On Nov 19, 9:59 pm, wrote:

"Remember, if you choose the 7030+ you are buying yesterday's
technology, the radio has been on the market for about twelve years
now."

Dear John,

As I stated originally I do not really want to, nor can I truly, get
into an "argument" over the merits of the ICOM IC-756 Pro III vs. the
AOR AR7030 'Plus,' especially as I have no experience with the ICOM
unit. I know you tried an AOR for about a month or two 10 years ago
but I submit that this experience is not applicable today.

I do wish to comment on your quote (above): "Yesterday's technology"
is pejorative and, frankly, plain wrong, at least with regard to this
receiver. The term "yesterday's technology" is only applicable when
something clearly better has superseded that technology and, so far,
NOTHING - not DSP, SDR, or anything else - has done so.

I own a pair of Klipschorns. Have you ever heard them? I first heard
one when I was fourteen years old and I never forgot that sound. I
never, ever, thought I would ultimately be able to own a pair but, in
the event, I did. This "technology" has been on the market virtually
unchanged since 1946! 60 years! I have heard many, many speakers over
the years - including quite a few that cost FAR more than the
Klipschorns - but I have NEVER heard anything that even comes close!

The reason this speaker is still on the market over 60 years is
because it is just plain great. There is no other word for it.
$40,000.00+ speakers come - and they are touted as the "latest and
greatest" - and then they go - to be replaced by another $40,000.00+
"latest and greatest" ad infinitum and ad nauseum. (See STEREOPHILE
Magazine or THE ABSOLUTE SOUND.) Meanwhile, the Klipschorn just goes
on - continuing to produce the fantastic sound for which it is known
and people, once having heard it, continue to buy it, "yesterday's
technology" or no.

I believe the same argument can be applied to the AOR AR7030 'Plus.' A
piece of gear will be discontinued rather rapidly once sales fall off.
That the sales of this radio have not done so to an appreciable extent
is testimony to the overall high quality of its design. Twelve years
is a long time in the electronics world and the AR7030's longevity
definitely says something! Frankly, I feel your comment is specious
and a bit unworthy of you. Generally your comments are far more
reasoned.

The discussion here about filters is equally wrong - good filters of
whatever kind, properly applied and used, will not "ring" on modern
receivers. I think it almost goes without saying that anyone in the
market for either of these two receivers, or even other receivers of
their caliber, know how to use these radios and will know when to
employ any given filter. It is true that DSP receivers can have a
great many more filters than an analog receiver. And it's also true
that any extra filters for the AR7030 'Plus" will need to be installed
- but this is a very easy task to accomplish. See AOR-UK's web site
for the exact information on how to do it. But it's like gears on a
bicycle. Most riders use only a very few of the twenty-one or so gears
available to them and I suspect that most users of good shortwave
equipment use only a very few of the available filters (I generally
use only three of my five available).

This, of course, is in no way saying that the AR7030 'Plus' is
superior or inferior to the ICOM IC-756 Pro III which, I am sure, is a
fine piece of equipment. Either would probably satisfy the gentleman
who originally started this post. What I, and I suspect he, would
really like to see is a comparison of the two by someone who owns and
uses both - with both in current configurations.

The only thing I can definitely state is that the AOR AR7030 'Plus' -
even configured with several options - will cost far less than the
ICOM IC-756 Pro III and it will perform and will be constructed at
least as well. And, frankly, I do not believe that the ICOM will have
superior sound quality to the AOR; equivalent maybe - it's possible,
of course - but I routinely run the AOR's audio through my sound
system (with the aforementioned Klipschorns) and its sound must be
heard to be believed. You ought to hear the Voice of Russia's "Jazz
Show" this way. Even with an inexpensive external speaker (RCA Radio
Shack Cat. # 40-5000 - $29.95) the AOR's sound is, in a word, amazing.
In my almost fifty years of shortwave listening I have never heard
better.

Best,

Joe