[TenTec] Paragon II audio help

[David McGinnis]

Help with Paragon II audio

I have had a Paragon II radio for a while and have
always thought the audio
sounded "weak" or mushy.  What I mean is the signals
dont have seem to 
jump out like some other rigs.  This is on SSB.  For
instance comparing to a
Harris RF-350, the signal strenghts are the same and
are of the same quality 
between the two, but everything on the Harris seems
clearer and easier to copy
than the Ten Tec.  The Ten Tec has a nice receiver,
and signals really do sound
5/9 at levels well below other receivers, but those
same signals seem flat in
response and dont stand out like they should.  This is
kind of the reverse of
what Bob Heil says about microphones.

I've been through this in the past with another rig
and have replaced the diodes
in the product detector ring and have had positive
results.  The Paragon II doesn't
seem to have a simple diode detector ring however.  I
have even clean up hiss in
audio section by replacing electrolytic capacitors
with polyester bi-polar caps.
The Paragon does not seem to have the hiss problem.  I
do not believe "cleaning up" 
with DSP is ever a cure for a problem in the receiver
and wont go there.  

The radio has been back to Ten Tec for a re-alignment.
 

What I'm asking from the group is if anybody has
explored this ground with the 
Paragon series of radios.  I have never had an Omni to
compare this to, but I
do believe the problem is common in some Amateur
equipment.  I like so much else
about this rig that I would like to "fix" or "improve"
it.  

Thanks in advance.
Dave
N7MJW


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