| Author |
Message |
    
Bc910
Advanced Member
Username: Bc910
Post Number: 745
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, July 29, 2006 - 10:46 pm: | 
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Hey all!
I got one the other day 'couse the place was out of my ol' fav' (the RF Limited trb-1 turbo board) I like Astatic mics and some of their antennas even so I figured it was worth the $15.00 bucks.
Here is what I got;
1 board
1 dual pot (echo/time)
all the cables/wires
3 brackets to mount to the radio chassis (in my case I only used 2 and took one off)
A cute litle bubble pack perfect for display on a hook at your local truck stop.
And finally, good instructions
This board hooks up just like most, all the wires for the pots are tied together on 1 5 pin plug that plugs into the board
a positive wire that goes to a switch 8-18 volt sorce
a ground wire to go to board ground
and audio in/out/audio ground wires
Install went smoothly, all installed, screwed down, bolted, and wire tied in place!
When radio was first turned on I tested audio with echo completely off and audio seemed no different even though Astatic boasts about their design for audio improvement.
Then I turned the echo on, just on, no echo
Well, no audio difference...
OK I can over look that, on to the ECHO!!!
The very first thing I did when testing this board was crank everything ALL THE WAY UP! Here are the results
With echo and time pots both all the way up you get what is still a reletively quick repeating echo that fades out within 2-3 seconds.
So the I set the echo for my normal setting which is a bit of a slap back effect. But to my surprise I COULDN'T DO IT!!!
Most echo boards have 2 controls 1 is echo (length of repeat) and 1 is time (time that the echo will keep repeating) thus allowing you to turn the time down all the way to 1 repeat so you get a slap back effect. Sorta like " ECHO echo, HEY hey, WHAT'S UP up"
This board doesn't seem to have a time feature instead it acts more like a volume control and controls how LOUD the echo is, not how long it repeats. There for, no matter what you have basically the same amount of repeats no matter where this pot is set, the only difference is how loud it is! This normally would still work because most echo bourds fade out while repeating so the longer it goes on repeating the quieter it gets. This allows you to turn the "volume" of the echo down so that only the first repeat or two are audible. The Astatic EB-1 seems to have the same level of audio on all of it's repeating echos up until the last few right before it just bluntly STOPS no fade almost at all!
Some of the earlier and more in expensive bourds I have played with in the past have a relatively high noise level and this Astatic is no exception! There seems to be a nice reverberated whine at certain settings (very high settings)
Pros;
Easy to install,
seems to be well put together (physically)
Good instructions
Consumer favorable packaging
Cons;
HIGH NOISE LEVEL!
Bad design (electrically)!
So what do I think of the new Astatic AB-1 Echo Board?
Get it if you LOVE Astatic and have to have every thing they make! Other wise Get a trb-1 (BTW you notice the model number similarities? Me too!) |
Allan
Intermediate Member
Username: Allan
Post Number: 181
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 9:27 am: |
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I found that even tho tapping 12 volts to the EB-1 board won't hurt it, it is too much. Find an 8 volt source and try that. Mine was doing the same thing. I was told 12V is too much for it, you know, over driving it, and 8V will tame it... Try that, and get back on your results.... |
Allan
Intermediate Member
Username: Allan
Post Number: 182
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 9:49 am: |
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Oh, Bc910. Did you try mounting it in different locations? Might help the noise problem. I had to remove my internal speaker to find a 'quiet zone'. |
Bc910
Advanced Member
Username: Bc910
Post Number: 746
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 7:00 pm: |
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Update:
I tried an 8 volt sorce for power as Allan suggested, still no help on any of the problems.
In my humble opinion this thing should be lying right next to Pat's Galaxy on the street somewhere in NY.
BC
PS, the fact that you may have to find different mounting locations, or even start pulling stuff from the radio (spkr) suggest very poor design also. |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3130
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 10:09 pm: |
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lay it down, Bc. i can hit it with the 31's on my durango, or the 44's on my blazer....just let me know how flat you want it  |
Allan
Intermediate Member
Username: Allan
Post Number: 184
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 12:18 am: |
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Bummer..... |
Bc910
Advanced Member
Username: Bc910
Post Number: 750
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 2:38 pm: |
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yeah, big bummer, I had high hopes for it considering the manufacturer
BC |
Allan
Intermediate Member
Username: Allan
Post Number: 185
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 01, 2006 - 9:00 pm: |
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I had no issues with mine, really, but in all fairness, it went into a stock 3.6 watt/90% mod. plain jane radio..... |
Bc910
Advanced Member
Username: Bc910
Post Number: 755
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 01, 2006 - 10:13 pm: |
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I have to be honest here..
There isn't a "problem" perse, just compared to other boards it just doesn't cut it...
It, on it's own is just fine but when you compare it to others...
BC |
Vanillagorilla
Advanced Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 714
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 01, 2006 - 10:50 pm: |
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"B"...I'm a little confused at to the noise level issue? Where from?
I've never done an echo board...OK OK I bought a box a year ago but figured for about the same price I could move it from one radio to the next with the nice option of remote mic location 
..but back to your issue. Please explain the noise level issue again? A somewhat regular around here dropped one of those Astatic boards in his Grant and sounds pretty good setup at a subtle setting using a stock mic.
Only time I've ever heard noise was when talkback was too high..or sometimes depending on application...ON. That was a ring in the audio though. Not sure what you mean by noise level?
Hope you find your problem!
Hank |
Allan
Intermediate Member
Username: Allan
Post Number: 187
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 02, 2006 - 5:08 pm: |
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Bc910 sez...compared to other boards it just doesn't cut it...
For 15 bucks, well...........! |
Bc910
Advanced Member
Username: Bc910
Post Number: 756
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 02, 2006 - 8:18 pm: |
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Allan, you got a point... but still.. IT'S ASTATIC!!! I had such high hopes
VG,
The noise I was refering to is that reverberated warbly whine that some boards create. If you have ever heard it you would know what I am talkling about. On the other hand I listen through head phones and have an ear for imperfections soooooo.......
BC |
Allan
Intermediate Member
Username: Allan
Post Number: 189
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 02, 2006 - 9:39 pm: |
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I wonder if any type of make-shift shielding would suffice. I'm sure those imperfections get bad enough at times to really get the creative juices flowing.... You can't let this get the best of you, so get back in there, if not for you, do it for the rest of us lazy ol' farts... |
