had the mic return and 
shield wires actually reversed compared to their counterparts within the 
Studio One. After I fixed those two problems my Orion worked flawlessly. 
Now, now more, muddy, mushy, or distorted audio in firmware versions 2.5x.

73,
Jerry, KG6TT
Fairfield, CA