Re: [Elecraft] Koss Headsets for the K3 (Was: Re: Yamaha CM500
> I thought about going the Radio Shack electret element route myself. > The only reason I didn't is I wanted the ability to use the headset > with another radio besides the K3. Since all of the "communications headsets" seem to have 3.5mm mic and headphone jacks, one will need some kind of adapter to use them with the "normal" 8 pin "Foster" and RJ-45 mic jacks. Adapting an electret element does not take anything more than a 5.6K resistor and a 1 uF capacitor ... the cap goes in series with the mic line and the resistor goes from the "fixed" 5 to 8 volt pin to the junction of the cap and the mic element. Those components can generally fit inside the 8-pin mic plug along with a lead for PTT (to an RCA or 1/4" jack) and a lead with 3.5mm jack for the mic. You will need three such adapters ... one for "Kenwood", one for Icom (no resistor or cap) and one for Yaesu/Ten-Tec ... in your kit to cover all the rigs. Similarly, it will take three RJ-45 adapters - Kenwood TS-480, Yaesu (FT-817/857/897/900) and Icom (703/706/7000) - to cover any eventuality. The only difference is that the Kenwood and Yaesu/Ten-Tec adapters will need the RC network for an electret mic whilst adapters for a dynamic mic will require a (series) blocking capacitor for Icom rigs. There is no significant difference in "degree of difficulty" building adapters for an electret vs. dynamic mic. 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 3/27/2012 9:53 PM, Gary K9GS wrote: > Hello Joe, > > I thought about going the Radio Shack electret element route myself. > The only reason I didn't is I wanted the ability to use the headset with > another radio besides the K3. Like at FD other contest stations, etc. > > But yours is a great suggestion. > > > > On 3/26/2012 10:14 AM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: >>> In doing the above mods to the SB40 you end up with a VERY comfortable >>> headset with a great sounding mic element. I just could not get the >>> stock SB40 element to sound good. The HC5 rocks. >> >> The alternative is to use one of the Radio Shack electret elements in >> the SB-40 mic housing. The electret elements are essentially the same >> as the one in the CM-500 with performance similar to the new HC-6 - >> broader than the HC 5. With HC-5, HC-6 or an electret element one >> will still want to use the K3 TS EQ to roll off audio below 200 Hz >> and add 3 to 6 dB per octave of pre-emphasis above 800 Hz. >> >> 73, >> >> ... Joe, W4TV >> >> >> On 3/25/2012 3:11 PM, Gary K9GS wrote: >>> Final post on my quest for the ultimate headset for my K3. >>> >>> First, a TON of thanks to Lu, W4LT. His step-by-step for replacing the >>> mic housing on the SB40 with the housing from a Heil BM10 was first rate! >>> >>> Here's what I ended up doing. >>> >>> I replaced the microphone housing on the SB40 with a microphone housing >>> from a broken Heil BM10. Heil still sells the housings and windscreens. >>> >>> In place of the crappy SB40 dynamic mic element I replaced it with a >>> Heil HC5 that a friend had. It's a pity that Heil no longer sells the >>> HC4 and HC5 elements separately. Ask around though...you'll find >>> someone that has one laying around. >>> >>> In doing the above mods to the SB40 you end up with a VERY comfortable >>> headset with a great sounding mic element. I just could not get the >>> stock SB40 element to sound good. The HC5 rocks. >>> >>> By the way, I don't own a Yamaha CM500 but others have said it is >>> identical to the SB40 except for the CM500 has an electret element and >>> requires bias. >>> >>> >>> >>> On 3/17/2012 11:50 AM, Lu Romero wrote: Gary: I own both a Koss SB40 and two Yamaha CM500'ds. The Koss and the Yamaha are exactly identical, save for one thing... The microphone capsule. The Koss SB40 has a dynamic capsule while the Yamaha CM500 has a electret condenser capsule. Other than that, the headsets are exactly identical in every detail except for the name. Probably made in the same Chinese jobber. But here is where the simialarity ends: The Yamaha electrect capsule is flat and can be made to sound really great on the K3. The Koss dynamic capsule is all bass, very mushy, and has low output. Even engaging the K3 equalizers and tweaking a lot, I could not make my SB40 sound very good at all. The capsule just sounds ugly. The fix for this is to remove the two screws that hold the capsule on the SB40's boom and remove the offending microphone that looks surprisingly like a cheap Chinese dynamic earphone (its actually the same exact size as a IPod headset element and looks identical!) and replace it. In my case, I had an old Heil BM-5 with a bad earpiece but a perfectly good DX4 capsule. I removed the plastic mic holder from the rigid Heil boom, and with a slight widening of the boom inlet with a Dremel tool, it fits right on to the SB40 boom! Sold
