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Too much sidetone!

Started by McHeath, October 27, 2008, 07:09:46 PM

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McHeath

My 51' WE 500 that I recently won on ebay has, to my ears, too much sidetone.  My own voice is overpowering in my ear when I talk.  Any suggestions as to how to fix it?

McHeath

Piddled with the wires, moving this and that while seeing what happens after looking over the wiring diagrams.  The handset seems to be wired up correctly, as does the network, except for the ringer which is for party line it appears.  Been reading up on this and perhaps the 425A network with no equalizer is the problem. 

bingster

Even so, you wouldn't think it would have been put in service with that problem being so evident.
= DARRIN =



McHeath

Good point.  Maybe it's acting as it should and I'm just not used to it.  (my wife's theory)  Yet compared to her 54' model 500 the sidetone is remarkably loud, so I dunno.

bingster

I guess that could be the case.  Since I've had my 202 hooked up in the living room, I've grown accustomed to the complete lack of sidetone in it.  The other day I answered the portable in the kitchen, took it in the living room, and had trouble hearing because of the sound of the television coming into the transmitter and out through the receiver.  I had never realized it was so bad on that phone before.

But I still can't see any 500 having that problem.  It just doesn't seem right.  But I don't know anything about these equalizers, so who knows.
= DARRIN =



BDM

Many of todays phones have returned to increased side tone. I hate it! I find myself talking to low sometimes. I don't know if that's just poor quality control or by design? Years ago when I went to a club meet in Ann Arbor MI. I met with a few members who were former TELCO employee's. I remember that conversation coming up. Ma Bell was real anal about side tone. It was expected to be almost non-existent. On most of my Ma Bell goodies, that describes it exactly! Nearly non-existent!
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

McHeath

I can shut the sidetone off totally by moving some wires around, though I do like some sidetone as it feels better to me.  (How's that for subjective?)   Did not know that the Bell system had a thing against sidetone.    When I started using cell phones the lack of sidetone was noticeable and annoying, newer phones seem better, at least the ones I've used. 

Still, this 500 has the loudest sidetone of all my WE products, none of the others have been an issue at all.

BDM

Quote from: McHeath on October 31, 2008, 01:19:53 AM
 Did not know that the Bell system had a thing against sidetone.   

I should modify what I've stated. There is/was a standard. Of course some sidetone is necessary. Otherwise folks might start screaming into the phone. But, the actual sidetone standard was low..
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

McHeath

Experimented with connecting a 4.7 Ohm resistor inline with the white handset wire that connects to the red wire at the terminal block.  It lowers the sidetone dramatically, but also lowers the overall volume level to be less than desirable.  However, I may be onto something so will try other resistor values and see what happens.

Hopefully I won't blow the phone up.

McHeath

Okay, I installed a 470k ohm resistor in line with the white wire which connects with the red wire at the RW terminal on the handset wire block.  I ran the resistor over to the unused L terminal on the block and connected the white wire there, as you can see in the picture.  Sidetone is now nice and "normal" to my ears.  I tried a lot of different resistors and this one worked the best as far as keeping the volume level up nicely at the receiver and yet still allowing some sidetone past. 

Now I hope nothing catches on fire.  :o

Bill

There should be no problem with anything "catching fire" or otherwise behaving abnormlly. By the way, that is a 470 ohm resistor, not a 470k ohm resistor.

Bill

Dan/Panther

If you eliminate the sidetone, does that increase your output level ?
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

McHeath

Oh yeah, 470 ohm, I shoulda caught that.  As for output level I've not noticed any difference in either my subjective listening on other phones or my measurements on the test meter. 

Dan/Panther

Can you describe the meter testing you do.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

McHeath

I just put the meter on the various leads and see what kind of numbers turn up.  Check for resistance as well, nothing fancy, and I really don't know enough about these phones electrical systems to know what the numbers ought to be so I'm in the dark and eyeballing it.