I've read an original posting (2012) and all responses. I don't want to beat the subject into the ground but after hearing my first hf transceiver on AM I'm shocked at the attempt or lack of by yaesu, icom, Kenwood and what I'm guessing all the other manufacturers to build a transceiver that will operate on AM with decent sounding audio. I had an excellent qso with 351 Oliver from Germany on 27.575 usb. His signal happened to be off the chart as conditions couldn't have been better. He was operating a yaesu1000 mk V. His audio was hands down the best I've ever heard. Incredable! Our qso eventually went to the question of hf's on AM. He'd never used his on AM as he exsplaned he only operated ssb. He suggested we go to AM. We did and wow! What a mess! Basically inaudible. I've researched the subject as much as one could. Reading all the qst Q n A's on the subject. Some writing thay tricked there friends on AM net's where all the old timers use their valiants, kw1's and all those wonderful plate modulated transmittters while using his hf transceiver adjusted correctly to operate on AM and wrote that the other operaters said "what have you done. Your Johnson ranger sounds most excellent tonight". Is this possible? He went on to write that some not all hf's can be run on AM to sound like a plate modulated rig. After all my research on the subject I find that getting an hf to sound good on AM is unlikely and plate modulated type audio? Doubt it! Some say running them with 20-25 watts and tweaking the radios eq and using a mic that's not specially geared for ssb will get you above average audio on AM. I found a post about a modification that can be done on the icom 761 that will make it sound as good as any palate modulated transmittter/transciver. It consists of adding a variable output adjustment to lower the output wattage on AM to 15-20 watts. The author did mention some other adjustments to get it there (don't recall all details) but I'm sceptical. I don't understand why these manufacturers even add AM transmitt? Why not just leave the AM receive only? The reason I'm interested in this subject is I enjoy ssb tremendously but ocastionaly like to do some local AM rag chew and usually switch to one of my several tube rigs. My daily ssb rig is a uniden Madison and I'm comfortable knowing if I want to switch between ssb and AM my audio will be loud, crisp and clear at close too 100% modulation (with the amp 200 watts). I still haven't purchased my first hf transceiver as this poor AM audio has become a sticking point for me. Has anyone had any success getting there hf to sound as good or better than a hight end older cb like a Madison, 2000 etc. etc? Like everything else the web postings ate sll over the place. It can definitely be done (great audio). It definitely can't be done. So can on get an hf too sound good to excellent or not?