So Noise Reduction Circuit (NRC) on the Albrecht AE-6491 NRC what a most interesting beast it is. I’m one of the few fortunate to have a heads up look at this new invention. And what can I say? It’s quite interesting indeed. Something like a quasi DSP how it appears to distinguish noise against signal. Like always I guess I’ve some comments to make. Not asked for, but I’ll make them.

Amplitude Modulation:

The unit I tried the noise level (sound) really dropped when the circuit was connected. When you changed channel you could kind of hear (like with BHI Speaker) it sort of rises the level of noise in the sound and then quietens again.

Frequency Modulation:

Here the idea gets murky for me. It appears to work but within the working it also appears to have some sort of effect that the noise sounds robotic (maybe over reduced) not sure how to explain it. And same with AM as each channel is changed there is a sharp increase of noise and then after 1/2 second it goes much quieter.

Voices In My Head

As Sven reported too I’ve found if I use ASQ and SCAN on FM the radio will stop on odd channels and you hear voices speaking, or mumbling in a Boris Johnson way. Swap radio and channel silent. Take off SCAN and ASQ and channel silent too. You can really hear imaginary voices.. It is really off putting “but maybe in a truck it will not happen or be noticed”

Does it work?

Without a doubt it works. It makes a huge difference! BUT it needs refining in my opinion. Can’t tell the factory as “confidentiality” agreements they are not interested. In my opinion which is neither important, not really asked for, mostly not wanted I don’t believe all is well with NRC as it stands today. It needs more on air tests, maybe some algorithms changed on how it interpreted voice against noise etc.

Test Test Test

Real world tests, and a lot of them! Sitting in China with no antenna and just engineer telling all is well isn’t the same as sat with an antenna either at home, in a car, truck or boat. This is a super new idea, and sure now many companies will follow Albrecht in this NRC design. For SSB it would be a game changer really. Guess only expensive radios… Maybe have a level of adjustability to how NRC behaves?

Postscript

I was very lucky to see the radio ahead of release. Thanks immediately to CTE International and Albrecht. I’ve heard of NRC maybe 18-21 months ago when it’s inception was thought about in China. This radio is the first released with it (I believe) and of course oddities can and will occur. Like with new cars. I’m a John Doe user, like all of us. There are things I like, and things I don’t! Across EVERY brand sold. My personal thoughts are this needs some changes, subtle software changes. That said sure they’ll sell like hot cakes and never will someone say anything about it.

Next videos will come…

All Rights Reserved (c) http://www.simonthewizard.com 2013-2020 Unauthorised Use / Or Duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to simonthewizard and http://www.simonthewizard.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.