Power Mikes Yes or No?

[Mr. Green Jeans]

I just bought a galaxy dx959 and want to replace the stock mike. Should I get a power mike? What are the Pro's and Con's of power mikes? If I decide to get a power mike which one?

any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated

Mr. Green Jeans

[notarps4me]

No. Echo echo echo

[Crankshaft]

What are you using it in, semi or fourwheeler? In a semi, you have to consider the noisey enviroment. Powermics are known for grabbing that background noise and letting us all hear it,lol. Noise cancelling mics, like a roadking 56 block out that noise, but you have to "eat the mic", meaning put it right to your mouth, so it picks you up. You shoud have mic gain on it, so you shouldnt need the boost. If you run talkback on the 959, noise cancelling is your best friend! I just picked up a telex-turner rk56 at a pilot, for 59.99. Theres some cheap knockoffs for less, but Ive heard they arent as good. Also heard good things about astatic mics. Its seems its mostly a preference to the person and their radio more then anything.

[pro1driver]

Originally Posted by Mr. Green Jeans

I just bought a galaxy dx959 and want to replace the stock mike. Should I get a power mike? What are the Pro's and Con's of power mikes? If I decide to get a power mike which one?

any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated

Mr. Green Jeans

i used to have a galaxy as well and frankly, the stock mic is better than most after market mics.

[Treadhead]

I would suggest a noise cancelling mike, Astatic is a good one, but there are many different name brands that are just as good. If you have the radio peaked and tuned it will have plenty of modulation using the RF Gain so you won't need a power mike.

[dbreed]

I have to disagree with two of the posters, while at the same time discouraging a "power mike".

First disagreement.
RK56 does not require you to eat the mike.
In fact I have proven time and again that held 1-2 inches from your mouth and speaking up, as if you REALLY expected to be heard works the best.

It does a great job of noise canceling.
It has excellent vocal freqs.
It is durable as all hell.

I don't like the tonal sound of an Astatic, but, it also does a great job of noise canceling.

I own both.

Backstage, forever, we have had what is lovingly called a "bullnose" or squawkbox. These ALL came with the Telex 56 mic. We used it to relay cues DURING shows, yes, when the music is playing. You wouldn't find a roady troup without them in the 60's, 70's and most of the 80's.
Today it has been replaced with portable radio-headsets, and the most popular and best are, you guessed it, Telex.

Eating the mic overdrives the element.
This, along with too much echo and too much modulation/mic gain are the reason so many morons hear the following IMMEDIATELY after they say something..... "Huh..Whajusay?"
In their continuing quest for the ultimate narcissistic electronic orgasm, they are blithely content to repeat themselves, ad infinitum.

You don't have to believe me, but, I have mixed more live music and vocal speakers than most people have ever listened to as well as made many quality recordings in live venues that my mentors compliment me for. Their recognition means more to me than anything because I learned most of what I know about it FROM them.

Give me an SM58, some Yamaha vintage power amps, JBL wedge monitors and Yamaha Q-2031 equalizers, and you can walk right up to my monitors and stick that mic in the face of any speaker with my show level gain set and you will hear NOTHING. Except your voice saying "Chhheck. Chhheck, one, two, Chhheck one two. One, Two.
Hello. #### that's clean".



I just have great ears and a feel for a mix board, whether it is backstage monitors or FOH.

Back to the posters question about "Power mics".

Ok, all cb mics have a matched impedance and SIGNAL/VOLTAGE level so they are compatible with the input stage of the audio pre-amp of the CB.

Are you an audiophile or a stereophile?
No, it ain't illegal and you don't have to register with the sheriff.

Have you ever heard of "signal-to-noise ratio"?
Ok, when you "power up" a mic, you are increasing the signal level or mic-level input voltage. Bad, bad, bad.

Notice that the best quality CB mics don't offer "power mics". Why?

Because their mics are already operating at the optimum settings for the purpose they are intended!!

Power mics are cheap mics with added circuitry that increases signal level. However, it take the EXISTING signal-to-noise ratio, (if this is too high, it is NOISY) and increases it. Bad, Bad, Very Bad.

Leave them alone, pay extra for quality and use it properly. Keep it off your lips.

I hate hearing the pop and spit of hard consonants and people taking and exhaling breaths into a mic. Back off and speak up.
It will be cleaner.

I guarantee it

[GalaxyTech]

Heres what the rule we go by if the radio is tuned up saying that only the AM Modulation Limiter is removed we say go with a stock mic or RK56.If the radio is stock use a power mic to give it a little edge.