Best digital audio Pro-96 or uniden 396 ?

[ShawnCowden]

which has the best audio the uniden 396 or gre- pro-96 ????
seems like online feeds compared to my pro 96 and other online pro 96 are better then the 396 audio with online scanners!

 

[eyes00only]

Shawn

I have spent months deciding on which of the two to buy. I really wanted a 396, but as of now I don't think it's worth huge cost. It has great features, but I'm sure the 96 out performs it, especially with digital systems. Bottom line (I think) is that once again GRE is better than Uniden in all aspects other than ease of use, and the I-CALL option that I REALLY WANT.

Jerry

 

[toydriver_det]

which has the best audio the uniden 396 or gre- pro-96 ????
seems like online feeds compared to my pro 96 and other online pro 96 are better then the 396 audio with online scanners!

The biggest downside to the 396 is the lack of an digital AGC which makes it hard to listen to a mixed bag of transmissions without blowing out your eardrums on the digital signals.
At least that is the way it looks to me from reading all the other threads on here about that subject.

 

[John_M]

Jerry wrote:

I have spent months deciding on which of the two to buy. I really wanted a 396, but as of now I don't think it's worth huge cost. It has great features, but I'm sure the 96 out performs it, especially with digital systems. Bottom line (I think) is that once again GRE is better than Uniden in all aspects other than ease of use, and the I-CALL option that I REALLY WANT.

The 396t has slightly better audio. Sometimes I can't notice any difference other than the digital AGC which kicks in a little too late but the audio is loud and clear. Get the 396t for these reasons:

1. Firmware upgradeable. When rebanding hits you download and install the new firmware for it. With the Pro-96 as it stands now you will be forced to use the custom tables.

2. LTR

3. Milair

4. All needed accessories included. Free UASD software.

5. Close call. (I was at a Hockey game last night and got about 4 different frequency hits)
I was kinda impressed with this. I probably won't use it often but when I need it it's there.

 

[eyes00only]

I agree with the nice options on the 396, but another BIG drawback in my area where there are multiple towers and control channels in the statewide system is that the 396 locks onto a CC, and wont release it. Because of this, you could lose a conversation if the users radio affiliates with another CC during a situation. At least this is what I've heard on my states (Colorado) forum. It's too bad someone can't get their S^#@ together and give us a scanner worth $550, that has all the bells & whistles. As always, just my 2¢ worth .

Jerry

 

[rdale]

1) The 396 does have digital AGC.

2) "Because of this, you could lose a conversation if the users radio affiliates with another CC during a situation."

All users on that talkgroup would have to affiliate with that other tower, not just the one transmitting, for you to lose comms.

The 396 sounds a lot like the actual Motorola rig sitting in my office, the Pro96 has a "smoother" but more muted tone to it.

 

[eyes00only]

rdale / It's good to hear something positive. I still want one, but in my states (Colorado) forum, I keep hearing that the 396 just doesn't perform well. I have always (20+ years) been an Uniden man, but my Pro 95 (GRE) kicks the heck out of my Pro 94 (Uniden).

Jerry

 

[Al42]

I agree with the nice options on the 396, but another BIG drawback in my area where there are multiple towers and control channels in the statewide system is that the 396 locks onto a CC, and wont release it.

Only if you program all the sites as one system, which would be operator error. If you program each site as a system (which it is, from the 396's viewpoint), you'll only lose comms if you're listening to one conversation while another one occurs - which happens with any scanner. As soon as the 396 resumes scanning (no more comms on that site) it can lock onto the control channel for the next site, if that one has any active comms going. You can program them all on a single system quick key if you want to treat them as one system.

As far as audio quality on streamed audio, it mainly depends on the stream bandwidth. I'm streaming a 396. While it was out for repair I was using a Pro-95. (Motorola type 2.) There was no difference in the audio. I'm streaming an 8k stream. If I were streaming a 64k stream there might be some difference, but you can't hear nuances in low-bandwidth audio. So if you're hearing low-bandwidth 396s and high-bandwidth Pro-96s, you'll hear better audio from the Pro-96s. Reverse the situation and you'll hear better audio from the 396s. The difference has nothing to do with the scanners.

