The Kenwood's Back again, Out with the New, In with the Old.

Hi Mike.. I got the ftdx10 brand new from Martin lynch..I had it one month and got rid I did not like it whatsoever it was a bad sound splattered with digital processors...it sound rubbish..I now use my icom 7410 again old school but it sounds a lot better than the dx10..over rated if I was asked for the price. £1500

I got started using a Kenwood HF radio, and they are definitely my preferred radios since I got used to their controls. If I had the money, I would get a TS-890 (or TS-990), but until then, I will keep my TS-940s front and center in my shack (I also have TS-480SAT, TS-430s, a pair of TS-440s's, and a broken TS-520s).

I always thought Kenwood radios sounded better. At least the Kenwood radios I own. Now my favorite HF Radio is my Elecraft K4 and that is a different discussion.

Yaesu has more DSP filter "ringing" or harshness, especially on sudden, loud changes in voice amplitude.

Happy new year Mike, love your clips very helpful.

@5.38 hi Callum 😂

It's clear that the Kenwood is by far better sounding and a gazillion times better looking, I do admit I'm biased owning a TS-990 😄

Sherwood tests are one thing, ears are another. On a day to day basis, the ears will always matter more.

(Unless you’re mad I suppose.)

My lord it sounds good! Hard to believe its ssb

Excellent setup now

Hi Mike
I agree that the Kenwood audio is less processed, but we listen to digital audio all the time on 2m "D-Star, DMR, & C4FM" so the digital sound is becoming the norm
I had a Kenwood TS690 which had no noise reduction and most of the time I couldn't listen to HF due to all the back ground noise it was just to wearing for me.
Just for the record I now own a FTDX10 so I may be a bit biased, In my opinion the FTDX10 is a fantastic radio.
On a strong HF ssb station it's like listening to FM just zero background noise. as you can minimise the amount of digital noise reduction by reducing the RF gain.
On weaker signals you do require more Digital Noise reduction which does sound over processed, but I can live with that to reduce the noise.
One last point there is a massive price difference between the 2 radios
The TS890 is around £4000 and the FTDX10 is around £1300 not everyone can afford a TS890 and to my ears there not £2700 of sound difference.

Watch all your videos and the best radio is the one that makes you want to use it.

Nice to see Lord Callum pay you a visit to help. All looking good now. You will be taking part in the UKAC contests before you know it 😂😂, 73

I always enjoy your vids Mike HNY.

Thank you, Mike and "Happy New Year". Your channel has been a mainstay of my shack throughout the year. Take care! -KQ4KIO 73

Initially I had a Kenwood TS-590sg, then traded that in for an Icom 7610, thinking that would be an upgrade. Wrong the only improvement was the waterfall display! The audio and filtration wasn’t as good, ergonomically it wasn’t eight for me and the build quality wasn’t as good as the Kenwood. The controls were sloppy. So I traded it in for the Kenwood TS-890. What a beautiful radio. Everything is better in my opinion. It is a pleasure to operate, and looks good too. Thanks for the video. Keep up the good work. The reorg of the shack looks good too. (G4BDW).

Another great video Mike, my only bug bear would be that these two radios are not in the same price band, the ts890 costing 3 to 4 times the cost of the ftdx10, i wonder how the ts890 would fare against the ftdx9000???

The 10 looks and sounds like a cheap toy compared to the 890.

Allot of HAM’s rush to get what’s new but don’t take into consideration what they really like about the radios they already have! The only Kenwood I own is a TH-D74 which I really like but as far as HF I own Icom 7300 & 7610 and I do love my Icom 9700 and 705. When I first got in the Hobby I never planned on being so heavily into Icom’s but it’s just where I ended up! Plus I loved my 7300 so much after operating it for 5+ years and tried a Flex 6400M and while it did have a nice display I just didn’t like it over my Icom’s! 73 and thanks for the video!

Both sounded a bit garbled to my ears but that maybe just the Mic you were recording the video with. I quite enjoy my DX10 but i couldn’t understand you switching from that fantastic 890. 😂

Hi Mike, happy new year! Last October, I purchased the Yaesu FTdx-101MP, most expensive radio purchase I have ever made before but have bought many sweet radios over the years! I boxed up my 3 year old Icom IC-7300 in its original box with all the styrofoam protectors, plastic bags then sealed it up and gave it to my dad. I then sent it through UPS to my dad in sunny Arizona, a 1200 mile trip. He's 81 and will really enjoy it after a bit of a learning curve. I would've bought the Kenwood TS-990S but the $8,000 - $8700 price tag made the look on my wife's face say it all, I'll just settle for the $4,900 yaesu!

