WEST MOUNTAIN RADIO “ClearSpeech” DSP Speaker

[Slowmover]

There are posts, but not quite any threads specifically about this amplified, high-audio-quality external speaker.

This is a
DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING
Speaker.

DSP. The reason this subforum chosen over others is that CB & Export equipment may/may not be of high quality today, but I’m not aware of any having DSP built-in.

You thought you had a good radio, but until DSP is added to the audio chain to clean up the noise, there’s persons and conversations you can’t hear. But your radio can.

Farther & Clearer. Elephant Ears.

$200-$225 at the manufacturer or the large online retailers.

There are offerings besides this particular speaker. Stand alone units. Other brands. Etc.

This one requires 12V power and the second cable is audio input.


I’ll leave this first post with this:

1). I wouldn’t any longer consider having a mobile unit without it. My income (and safety) can depend on communications quality.

2). I’m coming up on six-years and well over 300,000-miles of use with mine (1000+ days at 10-hours day) in big trucks including off-road in the oilfield.

3). There’s no CB/Export won’t be improved. None.

I’ll ask others who’ve had them to add their experiences. Mines confined to big truck mobile. (I’ve never tried headphones thru them, or attached this speaker to Amateur equipment, for example.)

Not even, paring my fingernails settin’ in a kitchen chair while the under-cabinet CB is a party line of friendly local chatter.

Thats a good day.

I have had it alert me ahead of others that a four car crash is still underway just six miles ahead of me . . . and no one else around me heard it.

That’s a day on iced roads with an adrenaline hit.

.

 

[dave457]

Works well with hf rigs as well

 

[2NC995]

Yep. I’m loving mine. Works great.

 

[fourstringburn]

I use one for my mobile HF rig. It's LOUD and perfect for noisy environments such as the in my semi truck.

I tried the Gap amplified speaker and it didn't cut it especially on a windy day with all the wind noise at highway speeds.

Is this HI-FI audio? No, it isn't supposed to be but the audio comes through loud and clear without being harsh.

Also the DSP noise reduction works better than my Icom. I only turn it in on about a 1/4 turn to eliminate the white noise and it does this perfectly without the underwater effect like at higher settings.

 

[2NC995]

Just in case anyone runs into the same

I noticed mine had a “pop” when the mic was keyed. I got used to it, and didn’t bother much with it.

Then Ralph (S&W357) ran into the same with his when connected to his AT6666. He quickly found that if you keep the speaker volume low, and turn up the radio’s volume, the “pop” goes away.

After he shared that tip I tried the same and it works for me too.

 

[S&W357]

Oh yes, like mine as well. Tried it on Uniden Washington and AT-6666 radios set up as base station options.

Keeping it on the Anytone AT-6666. Well worth the price to me especially on distant DX stations coming in with weak signals and poor audio. Just as stated ClearSpeech.

These are not just another ordinary speaker.

 

[Big Kahuna]

I'm testing out a BHI version currently. Only negatives I've found -

• when you turn up the DSP past level 3 you start to get the waterfall sound in the background. This is common with lots of DSP speakers I've heard.
• when you unkey there is a 1 second period of increased static while the DSP reacts and kicks in again. I find this super annoying.
• the BHI model picks up RF easily. It has a ferrite on the cord but when sitting close to radios it acts like talkback. Had to move it quite far away.

I think these units are impressive as long as you only use the first stages (for voice) when you turn them up stronger it just makes voices too strange, but it could be used for CW at higher levels I guess.

The delay and the increased static after unkeying before it reacts drives me nuts though so I stopped using it after a day or two of testing. Going to do some continued testing with other radios this week.

 

[2NC995]

The delay and the increased static after unkeying before it reacts drives me nuts though...

That’s something I was worried about, but haven’t noticed it the the West Mountain Radio model.

 

[W4KVW]

View attachment 38048


There are posts, but not quite any threads specifically about this amplified, high-audio-quality external speaker.

This is a
DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING
Speaker.

DSP. The reason this subforum chosen over others is that CB & Export equipment may/may not be of high quality today, but I’m not aware of any having DSP built-in.

You thought you had a good radio, but until DSP is added to the audio chain to clean up the noise, there’s persons and conversations you can’t hear. But your radio can.

Farther & Clearer. Elephant Ears.

$200-$225 at the manufacturer or the large online retailers.

There are offerings besides this particular speaker. Stand alone units. Other brands. Etc.

This one requires 12V power and the second cable is audio input.


I’ll leave this first post with this:

1). I wouldn’t any longer consider having a mobile unit without it. My income (and safety) can depend on communications quality.

2). I’m coming up on six-years and well over 300,000-miles of use with mine (1000+ days at 10-hours day) in big trucks including off-road in the oilfield.

3). There’s no CB/Export won’t be improved. None.

I’ll ask others who’ve had them to add their experiences. Mines confined to big truck mobile. (I’ve never tried headphones thru them, or attached this speaker to Amateur equipment, for example.

Not even, paring my fingernails settin’ in a kitchen chair while the under-cabinet local CB party line is full of chatter.

Thats a good day.

I have had it alert me ahead of others that a four car crash is still underway just six miles ahead of me . . . and no one else around me heard it.

That’s a day on iced roads with an adrenaline hit.

.