Re: [Elecraft] Koss Headsets for the K3 (Was: Re: Yamaha CM500
Hello Joe, I thought about going the Radio Shack electret element route myself. The only reason I didn't is I wanted the ability to use the headset with another radio besides the K3. Like at FD other contest stations, etc. But yours is a great suggestion. On 3/26/2012 10:14 AM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: > > In doing the above mods to the SB40 you end up with a VERY comfortable > > headset with a great sounding mic element. I just could not get the > > stock SB40 element to sound good. The HC5 rocks. > > The alternative is to use one of the Radio Shack electret elements in > the SB-40 mic housing. The electret elements are essentially the same > as the one in the CM-500 with performance similar to the new HC-6 - > broader than the HC 5. With HC-5, HC-6 or an electret element one > will still want to use the K3 TS EQ to roll off audio below 200 Hz > and add 3 to 6 dB per octave of pre-emphasis above 800 Hz. > > 73, > > ... Joe, W4TV > > > On 3/25/2012 3:11 PM, Gary K9GS wrote: >> Final post on my quest for the ultimate headset for my K3. >> >> First, a TON of thanks to Lu, W4LT. His step-by-step for replacing the >> mic housing on the SB40 with the housing from a Heil BM10 was first rate! >> >> Here's what I ended up doing. >> >> I replaced the microphone housing on the SB40 with a microphone housing >> from a broken Heil BM10. Heil still sells the housings and windscreens. >> >> In place of the crappy SB40 dynamic mic element I replaced it with a >> Heil HC5 that a friend had. It's a pity that Heil no longer sells the >> HC4 and HC5 elements separately. Ask around though...you'll find >> someone that has one laying around. >> >> In doing the above mods to the SB40 you end up with a VERY comfortable >> headset with a great sounding mic element. I just could not get the >> stock SB40 element to sound good. The HC5 rocks. >> >> By the way, I don't own a Yamaha CM500 but others have said it is >> identical to the SB40 except for the CM500 has an electret element and >> requires bias. >> >> >> >> On 3/17/2012 11:50 AM, Lu Romero wrote: >>> Gary: >>> >>> I own both a Koss SB40 and two Yamaha CM500'ds. >>> >>> The Koss and the Yamaha are exactly identical, save for one >>> thing... The microphone capsule. >>> >>> The Koss SB40 has a dynamic capsule while the Yamaha CM500 >>> has a electret condenser capsule. Other than that, the >>> headsets are exactly identical in every detail except for >>> the name. Probably made in the same Chinese jobber. >>> >>> But here is where the simialarity ends: The Yamaha >>> electrect capsule is flat and can be made to sound really >>> great on the K3. The Koss dynamic capsule is all bass, very >>> mushy, and has low output. Even engaging the K3 equalizers >>> and tweaking a lot, I could not make my SB40 sound very good >>> at all. The capsule just sounds ugly. >>> >>> The fix for this is to remove the two screws that hold the >>> capsule on the SB40's boom and remove the offending >>> microphone that looks surprisingly like a cheap Chinese >>> dynamic earphone (its actually the same exact size as a IPod >>> headset element and looks identical!) and replace it. In my >>> case, I had an old Heil BM-5 with a bad earpiece but a >>> perfectly good DX4 capsule. I removed the plastic mic >>> holder from the rigid Heil boom, and with a slight widening >>> of the boom inlet with a Dremel tool, it fits right on to >>> the SB40 boom! Solder up the existing wires from the Koss >>> mic and you have a wonderfully comfortable headset with a >>> very flexible boom that, in my case, works great on my >>> secondary Kenwood TS570 rig. >>> >>> Of course, YMMV, but it works for me here! >>> >>> Lu - W4LT >>> Using the "AL/K-Line": K3/P3/ALS600/MFJ998 >>> Al Kaline: 1960's Detroit Tigers Slugger >>> >>> - >>> >>> Message: 20 >>> Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:33:06 -0500 >>> From: Gary K9GS >>> Subject: [Elecraft] Koss Headsets for the K3 (Was: Re: >>> Yamaha CM500 >>>Headset)www >>> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net >>> Message-ID:<4f62b472.6020...@wi.rr.com> >>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed >>> >>> An update: >>> >>> I stopped by the Koss Factory Store today. I looked at the >>> SB49 first. >>> (The SB45 is identical to the SB49 but without the volume >>> control in the >>> cord). I didn't really like the way the SB49 fit. It's a >>> very >>> subjective thing but comfort was what I was looking for. >>> The other >>> thing I didn't like was the flexible boom for the microphone >>> was very >>> "whippy". It was almost like a wet noodle. Not good. >>> >>> Next I looked at the SB40. The fit was great and very >>> comfortable for >>> the 5 minutes I wore it. The mic boom was stiffer too. The >>> SB40 has a >>> dynamic mic element. I ended up buying the SB40. The price >>> was $39.00 >>> plus sales tax. >>> >>> I was all set to buy a Yamaha CM500 but I really wanted to >>> see how they >>> fit
