This sends processed audio from your computer (DAW or plugins) into the TS-590 over the USB cable for SSB/AM transmit, bypassing the mic-jack preamp. It should be similar for the TS-890 too.
Using the USB port for processed audio for SSB transmit on the TS-590
I finally got bored enough to crack this puzzle. I knew it should work but just wasn't patient enough to get it all sorted out. The goal here is to use virtual audio from your computer via the USB port into the 590 in order to transmit that audio over SSB or AM or whatever.
The reason for doing this is that I have a common microphone that is connected by a Motu M2 USB pre-amp interface to my computer, where I process it with plugins to do things like EQ, compression, de-esser, multi-band comp and stream clipping for loudness. These days that's Caster on a Mac; before that it was Voicemeeter as a mixer and Reaper (similar to Cakewalk, Pro-tools, Studio One etc) as the processing/DAW on Windows.
I would put this into the bucket of something to do if you are sufficiently obsessive over your audio, patient enough to deal with the complexity and ultimately, bored enough to sink time into this.
Why do this?
- You bypass the pre-amp in the mic jack, so you gain some dynamic range, the audio just sounds a bit more "open" and clean.
- You can use this processed audio for your 590, for making Zoom or other video calls or with SDR rigs that support VAC audio (I have two). So in my case I have one mic, with one unified setup to use for three rigs and whatever other PC based things I want to use it with.
- Though it has a learning curve and headaches of its own, there is simply no more powerful or less expensive way to process audio than doing it in a DAW. Even paying for licenses I didn't have to, I'm in for maybe $150 for capability that would be several thousand in external rack gear.
1. Rig settings (same on any OS)
| Menu | Set to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 31 / 32 | 10 / 3000 | TX bandwidth (low cut / high cut). I use 10 and 3000 for best results. |
| 69 | USB | Input line selection for data communications |
| 70 | rEAr | Source of SEND/PTT |
| 71 / 72 | Balance with the computer levels | USB audio input gain level / output audio level |
Why 10 Hz here? The Kenwood has specific characteristics that make a 10 Hz low cut work on this rig. For most rigs, a 100 Hz low cut is the more universal advice; see My Audio Setup.
If you've never used your 590 for digi mode use, you'll want to go into the sound settings on your computer and locate the USB Codec device for the 590. There's a Playback device and a Recording device. The Playback device I renamed to TS-590sg Input drive and the Recording device I renamed to TS-590sg Waterfall Level.
You'll want to find a balance between those levels and Menus 71 and 72 in the rig. I'd say start at 50 for the level on both computer devices.
Don't forget that the ARCP-590G software from Kenwood has the ability for you to really tailor your audio via the User EQ settings in its DSP tab. You can also set the User RX EQ as well.
2. PTT
To pass audio over USB you must key with the SEND key, the SEND key in the ARCP-590G software, or a 13-pin DIN on the ACC2 port using pins 9 (PTT) and 8 (GND). It is important that you use pins 8 and 9. If you key with the other options for PTT or via the mic jack, it will all mute the USB audio.
The front panel mic will still work at the same time. Only one audio path is live at a time: DATA on uses the USB audio, DATA off uses the front mic jack. DATA mode works in AM too.
3. Audio routing on a Mac with Caster (my current setup)
I've since switched to using a Mac and with the software called Caster you can use VST/AU plugins for audio processing and route the audio to and from the Kenwood audio CODEC. The instructions for rig settings above are the same; Caster replaces Voicemeeter on the Mac and no DAW is needed to run the plugins.
A nice advantage is that you can then use plugins like Bertom Denoiser or Clear (an AI speech isolator) on the RX audio via Caster and you have the advanced noise elimination that SDRs have.
4. Audio routing on Windows with Voicemeeter
- My microphone comes in via a USB pre-amp box, a Motu M2 (others also work just fine). It is seen as an ASIO input device.
- I "attach" the input device of my microphone to an input on Voicemeeter Potato, which is a software audio router/mixer. So input one on Voicemeeter is assigned to my Motu M2's Input 1.
- The Kenwood audio codec is assigned in two places on Voicemeeter. One as an input source so I get the receive audio going into Voicemeeter. The other is as an output device so my mic audio will get sent to the Kenwood. In my case I assign the Kenwood as device A5 for the output bus.
- In Voicemeeter channel 1 is the mic input and I click the "A5" button there to send the mic audio to the Kenwood.
- In my Voicemeeter, I assigned channel 5 as the RX audio coming out of the 590 and I just click "A1" to send it to my main soundcard output to hear the receive audio.
- Deeper down the rabbit hole, in Voicemeeter system settings I have inputs 1 and 2 set up as audio patch so I can send audio out to the Reaper DAW for processing and have the result come back to the input channel strip.
The tl;dr of the audio routing
TX: Mic into input one of the Motu M2 → USB to my PC as an ASIO sound device → Voicemeeter software uses that as an input device → Voicemeeter then sends the output of that to my Kenwood.
RX: Kenwood RX audio → USB → PC → Voicemeeter as an input device → Voicemeeter routes to whatever sound card I want to listen on.
The combination of all of this is that you potentially get the absolute best audio the TS-590sg is capable of.