A lot of this stuff is just personal taste.   I do have a 2000, 480, and 
590 in the shack.   I find the 590 rx to be better and the NR is much 
better.  The DSP is IF and not AF as in the 480.  There are no 
additional filters to buy.

The TX bandwidth  can be set wider on the 590 (up to 3 khz) and I think 
it sounds better than the 480, but again just personal preference.


The 590 speaks a bit more than the 480: power out, swr, alc and 
compression readings are spoken.
The 590 has USB connection as well as serial port connection.  You can 
run 2 different  programs at once (one on the USB and one on the serial) 
if desired.   Maybe a logger on one port and control program on the other.

The 590 has a built in sound card and all audio in/out  can be done with 
the USB cable.

I never really liked the small control head of the 480.   To me the 590 
is more like a real radio.

73, Steve KW3A

On 8/8/2013 2:38 PM, Richard Fiorello wrote:
> Hi;
> I posted this question a week or two ago  but lets try rephrasing.  I
> currently own a ts480-s-a-t and am reasonably familiar with that radio.
>    I wonder what I'm getting if I upgrade to the ts590?  It covers the
> same frequencies and transmit power is the same.  Is the receiver
> significantly improved?
> Also some engineer went out of their way to use somewhat different
> connectors for the ts480 microphone and paddle for starters.  When they
> put the ts590 together did they go back to the traditional connectors or
> stay with those on the ts480?
> Thanks
>