Disappointed - Astatic D104M6B - Recommendations?

[Highland Ranger]

Received a new one from Walcott today.

Underwhelmed with the build quality - think felt cheap. Not the D104's I remember of old.

They even have you plugging the battery right into the circuit board - seems like a bad design for the sake of saving a 10 cent connector.

To boot, the thing came with a bad cord. Now I have to send it back. Hope Walcott CB makes good on it.

For the times it was working when I held the cord just so, audio was definately better - so I'd like to get another power mic.

Anyone else make power mics out there of better quality?

Seems like the piece of the radio you hold in your hand should have some heft and well built feel to it. The stock Galaxy mic feels better. Better switch too . . . .

 

[PSDfreak]

I was actually just looking at BUYING that radio...I also wants a mic with some heftiness/weight to it. Not something that feel flimsy and cheap. Glad I read your post maybe ill reconsider...lets send this one back to the top and see what other have to say or if any has some suggestions.

-Casey

 

[Switch Kit]

I really don't have a problem with the battery board connectors on the d-104 hand helds . when I first saw them I thought "cool" !! over the years I had to resolder battery wire connector wires back on the boards becuase they came loose or broke loose , on the board like they have now you know longer have to worry about broken battery connector wires, also on the older models the wires from the mic cords were soldered on to the end of the bottom of the boards and they to would break loose and have to be redone, the newer ones have the wires from the cords pluged into a molex type connector which is another plus for the new type of microphones. I personally think they are made much better then they once were. As far as finding a more solid, better built mic then the D-104 at 40 or 50 dollars in a power type mic , that's a pretty good question ? If you want a more bigger and solid type mic , you could go with a DM-452 type mic , they are powered and have echo controls on them that you can use or not use , there pretty decent mic's for 25 to 30 dollars , I've ran one before along with some othes I know and they do sound great with or with out the echo applied....they have volume and echo delay pots that can be used to fit your radios audio type needs as well right above where the 9 volt battery goes. I still say the D-104 is a well made decnt power mic , sounds like this guy got himself a lemon , it happens from time to time with all this kind of stuff.