Re: [TenTec] Omni-C vs. Corsair vs. Omni VI+ - which one to keep?

[Ed <w3nr@comcast.net>]

WF2U wrote:
> I'm seeking some opinions/advice regarding the performance of the Omni-C,
> the Corsair and the Omni VI+.
>
> I'm a long-time classic "boatanchor" radio collector and operator, but I
> always had a solid-state transceiver, just for the convenience of a casual
> QSO with a fairly modern rig. My present transceiver, an ICOM 756 is very
> unsatisfactory as the receiver performance goes. After some research, I
> found that the performance of Elecraft K2 and the Omni VI+ receiver is on
> top of the list, after the Orion main receiver. (At this point I'm not ready
> yet to spend that kind of money)...
> I compared the newly purchased used, fully filtered up Omni VI+ with the 756
> and clearly the Omni is a superior performer.
> Then I went hog wild and found an Onmni-C and a Corsair for a price I
> couldn't refuse ;-).  So far the Omni-C beats the pants off the 756 receiver
> as well. The Corsair is great too. For some reason, I find the receive audio
> of the Omni-C more pleasant than the Corsair, but the Corsair PBT is very
> nice. I don't have the instrumentation to run real meaningful bench tests on
> these radios, so I'm looking for some subjective and maybe some fact-based
> opinions. My Omni VI+ is at T-T right now, for service (some instability in
> the output power) so I can't do a one-to-one comparison with the other two.
>
> The digital tuning in the Omni VI+ (vs. the analog VFO in the Omni-C and
> Corsair) is not a very important point as far as I'm concerned, neither are
> the microprocessor control, memories, serial interface and DSP in the VI+.
> (I have an external DSP box, so I can attach it to any rig).
> As I live in a rural area, there is no man-made noise and strong blocking
> signals around here. All I'm interested in is the pure weak signal receiver
> performance, all the bells and whistles are secondary. I'm looking for the
> performance/price ratio. Why pay for DSP, if for example the DSP is needed
> to mask the high phase noise, internal digital garbage and/or otherwise poor
> receiver performance - which I find is the case with the 756...
>
> So - which one(s) do I keep? (I may decide to keep 2 out of the three...)
>
> Thanks for any input and opinion.
>
> 73, Meir WF2U
> Landrum, SC
>
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Meir, that is really a tough question to answer. I have owned all 3 more 
than once. I have also had TT's since 1978, so hopefully that counts for 
my opinion. As far as I am concerned, hands down, say what you want, the 
best and I mean the best TT receiver was the analog Omni A. Steve, N4LQ 
had a simple mod that improved the CW receive to optimum. The phase 
noise in the OmniV- OmniVI is objectionable to me. The Corsair II was 
much better, BUT the A still wins. The C is a close second, with some 
"whine" from the digial dial readout. Tough choice....73

Ed W3NR

PS Anyone have a decent OmniA for sale ???
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