Odd problem/issue

[DJ11DLN]

I have an 808 amplified external speaker, model SP435. It works fairly well though it doesn't provide a lot of volume increase over a handheld scanner. Better audio quality though.

The issue is, and I'm probably missing something pretty simple here, it doesn't work on my Pro-651, or plugged in to the headphone jack of my Pro-197. Very low, scratchy audio. But plugged in to the headphone jacks on my Pro-18, Pro-668 (both converted to WS-1080), WS-1095, and WS-1098, it works fine, ditto with a 436hp. It also works fine plugged in to the external speaker jacks on the base/mobile models, including the 197. I even tried it plugged in to a couple of old scanners and some other devices, again it works great. And both the 651 and the 197 work fine with headphones.

I'm stumped, my brain is in full vapor lock.

 

[Spitfire8520]

The audio circuit for these family of scanners is extremely weird and has a lot of odd behaviors. One of the odd things about it is that the audio jack outputs inverted audio signals from the left and right channel. They cancel each other out if the speaker takes both channels and mixes them to a single channel mono output, resulting in very low and distorted audio. This means that certain audio accessories just will not work with these scanners.

 

[Wackyracer]

i thought I read you need a floating ground adapter? with whistler scanners. google the forum for that.

 

[n0jy]

I have an 808 amplified external speaker, model SP435. It works fairly well though it doesn't provide a lot of volume increase over a handheld scanner. Better audio quality though.

The issue is, and I'm probably missing something pretty simple here, it doesn't work on my Pro-651, or plugged in to the headphone jack of my Pro-197. Very low, scratchy audio. But plugged in to the headphone jacks on my Pro-18, Pro-668 (both converted to WS-1080), WS-1095, and WS-1098, it works fine, ditto with a 436hp. It also works fine plugged in to the external speaker jacks on the base/mobile models, including the 197. I even tried it plugged in to a couple of old scanners and some other devices, again it works great. And both the 651 and the 197 work fine with headphones.

I'm stumped, my brain is in full vapor lock.

Did you try the external speaker jack on the PRO-197?

Jerry

Sent from my SM-G955U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Wackyracer]

Maybe it was the ground loop isolator.

 

[Eng74]

You may need a mono to stereo adapter or a stereo to mono adapter. I don't remember which jack is on that speaker but look at the tip and see how many black rings are on it and compare it to the adapters and you will know which one to get.

 

[DJ11DLN]

Did you try the external speaker jack on the PRO-197?

Jerry

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Yes, and it worked fine plugged in there. But I was wanting to improve the audio on the 651, being a handheld with the typically tiny speaker. The only devices the speaker doesn't work properly with are the 651, and the 197's headphone jack.

I had bought the speaker to use with another scanner in a vehicle that did not have an auxiliary input in the radio...that vehicle has been traded off and the replacement does have an aux-in jack so the 808 speaker is unemployed. The scanner was a Pro-668 and the speaker worked fine with it. I use the 651 out in my workshop and had it going into a cheap set of computer speakers which recently stopped working. Waste not, want not, so to speak. But if it means that I have to spend another few bucks on another set of cheapie computer speakers and possibly just use the speaker on my tablet, as it was designed to be used (gasp!), then so be it.

 

[n0jy]

Yes, and it worked fine plugged in there. But I was wanting to improve the audio on the 651, being a handheld with the typically tiny speaker. The only devices the speaker doesn't work properly with are the 651, and the 197's headphone jack.

I had bought the speaker to use with another scanner in a vehicle that did not have an auxiliary input in the radio...that vehicle has been traded off and the replacement does have an aux-in jack so the 808 speaker is unemployed. The scanner was a Pro-668 and the speaker worked fine with it. I use the 651 out in my workshop and had it going into a cheap set of computer speakers which recently stopped working. Waste not, want not, so to speak. But if it means that I have to spend another few bucks on another set of cheapie computer speakers and possibly just use the speaker on my tablet, as it was designed to be used (gasp!), then so be it.

Perhaps there is an impedance mismatch. The aux input of that speaker may be more earbud oriented than 8 ohm speaker oriented?

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[DJ11DLN]

Perhaps there is an impedance mismatch. The aux input of that speaker may be more earbud oriented than 8 ohm speaker oriented?

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Probably something like that. As stated, both radios worked fine from the headphone jack with computer speakers.

And as stated before, this isn't a deal-breaker by any means...just an odd problem. I'll pick up some new el-cheapo computer speakers at WeirdMart in the next couple of days and that'll solve the problem. I can't recall what I paid for the 808 speaker but I am thinking well under $20 so no big deal.

Thanks everyone for your input.