Re: [Elecraft] Koss Headsets for the K3 (Was: Re: Yamaha CM500
> In doing the above mods to the SB40 you end up with a VERY comfortable > headset with a great sounding mic element. I just could not get the > stock SB40 element to sound good. The HC5 rocks. The alternative is to use one of the Radio Shack electret elements in the SB-40 mic housing. The electret elements are essentially the same as the one in the CM-500 with performance similar to the new HC-6 - broader than the HC 5. With HC-5, HC-6 or an electret element one will still want to use the K3 TS EQ to roll off audio below 200 Hz and add 3 to 6 dB per octave of pre-emphasis above 800 Hz. 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 3/25/2012 3:11 PM, Gary K9GS wrote: > Final post on my quest for the ultimate headset for my K3. > > First, a TON of thanks to Lu, W4LT. His step-by-step for replacing the > mic housing on the SB40 with the housing from a Heil BM10 was first rate! > > Here's what I ended up doing. > > I replaced the microphone housing on the SB40 with a microphone housing > from a broken Heil BM10. Heil still sells the housings and windscreens. > > In place of the crappy SB40 dynamic mic element I replaced it with a > Heil HC5 that a friend had. It's a pity that Heil no longer sells the > HC4 and HC5 elements separately. Ask around though...you'll find > someone that has one laying around. > > In doing the above mods to the SB40 you end up with a VERY comfortable > headset with a great sounding mic element. I just could not get the > stock SB40 element to sound good. The HC5 rocks. > > By the way, I don't own a Yamaha CM500 but others have said it is > identical to the SB40 except for the CM500 has an electret element and > requires bias. > > > > On 3/17/2012 11:50 AM, Lu Romero wrote: >> Gary: >> >> I own both a Koss SB40 and two Yamaha CM500'ds. >> >> The Koss and the Yamaha are exactly identical, save for one >> thing... The microphone capsule. >> >> The Koss SB40 has a dynamic capsule while the Yamaha CM500 >> has a electret condenser capsule. Other than that, the >> headsets are exactly identical in every detail except for >> the name. Probably made in the same Chinese jobber. >> >> But here is where the simialarity ends: The Yamaha >> electrect capsule is flat and can be made to sound really >> great on the K3. The Koss dynamic capsule is all bass, very >> mushy, and has low output. Even engaging the K3 equalizers >> and tweaking a lot, I could not make my SB40 sound very good >> at all. The capsule just sounds ugly. >> >> The fix for this is to remove the two screws that hold the >> capsule on the SB40's boom and remove the offending >> microphone that looks surprisingly like a cheap Chinese >> dynamic earphone (its actually the same exact size as a IPod >> headset element and looks identical!) and replace it. In my >> case, I had an old Heil BM-5 with a bad earpiece but a >> perfectly good DX4 capsule. I removed the plastic mic >> holder from the rigid Heil boom, and with a slight widening >> of the boom inlet with a Dremel tool, it fits right on to >> the SB40 boom! Solder up the existing wires from the Koss >> mic and you have a wonderfully comfortable headset with a >> very flexible boom that, in my case, works great on my >> secondary Kenwood TS570 rig. >> >> Of course, YMMV, but it works for me here! >> >> Lu - W4LT >> Using the "AL/K-Line": K3/P3/ALS600/MFJ998 >> Al Kaline: 1960's Detroit Tigers Slugger >> >> - >> >> Message: 20 >> Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:33:06 -0500 >> From: Gary K9GS >> Subject: [Elecraft] Koss Headsets for the K3 (Was: Re: >> Yamaha CM500 >> Headset)www >> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net >> Message-ID:<4f62b472.6020...