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Top Gun Modulator
- Thread starter DTB Radio
- Start date
B
BOOTY MONSTER
Guest
Just to add a little to this to keep the discussion going....I had wondered a bit about the CP-1 and wanted to see how it performed by itself in a non-magnum radio.
I installed it in a 979 (video coming tomorrow on youtube) and the end result is that on a radio running audio really hot it did take a little bit off the top end resulting in a little mellower audio but I also noticed slight distortion with it installed (this might have been due to my range as I only drove about 5 miles away for the test, dealing with snow so didn't go as far as I normally would have. I'll do some more recordings from further out to give a better idea of what it sounds like).
On the scope for before and after the waveforms were identical during average talk levels up to 100%. I did notice that when mod was pushed really high with the CP-1 the flat topping didn't occur quite as soon, but eventually it still would flat top and square with the CP-1.
So I can see how when used with the MD-1 the CP-1 could help keep things in line somewhat and maybe on a radio that is running really hot on the highs of the audio it might mellow out the sound a little.
My final take would be that for the majority of CB radios I've come across I wouldn't see any need to install the CP-1 by itself. If you've decided to install the MD-1 then the CP-1 may serve it's duty there and even then I think the debate and discussion on using these components will go on for some time.
And to end with a disclaimer, I'm no tech so I do my best to give my comparison but I'm sure others will find some faults in my testing. Of course no matter how many lab tests people could do the end result is how the radio sounds on the air and if the user/listeners like what they hear.
I installed it in a 979 (video coming tomorrow on youtube) and the end result is that on a radio running audio really hot it did take a little bit off the top end resulting in a little mellower audio but I also noticed slight distortion with it installed (this might have been due to my range as I only drove about 5 miles away for the test, dealing with snow so didn't go as far as I normally would have. I'll do some more recordings from further out to give a better idea of what it sounds like).
On the scope for before and after the waveforms were identical during average talk levels up to 100%. I did notice that when mod was pushed really high with the CP-1 the flat topping didn't occur quite as soon, but eventually it still would flat top and square with the CP-1.
So I can see how when used with the MD-1 the CP-1 could help keep things in line somewhat and maybe on a radio that is running really hot on the highs of the audio it might mellow out the sound a little.
My final take would be that for the majority of CB radios I've come across I wouldn't see any need to install the CP-1 by itself. If you've decided to install the MD-1 then the CP-1 may serve it's duty there and even then I think the debate and discussion on using these components will go on for some time.
And to end with a disclaimer, I'm no tech so I do my best to give my comparison but I'm sure others will find some faults in my testing. Of course no matter how many lab tests people could do the end result is how the radio sounds on the air and if the user/listeners like what they hear.
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The initial distortion I ran into with the CP-1 was solved by adjusting the ALC lower. Same SSB output levels were achieved from a lower ALC setting with the CP-1 installed. After additional testing today - overall I think I prefer this particular radio without the CP-1.
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Okay -here's the video YouTube - Top Gun Compressor CP-1 install Galaxy 979 - Audio before and after comparison
Yup - I think I'll leave the cp1 & mp1 to the magnum radios. They usually sound good on those but on the galaxy it definitely sounds a bit robotic. I am sure if I spent some time messing with things I could get it to sound pretty good but my point was to see the straight difference between A and B.
I would like to see you do a similar test of both the "Voicemax" & the "Dynamic Speech Processor".
I don't care for the audio quality with the CP-1 engaged - sounded a bit more distorted to me. Maybe that could be resolved by not running the gain on the radio wide open? Since it was mentioned that (in SSB mode) some of the peaks were reduced but no noticable increase of average talk power was noted would it be a fair statement to say the CP-1 is only doing 1/2 of the intended purpose of a compressor? I also noticed that (in AM mode) when the CP-1 was engaged it produced a "buzz" that was quite noticable - even when talking. No thanks, like everyone else has stated I'll pass on the CP-1...
