justin_tx_16 Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 I know a lot of you guys, maybe too many, claim turntables have better sound than CD's. I can't contest this, I don't have all the tip top quality equipment to do this. However, at the same time, you guys will listen to the radio on your setup. You must admit that the radio sound quality leaves a lot to be desired. So I wonder, how many of you guys are going into XM/Sirius satellite radio? How about High Definition radio? A local station here is about to startup its HD signal, an NPR affiliate. Here is how it works Stations bundle analog and digital audio signals (with textual data, such as artist and song information, weather and traffic, and more). The digital signal layer is compressed using iBiquity's HDC compression technology. The combined analog and digital signals are transmitted. The most common form or interference, multipath distortion, occurs when part of a signal bounces off an object and arrives at the receiver at a different time than the main signal. HD Radio receivers are designed to sort through the reflected signals and reduce static, hiss, pops and fades. The signal will be compatible with HD Radio receivers and analog radios. For more information on HDRadio, check out iBiquity Digital Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 Very interesting. Aside from some recent difficulties with new tubes and interconnects, however, the quality of my Magnum Dynalab MD102 is quite good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Softail Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 Personally, the best decision I have made as far as music is subscribing to Sirius Satellite Radio. The SQ is just fine and much better than terrestrial radio. I have discovered music that I did not know existed and have broadened my musical taste. Every genre of music imaginable is available on the 60 plus music streams coupled with news, talk, local weather/traffic, sports and entertainment streams. Sirius music streams are available for trial on their web site, sirius.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Personally, I don't think digital HD will make commercial radio any more palatable. Although typical FM sound quality is abysmal, that is not the worst of their problems; which IMHO is the mind-numbing sameness of the programming. They all play the same lowest common denominator crap as though they're under mind control or something. Basically, after you boil the cabbage down, it is the age-old love of moolah that has reduced radio to the sorry state it is in today. Too much "programming by demographic market research", instead of just a bunch of guys playin' music THEY like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Interesting post Justin. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 I guess it depends where you are at. In Chicago we have a number of great options - WFMT (98.7) for classical, WXRT (93.1), college stations (i.e., 88.7 WLUW). Then there's always NPR. Actually my tuner sees more use than my cd player - almost always on one of the four stations listed above. I do agree with the observation that "new" music on the radio is horrid - especially any "alternative rock" station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ygmn Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 I do not think HDradio..which is basically digital signals...will be much any better then satelite radio....and with satelite it goes with you no matter where you are in the states...so less channel surfing.... and ya know...I get use to not hearing commercials with my music.... It will be an improvement over normal FM radio....but AM is still around... Currently they have RDS system with some local FM stations which gives you the song title and staion name stuff...so the improvement with this HD radio hopefully will be a much better sound... since I have XM..doubt I would buy it though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ob1clodi Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Wxrt is second to my family for things I miss about living around Chicago after moving away. I read an article on HD radio that said it is worse for hiss and poor sound than regular radio. The problem with hd radio and HDTV, there is too much crap that analog broadcast covers up, and hd doesn't. It might be awhile before the studio is quiet enough to make it sound better, papers rustling and the sort. The underlying problem is not enough Wxrts in the world, and too much clear channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Boy, I did not know there were so many people from Chicago here. WFMT (classical) certainly has the best sound quality and wonderful programing. I do miss the late WNIB (classical). They had cats and dogs wondering around the studio. Fun and not as stuffy. For years the owners of WNIB would request subscriptions of $40 per year. They pointed out how many classical stations folded. In the end the owners took $150 million for the license. I want my several years of $40 dollars back. OTOH, NPR WBEZ is not bad at all. I was very surpised when I got the Forte II working at the office, which is where I listen to WBEZ. Great sound in the music which goes with the NPR programs. Prarie Home Companion (Garrison Kellor) has good live pieces too. They do jazz at night but I'm not a particular fan of jazz. I do listen to rock on WLUP and WDRV (the successor of WNIB). There is a problem that the playlist is limited. WXRT is much more universal in the play list but it seems oddball stuff in the name of diversity. Maybe this just shows that I do fit the demographic of the limited rock play list. Gil Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skonopa Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 ---------------- On 3/8/2004 8:31:10 PM Softail wrote: Personally, the best decision I have made as far as music is subscribing to Sirius Satellite Radio. The SQ is just fine and much better than terrestrial radio. I have discovered music that I did not know existed and have broadened my musical taste. Every genre of music imaginable is available on the 60 plus music streams coupled with news, talk, local weather/traffic, sports and entertainment streams. Sirius music streams are available for trial on their web site, sirius.com. ---------------- Exactly! I went and subscribed to XM Radio, and frankly, it was worth every penny! I got so sick and tired of the crappy radio around here - the same tired seven songs instersersed amongs some of the most mind-numbing and stupidest commercials imaginable. XM Radio is a friggan god-send! A huge vareity of music, plus no "channel surfing". Just on a drive up to Massanutten for skiing, which is about 80 miles away, I often have to go through at least 3 stations. The XM Radio stuck with me the whole way with no problems (other then some cut-outs going through the mountain pass on Rt 33 through the Shanadoah National Park, but then again, I cannot get any decent FM reception going through there either, so it is not surprising that I would experience signal drop-outs on the XM radio also). The only time I listen to regular FM radio is in my truck, which is not equipped with XM radio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Justin, Man long time since I have seen you post in 2 channel. How are things with you? I hope well. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 OK, in the big city, FM may not be such a wasteland as it is here in smalltown USA. We have one station here in town. "New" Country 24/7. There are other local small-town stations, but the variety and sound quality is still very weak. The only decent sounding station was the PBS station out of Pittsburgh, Kansas, and now they've gone to all blab radio. A lot of BBC programming, because the small-town public radio folks must think those Brit accents sound more hoyty-toyty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 ---------------- On 3/10/2004 1:41:47 PM James D McCall wrote: Personally, I don't think digital HD will make commercial radio any more palatable. Although typical FM sound quality is abysmal, that is not the worst of their problems; which IMHO is the mind-numbing sameness of the programming. They all play the same lowest common denominator crap as though they're under mind control or something. Basically, after you boil the cabbage down, it is the age-old love of moolah that has reduced radio to the sorry state it is in today. Too much "programming by demographic market research", instead of just a bunch of guys playin' music THEY like. ---------------- Actually, this is the result of two companies owning 95% of the radio market across the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juba310 Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 I was wondering about the Sirius Satelite radio--- I'm really interested in getting it for my home, but I dont have the money for a 300 dollar base unit right now. Does anyone here know how the portable units work, and if it could be hooked up to my reciever? 95 dollars is a lot easier to stomach than 300... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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