@wi.rr.com> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed >> >> An update: >> >> I stopped by the Koss Factory Store today. I looked at the >> SB49 first. >> (The SB45 is identical to the SB49 but without the volume >> control in the >> cord). I didn't really like the way the SB49 fit. It's a >> very >> subjective thing but comfort was what I was looking for. >> The other >> thing I didn't like was the flexible boom for the microphone >> was very >> "whippy". It was almost like a wet noodle. Not good. >> >> Next I looked at the SB40. The fit was great and very >> comfortable for >> the 5 minutes I wore it. The mic boom was stiffer too. The >> SB40 has a >> dynamic mic element. I ended up buying the SB40. The price >> was $39.00 >> plus sales tax. >> >> I was all set to buy a Yamaha CM500 but I really wanted to >> see how they >> fit first. I looked at a couple places and couldn't find a >> local store >> that had the CM500. For this reason I look at Koss. The >> other thing >> Koss has going for it is the limited lifetime warranty. >> Being that I >> live near the factory this is a big advantage. Second is >> that I've >> owned other Koss products and have always been very happy >> with them. >> >> As I said I've never used the Yamaha CM500 but the Koss SB40 >> looks ve
Re: [Elecraft] Koss Headsets for the K3 (Was: Re: Yamaha CM500
Final post on my quest for the ultimate headset for my K3. First, a TON of thanks to Lu, W4LT. His step-by-step for replacing the mic housing on the SB40 with the housing from a Heil BM10 was first rate! Here's what I ended up doing. I replaced the microphone housing on the SB40 with a microphone housing from a broken Heil BM10. Heil still sells the housings and windscreens. In place of the crappy SB40 dynamic mic element I replaced it with a Heil HC5 that a friend had. It's a pity that Heil no longer sells the HC4 and HC5 elements separately. Ask around though...you'll find someone that has one laying around. In doing the above mods to the SB40 you end up with a VERY comfortable headset with a great sounding mic element. I just could not get the stock SB40 element to sound good. The HC5 rocks. By the way, I don't own a Yamaha CM500 but others have said it is identical to the SB40 except for the CM500 has an electret element and requires bias. On 3/17/2012 11:50 AM, Lu Romero wrote: > Gary: > > I own both a Koss SB40 and two Yamaha CM500'ds. > > The Koss and the Yamaha are exactly identical, save for one > thing... The microphone capsule. > > The Koss SB40 has a dynamic capsule while the Yamaha CM500 > has a electret condenser capsule. Other than that, the > headsets are exactly identical in every detail except for > the name. Probably made in the same Chinese jobber. > > But here is where the simialarity ends: The Yamaha > electrect capsule is flat and can be made to sound really > great on the K3. The Koss dynamic capsule is all bass, very > mushy, and has low output. Even engaging the K3 equalizers > and tweaking a lot, I could not make my SB40 sound very good > at all. The capsule just sounds ugly. > > The fix for this is to remove the two screws that hold the > capsule on the SB40's boom and remove the offending > microphone that looks surprisingly like a cheap Chinese > dynamic earphone (its actually the same exact size as a IPod > headset element and looks identical!) and replace it. In my > case, I had an old Heil BM-5 with a bad earpiece but a > perfectly good DX4 capsule. I removed the plastic mic > holder from the rigid Heil boom, and with a slight widening > of the boom inlet with a Dremel tool, it fits right on to > the SB40 boom! Solder up the existing wires from the Koss > mic and you have a wonderfully comfortable headset with a > very flexible boom that, in my case, works great on my > secondary Kenwood TS570 rig. > > Of course, YMMV, but it works for me here! > > Lu - W4LT > Using the "AL/K-Line": K3/P3/ALS600/MFJ998 > Al Kaline: 1960's Detroit Tigers Slugger > > - > > Message: 20 > Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:33:06 -0500 > From: Gary K9GS > Subject: [Elecraft] Koss Headsets for the K3 (Was: Re: > Yamaha CM500 > Headset)www > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Message-ID:<4f62b472.6020...@wi.rr.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > An update: > > I stopped by the Koss Factory Store today. I looked at the > SB49 first. > (The SB45 is identical to the SB49 but without the volume > control in the > cord). I didn't really like the way the SB49 fit. It's a > very > subjective thing but comfort was what I was looking for. > The other > thing I didn't like was the flexible boom for the microphone > was very > "whippy". It was almost like a wet noodle. Not good. > > Next I looked at the SB40. The fit was great and very > comfortable for > the 5 minutes I wore it. The mic boom was stiffer too. The > SB40 has a > dynamic mic element. I ended up buying the SB40. The price > was $39.00 > plus sales tax. > > I was all set to buy a Yamaha CM500 but I really wanted to > see how they > fit first. I looked at a couple places and couldn't find a > local store > that had the CM500. For this reason I look at Koss. The > other thing > Koss has going for it is the limited lifetime warranty. > Being that I > live near the factory this is a big advantage. Second