I sent my mic to Bob for almost a year ago and can recommend the mod for sure. Doing a lot of contesting and this modification does wonder on SSB. Great job Bob! //SM3RAB
Well, a good percentage of 7000 owners would dis-agree. About 15% of them have my upgrade package. If you have an operatic voice and run the mic level at 100% and add the compressor- you can get full output. It isn't going to sound very good. On FM, you can yell at 100db and only get 2.5khz deviation. AM transmit is useless at any setting. With my custom element and mod package, set it at 50% and all is perfect. It's like the radio should have been to begin with.
why would anyone want to run the mic gain at 50%? Just crank the mic gain up to 100% or less and the stock mic works fine! Modifying the mic by Using a higher gain mic element is OverKill.
Well, actually - No. They outsource the mics to China and although slightly better due to just using different components, it is still not working right. Check my other video for the Chinese mic check-out. Bob
Lewis- There really isn't anything you can do to improve the radio except getting the hand-mic's element upgraded. Most important is reading the manual several times. Setting of the DSP filters etc....
If you want great transmit audio, send me your mic!
I have told a few of my fellow hams in Sydney about this. They sent it off from Australia to the USA in a 7 day turn around time. Good price and good service. This mod really really works, get it done. Cheers VK2MAT
I do my best to get the mics shipped back out the same day they arrive. I know it is hard to believe that Icom would ship out over 20,000 IC7000 radios with a poor microphone, but it is the case. I hope that keeping my price low and providing excellent service will make my upgrade a easy decision. Thanks everyone for making this such a great experience for me.
Hi Yavor. I find your videos fascinating. I have a problem with my uploaded videos to youtube. I loose a lot of volume, I guess from compression that occurs during uploads. What is the best way to have a music video on youtube without loosing a lot of the SRS and other dynamics that sound so great in my computer, but that sounds so different once I upload my videos to youtube. I got lucky with one of my videos. Somehow it sounds OK but the rest sound bad. Please Help. Thanks in advance.
Exclusive- The problem is Youtube. For voice (like my vids) it is fine, but Youtube compresses the video to such an extent that the audio suffers terribly. Your only option is to pay them to become a subscription user and get the less-lossy compression. For free, you have to admit, Youtube is fantastic. Best of luck
Actually, there is a very simple action to get through this low level microphone output. You just need to select Speech Processor and adjust for a low level of speech processing. Even with very low level of speech processing your audio output level is raised to a normal level, while speech processing effect is not effective. Of course you can also increased the level of speech processing if you wish.
I get very good audio quality report with this setup and do not see any need to modify the mike
degrangier- sorry for the late reply. Two problems.
First, you cannot use the compressor on FM. You just cannot get anywhere near full deviation even with 100% mic level. Second, the mic has too much bass response - and on SSB, it is muddy sounding. Adding the compressor just compounds the problem by adding a little distortion. With my new element and modifications, 50% mic level gives pure and clean SSB & FM TX audio. The radio is capable of excellent TX sound when using the correct microphone.
Why would Icom STILL release the 7000 with low mic levels? You would think a year and a half into the problem, they would have made changes. Then again, they are having problems with the original Icom 756 screens failing, and/or having blue lines randomly appear on the screen 'out of the blue'! Even on IC-756's in top condition that were cared for! I love Icom's, but they need to own up to 'rig issues' more. Thanks for posting this informative video.
I have two IC-7000s just like you do; One from 2006 and one from February of 2007 and although I get better audio reports on the latter '7000, I'll be sending my two mics in soon! You post a very convincing point!!
Right.. I listened hard for any difference...and there may have been the slightest difference in tonal quality, but the levels were identical.
That "difference" was so slight- I couldn't confirm it's existence. I'm sure having significantly more audio level to work with- will make it much easier to get superb TX quality. Thanks! Bob
If the stock mic works for you great. I had heard so much about the mod, I had mine done when I bought the 7000 new a couple of months ago. For no more than the mod costs (unless you are a real cheapo) I got it done before I turned the radio on. I get great reports on the air. I'm happy with the mod, plus Bob is a super good guy to deal with.
After receiving many poor audio reports with my "stock, out of the box" 7000 and spending a lot of time tweaking the tx settings, I had the conversion done about 3 months ago and am very happy with the reports.
My first 6 contacts never made mention of the mike change and each one received unsolicited "great audio!" reports.
This works for AM too?
cocoloco1105 4 weeks ago
@cocoloco1105 It makes AM actually usable for the first time. AM TX requires
a lot of audio drive - which my Type #2 element provides. Bob
Yavor54 4 weeks ago
I sent my mic to Bob for almost a year ago and can recommend the mod for sure. Doing a lot of contesting and this modification does wonder on SSB. Great job Bob! //SM3RAB
AudiS41994 3 months ago
Super Fast results,outstanding service I highly recommend Bob's modification for the HM-151
Now all my reports are 59+20db super clean audio everybody ask me what kind the radio and mic I use.
Bob you are a genius my friend.Icom should reward you!!!God Bless you and 73'Gabriel VE3BDE
ve3bde 4 months ago
Well, a good percentage of 7000 owners would dis-agree. About 15% of them have my upgrade package. If you have an operatic voice and run the mic level at 100% and add the compressor- you can get full output. It isn't going to sound very good. On FM, you can yell at 100db and only get 2.5khz deviation. AM transmit is useless at any setting. With my custom element and mod package, set it at 50% and all is perfect. It's like the radio should have been to begin with.
