Kenwood SP-23

[Riverman]

I purchased this external speaker when I bought my TS-590SG. Did so for two reasons:
1. Looks (Made my setup look bigger and fancier.)
2. My hearing isn't very good and I thought a front-firing speaker would be easier to hear.



I've had it hooked up since day one and yesterday I unhooked it so I could dust under it.
Holy Cow. The internal speaker on top of the radio sounds MUCH better! Better tone and background static is not nearly as noticeable. It is also louder at the same volume setting.

Is this the case with Yaesu and Icom speakers as well?

The SP-23 is in its box now.

 

[w9cll]

I use an external speaker on my Yaesu and it makes a huge difference. The internal speaker is tinny and low volume compared to the external. Are you sure the wiring is right?

 

[Woody-202]

The short answer is "YES".

Long answer: I've found you really have to research an external speaker, especially reviews. My first inclination on buying a speaker for my 991 was to get the matching SP10. Reviews weren't good and it was not chump change. Found someone local who bought one and I got to listen to it.

The reviews were right, and I passed on spending $150 for mediocre sound. The local, who had the SP10, pulled the speaker out and replaced it with a better one (another $30). Too much trouble.

It's very hit-or-miss when it comes to original manufacture speakers. I ended up buying a used Yaesu SP-9000 and I'll never need to buy something else.

 

[Riverman]

I use an external speaker on my Yaesu and it makes a huge difference. The internal speaker is tinny and low volume compared to the external. Are you sure the wiring is right?

Swapped out the speaker wire with no change. To be clear, the external speaker sounds fine. Have used it for several months. It appears to be the same one that's in the radio. It's just that the internal one sounds great.

 

[Riverman]

The short answer is "YES".

Long answer: I've found you really have to research an external speaker, especially reviews. My first inclination on buying a speaker for my 991 was to get the matching SP10. Reviews weren't good and it was not chump change. Found someone local who bought one and I got to listen to it.

The reviews were right, and I passed on spending $150 for mediocre sound. The local, who had the SP10, pulled the speaker out and replaced it with a better one (another $30). Too much trouble.

It's very hit-or-miss when it comes to original manufacture speakers. I ended up buying a used Yaesu SP-9000 and I'll never need to buy something else.

Now THAT'S a speaker!

 

[BJ radionut]

https://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5736?page=3

See the reviews(VE7DTR). I replace mine years ago with a small Jensen driver. Then added a piece of high-density foam like 2 inches thick, close behind the speaker. Much improved for the extra $30 or so spent. Sounds great on my TS-130SE.
I did the same on most of my old DRAKE MS-4 speakers, which everyone raves about and got similar improvements.

https://www.parts-express.com/cat/m...eca:matches(.,"P_Searchable","1")]&PortalID=1

 

[Riverman]

Thanks, Gary.
I saw those reviews before I purchased it, but after years of guys on here saying eham reviews are worthless and the posters are all idiots, I discounted them.
I should have listened. And will in the future.

Am aware of the relatively inexpensive fixes but the radio sounds so good right now I am going to leave it. At least until I get my FTDX3000. Or 991A.

 

[Woody-202]

Now THAT'S a speaker!

It's great. It's a big ass speaker that takes up 1/3rd of my desk space, but I like it. Retail is expensive, but not too bad (compared to others mfg. speakers). I lurked around some ham websites waiting for a used one to come up for sale. This was $230 shipped.

 

[L2]

Don't rule out mobile speakers. I use two mobile Kenwood KES-5 speakers connected to my IC-7300. They sound fantastic and can be found pretty cheap.

 

[Mudfoot]

Don't rule out mobile speakers. I use two mobile Kenwood KES-5 speakers connected to my IC-7300. They sound fantastic and can be found pretty cheap.

Especially the older Bearcat speakers. The two I have sound really great. The newer ones are turdish.

 

[oldtymer]

I've been using a Kenwood SP-31 older model that matches the TS-850 & TS-870
color scheme.Has two inputs,3 filters that actually do something 2hi and 1low,and
a headphone jack.
Doesn't match anything but sounds pretty good.

 

[Hurricane145]

2. My hearing isn't very good and I thought a front-firing speaker would be easier to hear.

I've had it hooked up since day one and yesterday I unhooked it so I could dust under it.
Holy Cow. The internal speaker on top of the radio sounds MUCH better! Better tone and background static is not nearly as noticeable. It is also louder at the same volume setting.

Much smaller speaker so I would think it has more treble or higher, narrower freq. response which. may cut out some noise and make it easier to hear. A bit more of a sound quality that cuts through better for your hearing. Broad frequency response is fine for broadcast with music and all but not so much for voice that is just talking, or operating on CW.

I prefer communications headphones to external speakers for serious DXing or contesting.

 

[Woody-202]

Don't rule out mobile speakers. I use two mobile Kenwood KES-5 speakers connected to my IC-7300. They sound fantastic and can be found pretty cheap.

My "most favorite" mobile speaker is an ICOM SP-10 (hasn't been made in awhile). It looks like many subpar clones you see on Ebay but sounds much better. I liked it so much I bought a 2nd one for a backup whenever the 1st one died. After 15+ years of Texas heat it recently died so I'm glad I have a backup.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

My "most favorite" mobile speaker is an ICOM SP-10 (hasn't been made in awhile). It looks like many subpar clones you see on Ebay but sounds much better. I liked it so much I bought a 2nd one for a backup whenever the 1st one died. After 15+ years of Texas heat it recently died so I'm glad I have a backup.

That looks just like the Motorola cell phone speaker. I have a bunch from when I was an installer for Bell Atlantic Mobile. They make a great cb speaker.

 

[Woody-202]

That looks just like the Motorola cell phone speaker. I have a bunch from when I was an installer for Bell Atlantic Mobile. They make a great cb speaker.

Yes it does look like it. I don't believe I had seen this style speaker until I ran across it at a Hamfest but only a few years later it seemed like everyone and their brother was selling similar shaped models with varying sound quality