Scott Wright, KØMD / [email protected] NCJ Reviews: W2IHY 8 Band Audio Equalizer and Noise Gate and EQplus I went to the 2011 Dayton Hamvention® Dan worked with me via telephone, and it not intending to purchase anything for the took me all of five minutes to get everything shack. I spent my time looking at new an- set up. tenna options, ring rotators, the new Elecraft I had one hiccup when I first hooked and TEN-TEC radios and attending semi- things up. I could hear hum in my signal’s nars. My friend Dan, W5DNT, suggested I audio that was not there without the sys- check out the W2IHY audio enhancement tem in line. It turned out that setting the products, as he was impressed with the W2IHY system boxes on top of my amplifier performance demos at W2IHY’s Hamven- caused the problem; relocating them about tion booth. Following Hamvention, Dan pur- 15 inches away made the hum disappear. chased a W2IHY system, and soon we were on the air between his ranch location and Technical Features Figure 1 — W2IHY 8 Band Audio my station testing it. The audio I was hearing The 8 Band Audio equalizer and Noise Equalizer and Noise Gate was remarkable, and I felt that the W2IHY Gate serves several purposes, but it’s pri- system might improve my SSB contesting. marily an equalizer. According to the W2IHY I called W2IHY in late June, and Julius Web site (www.w2ihy.com), it can provide immediately amazed me with his knowl- pileup-penetrating audio with substantial edge, his communication skills and his high frequency content, or fine-tune your ability to tell about his products without microphone for more natural reproduction. pushing me to buy. I ordered the 8 Band “You can make good microphones sound Audio Equalizer and Noise Gate ($269.99) great, and poor microphones sound good,” and the EQplus ($359.99). You can match W2IHY claims. All true! multiple microphones to multiple rigs using For the uninitiated, think of an equal- W2IHY’s customized individual cables ($30 izer — a piece of broadcast radio studio apiece). Julius wired my units to accept two gear commonplace for years now — as a microphone inputs and two outputs for my complex set of tone controls that can “boost” two-rig station. (In the case of the EQplus, or “cut” audio frequency components within Figure 2 — The W2IHY EQplus with I’d prefer to have the connectors on the front each of its available ranges or bands — the equalizer unit stacked on top of the box, not on the back, for convenience eight in this case. It uses filters to do this. in a contest setup, where various operators The W2IHY unit is a “graphic equalizer.” I did not really have an opportunity to may be using different microphones, for This simply means that you can visually set take advantage of the noise gate, however, example.) a response curve by observing the rela- because background noise simply is not an tive positions of the adjustment sliders for issue in my station. I have a dedicated radio Initial Impressions each range. A classic “smiley face” curve room with no TV outlet or AM/FM radio (my The system comes professionally pack- will, for example, emphasize the low and wife did this for me, and I am one lucky guy). aged in several boxes to protect it from high-frequency components of your voice, The EQ plus adds another layer of fea- the turbulence of shipping. W2IHY’s gear while keeping the mid-range relatively “flat” tures and functionality to the 8 band equal- is a thing of beauty, with handsome black or even subduing it a bit. izer/noise gate, and that made it a must for metallic cases and clearly contrasting This unit allows you to tweak your trans- me. While the equalizer allows you to boost white legends and lettering. The system’s mit audio’s frequency response within its or cut along the graphic curve formed by footprint was larger than I’d expected, so I eight ranges, from 50 Hz to 3200 Hz, up the slider controls, the EQplus employs had to make some space on my desk for it. or down by as much as 16 dB for each an adjustable compressor that can boost Julius told me that once the units were set octave. The ability to emphasize or boost your signal’s average power. It does this by up, there would be little to adjust, and he your audio within selected segments lets reducing the dynamic range of your audio — was right. While the visual appearance of you shape your signal’s “sound,” improving the difference between a soft sound and a the system is striking and pleasant, its on- its intelligibility, clarity or richness — or all loud sound — essentially squeezing a larger the-air performance exceeded my wildest three at the same time. signal into a smaller envelope. The EQplus expectations. The noise gate in the box is designed to has some basic equalization capabilities of reduce unintended VOX triggering, keeping its own, plus an “effects processor.” These Ease of Installation background noise within your shack from let you boost the bass or treble compo- Installation is simple and straightforward. going out over the air. This can be especially nents of your voice, while imparting greater It involves connecting cables from one box useful in multi-multi stations or in places “presence” and richer, studio-quality audio. to another box to the radios and the micro- where your station is less than ideally iso- A “downward expander” in the EQplus is phones. There are a number of cables to lated from household noises, such as that supposed to reduce background noise and connect, and it’s possible to get confused TV your kids watch practically 24/7 — when may be adapted for each environment. The if you don’t pay close attention. My friend they’re not texting or online, that is. box contains an audio limiter too. 38 May/June 2012 NCJ The two boxes connect together for a include them without attenuation. in more rapid succession. seamless, complementary audio process- The W2IHYsystem can make any Heil Stations hear me more easily, and my au- ing system, but each may be used solo too. microphone sound substantially better. I dio has more “punch.” I don’t have to wait as All you need to do is flip the separate power own a few Heil microphones and like them, long to work the new ones, and I delight in switches for each and season the audio to and they are all I use. Even so my W2IHY the compliments from DX stations regarding your taste. system has improved their performance my audio quality. This system definitely has by 103. earned a place in my station’s SSB DXing On-the-Air Performance For casual operating, most folks like and contesting lineup. It’s easy to spot operators using W2IHY a “flatter” response curve (ie, no special gear. Their clear, crisp, strong and natural emphasis on any particular frequency Do You Really Need It? audio is very distinctive. My home setup range — essentially equal from the low Some might argue that their new rigs, already was quite good before I purchased end to the high end), although some prefer whether a FlexRadio or the Elecraft K3 or the W2IHY system. I use an ICOM IC-7800 a flattering response with more bass (well, the Yaesu FTDX5000D, already have audio and a Heil PR 781 microphone. My rig pro- male ops anyway). enhancement capabilities, possibly superior vides several ways to tailor your transmit I use the same “sound” for contesting and to those in the IC-7800, making it less likely audio, and it was hard for me to believe DXing and in casual conversation. I leave that the W2IHY system will help them. I tend that you could improve significantly upon the microphone settings on the IC-7800 on to disagree. Julius has demonstrated his the ICOM-Heil combination, but you can. “wide” and use the W2IHY boxes to tailor system using his Flex, his TEN-TEC Orion The major advantage I have found is that the audio. Once set up, W2IHY boxes may and other rigs, and in every instance the my W2IHY-enhanced audio breaks the DX be placed out of the way. It’s easy to switch system has enhanced the audio. You really pileups more quickly and easily than ever different microphones into one or more rigs, need to try this gear for yourself, to appreci- before. Friends who hear me on the air with if necessary. ate what it can do for your audio. the system in line all comment that it makes Of course, it is difficult to tease out my One final comment: I found Julius incred- me sound, well, just like me. contest successes on the basis of my new ibly easy to work with, and I was astonished I really bought the system to see how it W2IHY system or other factors, including at the lengths he went, to make sure my sys- would perform in SSB contest service, such favorable propagation. But, there’s no doubt tem worked to my satisfaction. Every ham as in the North American QSO Party or CQ in my mind that this system has enhanced I have talked with has similar experiences. World Wide DX phone. I used the system my SSB activity and makes it much easier In my estimation, Julius sets the industry in both events.