Better than a AOR AR8600 MK2?

[Waynger1]

I use my AR8600 for scanning police/fire/whatever channels. I use Butel software to program and am comforable operating this unit.

My hearing is VERY bad so I have a hard time understanding police dispatch quite often, and as a result have the volume turned up quite loud.

I live in California, 95060 and RadioReference if I understand it correctly, indicates no trunking or other hi-tech transmissions around here.

So my question is, could I expect an improvement in reception, clarity, or anything else using a modern scanner?

 

[theoldcop]

My suggestion would be an Icom R30. It will receive everything your 8200 does and more.
A unique feature of the R30 is that it has Bluetooth. So you can connect to a Bluetooth capable speaker which, in turn, could make your listening experience much more efficient and enjoyable.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

So my question is, could I expect an improvement in reception, clarity, or anything else using a modern scanner?

Ask a thousand people and you'll get about 500 different answers. Not everybody's reception reports are "cookie cutter". Several factors influence this: Antenna used, topography between you and the transmitting site, weather, etc, not all bands propagate equally. There have been some arguments that analog-only receivers are more receptive on analog frequencies than those that can also pick up the digital modes but again, this notion is influenced by numerous factors, some of which I mentioned

 

[KenMaltz]

If you have hearing issues due to a loss of high frequencies, which is very common in men as we age, you might simply try to apply audio equalization to emphasize the frequencies around 3 - 6K, which is where much of the articulation resides. If you have the capability to send your audio from the scanner into your computer, you can equalize the audio output with any of the many audio programs out there. I don't think that the answer to your problem will be found in a new scanner unless there is something malfunctioning in your 8600 causing bad audio in the first place. I don't know if you are a hearing aid user, but if you are, there are many aids available that allow you to apply EQ on the fly through a remote control or app on your phone. You will be surprised with the improvement of intelligibility to be had by using EQ on the audio output.

 

[Waynger1]

Thanks so much for the feedback!

I have looked at a R30, but I would prefer a base unit if possible.

I just really wonder if a wide range receiver like I have(and the R30 above) are just not as "good" as a scanner for "scanning"?

I do use hearing aids and I am using them with a bluetooth dongle to the AR8600, a serious issue is the squelch (tail) is so loud I can't turn the volume up enough to hear much.

I my hope was a little better audio and better squelch control and I gather the scanning speeds would be faster.

 

[theoldcop]

I apologize. I completely mis-read your post.
I, too, have an 8600 (for some reason I read “8200” in your post), and as a “senior” (66yoa) must agree that the sound coming out of the 8600 is very muffled. I just ordered a mini speaker that has a 3.5mm jack. I’ll let you know if it makes any serious difference.