which scanner has better speaker sound?
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Bentley
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In my opinion, RS desktops DO sound better than hand helds, louder anyway.
It will vary from radio to radio. I don't believe anyone manufacturer sounds any better than other one. Desktops on the whole have more audio output (sound quality is again rather subjective) than handhelds and thus are more capable of being heard in noiser conditions.
Best current handheld audio output (IMHO) is the PRO 96. Base radio, I haven't had two together at the same time to compare.
Newer models don't always mean better audio. GRE makes both the PRO 96 (older) and their own PSR500 (still smells new). I can hear the 96 at arms length when the 500 is nearly inaudible (at full volume) next to my ear.
Best current handheld audio output (IMHO) is the PRO 96. Base radio, I haven't had two together at the same time to compare.
Newer models don't always mean better audio. GRE makes both the PRO 96 (older) and their own PSR500 (still smells new). I can hear the 96 at arms length when the 500 is nearly inaudible (at full volume) next to my ear.
Bentley
Member
I agree, the 96 seems to be the best handheld for volume but only vs. the scanners I own.
In theory, a desktop would be better. But not always. I have an older PRO-2052 that sounds absolutely WONDERFUL. It has a large, mostly-hollow case and the speaker on the top of the cabinet. You can hear it very clearly, even at lower volume levels, and it has a nice wide frequency response.
My brand new PRO-433, however, has the speaker mounted on the bottom of the unit. Can't hear that thing well at all, and the audio is rather tinny. I keep an external speaker plugged into it all the time.
Either one is better than my handheld scanner (PRO-60 - old!). If there is any level of ambient noise at all, the handheld has to be turned up so loud that it often starts distorting the audio. And the speaker is so small the audio is very tinny, with almost no low-frequency response at all.
My brand new PRO-433, however, has the speaker mounted on the bottom of the unit. Can't hear that thing well at all, and the audio is rather tinny. I keep an external speaker plugged into it all the time.
Either one is better than my handheld scanner (PRO-60 - old!). If there is any level of ambient noise at all, the handheld has to be turned up so loud that it often starts distorting the audio. And the speaker is so small the audio is very tinny, with almost no low-frequency response at all.
jonny290
Member
Icoms don't have the best frequency response. People sometimes accuse others of having "ICOM Space Shuttle Audio", meaning way too much mids and not enough bass. It's good for communication and getting information across, not so pleasing to the ear, though.
I think the audio on my 396 is pretty nice, at about 12 on the volume meter it can beat my 350 + glasspacks on the Blazer. It's tinny of course, but that radio is jam-packed - no resonating room for the speaker at all - so I expected it going in.
I think the audio on my 396 is pretty nice, at about 12 on the volume meter it can beat my 350 + glasspacks on the Blazer. It's tinny of course, but that radio is jam-packed - no resonating room for the speaker at all - so I expected it going in.
DiGiTaLD said:
Just to keep it straight, I tried to keep handheld and base units segregated. The two very seldom if ever are comparable. Base radios can have bigger speakers, amps and room to resonate. They will almost always sound better than a handheld.
So, I repeat myself:
"Best current handheld audio output (IMHO) is the PRO 96."
Turbo68
Member
I like the sound on these radios AOR-8200MK3/ICOM-R3/ICOM-R5/UNIDEN-245 and i find some base units & hand helds have got to much bass and its very hard to understand i am listenning.
Regards Lino.
ALINCO-DJX2000/AOR-3000A/AOR-8200MK3/AOR-8600MK2/ICOM-R3/ICOM-R5/ICOM-R20/ICOM-PCR1000/ICOM-PCR1500/ICOM-R2500/ICOM-
R9000/ICOM-R9500/RADIO SHACK-PRO96/REALISTIC-PRO2035/UNIDEN-245/UNIDEN-396/UNIDEN-780/UNIDEN-996/YAESU-VX7R/YAESU-VR500YAESU-VR5000
Regards Lino.
