There are many similarities in the 756Pro series. The ProII and ProIII were
"evolutionary" improvements, not major changes in performance compared to
the original 756Pro (which I own, and use for tropical bands and TP MW
DXing). It becomes a much more interesting value comparion when it's between
the R8B and a used 756Pro (~$1400-1500 on Ebay), a used 756ProII (~$1600)
or even a new 756ProII (currently around $2100 from ham outlets).

I agree with all of John's comments in his review of the 757ProIII as
applying to the 756Pro. John and I had a lot of email exchanges before he
found his excellent deal on a new ProIII, and the only area we disagree on
is the usefulness and ease of adjustment for the manual notch. I find it's
70 db depth to be phenomenal and simple to operate. I prefer it over the
auto notch, which works well.

BTW, the IC-746Pro's AM detector is a synchronous type, and a fine one
according to Dallas Lankford. Too bad that ICOM makes no mention of it, but
an ICOM tech confirmed to Dallas about the synch detector. There are MANY
circuit similarities between the 746Pro and the 756Pro, and perhaps the
756ProII/III also has the same detector? Dallas says in his 756Pro review &
modifications article at www.kongsfjord.no :

"Here are some things that put the 746P at the top of the heap. The AM
detector is an AM synchronous detector. Why ICOM doesn't advertise this
feature of the 746P is a mystery to me. I discovered it merely by noticing
that it sounded like an AM synchronous detector and asking ICOM Technical
Support if it was. They confirmed what my ears had already told me. And it
is not just any old AM synchronous detector. It is an outstanding AM
synchronous detector. It doesn't lose lock (no growling on extremely weak
signals fading in and out of the ambient noise floor) and you can tune the
signal with the AM carrier anywhere you please in the passband, and even out
of the passband, and still no growling. In other words, the 746P AMSD is
completely transparent to the user. You never know it is there except that
the quality of AM reception is better than with an ordinary AM detector for
some weak signals at the ambient noise floor and for some strongly fading
signals, and better than ECSS."
---------------------------------------

For my money, a mint-cond., late serial number 756Pro was an excellent
value. I've had a Ten-Tec RX340 in the shack for a month, and it performed
significantly worse on tough DX than my modded R-75 and the RA6790GM I used
to have.

Guy Atkins
Puyallup, WA USA



"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Pricewise... after reading the review, I'd have to say that the R8B still
wins,
hands down, no question.

dxAce
Michigan
USA