I'm in the market for a receiver after being out of the hobby for 15
years. After much research, I've narrowed my choice down to two rigs:
AOR-7030+ and Icom 756Pro-III.

I've never owned a IF DSP receiver before. I've owned an R4C, an
FRG-7, and a NRD-525 over the years, but never a DSP rig. Have DSP
receivers reached the point yet where they're a viable alternative to
the best analog rigs? I've heard that first generation DSP rigs, such
as the NRD-545 and the RX-340, have limited dynamic range (relative to
the best analog rigs) due to limited A/D chips. I consider good
dynamic range to be one of the most critical aspects of receiver
performance--do the newer DSP rigs address this issue?

My primary interests are utilities and DXing the MW and SW bands. I
don't do much, if any, program listening, so audio quality isn't an
overriding concern--I just listen long enough the ID the station.

Make no mistake, the 7030+ is a fine radio, and there are members of
this
group who will defend it until death. However it is not for everyone
due to
it's lack of knobs and buttons and it's quirky menu driven system and
tiny
display. It has a remote that is also very tiny and cramped and
requires you
to line it up carefully to operate as it is optically driven and not
wireless driven. I would strongly advise a hands on demo of it before
purchasing or a two week return policy. See my review of the 7030 at:
http://www.dxing.info/equipment/aor_...r8a_plimmer.dx

I have owned an Icom 756 PRO III for the last three years and can
assure you
that you will be extremely pleased with this beautifully engineered
radio.
It is superb on utilities and you will get the lowest power stations
anywhere in the world with ease. As for MW DXing, that is my
speciality and
it's performance over the difficult 9/10 Khz splits is nothing more
than
awesome. I recently got CFUN Vancouver BC 10,000 miles from here on
1410
Khz. It doesn't get better than that. You will be another extremely
happy
owner if you spend the extra money on the 756Pro3 and will later
consider it
one of the best purchases of your life. See my review of this radio
at:
http://www.dxing.info/equipment/icom_ic756_plimmer.dx


John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa
South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s
RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods
Drake SW8 & ERGO software
Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100
BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A.
GE circa 50's radiogram
Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro Mk II, Datong AD-270
Kiwa MW Loop, PAORDT Roelof mini-whip
http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx


On Nov 12, 9:44 pm, wrote:
I'm in the market for a receiver after being out of the hobby for 15
years. After much research, I've narrowed my choice down to two rigs:
AOR-7030+ and Icom 756Pro-III.

I've never owned a IF DSP receiver before. I've owned an R4C, an
FRG-7, and a NRD-525 over the years, but never a DSP rig. Have DSP
receivers reached the point yet where they're a viable alternative to
the best analog rigs? I've heard that first generation DSP rigs, such
as the NRD-545 and the RX-340, have limited dynamic range (relative to
the best analog rigs) due to limited A/D chips. I consider good
dynamic range to be one of the most critical aspects of receiver
performance--do the newer DSP rigs address this issue?

My primary interests are utilities and DXing the MW and SW bands. I
don't do much, if any, program listening, so audio quality isn't an
overriding concern--I just listen long enough the ID the station.

In article .com,
wrote:

Make no mistake, the 7030+ is a fine radio, and there are members of
this group who will defend it until death. However it is not for
everyone due to it's lack of knobs and buttons and it's quirky menu
driven system and tiny display. It has a remote that is also very
tiny and cramped and requires you to line it up carefully to operate
as it is optically driven and not wireless driven. I would strongly
advise a hands on demo of it before purchasing or a two week return
policy. See my review of the 7030 at:
http://www.dxing.info/equipment/aor_...r8a_plimmer.dx

Snip

People think that digital is some mythical way of making something
better than analog. It's not. It is just another type of solution to an
engineering problem. Generally, the largest benefit is in recording and
playback. Everyone is aware of the benefits in this area, and this,
through the magic of BS marketing been extended to all other types of
problems such as HD and DRM modes of communication. Here the solution is
not any better BECAUSE it does not address the root cause of analog
radio propagation and reception in a way that provides a higher level of
service and reliability. Worse for these digital modes is that the costs
involved are higher for a similar level of service.

Sitting between the obvious improved benefits of audio digital recording
and playback and the utter failure of HD and DRM in radio communications
would be digital filtering in receivers due to the costs involved.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

On Nov 12, 11:44 am, wrote:
I'm in the market for a receiver after being out of the hobby for 15
years. After much research, I've narrowed my choice down to two rigs:
AOR-7030+ and Icom 756Pro-III.

I've never owned a IF DSP receiver before. I've owned an R4C, an
FRG-7, and a NRD-525 over the years, but never a DSP rig. Have DSP
receivers reached the point yet where they're a viable alternative to
the best analog rigs? I've heard that first generation DSP rigs, such
as the NRD-545 and the RX-340, have limited dynamic range (relative to
the best analog rigs) due to limited A/D chips. I consider good
dynamic range to be one of the most critical aspects of receiver
performance--do the newer DSP rigs address this issue?

