Radiosystems now making the Talking House under new name of I A.M.radio have an "enchanced" version of the TH-5 talking house that costs $200 compared to the TH-5 model that is $95 on ebay or the radiosystems website. It's supposed to sound "much better" with their mods. Has anyone tried these units? and would the other(TH-5) sound just as good with some adjustment with eq. at the source?
Can't see it being $100 better.
Thinking of getting this but don't want to be brainwashed into spending $100 more.
Try asking Radio Systems for a unit "on approval" so you can test it for audio quality and return it if you are not satisfied.
In the past the Broadcast General Store, which sold audio processing gear, sent me the most expensive version of the Aphex Aural Exciter for trial tests, and I ended up returning it and purchasing the less expensive version.
It can't hurt to ask.
the iAM sounds very good. i owned one, but there is a slight little problem with them. RS modified the modulator section and boosted voltage to the final RF stage thus boosting the input power well beyond the 100mW input and did not seek recertification or modification of certification forthe mods that were done. this voids the iAM as it is being marketed essentially without certification. i will likely get blasted for statingt his but anyone with electronics background and both units sitting in front of them with covers off the mods are obvious. a friend with a calibrated motorola rd2100 series calibrated monitor read the RF output at the f connector at more than 250mW output vs 135mW output of the THII.
i have decided not to take any chances of running a possibly illegally modified transmitter and run the original TH v5 that the certification used on the iAM belongs to.
i am only posting this as an observation i made so that users of the iAM can be informed of possible certification issues surrounding the iAM improved transmitter.
i am not saying don't buy from RS i am just saying it is in your best interests to buy the THv5 transmitter for 95.00. i purchased my v5 from radio systems global and it is a very good transmitter for the price with no issue around certification.
The I-AM transmitter from Radio Systems is FCC Certified.
The story that floats around about improper modifications is a folk tale that keeps getting retold.
I'm not going to wade into this argument, other than to say that I've used the Talking House V and it sounds fine. Not as good as the Procaster or Rangemaster, but still good. Sorry, but I've never used the IAM unit. However, you're not going to get high fidelity out of an AM transmitter, no matter how much you spend.
I guess, bottom line, you need to look at the content you're going to broadcast, and then make your compromises (quality vs cost).
Thanks Robert for the info on the possible illegal mod on the enchanced version. I would rather get the $95 unit but since you have both is there much of a difference in sound using the line in and playing music from same source in both units? Is the modded one $100 better? or could the TH-5 sound near the same with some adjustment of EQ at source?
Trying to get an unbiased review..of course RS will tell me the modded one is so much better...they're trying to sell them. I would be probably use the wire antenna more of the time.
Best sounding am tx I ever heard to date is the amt5000. It goes thv5, iam, am1k, amt5k. Never heard or owned a procaster to comment on its quality. On the iam I am not about to argue my point. This argument is about as pointless as the ground lead argument. I own both and chose the th v5 over the iam for the stated reasons. Time will only tell if I am right or not. I personally am not taking any chances. I will leave it at that. With that said I am vacating this thread with no further comments about it.
Considering the FCC took my I.AM saying it was illegal...
I'd almost be inclined to belive it... :/
Was your I.AM and ATU installed with the ATU elevated, or was it installed with the ATU at ground level, or was it just sitting on a shelf unused? This would help to clarify the I.AM/ATU legality issues. Does the paperwork they left with you state why the I.AM was determined to be illegal?
I'm with Phil B on this one ... Mr. Mighty1650 - please come up with paperwork copies so we can see what actually happened. I have never heard of the FCC confiscating gear without a complaint file, either by themselves, such as a field agent , or from somewhere else. I never heard of them coming onto someone's property to confiscate commonly-used gear without giving the user a chance to quit or explain, in writing, before such an action. There <em>MUST</em> be some documentation.
So <em>PLEASE</em> let us see it. The FCC is under relatively new leadership. It's extremely important that we be aware of policy/procedure changes.
OK, I see it in another thread in the Law/Regulations forum
I've tried both the original and the modified one. The original is a bit like fingernails on a chalkboard. The modified one actually sounds like a real AM radio station. I doubt anyone would listen to you play music on the cheaper model.
There is such concern for modification of the T.H. transmitter as far as audio. I solved the problem of how lousy it sounds through an outboard modification, A trip to an audio store where they sell guitars and sound equipment purchasing a used compressor limiter for a cheap price solved it. also it enhances the richness of the audio quality as well. No internal modification necessary to the transmitter. It sounds great now.
i just got a talking house th 4.6 i know about the 5.0 becouse that was my last one i had till it went out on me so i got this one th4.6 any body know how it sound pair to the 5.0 and what i need to pu with to get better sound