Before I removed it last night and replaced the resistors I did mess around with some tuning aspects and with the alc lowered and the mic gain reduced I was able to get a better sound with the cp-1 without as much distortion. It still sounded more robotic than I like though and less full but thats often the case when messing with these things.
I think the buzz on the second test was my fault and actually was noise local to the receiver. I had to switch to a ac converter instead of batteries and the receiver picked up the ac noise. You'll hear the noise in both LSB and AM tests. It's always hard to keep all things equal when doing this stuff.
Note - people on the video are asking for me to do a test of the md-1 but I'm kind of done with these things. We know it will boost audio and allow swing from a low deadkey so I don't really see the need for me to mess with either module further. The md1 is really about AM and since most people on AM are just concerned about swing and loud audio the md-1 does what they want. If someone else out there has a scope and want to do their own test of the cp-1 I will send you the module so you can test and post up here.
I think the buzz on the second test was my fault and actually was noise local to the receiver. I had to switch to a ac converter instead of batteries and the receiver picked up the ac noise. You'll hear the noise in both LSB and AM tests. It's always hard to keep all things equal when doing this stuff.
Note - people on the video are asking for me to do a test of the md-1 but I'm kind of done with these things. We know it will boost audio and allow swing from a low deadkey so I don't really see the need for me to mess with either module further. The md1 is really about AM and since most people on AM are just concerned about swing and loud audio the md-1 does what they want. If someone else out there has a scope and want to do their own test of the cp-1 I will send you the module so you can test and post up here.
Hmmmmm. Not sure what to say here. I have several 979's with both TG modules installed. They don't sound anything like what you have there. You yourself said you're not a tech, so I'm wondering if you've not installed this correctly or have tuned it properly after the install.
BTW, my 979's (I have six of them) came from different sources and have the TG's installed of most of them. A couple of them do not have the TG installed, so I can see/tell the differences between the radios with and without.
BTW, my 979's (I have six of them) came from different sources and have the TG's installed of most of them. A couple of them do not have the TG installed, so I can see/tell the differences between the radios with and without.
This coming from a guy who honestly believes he's getting 1kw from 3, 40 watt valves?
this_is_nascar - they may sound different when both are installed in a 979 but that wasn't the point, either was the tuning.
The test was to drop in the CP-1 without doing tuning or adjustments or the MD-1 to see the results.
As stated - after some adjustments I did get a much better sound with less distortion but my final take was that the CP-1 by itself doesn't make a Galaxy 979 radio sound better on AM/SSB and there is no reason to have one installed in a 979 as a stand alone modification.
Now this is all personal opinion, just as you believe your radios sound better with both modules installed. This original thread was started by DTB and his results seems to speak to the point that these modules definitely do something, but it contiunes to be debated on what that result is and if the radio sounds better on both AM and SSB.
I hope some others will continue to install both pieces separately to see the results.
The test was to drop in the CP-1 without doing tuning or adjustments or the MD-1 to see the results.
As stated - after some adjustments I did get a much better sound with less distortion but my final take was that the CP-1 by itself doesn't make a Galaxy 979 radio sound better on AM/SSB and there is no reason to have one installed in a 979 as a stand alone modification.
Now this is all personal opinion, just as you believe your radios sound better with both modules installed. This original thread was started by DTB and his results seems to speak to the point that these modules definitely do something, but it contiunes to be debated on what that result is and if the radio sounds better on both AM and SSB.
I hope some others will continue to install both pieces separately to see the results.
What I noticed was a definite shift of frequency on SSB and Louder(more distortion) in AM mode with it causing the radio to pickup more line noise interference which does not make me want to go out and buy the CP-1.
For all intents and purposes the radio sounded excellent stock before modifications not say they're isn't room for improvement but a good rig straight out of the box.
For all intents and purposes the radio sounded excellent stock before modifications not say they're isn't room for improvement but a good rig straight out of the box.