{"id":45999,"date":"2020-10-18T11:57:54","date_gmt":"2020-10-18T15:57:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=45999"},"modified":"2020-10-18T11:57:54","modified_gmt":"2020-10-18T15:57:54","slug":"icom-ic-705-blind-audio-tests-lets-take-a-look-at-your-choices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/10\/icom-ic-705-blind-audio-tests-lets-take-a-look-at-your-choices\/","title":{"rendered":"Icom IC-705 blind audio tests: Let’s take a look at your choices!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Before I had even taken delivery of the new Icom IC-705<\/strong> transceiver, a number of SWLing Post<\/em> readers asked me to do a series of blind audio comparison tests like I’ve done in the past (click here for an example<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Last week, I published a series of five audio tests\/surveys and asked for your vote and comments. The survey response far exceeded anything I would have anticipated.<\/p>\n

We received a total of 931 survey entries\/votes<\/strong> which only highlights how much you enjoy this sort of receiver test.<\/p>\n

In this challenge, I didn’t even give you the luxury of knowing the other radios I used in each comparison, so let’s take a look…<\/p>\n

The competition<\/h1>\n

Since the Icom IC-705 is essentially a tabletop SDR, I compared it with a couple dedicated PC-connected SDRs.<\/p>\n

WinRadio Excalibur SDR<\/h2>\n
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The WinRadio Excalibur<\/p><\/div>\n

I consider the WinRadio Excalibur to be a benchmark sub $1000 HF, mediumwave, and longwave SDR.<\/p>\n

It is still my staple receiver for making off-air audio and spectrum recordings, and is always hooked up to an antenna and ready to record.<\/p>\n

In the tests where I employed the WinRadio Excalibur, I used its proprietary SDR application to directly make recordings. I used none of its advanced filters, AGC control, or synchronous detection.<\/p>\n

Click here to read my original 2012 review of the WinRadio Excalibur<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Airspy HF+ SDR<\/h2>\n
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The Airspy HF+ SDR<\/p><\/div>\n

I also consider the Airspy HF+ SDR to be one of the finest sub-$200 HF SDRs on the market.<\/p>\n

The HF+ is a choice SDR for DXing. Mine has not been modified<\/a> in any way to increase its performance or sensitivity.<\/p>\n

In the test where I employed the HF+ I used Airspy’s own SDR application, SDR#, to directly make recordings. I used none of its advanced filters, AGC control, noise reduction, or synchronous detection.<\/p>\n

Belka-DSP portable receiver<\/h2>\n
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The Belka-DSP<\/p><\/div>\n

I recently acquired a Belka-DSP portable after reading 13dka’s superb review<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I thought it might be fun to include it in a comparison although, in truth, it’s hardly fair to compare a $160 receiver with a $1300 SDR transceiver.<\/p>\n

The Belka, to me, is like a Lowe HF-150 in a tiny, pocket package.<\/p>\n

Elecraft KX3 QRP transceiver<\/h2>\n
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The Elecraft KX3<\/p><\/div>\n

The KX3 is one of the best transceivers I’ve ever owned. Mine has the CW roofing filter installed (only recently) and is, without a doubt, a benchmark performer.<\/p>\n

Click here to read my full review<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you check out Rob Sherwood’s receiver test data table<\/a> which is sorted by third-order dynamic range narrow spaced, you’ll see that the KX3 is one of the top performers on the list even when compared with radios many times its price. Due to my recording limitations (see below) the KX3 was the only other transceiver used in this comparison.<\/p>\n

Herein lies a HUGE<\/span> caveat:<\/h1>\n
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The WinRadio application<\/p><\/div>\n

As I’ve stated in SDR reviews in the past, it is incredibly<\/em> difficult comparing anything<\/em> with PC-connected SDRs because they can be configured on such a granular level.<\/p>\n

When making a blind audio test with a stand-alone SDR radio like the IC-705–which has less configurability–you’re forced to take one of at least two paths:<\/p>\n