is > that I've > owned other Koss products and have always been very happy > with them. > > As I said I've never used the Yamaha CM500 but the Koss SB40 > looks very > similar. > > I'm also kind of a headphone junkie. With the K3 I figure > that most > modern headsets have much more performance (frequency > response, etc) > than one needs for communication. So they are all pretty > much up to the > task. Same for the microphone. With the TX and RX Eq > features of the > K3 I decided to concentrate on fit and comfort. I think > that juist > about any headset and microphone can be made to sound good. > > I haven't used the SB40's yet but will report back once I've > played with > them a bit. Here's the link to the Koss website: > > http://www.koss.com/en/products/headphones/communication_headsets > > > > -- 73, Gary K9GS Greater Milwaukee DX Association: http://www.gmdxa.org Society of Midwest Contesters: http://www.w9smc.com CW Op
Re: [Elecraft] Koss Headsets for the K3 (Was: Re: Yamaha CM500 Headset)www
Wellgot a brief chance to play with the Koss SB40 headset tonight. I followed K9YC's advice and set up similar to what others have done for the Yamaha CM550. The two bands at -16, third band at -10 and the two highest at +8. I worked a few people and they all said the audio sounded very good. Frankly, in the monitor I thought it sounded terrible. But most people don't like the way they sound. If I get a chance this weekend I plan on getting on a quiet band with a local that knows my voice before I start making too many adjustments. But I will say the SB40's are VERY comfortable. The headphones sound good as well but I haven't tweaked the RX EQ from my old settings, flat on SSB and a sharp peak at 400 Hz for CW. The bands were pretty noisy tonight so more evaluation is in order. On 3/16/2012 11:52 AM, Jim Brown wrote: > On 3/15/2012 8:33 PM, Gary K9GS wrote: >> I haven't used the SB40's yet but will report back once I've played with >> them a bit. > One of the guys on the Ten Tec list who does a bit of contesting at a > multi-op has said good things about a Koss headset, and I suspect it was > the SB40. I would expect it to work just fine and sound good with the > K3. Suggested settings for the CM500 would be a good starting point for > the SB40. > > 73, Jim K9YC > __ > 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 > -- 73, Gary K9GS Greater Milwaukee DX Association: http://www.gmdxa.org Society of Midwest Contesters: http://www.w9smc.com CW Ops #1032 http://www.cwops.org __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Koss Headsets for the K3 (Was: Re: Yamaha CM500 Headset)www
On 3/15/2012 8:33 PM, Gary K9GS wrote: > I haven't used the SB40's yet but will report back once I've played with > them a bit. One of the guys on the Ten Tec list who does a bit of contesting at a multi-op has said good things about a Koss headset, and I suspect it was the SB40. I would expect it to work just fine and sound good with the K3. Suggested settings for the CM500 would be a good starting point for the SB40. 73, Jim K9YC __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Koss Headsets for the K3 (Was: Re: Yamaha CM500 Headset)www
Many years ago, someone on another reflector posted a cheap way to make the equivalent of a Heil Proset. Radio Shack had the Optimus PRO-50MX boom headset, which was made by Koss, on sale. The mic and its round clamshell could be replaced by a Heil HC-4 and the Heil mic holder. The received audio was said to be crisper/better than the Heil headphones. This was before the days of radios with TX EQ, so the only way to get communications quality audio was with a different mic. Now Heil doesn't sell the mic elements, though I still have spares. I did that, and it worked fine. I still have them but prefer a tighter headphone fit and usually use my Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones (no mic). I just found the original posting: http://lists.contesting.com/_cq-contest/1998-05/msg00080.html 73, Jim N7US -Original Message- Radio Shack used to sell these with a RS box, but labeled Koss on the phones. I have been using them for years, wore one out. And they sell replacement pads on their web store (Koss). Jim K0XU On Mar 15, 2012 10:51 PM, "Gary K9GS" wrote: > An update: > > I stopped by the Koss Factory Store today. I looked at the SB49 first. > (The SB45 is identical to the SB49 but without the volume control in > the cord). I didn't really like the way the SB49 fit. It's a very > subjective thing but comfort was what I was looking for. The other > thing I didn't like was the flexible boom for the microphone was very > "whippy". It was almost like a wet noodle. Not good. > > Next I looked at the SB40. The fit was great and very comfortable