Hi Steve, KW3a: 

I was wondering if you could do me a favour, when you get a few minutes? 
Could you make a recording  of the audio from your TS-590 on 40 or 75M SSB and in CW, adjusting all the filtering and send it to me? 
I'd like to hear how well the 590 works in a crowded situation and hear the filters being narrowed and widened. I'm researching some new rigs and I've been listening on You Tube and so far, I really don't like what I've heard. 
The Rigs I've listened to are the FTDX-3000, IC-7600, IC-756 Pro III and the IC-7410. 
They all sound pretty much the same so I don't know if it has to do with the cameras used, if they're using the built in speakers or not but they don't sound good to me. 
I'm getting my 102 ready for a trip back to FLA for 1 more go through, so that I can save up over the next year or so for a new rig, should my 102 start giving me problems again. 
I've been told its the tubes but getting 2 1/2 years out of a set on a by weekly op schedule, about 4 or 5 hours a month, just isn't good enough. 
Its the piss poor quality of the tubes coming out of China and I think in the end, that's what's going to retire my 102. 
The VFO drift isn't major once I give it 20 minutes or so to settle down but blowing a fuse every 3 months due to poor tube construction certainly is a pain. LOL 
So if the file you make can't be emailed, I could send you a link to my dropbox. 
Do you have an email that you use for acquaintances and friends? Perhaps I could use that to invite you to my shared stuff folder. 
Hope you can help and 73: 

Mike VO1AX 

P S 
Back out to the cottage again this weekend, will look for ya for a sched.