2. analog
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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
schubert
4,867 posts
 
Seems OK to me, WI public radio puts out an uncompressed signal and
use 8$K Tascam Pro CD players and Denon 103 on their tables .
Takes about 2 minutes to judge for yourself .
Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
2,065 posts
 
schubert
Seems OK to me, WI public radio puts out an uncompressed signal
There’s no such thing as a real radio station that transmits an uncompressed signal. They all have signal processors in the audio chain, either before the STL, or before the transmitter, or both. They have to; they’re not allowed to overmodulate.

Of course, if you're happy with listening to the digitized signal online, that's fine. But typically, it's hardly the audio equivalent of a good FM signal ... even when the source is digital.
tablejockey OP
743 posts
 
"In a word: No. It's not even close."

cleeds-
"good sound" of course is subjective, but I can't imagine anything beyond lofi, if one doesn't have a decent soundcard in their pc?
 
A reasonably fast, clean internet connection is commonplace now, but a standard pc typically has a mini jack audio out, so clearly one needs to invest in additional hardware? 

I have limited knowledge on this subject of "online broadcast" and it's potential plugging it into a stereo rig.

If you are fortunate to live in an area with signals, seems a tuner is still a good thing for passive listening. Our public stations aren't the greatest to everyone, 
but I certainly enjoy them. The commercial rock stations-well, garbage for the most part, but a few bright spots if you look for them-anyone listen to Steve Jones(former Sex Pistol) 2 hour program? Fantastic, almost a throwback to a 70's listening experience. Once in awhile, a really cool musician from the 60s/70's chatting with Steve, sharing insight about the "scene" I missed being born a decade or so too late.


stringreen's avatar
stringreen
5,112 posts
 
I (being an audiophile) A/B'd the sound in my car (a factory installed Burmeister system) comparing FM to Sirius.......FM is significantly better on the classic music station (KBACH) here in Arizona, and better too on any station.
tablejockey OP
743 posts
 
Stringreen- I too have always heard a sonic difference between "subscription" radio vs "over the air" 

Clearly, the options kill FM.

This topic of FM listening  reminds me of
TV viewing.I don't have cable, and over the air broadcast still has a superior picture quality over cable.

Oh well, to each his own.  I'd be more alarmed not being able to listen at all!
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