RadioBanter - Question about types of speakers for shortwave.

"Stinger" wrote in message ...
You're on the right track. The advent of computer users having better
multimedia sound cards has caused manufacturers to market some
great-sounding compact self-amplified speakers. And the great news is that
these speakers work extremely well with even portable radios, and are
available at prices significantly lower than you would have expected to pay
even a couple of years ago.

I run my R-75 through Cambridge Soundworks' Henry Kloss designed Model
88 table radio. It has a subwoofer and three sound modes, "Stereo",
"Wide", and "Mono", each of which provides a different listening
quality to SW signals. This set-up is a vast improvement over Icom's
stock speaker. The Model 88 is a superb receiver for fringe FM
reception to boot, but is less than mediocre for AM broadcast band
reception.

Regards,

Grumpus

Creative Labs has teamed with Cambridge Soundworks to make some models, and
the collaboration has resulted in several excellent setups for listening to
shortwave radio. I've seen the 3-piece set at Wal-Mart for less than
$35.00. Trust me -- you WANT a subwoofer -- your radio is producing signals
that simply cannot be adequately reproduced by most table-top speakers, even
in MW and SW. You'll hear depth, clarity, and ambient studio
characteristics you would not be able to discern otherwise. Also, IMHO, you
would have to buy a Bose Acoustic Wave to rival the sound on my ATS-909 in
FM stereo using these speakers. It really sounds that good.

Another plus is that they're easily switched between radios. Plug them in
to your headphone jack and you're set to go (may need to get a std. to
stereo mini-plug adapter for some desktops). For more permanent
installations, you may want to build a simple switch to choose between
radios.

Happy listening!

-- Stinger

"Dxluver" wrote in message
...
I've been thinking about removing some speakers stacks I use. One I used
for
the 140X and the other for the 129X, at first I really liked the sound.
But
since I picked up a pair of some discontinued Radio Shack Amplified
Speakers
(cat#40-1361) last summer at a garage sale for like ten dollars, I've
kind of
been thinking about asking the group it's opinion and what it is they use
or
what would they do if they were me? **No smart a** comments** ;-)

Those amplified ones are hooked to the DX394, actually I stopped
listening to
that piece becasue of the sound, I tried my stacks that are hooked to my
Hammarlunds, but that didn't do it. Tried other combos and that stock
speaker
absolutely is a crime that they even put it in there, really. But these
amplified ones take four c batteries and are 'extremely' heavy for two
speakers, I couldn't believe it, I felt like I stole them from that
woman.
But it has made the 394 "come back to life." :-)

But between those and switching speakers on my scanner (BC9000XLT).....I
used
to use the stock but it sucks plus the way I have it configured I had to
use an
extension speaker. I went with the Rat Shack external speaker, I figured
it
was good enough. But the other day I was cleaning out the closet in the
radio
room ( I highly recommend it to everyone) I found stuff I forgot I even
had
and actually some things that I don't remember where or who I got them
from.

But I came up on a pair of *Aiwa* speakers that were used 'stock'
---pretty
sure in an Ford Taurus. I did a little cutting and soldering and
baddabing, I
now have that one speaker hooked to the 9000 and WOW what a difference.
On the
back of the speaker it says 40w with an 8 impedance. But I'm gonna keep
that
setup.

Should I use the other one for one of my Hammarlunds? I KNOW there is
more
than enough in one of those HQ's to drive one of those Aiwas, or would it
sound like sh*t? I just think that the speaker/speakers I have now run
into
the Hammarlunds are too much and not really getting to *drive* them to
their
full potential.

I'm no audiophile, and I know there is a few in here so I bow to the
*sound
Gods* on this one. Like on Steve's setup with his Drake, I saw his
modest
speaker. What about you Brian? You have some boatanchors like I do.
Shouldn't I go smaller and get the most out of the speaker or a lot of
speaker
without it reaching it's potential.

**Sorry for the longer than usual post, looking forward to many replies.

Thanks,
DX