[TenTec] Audio response of Omni 6

[Gary J FollettDukes HiFi]

Since I had on hand an Omni 6 Opt 3 with a dead DSP circuit, I decided to try my 3.1 KHz IF filters in it with the DSP bypassed. It took a while to figure out how to get the CPU to boot up reliably without the two coax cables plugged in but I managed.

I had previously sent the audio line from the output of the switched capacitor notch filter to an outboard Bose powered speaker, about 4 inches in diameter, and got great sound with the wide filters. Now going directly from jack 56 to 54 on the IF/Audio board, I get nice loud audio that sounds about as bad as a normal Omni 6 on SSB. So I say”uncle” to those who insisted that the limiting part of Omni 6 audio is the audio stage. The could not be more true.

However, when going to a decent outboard amp and speaker, the wide filters offer dramatic improvement over stock filters.

So the Omni 6 audio stage is just too limiting to hear any benefit from wider, and perhaps  flatter passband, filters.

I’ll keep this one for now and continue using my outboard speaker amp. I don’t miss that OPT3 DSP anyway… I can accomplish more with the RF gain control.

Gary