2200 users-113 5-star reviews...
Yavor54 7 months ago
why would anyone want to run the mic gain at 50%? Just crank the mic gain up to 100% or less and the stock mic works fine! Modifying the mic by Using a higher gain mic element is OverKill.
73 Ni6r
radiobob1582 7 months ago
Comment removed
murlik1 9 months ago
Well, actually - No. They outsource the mics to China and although slightly better due to just using different components, it is still not working right. Check my other video for the Chinese mic check-out. Bob
Yavor54 1 year ago
Excellent Videos Bob.. So, has Icom fixed the problem in the 2010 Models at least ?
Gudtime 1 year ago
hi Robert i allways go over the manual with a new radio i no there are lot of things to set to my use
i speak to 2 friends and thay have the ic7000 and thay have low audio on fm could be much louder
i will see about getin the mic sent to you after i get the radio and see how it workin 73s lewis.
lewisgordon1888 2 years ago
any tips on the ic 7000 as i should have one any day now.
lewisgordon1888 2 years ago
Lewis- There really isn't anything you can do to improve the radio except getting the hand-mic's element upgraded. Most important is reading the manual several times. Setting of the DSP filters etc....
If you want great transmit audio, send me your mic!
Bob-AB5N
Yavor54 2 years ago
I have told a few of my fellow hams in Sydney about this. They sent it off from Australia to the USA in a 7 day turn around time. Good price and good service. This mod really really works, get it done. Cheers VK2MAT
bordercollie1975 2 years ago
Thanks Bordercollie !
I do my best to get the mics shipped back out the same day they arrive. I know it is hard to believe that Icom would ship out over 20,000 IC7000 radios with a poor microphone, but it is the case. I hope that keeping my price low and providing excellent service will make my upgrade a easy decision. Thanks everyone for making this such a great experience for me.
Bob-AB5N
Yavor54 2 years ago
Interesting video, v good....
teamfab 2 years ago
just put a turner plus 2 or a astatic d04 and your done.
ballbreaker1900 2 years ago
Hi Yavor. I find your videos fascinating. I have a problem with my uploaded videos to youtube. I loose a lot of volume, I guess from compression that occurs during uploads. What is the best way to have a music video on youtube without loosing a lot of the SRS and other dynamics that sound so great in my computer, but that sounds so different once I upload my videos to youtube. I got lucky with one of my videos. Somehow it sounds OK but the rest sound bad. Please Help. Thanks in advance.
ExclusiveLM 2 years ago
Exclusive- The problem is Youtube. For voice (like my vids) it is fine, but Youtube compresses the video to such an extent that the audio suffers terribly. Your only option is to pay them to become a subscription user and get the less-lossy compression. For free, you have to admit, Youtube is fantastic. Best of luck
Yavor54 2 years ago
Schifus Radio!
strncl 3 years ago
Actually, there is a very simple action to get through this low level microphone output. You just need to select Speech Processor and adjust for a low level of speech processing. Even with very low level of speech processing your audio output level is raised to a normal level, while speech processing effect is not effective. Of course you can also increased the level of speech processing if you wish.
I get very good audio quality report with this setup and do not see any need to modify the mike
degrangier 3 years ago
degrangier- sorry for the late reply. Two problems.
First, you cannot use the compressor on FM. You just cannot get anywhere near full deviation even with 100% mic level. Second, the mic has too much bass response - and on SSB, it is muddy sounding. Adding the compressor just compounds the problem by adding a little distortion. With my new element and modifications, 50% mic level gives pure and clean SSB & FM TX audio. The radio is capable of excellent TX sound when using the correct microphone.
Yavor54 2 years ago
Why would Icom STILL release the 7000 with low mic levels? You would think a year and a half into the problem, they would have made changes. Then again, they are having problems with the original Icom 756 screens failing, and/or having blue lines randomly appear on the screen 'out of the blue'! Even on IC-756's in top condition that were cared for! I love Icom's, but they need to own up to 'rig issues' more. Thanks for posting this informative video.
sophiegromit 3 years ago
I have two IC-7000s just like you do; One from 2006 and one from February of 2007 and although I get better audio reports on the latter '7000, I'll be sending my two mics in soon! You post a very convincing point!!
RadioColt 3 years ago
Right.. I listened hard for any difference...and there may have been the slightest difference in tonal quality, but the levels were identical.
That "difference" was so slight- I couldn't confirm it's existence. I'm sure having significantly more audio level to work with- will make it much easier to get superb TX quality. Thanks! Bob
Yavor54 3 years ago
If the stock mic works for you great. I had heard so much about the mod, I had mine done when I bought the 7000 new a couple of months ago. For no more than the mod costs (unless you are a real cheapo) I got it done before I turned the radio on. I get great reports on the air. I'm happy with the mod, plus Bob is a super good guy to deal with.
tperry2 3 years ago
So how do you get this fixed.
RPD709 3 years ago
After receiving many poor audio reports with my "stock, out of the box" 7000 and spending a lot of time tweaking the tx settings, I had the conversion done about 3 months ago and am very happy with the reports.
My first 6 contacts never made mention of the mike change and each one received unsolicited "great audio!" reports.
Well worth it in my opinion.
73 de
Jetstreamguy
jetstreamguy 4 years ago