I'm considering buying a Kenwood TS-590SG for monitoring for now, and might persue getting a license in the near future. How does it rate among the competition? I've been reading and watching reviews but much of it is marketing or by people getting free equipment to says nice things. I'm not too enthused with the new colorful graphical displays on most of the higher end stuff and my fingers don't seem to work well with the touch displays of today. I'm more of a push button, knobs guy. Anyone own one and what do you think?
Kenwood: TS-590SG
- Thread starter iMONITOR
- Start date
- Status
Hi iMonitor. I have one and I love it. I have had it for 4 years. I researched it too and for the money, it was my choice. I have it set up for digital on one menu and phone on the other menu and you can set up the parameters for each. It's a good mid-range choice.
You can get the free software on Kenwood's site and use it on your PC and set it up that way too.
WA4NUF.
You can get the free software on Kenwood's site and use it on your PC and set it up that way too.
WA4NUF.
prcguy
Member
The TS-590SG is a very good radio, however a friend has one and an Icom 7300 and he prefers the 7300 in every way from the menu system to the color spectrum and waterfall display, etc. In the Sherwood tests the 590 ranks very well with the 7300 measuring slightly better.
On the transmit side the 7300 talks circles around the 590 where the 590 takes a lot of careful adjustments to get it loud and sounding good. The 7300 is easy to get dialed in and will sound louder without any distortions or angry artifacts, where the 590 can be pushed into the angry region very easily and still not reach the level of modulation the 7300 can.
I haven't checked recently but I think the 7300 is also cheaper.
Edit: just looked up pricing and the 7300 is about $400 cheaper with current rebates at around $999 where the 590 is about $1,399.
On the transmit side the 7300 talks circles around the 590 where the 590 takes a lot of careful adjustments to get it loud and sounding good. The 7300 is easy to get dialed in and will sound louder without any distortions or angry artifacts, where the 590 can be pushed into the angry region very easily and still not reach the level of modulation the 7300 can.
I haven't checked recently but I think the 7300 is also cheaper.
Edit: just looked up pricing and the 7300 is about $400 cheaper with current rebates at around $999 where the 590 is about $1,399.
Thanks Mike! I've read all your detailed post on the IC-7300 and I was certain you were going to chime in here and I fully expected you to promote the IC-7300 and criticize the 590 more than you did. But that's OK. Getting feedback from others is not real helpful if no one points out the negatives. Most all the reviews I've been reading point out the things you did. The artifacts were mostly on CW correct?
I want to like the IC-7300 but as I mentioned touch screens don't respond very well to fingers. I don't know if it's because my skin is too dry or if it's because I feel half dead most of the time.
prcguy
Member
The artifacts I'm referring to are on SSB when mic gain and compression settings get above a certain point. Your on a path to a really loud and punchy sound and you hit the limits and can't go any further. With similar adjustments the 7300 keeps getting louder without the same problems.
The 590 is a great performing radio and if the 7300 didn't exist the 590 would probably dominate its price range.
The 590 is a great performing radio and if the 7300 didn't exist the 590 would probably dominate its price range.
Thanks Mike! I've read all your detailed post on the IC-7300 and I was certain you were going to chime in here and I fully expected you to promote the IC-7300 and criticize the 590 more than you did. But that's OK. Getting feedback from others is not real helpful if no one points out the negatives. Most all the reviews I've been reading point out the things you did. The artifacts were mostly on CW correct?
I want to like the IC-7300 but as I mentioned touch screens don't respond very well to fingers. I don't know if it's because my skin is too dry or if it's because I feel half dead most of the time.
My friend owns a 570 and 590 and loves them both. He got them used. I have used them a few times during Field Day and at his house, and I don't have any complaints. You probably don't buy an HF radio for 6 meters, but he had a HELL of time going through menus trying to get on 6m repeaters, set the mic gain (which is apparently different from the other HF bands), etc. But aside from that, he uses it on HF SSB and FT8 daily with good results.
cistercian
Member
The 590 has a spectacular receiver, with some caveats. On some bands the conversion scheme is different...and as
a result has lower specs. I personally prefer Icom DSP noise reduction to Kenwoods implementation as well. I am
not alone in this opinion either. I live in a city so good DSP noise reduction is critical to me.
I like DXing even below the AM BCB so I chose a radio with great LF sensitivity all the way up to 6 meters. I use an
Icom 7410. It is a MUCH larger radio than a 590 and has a giant size display, Ideal for poor eyes.
Closely examine what frequencies and modes you are interested in before you make the leap.
A friend has a 590 and likes it a lot. I strongly prefer my rig! The kenwood is too small for me. Especially the display.
I don't band scopes for amateur radio so I don't find the 7300 as attractive as many do. YMMV.
a result has lower specs. I personally prefer Icom DSP noise reduction to Kenwoods implementation as well. I am
not alone in this opinion either. I live in a city so good DSP noise reduction is critical to me.
I like DXing even below the AM BCB so I chose a radio with great LF sensitivity all the way up to 6 meters. I use an
Icom 7410. It is a MUCH larger radio than a 590 and has a giant size display, Ideal for poor eyes.
Closely examine what frequencies and modes you are interested in before you make the leap.
A friend has a 590 and likes it a lot. I strongly prefer my rig! The kenwood is too small for me. Especially the display.
I don't band scopes for amateur radio so I don't find the 7300 as attractive as many do. YMMV.
Lots of good info coming in, more sitting on the fence will be required!
It some point you have to weigh the potential usefulness you will enjoy by buying the radio now vs. extending your analysis time into the the future.
Yes I had an IC-R8600. See my post #1:
"I'm not too enthused with the new colorful graphical displays on most of the higher end stuff and my fingers don't seem to work well with the touch displays of today. I'm more of a push button, knobs guy."
So the same would apply with the IC-7300. I even have trouble with the touch screen on Smart Phones.
Last edited:
Gotcha, had being the operative word?
Yes, the IC-R8600 was an awesome receiver. Mine was even unblocked and it worked great. But I just didn't like the user interface. That's odd as I've always jumped on the latest and greatest technology. But as I get older (71 this May), I find myself wanting to get back to basics. I didn't find the R8600 difficult, just different. Actually it was very easy, some of the color graphic icons were "so simple a caveman could do it"!
It just didn't have the same feel to it.Back in the early 60's I had a lot of exposure to readily available WW2 surplus radio equipment at dirt cheap prices. I still have a love for all that vintage gear! The bigger the better, the more knobs and push buttons made me feel more integrated with the radio.
K4EET
Chaplain
Wow they're still around? I forgot about them over the years. Might have to take a road trip this summer!
K4EET
Chaplain
Then they are your candy store for vintage boat anchors! 😂 Get on their mailing list for special deals. They are a good company to deal with if you need some strange connector or accessory. They don’t have everything but they do have contacts to find other stuff. Have fun, my friend!Wow they're still around? I forgot about them over the years. Might have to take a road trip this summer!
Seems to be a shortage on HF transceivers lately. Most all the major dealers are out of stock on most of the common rigs in the last couple of weeks. Lead times are anywhere from 2-12 weeks. Maybe orders were on stuck on that freighter that was stuck in the locks?
Last edited:
Global electronics parts shortages and global logistics slowdowns have impacted supply. Demand has increased because people feel that they are stuck at home or they are concerned about their future security or they have stimulus money burning holes in their pockets.
- Status
Similar threads
