Flex 5000

Hookin up those Audio Boxes without gettin yourself Perplexed.
Post Reply
Racer38
Voodoo Audio Head
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 12:07 pm

Flex 5000

Post by Racer38 »

Anyone running a rack with a Flex 5000 ??

Just upgraded to the 5000 from my 1000 and I am having a few small issues with some tearing in the audio. I am guessing its in the software for the flex and not the rack gear as it was awesome with the 1000 and there are some differences between the 5000 and 1000 software settings.

User avatar
Voodoo Guru
VooDoo Site Admin
Posts: 719
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 8:47 am
Location: Down there on the right...

Flex Distortion

Post by Voodoo Guru »

Howdy Racer38,

Unfortunately, you are now discovering the great bane of the Flex 5k, the high frequency TX distortion. There have been many an audiophile which have tried fruitlessly to get rid of that "scratch" on the upper mid and high frequencies.

It seems the early units were worse then the later ones, but we've heard it on them all.

The manufacturer usually blames it on station RFI.

Has anyone out there ever got completely rid of it?

Good Luck,
Voodoo Guru
From Deep in the IDD of the Sub-Harmonix Realm

Racer38
Voodoo Audio Head
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 12:07 pm

Post by Racer38 »

I guess I am pretty close to getting rid of it. Its not there all the time and seems to be an intermittent issue. I used the leveler control in the software to clean most of it up. Its too bad that a radio of this caliber has this type of issue, its amazing all the different configurations available with mixing antennas and such. I didnt think the RX would be any better than the 1000 but it actually is.
I am using good quality cables with shielding and have added some ferrites but probably need to add a few more. Keeping the cables short should also help some. I dont have the issues without the rack gear so I am guessing it could be RFI. You have to make sure your not over driving it as well and set the software gain stuff accordingly. Here is a good link to get the set up started. http://www.w1aex.com/psdrgain/psdrgain.html .. So I'll keep plugging along until I get it 100% clean !

Racer38
Voodoo Audio Head
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 12:07 pm

Post by Racer38 »

Finally got it all cleaned up. I had to make quite a few adjustments to the PSDR software from stock installation, but it sounds Great now .. So it can be done with the latest software !!

User avatar
Voodoo Guru
VooDoo Site Admin
Posts: 719
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 8:47 am
Location: Down there on the right...

Post by Voodoo Guru »

EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!! :supz:
Voodoo Guru
From Deep in the IDD of the Sub-Harmonix Realm

SM4PEL
VooDoo Audio Crew
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:56 am

Post by SM4PEL »

Racer38 wrote:Finally got it all cleaned up. I had to make quite a few adjustments to the PSDR software from stock installation, but it sounds Great now .. So it can be done with the latest software !!
Hi Racer! Nice to hear that your Flex-5000 sounds great now. :D

What did you do to the PowerSDR? I'm a little curious.
73 / / Peter (Flex-5000 owner)

Racer38
Voodoo Audio Head
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 12:07 pm

Post by Racer38 »

Well 1st thing is to set all the TX Buffers for phone in the DSP to 4096, then put the meter on MIC set the front page mic gain to 1/2 way (35) bring up the mixer menu and set it around the 1/2 way point talk into the mic and adjust the gain on the rack gear to get the mic meter as close to 0 as possible. Once thats done check the alc and make sure its somewhere around 0 to -5. That seems to be the sweet areas for the software. No scratchy edges and no pumping .. Hope this makes sense.

SM4PEL
VooDoo Audio Crew
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:56 am

Post by SM4PEL »

Racer38 wrote:Well 1st thing is to set all the TX Buffers for phone in the DSP to 4096, then put the meter on MIC set the front page mic gain to 1/2 way (35) bring up the mixer menu and set it around the 1/2 way point talk into the mic and adjust the gain on the rack gear to get the mic meter as close to 0 as possible. Once thats done check the alc and make sure its somewhere around 0 to -5. That seems to be the sweet areas for the software. No scratchy edges and no pumping .. Hope this makes sense.
Yes it makes sense :)
We running our radios exactly the same way, The DSP TX buffers set to 4096 was the tool for clean Low end and tearing problems :lol:

Rack gear here is...
MIC-2200
DEQ2496
tc electronic Triple C
V-Verb Pro 2496
EX3200
Mic is MXL Genesis

73´s Peter

Racer38
Voodoo Audio Head
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 12:07 pm

Post by Racer38 »

SM4PEL wrote:
Racer38 wrote:Well 1st thing is to set all the TX Buffers for phone in the DSP to 4096, then put the meter on MIC set the front page mic gain to 1/2 way (35) bring up the mixer menu and set it around the 1/2 way point talk into the mic and adjust the gain on the rack gear to get the mic meter as close to 0 as possible. Once thats done check the alc and make sure its somewhere around 0 to -5. That seems to be the sweet areas for the software. No scratchy edges and no pumping .. Hope this makes sense.
Yes it makes sense :)
We running our radios exactly the same way, The DSP TX buffers set to 4096 was the tool for clean Low end and tearing problems :lol:

Rack gear here is...
MIC-2200
DEQ2496
tc electronic Triple C
V-Verb Pro 2496
EX3200
Mic is MXL Genesis

73´s Peter
Pretty close on the equipment as well
MIC2200
DEQ2496
EX3200
DSP2024P
Mic is a AKG Preception 220

You just cant beat the sound of outboard gear with software.. It may sound good but not as good as a good rack !

Post Reply