2. analog
  3. 129530-1660

FM alive and well here...curious question

SoCal listener here. 

Last night, the Classical station finished their listeners  top 100 with Ludwig B's 9th.
I got sucked in listening to the end of the 4th movement.  I can't remember what conductor/orchestra, but fantastic performance.

My Mac 71 with a $20 indoor antennae is able to get a  signal strength reading just over "8" with dead center tuning according the meter.

Ludwig B was sounding clear,quite and simply fabulous. 
 
Im aware a "real" roof antennae is the way to go. Wondering if the effort to get a "10" reading on the tuning meter will actually be heard as even better sonics?

Just for kicks, I spun a few minutes of a minty 59' Living Stereo to compare. 
WOW! The record naturally wins, but my beloved Mac isn't far off. Considering the broadcast was a CD, it was reasonably convincing. It certainly was just as good as my generic CD deck(no fancy outboard DAC)

My 71 is stock, tuned with NOS glass. I'd love to hand over $ 1K for the RM mod, but ain't gonna happen.

LONG LIVE FM! Hopefully?


tablejockey
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 
I was pleased to discover that Portland (Oregon) has a good Classical and Jazz station, at the left end of the dial of course. I haven't yet set up my MAC MR78 (with Modafferi update), but I gotta get a rooftop antenna and rotor.
schubert
4,867 posts
 
More civilized cities tend to, in Milwaukee last year I was sad to learn they
have neither.
In Twin Cities we have a good Jazz station, which ,believe or not, is owned and run by the Mpls. school district .
Classical NPR is 24/7  plus 3 other streaming channels , archive , symphony AND choral all 24/7 .
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 
L.A.'s Classical stations are terrible, playing a single movement of a Symphony or Concerto. What are they afraid of, listeners getting bored?! Plus, they have radio "personalities", trying to be charming, but coming off as smarmy. To me, at least.
tablejockey OP
743 posts
 
bdp24-
Its not a surprise SoCals Classical and Jazz station are what they are now.

The biggest problem may be the  declining listener base. New listeners arent keeping pace with attrition.

I can do without the "personalities" but, this is California.





yyzsantabarbara
647 posts
 
I bought a Magnum Dynalab Signal Sleuth (demo unit) last week so that I can try to pick up S.Cal's KCRW better. I get the Santa Barbara signal from 88.7. I managed to get marginal improvement with this unit and my Magnum Dynalab indoor/outdoor antenna. For that improvement I am happy because I love FM especially KCRW. My ROON/Tidal playlist has grown so much larger just because I get to hear such eclectic music for free on KCRW.

I will likely buy the SONY HD tuner from eBay auction this Tuesday just to get the lower quality HD stream for the other KCRW channels (Electic 24).

All of this equipment is running in my office on the very adaptable Benchmark DAC2 (it has 2 analog inputs). My tuner is the Magnum Dynalab 205.

When buy my big rig system (hopefully soon) I will buy the Accuphase T-1100 tuner (supposed to be the best now) just to listen to KCRW. I know FM is "dead". However, while I am still alive and great music is still available on FM I will listen.

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