Thoughts About The R9500 ?

[MStep]

My friend just came into a bit of an inheritance, and is looking for the best receiver available. This is unarguably the Icom R9500, but I'm trying to impress upon him the fact that the radio is now approaching its 10th year on the market.

Any ideas about an updated R9500 becoming available--- something which will incorporate the latest digital technology, such as D-Star, DMR, Fusion, etc. Not sure that this would happen as the upcoming R8600 appears not to include some of these digital modes.

Does anyone have any thoughts about the R9500---- it appears to still be the very best receiver available, but is it past its prime?

 

[iMONITOR]

Lindsay will definitely chime in here, as he owns a R9500.

Keep in mind, the most costly does not necessarily mean the best, if it doesn't do what your friend wants.

 

[Andy3]

I think the lack of DMR (etc) on the 8600 is idealogical on Icom's part. It seems they have no intention of including it. I recently e-mailed Icom UK and asked if the present published spec of the 8600 is valid in the UK, and was told that is the spec that we will get. When I asked about future updates to include DMR, the answer was 'not known'. It doesn't sound promising, and I would imagine the same would apply to any future version of the 9500.

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

Lindsay did discuss the R9500 in the thread about the R9000. He likes the WinRadio Excelsior.
http://forums.radioreference.com/icom-receivers/303584-dream-icom-r9000-still-worth.html#post2303438

73 Eric

 

[EricCottrell]

I think the lack of DMR (etc) on the 8600 is idealogical on Icom's part. It seems they have no intention of including it. I recently e-mailed Icom UK and asked if the present published spec of the 8600 is valid in the UK, and was told that is the spec that we will get. When I asked about future updates to include DMR, the answer was 'not known'. It doesn't sound promising, and I would imagine the same would apply to any future version of the 9500.

Hello,

It will be interesting to compare the R-8600 to the R-9500 as it has most of the features for less money. I was talking to someone at the Winter SWLFest that brought his R9500. He pointed out that it may have been designed by Rohde & Schwarz based on the color scheme.

73 Eric

 

[MStep]

Hello,

It will be interesting to compare the R-8600 to the R-9500 as it has most of the features for less money. I was talking to someone at the Winter SWLFest that brought his R9500. He pointed out that it may have been designed by Rohde & Schwarz based on the color scheme.

73 Eric

Hi Eric----

Somehow, I don't think that the level of performance of the R-8600 on the low band will compare favorably to that of the R-9500. Of course, I'm a guy with absolutely zero experience with either unit, but somehow the $2k pricetag on the 8600 and the $12k pricetag on the 9500 would seem to indicate that the 9500 would be the superior radio. I know a lot has happened in the past decade since the 9500 was first introduced, but I don't think the 8600 is going to have the type of filtering or features of the 9500. Perhaps I will be pleasantly surprised.

Right now I have an AOR DV1, which does very well on VHF and UHF, but seems to leave something to be desired below 25 MHz. Hopefully, the 8600 will have a "tighter" front end than the DV1 on the low bands.

 

[VK3RX]

On HF I noticed no difference between the performance of my IC-R9500 and the IC-7700 I used to own which is not surprising, given they are about the same vintage and so no doubt share the same architecture.

What has been disappointing particularly given the cost of the receiver is that Icom have not upgraded the R9500 firmware since 2007. While it is a great receiver, mode and feature-wise it is somewhat dated compared to the updates they've done to the IC-7700 over the years.

Requests by users via their local Icom presence in various countries have been ignored, so I guess Icom JA don't consider such requests pass a business case vs number of sales etc..

That said, it is the nicest receiver I've ever owned and I won't be parting with it anytime soon

 

[Andy3]

Hello,

Lindsay did discuss the R9500 in the thread about the R9000. He likes the WinRadio Excelsior.
http://forums.radioreference.com/icom-receivers/303584-dream-icom-r9000-still-worth.html#post2303438

73 Eric

I could definitely live with the Excelsior! Trouble is I think they weigh-in at around £5000 here in the UK. If I could find a 'previously enjoyed' one in good nick I'd consider it.