I use the ClearSpeech DSP Base units in my shack & I use it with every radio including my ICOM 7600 which has an Awesome DSP Unit as it is but the ClearSpeech unit make it even better.I can't imaging going back to using any radio without one.I use the Original model speaker in my truck with my UNIDEN 980SSB & it's The Bomb.

SIX-SHOOTER

 

[W4KVW]

I'm testing out a BHI version currently. Only negatives I've found -

• when you turn up the DSP past level 3 you start to get the waterfall sound in the background. This is common with lots of DSP speakers I've heard.
• when you unkey there is a 1 second period of increased static while the DSP reacts and kicks in again. I find this super annoying.
• the BHI model picks up RF easily. It has a ferrite on the cord but when sitting close to radios it acts like talkback. Had to move it quite far away.

I think these units are impressive as long as you only use the first stages (for voice) when you turn them up stronger it just makes voices too strange, but it could be used for CW at higher levels I guess.

The delay and the increased static after unkeying before it reacts drives me nuts though so I stopped using it after a day or two of testing. Going to do some continued testing with other radios this week.

For those who don't know,the BHI is the same as the GAP "HEAR IT" in every way except the name on them.I like them as well but sold all I had & went with the ClearSpeech models.

SIX-SHOOTER

 

[Slowmover]

Just in case anyone runs into the same

I noticed mine had a “pop” when the mic was keyed. I got used to it, and didn’t bother much with it.

Then Ralph (S&W357) ran into the same with his when connected to his AT6666. He quickly found that if you keep the speaker volume low, and turn up the radio’s volume, the “pop” goes away.

After he shared that tip I tried the same and it works for me too.

A). I run Uniden & Galaxy radio’s (what I own) with the CLR SPKR volume at 1200.

B). The radios volume “on” being moved from 0600 to 0900 on the clock. The radio volume gets adjusted MANY times during the day.
Barely.

There’s no question the speaker is very sensitive. (Forget you even own a Radio has talkback.)

This approach has worked for me in a big truck (my impression is that the more stray RF around, the worse the problem).

1). Mix 31 snap-on ferrites each end of each cord [4]. 1/2” diameter I.d and wrap a turn.

2). 1/4” I.d same type on each end of mic cord [2].

Total [6] of two sizes, same mix. (I buy from Palomar Engineers).

Barely detectable pop (if any) with 75W KL203P operating.


Jay in the Mojave addressed this in a post where using (search term) GE 47 lightbulb “helped”. I think also a diode across power.

Sonic Cushion.
(Another search term).


We need a pic!


Metal box with a lamp and a rheostat on dash. Hmmm.

Old dude looked over at me at the stoplight, then turned to the box and turned that dial . . . whoa, think maybe that was John Titor?!



.

 

[Slowmover]

I'm testing out a BHI version currently. Only negatives I've found -

• when you turn up the DSP past level 3 you start to get the waterfall sound in the background. This is common with lots of DSP speakers I've heard.
• when you unkey there is a 1 second period of increased static while the DSP reacts and kicks in again. I find this super annoying.
• the BHI model picks up RF easily. It has a ferrite on the cord but when sitting close to radios it acts like talkback. Had to move it quite far away.

I think these units are impressive as long as you only use the first stages (for voice) when you turn them up stronger it just makes voices too strange, but it could be used for CW at higher levels I guess.

The delay and the increased static after unkeying before it reacts drives me nuts though so I stopped using it after a day or two of testing. Going to do some continued testing with other radios this week.

Agreed with above. This doesn’t describe my experience.

That said, the comments are those I have seen applied to DSP controls in other venues. Thanks for the detail!

.

 

[Slowmover]

I use one for my mobile HF rig. It's LOUD and perfect for noisy environments such as the in my semi truck.

I tried the Gap amplified speaker and it didn't cut it especially on a windy day with all the wind noise at highway speeds.

Is this HI-FI audio? No, it isn't supposed to be but the audio comes through loud and clear without being harsh.

Also the DSP noise reduction works better than my Icom. I only turn it in on about a 1/4 turn to eliminate the white noise and it does this perfectly without the underwater effect like at higher settings.

My experience is as a generic steering wheel holder with LOUD radio. CB Rambo.

(Where do you mount yours and what truck brand model? Mines above left ear attached to headliner storage).

Haven’t heard this speaker (or any) with Big Radio Man equipment. Meaning, in seriousness, are other bands subject to conditions which makes for different audio altogether versus what a CB/SSB produces.

The “underwater effect” is possible, but not pronounced with this speaker (my experience). Almost, not there.

Let’s take very good CB sound reproduction as a given. By comparison, is it more difficult to produce “quality” audio on other bands (while mobile)?

I recall you have applied yourself in (music) audio reproduction. Is there a rule of thumb about Amateur Radio (Mobile)?

Thx


To everyone, any experience with this type speaker besides CB/Export, (say, a Yaesu 857 or comparable mobile radios?).

.

 

[Slowmover]

Works well with hf rigs as well

Specifics? Mobile?

 

[Slowmover]

I use the ClearSpeech DSP Base units in my shack & I use it with every radio including my ICOM 7600 which has an Awesome DSP Unit as it is but the ClearSpeech unit make it even better.I can't imaging going back to using any radio without one.I use the Original model speaker in my truck with my UNIDEN 980SSB & it's The Bomb.

SIX-SHOOTER

It was your posts told me I wasn’t as nuts about this as maybe I’d feared. I knew it worked well, so your confirmation was appreciated.

.