W2IHY settings

wx7y
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W2IHY 8 Band Equalizer ANAN 7K Pre-set's

Postby wx7y » Wed Sep 07, 2022 3:08 am

Hi guys, after returning my new faulty 7000DLE for refund and finding a used but late MK2 and everything looks good to proceed setting up my MIC audio, I was wondering if ANYONE has a W2IHY Equalizer that can give me their settings as a Starting point, I have a PR40 MIC.
So, if anyone has any information, I would appreciate it on a starting point.
I also have the EQPlus to put in line once I get the EQ all set up, because I also run my FLEX 6700 and use the EQPlus to switch between the MIC outputs.

Thanks a lot for your time
73's
Bret
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Re: W2IHY settings

Postby w-u-2-o » Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:02 pm

Thetis has far superior capabilities built-in compared to a lot of outboard audio equipment, including W2IHY gear.

Thetis has:

- Fully programmable look-ahead VOX/gate/expander
- Phase rotator
- Leveler (a type of compressor)
- 10 band semi-parametric pre-EQ
- 10 band semi-parametric compressor (CFC)
- 10 band semi-parametric post-EQ
- Look-ahead, true-peak, soft limiter (ALC)

With all that built in, why would anyone need to use W2IHY equipment?

You will want to review these topics. They are getting a little old but are still very applicable:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2550
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2508

Also, signal processing in Thetis and the ANAN hardware has a ruler flat frequency response. Any "starting points" for audio adjustment in terms of EQ will be mostly determined by your choice of microphone (PR40) and the tonal qualities of your voice. Your best bet is to find someone who sounds like you (without EQ) and is using a PR40.
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Re: W2IHY settings

Postby W1AEX » Wed Sep 07, 2022 5:12 pm

Bret,

I would echo everything Scott has said regarding the voice processing elements inside Thetis (my external audio rack now is used just to provide 48vdc phantom power) and also add that each TX profile you make can have unique audio setups that you can instantly switch to while operating. This gives you an unlimited number of broadcast quality setups from sharp to mellow to whatever.

I would at least try running the PR-40 right into the MIC input of the ANAN and then spending some time playing with all the processing available in Thetis just to get a measure of what's there.

Good luck with the new rig and 73,

Rob W1AEX
"One thing I am certain of is that there is too much certainty in the world."
wx7y
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Re: W2IHY settings

Postby wx7y » Thu Sep 08, 2022 2:19 am

This is about what I have found out today, the 8 band is of NO use on the ANAN or FLEX for that matter other then maybe a MIC Pre-AMP with the PR40 MIC it sounds like crap and has trouble getting rid of the BASE and leveling out the Highs.
Maybe on a Mic like the Goldline GM5 that doesn't have so much low range it would be nice.

The EQPlus has a few functions that I need so I may keep it, Kind of Dumb to put the Radio select switch on the back of the unit instead of the front, I think the MIC Pre-AMP may be a little cleaner then the built in +20DB in the radio which I need for my PR40, and the Compressor is pretty decent, I don't care for the CB "Effects" add on of the Delay stuff sounds like an OLD Turner desk mic with the gain set to loud but to each there own.
I sure wish I would have asked these questions before I bought them, but they have a 30-day return so I'll try out the return policy with the 8 band EQ.
Time to build my own Balanced MIC / PTT switch box and forget the rest of the Stuff that is of NO use on the SDR radios these days.

Thanks, and 73
Bret
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Re: W2IHY settings

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Sep 08, 2022 11:35 am

Bret,

You can't lump all SDRs into one category where audio is concerned. Thetis is totally unique in its capabilities. No other radio, SDR or otherwise, comes anywhere close to Thetis in terms of audio processing capability, not Flex, not Expert (Sun), nobody. With Thetis you thousands of dollars of audio processing built-in for free!

But for other radios external audio processing gear makes total sense. For radios where external audio processing gear is desirable, you can do a lot better than W2IHY for the same money. Used professional gear will provide a lot more capability and quality for the same investment. dbx, the brand that Rob favors, is an excellent case in point. If you look on eBay, the combination of a used 286 mic preamp, 166 dynamics processor, and 131 EQ will cost you under $300 and is so much more sophisticated than the W2IHY gear. The only downside is you will have to make your own cable to the radio, which really isn't that big of a deal.

The other thing to consider is that you have fallen for the PR40 trap. The PR40, and other mic's like it (and anything from Heil), is designed to do a lot of EQ in the microphone. So if your voice is not a good match for the mic you wind up fighting the mic with the EQ, which is just dumb. It made sense back in the day when EQ's were expensive and/or not built into every radio, but it doesn't make sense anymore. My advice is to buy a mic with the flattest, most uncolored response you can get, something that will transduce your voice honestly without any changes. Then add EQ to that as desired. Mic's in that category include a long list of large diameter condenser microphones including the Behringer B1, MXL550, Audio Technical AT2020, and several others. These mic's do require 48V phantom power, but you can buy 48V phantom power supplies off of Amazon for $20 or $30. Or, if you decide to use something like the dbx 286 it will be built into that.

73,

Scott
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Re: W2IHY settings

Postby K1LSB » Thu Sep 08, 2022 2:08 pm

Bret,

What Scott said, with the added caveat that a large diaphragm condenser mic is going to pick up literally every sound in the room, including any chassis fans that are running in your shack. I've got my 7000 MKII and my AL-80B hidden behind a soundproof partition just so my AT2035 mic won't pick up the fan noise.

Mark
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Re: W2IHY settings

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Sep 08, 2022 2:25 pm

K1LSB wrote:...a large diaphragm condenser mic is going to pick up literally every sound in the room, including any chassis fans that are running in your shack
It only does that if you've got it too far away from your mouth and the mic gain cranked up too high.

Most of us do not operate in a true studio environment (quiet with absorber on all the walls). Put it 2 or 3 inches away and adjust mic gain accordingly. You will sound like a million bucks.

Really good dynamic mic's with flat frequency responses tend to be much more expensive than the condenser mic's, more like the $300 to $400 range. The venerable RE20 is a case in point.
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Re: W2IHY settings

Postby K8EZB » Thu Sep 08, 2022 3:11 pm

I often get excellent audio reports with several different mics on my AL7K: Behringer B1, EV RE27, PR40, and even the Behringer XM8500, a $25 mic, using virtual audio in every case, and with no outboard audio processing. It does take some experimenting with the Thetis TX audio setup to get mic, operator's voice, room acoustics, and Thetis working well together.

Rick
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Re: W2IHY settings

Postby DO2ZA Erwin » Thu Sep 08, 2022 3:21 pm

or you take a Rode NT-USB, that works also good with the WDM-KS or MME driver

73 Erwin
Anan 7000DLE MK2 black, P.2 v2.1.18, WIN 10, 10.0.18362 (1903), i7-7700 @3.60 Ghz, 2x Monitor 24"@144 Hz and 1x 32" Monitor @120 FPS for Thetis

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