[parbaked]

Quote:

FM radio WITH A GOOD ANTENNA sounds much better than highly compressed streamed music, for sure. You need at LEAST 256k bit rate to come even close.

+1: I think the challenge is finding good FM content without annoying ads.

 

[palmfish]

MOG streams at 320 kbps. Ive never heard FM even come close.

 

[Oregonian]

Quote:

 
I am not sure that streaming audio quality would match that of a TOL off air FM tuner - especially one having the www.fmtunerinfo.com mods done to it.   My own listening tells me that good old FM is still better - IMHO.

The problem is the content - it sucks here and commercials every 8 minutes makes it unlistenable.

 

[Skylab]

At 320kbps, FM could only compete if you had a rooftop antenna and a good sounding station. But if so, it would be a close contest for sure.

When I work my antenna a bit, the Jazz public radio station here sounds absolutely killer, and commercial free

 

[palmfish]

At 320kbps, FM could only compete if you had a rooftop antenna and a good sounding station. But if so, it would be a close contest for sure.

When I work my antenna a bit, the Jazz public radio station here sounds absolutely killer, and commercial free

One can certainly get a strong clean signal with a good station, but dynamic range compression kills most airwave based music for me.

I only listen to FM in the car and as background music at the office.

 

[5aces]

One can certainly get a strong clean signal with a good station, but dynamic range compression kills most airwave based music for me.

People vary in their sensitivity to the digital artefacts produced by compression, and to the effects of DRC.
I can empathize with those who listen to mostly orchestral music,DRC can be devastating on FM.
Like Skylab,I have a Marantz Model 2285 Receiver and find the FM signal I get crushes most digital internet radio streams on sound,for my hearing and music choice.
Pickings are slim across the band for strong signals in my location but when you lock on to a good one,what a nice sound!

I use an RCA CANT110,with RG174U Coaxial Cable and the antennas extended all the way out,together,straight up and boom,in comes the music.


Next up would be a Vertical Omni-Directional Magnum Dynalab ST-2.They have a facility just down the road from me here in Brampton.
The counter guy suggested I just stay with the rabbit ears,if I couldn't mount the ST-2 outside,nice advice.


Cross-Dipole,Non Directional FM Antenna for crawlspace,attic or outdoors.


Best on an old tower,outdoor directional FM broadcast Antenna.

 

[BigCabDaddy]

One can certainly get a strong clean signal with a good station, but dynamic range compression kills most airwave based music for me.

I only listen to FM in the car and as background music at the office.

See? That's what I've always thought but from what Skylab is saying, I thought maybe broadcast quality had changed or something.

 

[Silent One]

Once I get my diminutive G-22000 setup in Los Angeles, I'll report back my FM experience.

 

[5aces]

I'll report back my FM experience.

Receiver/Tuner type absolutely do matter.
I hope you can hook up a good outdoor whip and tell all how blown away you are with FM broadcast !

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

Receiver/Tuner type absolutely do matter.
I hope you can hook up a good outdoor whip and tell all how blown away you are with FM broadcast !

 
Only thing to take care of is the whip. The Sansui's Tuner and the area L.A. stations that await, will make it a walk in the park - commercial broadcast, 

pirate or other.

 

[palmfish]

See? That's what I've always thought but from what Skylab is saying, I thought maybe broadcast quality had changed or something.

Im not sure, but I think Internet radio is different from MOG, Pandora, etc.

Ive heard some radio stations digital streams and they sound dreadful. But MOG is truly CD quality sound - its as though your spinning the disc yourself.

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

Im not sure, but I think Internet radio is different from MOG, Pandora, etc.

Ive heard some radio stations digital streams and they sound dreadful. But MOG is truly CD quality sound - its as though your spinning the disc yourself.

 
Hmm I looked up MOG. On their wikipedia page, it said that it's 320 kbps, unless I am missing something.

 

[grokit]

Quote:

+1: I think the challenge is finding good FM content without annoying ads.

Quote:

When I work my antenna a bit, the Jazz public radio station here sounds absolutely killer, and commercial free

 
Yup, public radio. We have a local community radio station where I live, staffed by less than a half a dozen people plus a volunteer board of directors and volunteer DJs/newsreaders. I host a loosely-defined jazz show the first Thursday evening of the month, and our station streams if anybody is interested PM me. It's nice to have a rapport with the people that you listen to on the air, perhaps even a friendship. And the musical selection is all over the place, something for everybody!
 
 
Quote:

Best on an old tower,outdoor directional FM broadcast Antenna.

 
I have one of these for all the stations that the "big city" 80 miles away has to offer, and they come in spectacularly, better than the local station with a conventional/tabletop antenna. Good old VHF, I use a signal amplifier with it.
 
 
Quote:

One can certainly get a strong clean signal with a good station, but dynamic range compression kills most airwave based music for me.

I only listen to FM in the car and as background music at the office.

 
I agree that FM is a bit compressed, but it's still pretty good. The only thing that sucks for me is commercials, so when I listen on the big antenna it's also public radio. Luckily there's a few great ones to choose from there as well.
 
I find regular stereo FM to be just about what you guys are saying, perhaps in between 240 and 320 kbps Mp3. But I'm not sure if it's the same type of bandwidth reduction?
 
Also does anybody here get HD radio? It's a digital signal embedded in certain AM and FM broadcasts. It supposedly clocks in at 300 kbps, I've never heard it

 
"There is low awareness among consumers, and even lower uptake."

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

 

Yup, public radio. We have a local community radio station where I live, staffed by less than a half a dozen people plus a volunteer board of directors and volunteer DJs/newsreaders. I host a loosely-defined jazz show the first Thursday evening of the month, and our station streams if anybody is interested PM me. It's nice to have a rapport with the people that you listen to on the air, perhaps even a friendship. And the musical selection is all over the place, something for everybody!
 

 
YES, I remember your gig! PM to come...

 
With my audio rig in storage, about all I tend to do is stream internet radio. Occasionally, the iPod/HD650 for a stroll but the pairing struggles not to mention traffic noise.

 

[harrinj]

my harman kardon 670 just has a little blown fuse so thankfully that's why the lights & tuner aren't coming on and it's nothing more serious, as for the twine that controls the tuner, that is out of my control. there are red lights in this receiver that I cannot fix (cannot get to them) so I am going to take it to I guess Stereo workshop in Eugene, OR and have the tuner put back and the lights that I cannot replace, replaced. but man does this receiver sound good with AKG K702