Radioddity GM-30 Low TX Audio?

[mrgmrs]

I am considering purchasing a Radioddity GM-30 GMRS HT.  Of the various negative comments made in reviews, one that is disconcerting is reports of low TX audio.

Commentators have said "you need to practically eat the mic to use it" or "if you're more than an inch away from the mic  TX audio is nonexistent."  Purchasers, including some on this forum, have returned the radio for this reason.

For the folks on this forum, especially if you own a GM-30 and have used it for some time, what is your assessment of its TX audio?  Thanks.

[MichaelLAX]

No one has responded to you yet, but I have the clone Pofung P15UV and have no such reports.

Any many here have lauded the GM-30 for its features set vs. price and again, I do not remember any such criticism.

Try one where you can return it if unhappy and see for yourself!

[bobthetj03]

I have a GM-30 and have no audio issues. Make sure you set it to wide band. 

 

[DanW]

I've got one.  Zero issues.  It is my favorite GMRS handheld.

[mrgmrs]

First, thanks everyone for your responses.

Regarding making sure that the radio was in wideband mode, some of the reviewers had stated there was low tx audio even after verifying the radio was set to wideband.

Perhaps the people who reported low tx audio happened to get an affected model.  I don't remember if it was here, on Amazon, on RadioReference, or a comment in a Youtube review...someone thought a possible explanation could be that remnant flashing from the manufacturing process maybe blocked the mic partially.

It's been awhile since the GM-30 was introduced.  If there was a manufacturing issue, maybe Radioddity addressed it.  If so, they didn't let on in their response to my email in which I asked if they were aware of reports of low tx audio.

Again, thanks for everyone's responses.

[MichaelLAX]

9 hours ago, mrgmrs said:

Regarding making sure that the radio was in wideband mode, some of the reviewers had stated there was low tx audio even after verifying the radio was set to wideband.

Did they ascertain that both radios were set to wide band mode?

[WRPS580]

I bought two Radioddity GM-30 HT's about a month apart from one another.

One has normal tx audio, the other has low tx audio -- need to talk very close to microphone. Same firmware version, same programming, same band width (wide/narrow).

I think the low audio started happening about a month after I bought it, I recall it being fine when new from the box.

[mrgmrs]

@MichaelLAX

@WRPS580

 

First, @MichaelLAX, reviewers typically didn't provide details whether their radio and the target radio were both set to wide band.  However, @WRPS580 did mention of the two GM-30 radios he has, both were the same firmware version, same programming, and same bandwidth (wide/narrow).  So without knowing if he was using his two radios for a transmission test to each other or if he used his radios separately to talk to a different radio, at least the parameters of his two radios were the same.

To be fair to Radioddity, reports of low audio are inconclusive.  Maybe the majority occurred if a GM-30 that was in narrowband tried talking to another GMRS radio that was set to wideband.  Or if there was a problem early in the GM-30's release, perhaps Radioddity fixed it, possibly quietly.  There have been quite a few positive reviews of this radio stating there was no low audio issue.

Therefore, the first response by @MichaelLAX to this post offers good advice.  If purchasing a GM-30, when asking for radio checks, explicitly ask how the tx audio sounds.  This is actually a good thing to ask when getting early radio checks for any radio purchase you make.  And as Michael stated, if the GM-30 (or any newly purchased radio) exhibits low tx audio, be prepared to return it within the exchange/warranty interval.

Thanks again for everyone's comments.

In Summary

1. Plenty of people say this radio is good and does not have low tx audio.

2. As with any new radio, ask for radio checks and explicitly ask how the tx audio is.

3. If there is a low tx or other issue, exchange the radio within the exchange/warranty window.

 

[WRND742]

I have a pair of GM-30’s and haven’t noticed this. I’ve had them about 9 months or so.    I did have one battery that wouldn’t charge fully, out of the box.  Radioditty sent a new battery promptly.