Aor AR Alpha II

[MStep]

I see that AOR has revealed a working version of their updated flagship AR Alpha I wideband receiver at the Toyko Hamfest this weekend, The AR Alpha II. For those interested in viewing one of several YouTube videos, you can find it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7CKs52Bwik

The brochure on the AOR website only features a photo of the unit, and I have not been able to find any of the technical specs, including on the Universal Radio website, which shows the unit, but with no price at this time.

 

[Andy3]

The problem with this receiver is that it just doesn't look good. It looks like a cheap effort compared to the fine-looking stuff from Icom.

 

[palmerjrusa]

The problem with this receiver is that it just doesn't look good. It looks like a cheap effort compared to the fine-looking stuff from Icom.

Yeah I agree it kind of looks cheesy while the Icom IC-R9500 looks cool and very professional.

More importantly I wonder if they've fixed the problems that the AR Alpha I had.

 

[woodpecker]

Yeah I agree it kind of looks cheesy while the Icom IC-R9500 looks cool and very professional.

More importantly I wonder if they've fixed the problems that the AR Alpha I had.

Judging by the state of the DV10 they are incapable of fixing anything, the Alpha 1 is awful, the next version is bound to be another half baked mess.

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

It will be interesting to see if some RF redesign is involved, or if just digital modes, SD Card, and other minor items are added.

I have a original AOR AR-Alpha that I got via eBay auction after years of debating about buying one. One major problem was not many reviews except for several major fault videos on Youtube. In my case the performance did not turn out too bad if it was not pushed with high signal levels or aggressive use of the preamp.

I think part of the problem with the AOR AR-Alpha is the ADC used. I bought a Icom IC-R8600 and the RF performance is way better, partly due to a better ADC. ADC ICs have gotten better in the 10+ years since the AOR AR-Alpha was designed. I am also interested in comparing the IC-R8600 with the IC-R9500 as I think the RF performance would be similar.

73 Eric

 

[palmerjrusa]

Hello,

It will be interesting to see if some RF redesign is involved, or if just digital modes, SD Card, and other minor items are added.

I have a original AOR AR-Alpha that I got via eBay auction after years of debating about buying one. One major problem was not many reviews except for several major fault videos on Youtube. In my case the performance did not turn out too bad if it was not pushed with high signal levels or aggressive use of the preamp.

I think part of the problem with the AOR AR-Alpha is the ADC used. I bought a Icom IC-R8600 and the RF performance is way better, partly due to a better ADC. ADC ICs have gotten better in the 10+ years since the AOR AR-Alpha was designed. I am also interested in comparing the IC-R8600 with the IC-R9500 as I think the RF performance would be similar.

73 Eric

N9EWO reviewed mainly the HF performance of the ic-r8600 and had this to say:

"As a "Wide Band" or as HF receiver I would rate the Icom IC-R8600 well above the super expensive IC-R9500 for overall receiver AND spectrum display performance. Even beats out all other HF Icom receivers of the past in our view (I have experienced them all). For the price point it's overall performance is just stellar in our testing aside from the LCD touch screen madness that I just don't care for. Some will say it's identical to the IC-7300 transceiver (minis the transmit). Well for overall receiver performance it most certainly is, but as we covered above it definitely is NOT overall !"

N9EWO Review : Icom IC-R8600 SDR Receiver