for > the 5 minutes I wore it. The mic boom was stiffer too. The SB40 has > a dynamic mic element. I ended up buying the SB40. The price was > $39.00 plus sales tax. > > I was all set to buy a Yamaha CM500 but I really wanted to see how > they fit first. I looked at a couple places and couldn't find a local > store that had the CM500. For this reason I look at Koss. The other > thing Koss has going for it is the limited lifetime warranty. Being > that I live near the factory this is a big advantage. Second is that > I've owned other Koss products and have always been very happy with them. > > As I said I've never used the Yamaha CM500 but the Koss SB40 looks > very similar. > > I'm also kind of a headphone junkie. With the K3 I figure that most > modern headsets have much more performance (frequency response, etc) > than one needs for communication. So they are all pretty much up to > the task. Same for the microphone. With the TX and RX Eq features of > the > K3 I decided to concentrate on fit and comfort. I think that juist > about any headset and microphone can be made to sound good. > > I haven't used the SB40's yet but will report back once I've played > with them a bit. Here's the link to the Koss website: > > http://www.koss.com/en/products/headphones/communication_headsets __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Koss Headsets for the K3 (Was: Re: Yamaha CM500 Headset)www
Radio Shack used to sell these with a RS box, but labeled Koss on the phones. I have been using them for years, wore one out. And they sell replacement pads on their web store (Koss). Jim K0XU Sent from my Xoom tablet On Mar 15, 2012 10:51 PM, "Gary K9GS" wrote: > An update: > > I stopped by the Koss Factory Store today. I looked at the SB49 first. > (The SB45 is identical to the SB49 but without the volume control in the > cord). I didn't really like the way the SB49 fit. It's a very > subjective thing but comfort was what I was looking for. The other > thing I didn't like was the flexible boom for the microphone was very > "whippy". It was almost like a wet noodle. Not good. > > Next I looked at the SB40. The fit was great and very comfortable for > the 5 minutes I wore it. The mic boom was stiffer too. The SB40 has a > dynamic mic element. I ended up buying the SB40. The price was $39.00 > plus sales tax. > > I was all set to buy a Yamaha CM500 but I really wanted to see how they > fit first. I looked at a couple places and couldn't find a local store > that had the CM500. For this reason I look at Koss. The other thing > Koss has going for it is the limited lifetime warranty. Being that I > live near the factory this is a big advantage. Second is that I've > owned other Koss products and have always been very happy with them. > > As I said I've never used the Yamaha CM500 but the Koss SB40 looks very > similar. > > I'm also kind of a headphone junkie. With the K3 I figure that most > modern headsets have much more performance (frequency response, etc) > than one needs for communication. So they are all pretty much up to the > task. Same for the microphone. With the TX and RX Eq features of the > K3 I decided to concentrate on fit and comfort. I think that juist > about any headset and microphone can be made to sound good. > > I haven't used the SB40's yet but will report back once I've played with > them a bit. Here's the link to the Koss website: > > http://www.koss.com/en/products/headphones/communication_headsets > > > > > > On 2/18/2012 1:27 PM, Gary K9GS wrote: > > I live near Milwaukee where the Koss factory is located. They have an > > outlet store. > > > > I'll try to stop in there this week and see if I can try on a pair > > > > Stay tuned... > > > > BTW...one of the best kept secrets about Koss is that they will do > > lifetime repairs if their products fail. I have a Koss headset that I > > use for CW that I have taken to the outlet store for repair several > > times. They'll usually repair while you wait. They also will sell you > > wear items like earpads for very low cost. It's a great deal if you > > live close by..otherwise I think you have to pay shipping. > > > > On 2/18/2012 5:05 AM, Peter Torry wrote: > >> Many thanks everyone for your responses to my request. > >> I am now investigating the Koss SB40 that appears to be similar to the > Yamaha headset. > >> > >> Regards > >> > >> Peter G3SMT > >> __ > >> 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 > >> > > -- > > > 73, > > Gary K9GS > > Greater Milwaukee DX Association: http://www.gmdxa.org > Society of Midwest Contesters: http://www.w9smc.com > CW Ops #1032 http://www.cwops.org > > > > __ > 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 > __ 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