My primary interests are utilities and DXing the MW and SW bands. I
don't do much, if any, program listening, so audio quality isn't an
overriding concern--I just listen long enough the ID the station.

Unless I missed it, the ICOM doesn't have synch demod. Not the end of
the world. The AR7030+NB cost does rise a bit if you consider adding
the filter daughter board and more filters. The notch filter works
well. I never found much use for the noise blanker. I never use the
7030 remote. Once you understand the menus, it is quite easy to
operate.

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:44:38 -0000,
wrote:

I'm in the market for a receiver after being out of the hobby for 15
years. After much research, I've narrowed my choice down to two rigs:
AOR-7030+ and Icom 756Pro-III.

I've never owned a IF DSP receiver before. I've owned an R4C, an
FRG-7, and a NRD-525 over the years, but never a DSP rig. Have DSP
receivers reached the point yet where they're a viable alternative to
the best analog rigs? I've heard that first generation DSP rigs, such
as the NRD-545 and the RX-340, have limited dynamic range (relative to
the best analog rigs) due to limited A/D chips. I consider good
dynamic range to be one of the most critical aspects of receiver
performance--do the newer DSP rigs address this issue?

My primary interests are utilities and DXing the MW and SW bands. I
don't do much, if any, program listening, so audio quality isn't an
overriding concern--I just listen long enough the ID the station.

I've yet to meet a DSP that made a call sign any easier to copy,
compared to my brain.

On Nov 16, 6:35 am, David wrote:
On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:44:38 -0000,
wrote:





I'm in the market for a receiver after being out of the hobby for 15
years. After much research, I've narrowed my choice down to two rigs:
AOR-7030+ and Icom 756Pro-III.

I've never owned a IF DSP receiver before. I've owned an R4C, an
FRG-7, and a NRD-525 over the years, but never a DSP rig. Have DSP
receivers reached the point yet where they're a viable alternative to
the best analog rigs? I've heard that first generation DSP rigs, such
as the NRD-545 and the RX-340, have limited dynamic range (relative to
the best analog rigs) due to limited A/D chips. I consider good
dynamic range to be one of the most critical aspects of receiver
performance--do the newer DSP rigs address this issue?

My primary interests are utilities and DXing the MW and SW bands. I
don't do much, if any, program listening, so audio quality isn't an
overriding concern--I just listen long enough the ID the station.

- I've yet to meet a DSP that made a call sign
- any easier to copy, compared to my brain.

David - "compared to my brain" ? - Many people here
would say that that is a 'severely diminished' Entity to
use as a Standard-of-Comparison to anything. ~ RHF

On Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:34:15 -0800 (PST), RHF
wrote:

On Nov 16, 6:35 am, David wrote:
On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:44:38 -0000,
wrote:





I'm in the market for a receiver after being out of the hobby for 15
years. After much research, I've narrowed my choice down to two rigs:
AOR-7030+ and Icom 756Pro-III.

I've never owned a IF DSP receiver before. I've owned an R4C, an
FRG-7, and a NRD-525 over the years, but never a DSP rig. Have DSP
receivers reached the point yet where they're a viable alternative to
the best analog rigs? I've heard that first generation DSP rigs, such
as the NRD-545 and the RX-340, have limited dynamic range (relative to
the best analog rigs) due to limited A/D chips. I consider good
dynamic range to be one of the most critical aspects of receiver
performance--do the newer DSP rigs address this issue?

My primary interests are utilities and DXing the MW and SW bands. I
don't do much, if any, program listening, so audio quality isn't an
overriding concern--I just listen long enough the ID the station.

- I've yet to meet a DSP that made a call sign
- any easier to copy, compared to my brain.

David - "compared to my brain" ? - Many people here
would say that that is a 'severely diminished' Entity to
use as a Standard-of-Comparison to anything. ~ RHF
.

I can construct an English paragraph without any grammatical errors.

In article ,
David wrote:

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:44:38 -0000,
wrote:

I'm in the market for a receiver after being out of the hobby for 15
years. After much research, I've narrowed my choice down to two rigs:
AOR-7030+ and Icom 756Pro-III.

I've never owned a IF DSP receiver before. I've owned an R4C, an
FRG-7, and a NRD-525 over the years, but never a DSP rig. Have DSP
receivers reached the point yet where they're a viable alternative to
the best analog rigs? I've heard that first generation DSP rigs, such
as the NRD-545 and the RX-340, have limited dynamic range (relative to
the best analog rigs) due to limited A/D chips. I consider good
dynamic range to be one of the most critical aspects of receiver
performance--do the newer DSP rigs address this issue?

My primary interests are utilities and DXing the MW and SW bands. I
don't do much, if any, program listening, so audio quality isn't an
overriding concern--I just listen long enough the ID the station.

I've yet to meet a DSP that made a call sign any easier to copy,
compared to my brain.

I've yet to meet a human DSP. I'll refrain from comments on your brain.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California