After having decided that the KX3 / PX3 combo would satisfy my amateur radio needs, I sold my K3 / P3 combo. The only thing I *really* miss is the ability to operate voice and data modes with the simple use of a macro - no cables to disconnect and others to reconnect. I truly miss that. If someone (HINT, HINT, Elecraft) could come up with a module where I could have my mic and headphones hooked *plus* my sound card connections, I would be set. What would it be worth? I don’t know - $100 to $200 I think would be in the ballpark. Until that time comes, I will have to swap out my MIC and my sound card IN connections but, because of some folks on this list, I don’t have to do that with the audio OUT of the KX3.
A couple of days ago, the Behringer HA400 Headphone Amp I ordered arrived. I quickly took it out of the carton, hooked up the SMPS that comes with it, and connected the PHONES OUT of the KX3 to the input and hooked up my headphones, Oontz Angle Speaker (which I’m *not* enamored with), and my sound card IN. The Behringer HA400 works very well for what it is - a $25 stereo headphone amp with multiple outputs. I don’t notice any noise increase from the SMPS included with it, but I will cut off the “wall wart” portion of it, install PowerPoles, and connect to my DC distribution panel. The audio coming out of the KX3 is somewhat muted so I have to run the KX3 AF up to about 35 to hear anything out of the Oontz Angle. Doing that, I have the volume on the HA400 almost 1/2-way for the Oontz Angle speaker. I am somewhat hard of hearing so others may find a lower output fine. I will try another set of speakers and see if it’s just the Oontz Angle. Using my Sony MDR-V6 headphones, I have to run the AF up on my KX3 to about 14 to get good audio out. Again, the output volume on the HA400 is about 1/2-way. I also run the HA400 audio out for the sound card up about 1/2-way. In all honesty, if you run the audio out on the HA400 more than 1/2-way, it acts like a cheap preamp on a TV antenna - it amplifies everything. It introduces too much noise to the audio path and decreases the amount of intelligible audio out. The HA400 is not a perfect solution but it works well enough for a $25 addition. I *do* wish Elecraft (or someone else) could come up with some sort of add-on module for the KX3 (or the KX2 which I don’t have) that would make it much easier to switch between voice and data modes. There is an audio board made by TI called the C5535 (Google "TMS320C5535 eZdsp USB Kit") that is very nice but also require a USB connection to the computer. If an add-on module was developed around that board, I think that would be a wonderful solution. Thoughts? Wayne? I’d let Elecraft use my C5535 as a prototype. :) Sorry, I’m not a designer, just a user but I’d surely pay for that. Thanks for the bandwidth and have a great weekend. 73, Joel - W4JBB ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