The best part of switching back to the Kenwood, no dust bunnies to clean 😂

If you wanna pay almost 4 times the price of the FTDX 10, then we would all have a 890 .

I use the TS990S, excellent, most flexible on the market but not the best RX, however, I don’t do Dxing so it doesnt need to be. Also have nice analogue radios and prefer the audio… but the Kenwood range are my preferred modern radios..
TS 890S, reported to be slightly better in RX..

I understand that you were comparing SSB Audio between the Yaesu and the Kenwood. I just wonder if you were listening to CW whether you would feel the same way? Mark KB3Z

Had the dx10 and icom 7610 all good radios got rid just love my ts890 suits my style the only other radio i have is a fully loaded icom 9100 happy now with station setup now

Great shack and well-done video! 73 de WA3RSL

The Kenwood 890 sounds so much better than the 10 it’s making me seriously consider trading my 101 to get an 890

I just got the new Kenwood TH-D75A handheld a week ago. What a nice radio! I love it, did not think it was over-priced at all. Unlike some people.

Thinking about making the upgrade from Yaesu FT-991a to the TS-890S, but still keeping the 991a

Cheers Mike for the video, I also find the Yeasu sound a bit harsh on it's inbuilt speaker (FT991A this end) but much better with an outboard speaker which is how I run it. 73's de G4LEN.

I don’t know why but my 890 sounds way better 🤔

TS890 sounds a little overprocessed ....NR too high ?

The Kenwood is just a far classier, more refined looking radio. From build quality perspective it seems like comparing a Rolls Royce to a Ford. The Yaesu looks cheap with no thought given to the aesthetics. And yes, I own a FTDX-10 so I'm not a Kenwood fanboy. Regarding receive audio, I also prefer the Kenwood

Expensive toys for amateurs

M0MSN, any chance you could or already have a video on your 9700 how you set that up on D-Star in UK?

The Kenwood has much better audio. The dsp on the Yaesu makes the background noise less. Kenwood has poor, substandard noise reduction compared to the other Japanese OEM’s in my opinion. Congratulations on owning two fabulous HF rigs.

I will be moving to Italy in September and will finally be able to get to erect some form of HF antenna. If all goes well I will be looking for a new radio. I have had my eye on the TS590SG but seeing the TS890s in operation I am not so sure now. 73 de G0LQP

Radioamateurs with lote of money are very picky, and sound in your ears is very personol saids nothing about real quality...

My TS 890 looks so nice on the desk!!! The receiver can't compete with my FTDX 101 or my FTDX 10. I prefer the looks of the 890. My ears prefer the Yaesu receiver.

I do not have a TS890, but I do have a FTDX-10 in my small apartment in a rural area, working with a ATAS 120 yaesu mobile antenna and another comet also mobile antenna on my porch. I have to say it works so nice, great selectivity, sensitivity. I am working mostly CW and therfore less affected from the "metalic sound" of the digital filtering. A great transceiver.

Internal speaker of the TS-890 is too small for use in noisy environments. During JOTA the scouts are unable to use the radio without an external speaker. I did not see the knob turn, how did you tune?

Absolutely a beautiful setup sir cheers from down under 🇦🇺

Kenwood for the win cant beat the sound.

I love the display. I like the idea of the new ICOM with the separate front end but I don't think I could swap the Kenwood just because of the display.

The kenwood reciever sounds way better

Great video! de W2CSI

Having owned many Yaesu rigs, from huge FTDX-9000D, FDX-5000MP down to smaller FTDX-3000 and FT-450D etc I would say at one point I was a Yaesu Fanboi. However I have recently gone from an FTDX-10 to a TS-590SG. Reason I switched is I wanted a non touch screen/fish finder experience and I like the idea of a basic superhet over a full or hybrid SDR radio.

I am really pleased with the 590, and managed to get a VGS-1 along with the SO-3. I am so happy with settling for a less bells and whistles, yet great performing rig, that I have just bought another as a backup, along with an VGS-1 and SO-3 again. I always fully load my radios or I feel I am missing out on functionality.

I personally wouldn't run any radio with NR with maybe the exception of a little on the FTDX-5000MP which is an incredible radio even today. I find it much better just to bring the RF gain down.

Great video Mike, thanks for the comparison.

73
Mike
M0SAZ