ALINCO-DJX2000/AOR-3000A/AOR-8200MK3/AOR-8600MK2/ICOM-R3/ICOM-R5/ICOM-R20/ICOM-PCR1000/ICOM-PCR1500/ICOM-R2500/ICOM-
R9000/ICOM-R9500/RADIO SHACK-PRO96/REALISTIC-PRO2035/UNIDEN-245/UNIDEN-396/UNIDEN-780/UNIDEN-996/YAESU-VX7R/YAESU-VR500YAESU-VR5000
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bmacc
Member
I have a pro-97 and I can't tell a difference (as far as quality goes) between it's own speaker and a pair of nice Sennheiser headphones that I plug into it every now and then.
I would think that the overall voice quality of transmissions is more related to the type of system/radios being used by the transmitting agency (i.e. motorola vs edacs vs LTR), right??
Besides, radio traffic is radio traffic... it's not like voice quality is going to be that impressive in the first place, no matter what scanner you use...
I would think that the overall voice quality of transmissions is more related to the type of system/radios being used by the transmitting agency (i.e. motorola vs edacs vs LTR), right??
Besides, radio traffic is radio traffic... it's not like voice quality is going to be that impressive in the first place, no matter what scanner you use...
The '94 is a different animal than the '95 or '97. I like the '95's sound the best, but it is VERY SIMILAR to the '97. Speakers should not deteriorate. One issue with all of these scanners is that they are battery powered hand-helds. Their audio amplifiers are designed to run from very little voltage and use current as efficiently as reasonable. Base units with an unlimited power source can afford to use a more robust audio amplifier.hunk said:
hunk said:
Yes, speakers can deteriorate over time, not so much use. Now this takes a long time. I have some speakers that are twenty years old and they still work, but bass isn't the same; but a similar set began to literally fall apart after fifiteen years.
If you have handled the speaker, or poked at the cloth resonator, it could cause long term problems. For typical scanner longevity, I wouldn't worry too much about it. But with a used scanner, you never know how it has been handled.
Let's remember that most radio systems only have a slightly wider bandwidth that a landline telephone (300-3Khz). Cellphones are narrower bandwidth and are of a more similar bandwidth to P25 systems.
That's about all that is needed for intelligible speech in any sound reproduction system.
Everything below 300Hz is generally rolled off sharply to that you don't get annoyed by the PL tones.
Response beyond 4Khz is fairly useless but makes it sound pretty but as with everything S**t in S**t out.
Subjectively the Pro96 wins but most bases are very similar until you spend $1000 IMO.
Dave
"uses external speakers on all radios"
That's about all that is needed for intelligible speech in any sound reproduction system.
Everything below 300Hz is generally rolled off sharply to that you don't get annoyed by the PL tones.
Response beyond 4Khz is fairly useless but makes it sound pretty but as with everything S**t in S**t out.
Subjectively the Pro96 wins but most bases are very similar until you spend $1000 IMO.
Dave
"uses external speakers on all radios"
hoser147
Member
I have to agree about the external speakers I run Uniden external speakers on both my Pro 96 and 95. Just like the clearer sound. Most bases seem to be about the same, They usually have a bigger speaker anyway. Some bases have the speaker on top or bottom and I like to run an external speaker on those also...............Hoser
Hi Hunk and all,
"Better" being a subjective term every time the question "which is the better____" whatever it may be comes up all you get is opinions. Out of all the opinions in the world the only one that matters is your own.
Common sense tells you that a tiny speaker in a hand held driven by a puny amp won't be as loud as a larger speaker driven by some watts but when it comes to sound quality the only answer of any value comes from your ears. Maybe that's why all these opinions in the first place?
Now where is N_Jay with that whack upside the head when we need him? (;->)
"Better" being a subjective term every time the question "which is the better____" whatever it may be comes up all you get is opinions. Out of all the opinions in the world the only one that matters is your own.
Common sense tells you that a tiny speaker in a hand held driven by a puny amp won't be as loud as a larger speaker driven by some watts but when it comes to sound quality the only answer of any value comes from your ears. Maybe that's why all these opinions in the first place?
Now where is N_Jay with that whack upside the head when we need him? (;->)
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