 

[GTO_04]

I own both scanners. The Pro-96 is better for digital. I have the digital AGC enabled on the 396 and I can't tell any difference from when it's not enabled. Digital systems come booming in so I have to turn down the volume, then I can barely hear the analog systems. Digital AGC works much better on the Pro-96.

The digital audio quality varies, sometimes the Pro-96 sounds better, and sometimes the 396 sounds better.

The 396 is easier to program and I like the dynamic memory. Maybe I am more used to the Uniden scanners as I own several.

There is one other issue that Uniden has not even acknowledged. If you monitor an EDACS at the same time (in a different bank) as a Motorola digital system, the 396 will stop on those aggravating EDACS beeps for several seconds after a transmission. If you lockout the digital system, it will still transmit the EDACS beeps, but not as often. So if you monitor EDACS and digital, I would go with the Pro-96.

My older Unidens, even the 245 can track EDACS flawlessly, but the 396 cannot.

GTO_04

 

[kc8unj]

Whazzup RC?
I've done a lot of reading etc. The Pro 96 is what I'm getting.

 

[jimmnn]

which has the best audio the uniden 396 or gre- pro-96 ????
seems like online feeds compared to my pro 96 and other online pro 96 are better then the 396 audio with online scanners!

Pro-96 has much better audio side by side.

Jim<

 

[rdale]

396T has much better audio side by side.

 

[ShawnCowden]

probably depends on the system ur listening to also!

 

[Tom-H]

The 396 has a slightly smaller speaker than the 96 does.

 

[John_M]

I should reword my initial post. It should have said: The Pro-96 has slightly better audio. Sometimes I can't notice the difference between the two. That should answer your question.

 

[rdale]

Audio is completely a user-based choice. As mentioned, I've had both scanners - but prior to getting a scanner I used a Motorola W7 for years. So I was "used to" the Motorola audio, and the 396T is very close to that. The Pro is a smoother sound, which some may prefer, and which I may have preferred had I not had the W7 first.

 

[GTO_04]

Whazzup RC?
I've done a lot of reading etc. The Pro 96 is what I'm getting.

Waiting to hear the STi results....I know it will be a few weeks. If I were buying now, I would get the Pro-96. It has very good digital performance and cheaper than the Uniden. If Uniden would fix some of the annoying issues it will be a great scanner. With the Uniden it is easier to jump to specific talk groups if you want to listen to a certain event going on. But you can do it on the Pro-96 if your timing is good, just hit the "pause" button when it stops on that TG. The AGC is much better on the Pro 96. I would go so far as to say it is non existent on the 396, even though there is a menu selection for it. I hope Uniden can/will fix that issue. But those EDACS beeps (after a transmission) are driving me crazy!!! It is a strange problem because it is not as prevalent if I lock out the SAFE-T system (ISP digital).

My older Unidens can track EDACS with no problems, even the 796 Digital base station can. I e-mailed Uniden and they were of very little help. They said to set delay and hold times to 0 which I already did and it made no difference.

I do like the blue backlight on the 396 better than the amber one on the Pro 96. The amber backlight doesn't work as well and it is cheap looking. But battery life is better on the Pro 96.

Get yourself some Powerex 2500 maH NiMH batteries and one of their chargers and you're all set. I would get two sets of batteries. A set lasts me at least 12 hours in the Pro-96, and that includes some busy traffic listening to IPD.



GTO_04

 

[aka_ramon]

I own both scanners.

The quality of the decoded IMBE audio on the Pro-96 is significantly better than that on the 396t. (in fact, I had forgotton how MUCH better until I fired up my Pro-96 last weekend... wow!)

The overall audio quality is just slightly better on the Pro-96 for non-digital transmissions than on the 396t. This seems to be due to factors others have already mentioned: (a) the AGC seems to work better on the Pro-96, (b) the speaker on the Pro-96 is slightly larger.

OTOH, the features on the 396t can't be beat. It is a very fine radio.

 

[jimyleg]

I'v read every thing and so on...
I still don't get the whole 396 vs. pro96, The audio on my 396 is crystal clear and i understand it without hardship. So that means the audio on the pro 96 is unbelieveble? Any one know a feed or better yet those of you with the pro-96 upload some audio to back it up. I know me and alot of others who would love to hear it without having to go to radio shack and pretend. I'll buy a pro 96 if some ones got one for sale.