Batboard

I've seen complaints about (and have experienced!) some poor quality HT1550 receive audio, and did a little experimenting. I found that the audio quality improves slightly when using a P1225 metal baffle (the one shaped like a Tele-Path ad asterisk) in front of the speaker. The audio also sounds more readable when the original speaker is replaced with a 50-85925M02 speaker from an old RMN5055 speaker mic.

Anybody have any other tricks they've used?

Make sure you don't have narrowband set on a wideband channel and vicey-versey. If you are on narrowband AND have the the radio programmed as such, check your Xpand (compression/limiter) settings if you have it enabled.

Had a HT1550 for awhile, used it on UHF LTR and conventional. Sounded OK to me until I installed a narrowband system and had to goof with levels for awhile....

Dave

Part of the reason I got rid of my 1550s quite a few years back was thanks to the crappy audio. Now I have Astro 25 gear, which can't make more than about 4.5KHz deviation on an analog channel without pushing the digital dev out of spec (grumble).

I believe 'low level expansion' was the default 25KHz setting under the 'advanced' tab in the personalities. Depending on what radios you listen to, it can make things worse. Best to turn it off & see if it helps.

You definitely want to check the Compression, Expansion Type & Emphasis Selection for each personality in the Advanced tab.
Its always the first place I go when the audio isn't normal and it fixes the problem

mine always sounded bad too with just the radio, and with the speaker mic it was just as bad so i made my speaker mic, i used the cable from the 1550 and the head from an ht1000 and it really improved

My HT1550XLS is one of the last one's made, it has been great! It is a r5.14 firmware, it is just as good as my HT1250.

Just my 2 cents