Chinese speaker mics

[Prospect62]

Seasons greetings Kenwood fans...

I just picked up a used TK290 for no apparent reason other than it was cheap. I was looking at grabbing a speaker mic for it but the standard genuine Kenwood KMC-25 mics are going for as much or more than the radio, charger, battery and antenna cost me. That's just silly.

I found some chinese knock-offs on eBay for less than $20. Aside from waiting 27 days for these to float across the pacific on a boat full of rice, diseases and weird bugs...does anyone see a drawback to using one of these? I've heard things ranging from "cheap crap sounds awful" to "works great, just like the real thing".

I was tempted awhile back to delve into cheap chinese radios and accessories but I held off. I mainly do GE stuff and I've had an HT1000 and I DO appreciate genuine commercial quality (this is my first Kenwood but I've used them at work). I don't want Baofeng toy components, but I also don't want to spend $50 on a speaker mic that I don't need for a portable radio that I really don't need either.

Anyway, commentary is invited. Discuss.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Buy OEM. Might be more, but the OEM stuff is worth it.

 

[Prospect62]

Buy OEM. Might be more, but the OEM stuff is worth it.

That's what the angel on my shoulder keeps saying. The devil wants me to buy the knock off.

 

[SteveC0625]

Seasons greetings Kenwood fans...

I just picked up a used TK290 for no apparent reason other than it was cheap. I was looking at grabbing a speaker mic for it but the standard genuine Kenwood KMC-25 mics are going for as much or more than the radio, charger, battery and antenna cost me. That's just silly.

I found some chinese knock-offs on eBay for less than $20. Aside from waiting 27 days for these to float across the pacific on a boat full of rice, diseases and weird bugs...does anyone see a drawback to using one of these? I've heard things ranging from "cheap crap sounds awful" to "works great, just like the real thing".

I was tempted awhile back to delve into cheap chinese radios and accessories but I held off. I mainly do GE stuff and I've had an HT1000 and I DO appreciate genuine commercial quality (this is my first Kenwood but I've used them at work). I don't want Baofeng toy components, but I also don't want to spend $50 on a speaker mic that I don't need for a portable radio that I really don't need either.

Anyway, commentary is invited. Discuss.

I have a junk drawer that has at least 5 different cheapie speaker mics sitting in it. They're all partially non functional, and none of them were abused. They all just stopped working, mostly loss of transmit audio. Even a KawaMall one died after less than a year.

I'm mostly a Motorola person up to now, and the Motorola brand name accessories that I have work fine. Even their lower tier Mag One speaker mics have held up very well. I suspect you'll have the same results with your Kenwood.

 

[kayn1n32008]

That's what the angel on my shoulder keeps saying. The devil wants me to buy the knock off.

I bought knockoff before... then spent the money on OEM. Tell the devil to sod off.

 

[kayn1n32008]

I have a junk drawer that has at least 5 different cheapie speaker mics sitting in it. They're all partially non functional, and none of them were abused. They all just stopped working, mostly loss of transmit audio. Even a KawaMall one died after less than a year.

I'm mostly a Motorola person up to now, and the Motorola brand name accessories that I have work fine. Even their lower tier Mag One speaker mics have held up very well. I suspect you'll have the same results with your Kenwood.

I quit wasting my money on non-oem. I will gladly spend double or triple to buy oem audio accessories. Seen and experienced too much chinese cheap junk.

 

[Prospect62]

Convincing arguments. Thanks for the input guys.

 

[ElroyJetson]

I refuse to give those lousy Chinese thieves a penny of my money that I don't have to.

China respects nothing but your money. No respect for international copyright laws or trademarks or even human rights.

They're only in it for the money to build their military strength up.

There are lots of people in the world that would be better supported by your money.

DON'T BUY CHINESE GARBAGE.

 

[bharvey2]

Don't have a whole lot of experience with the CC mics. I have used Pryme mics though and those seem to hold up well and sound nice. Maybe that would be a happy medium.

 

[Prospect62]

Thanks again guys! I guess I'll find a good OEM one.

 

[wwhitby]

If you don't get OEM, get an Otto. I have one of their speaker mics for my Kenwood, and I really like it.

 

[Prospect62]

If you don't get OEM, get an Otto. I have one of their speaker mics for my Kenwood, and I really like it.

I'll see what I can find. Thanks.

 

[PACNWDude]

+1 on OEM Kenwood mic. My OEM speakers and mics have all continued to work over the years. Kenwood, Icom, Motorola and others. For older Kenwood commercial radios, go OEM. For their amateur radios, Otto and the Chinese versions may be alright.

Used to work for a Kenwood affiliate, and always had trouble with non OEM mics. Have piles of damaged TK-941's where the cheap mic made the radio fail prematurely, but after the warranty was over.

 

[Delta33]

+1 on OEM, Piss on the Chinese Crap !

 

[wrightracing]

I have bought a few China Microphones and the sound quality of the microphone element is noticeably poorer right out of the box. You are better off with a used OEM microphone. In the case of a mobile radio, not a handheld like yours, I have used an Astatic Microphone that I changed the mic jack for a TK730H and it has great quality sound of an oem, but only $30 on ebay new + 20 cent RJ12 jack. That might be an option if they have a speaker microphone for a handheld in the correct ohms range for your radio.

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