Digital Radio

[Gullscorer]

Sigh... You're right, Cambgull, of course sound quality depends very much upon the equipment in use. That's obvious. But how can you say the airwaves make no real difference, when you admit that your FM signal was the best frequency you could find? But, all things being equal, with a good signal and top quality equipment, my experience, and that of a good many others, is that old-fashioned FM is superior in sound quality to digital radio.

However, given the type of music you mention to support your argument, it would appear that we are actually listening for different things. Perhaps that is the difference. When I listen for sound quality, I want to hear voices and sounds that are as close to the original as it's possible to be. I want to hear, in a symphony, and indeed in what is known as easy listening, acoustic instrumental music, and (dare I mention it?) in folk music, a completely natural sound, reproducing the full colour and dynamic and tonal ranges of an orchestra or a group of singers in a room. And in this regard, to my ears, all things being equal as stated, FM is superior to digital radio. Perhaps, on good equipment, not by a wide margin, but to me the difference is apparent.

But then there is the question of the number of available stations or channels. There is nothing on digital radio locally which I want to hear that is not available on FM, except perhaps for the BBC World Service and the Asian Network, and these are available on my computer. Practically all the rest is all the same: a lot of stations playing rock or pop music in which I have no interest, mixed with some chat, news and sport. Thanks, but no thanks.

As for continental stations, with my FM aerial I've heard some excellent classical orchestral and instrumental music, operas, and mentally stimulating discussions, not to mention soccer commentaries! And if you want to learn a language: French, German, Dutch, Portugese, Spanish, these stations are ideal. How on earth can anyone say they're awful...??

Rest assured, it is possible to pick up free and legal satellite television from various countries worldwide, though, as you would expect, the choice of channels is very limited. But I gave up on television years ago. I'm quite happy with the internet, my hi-fi music, CDs, DVDs, my books, and my FM radio...

[happytorq]

Well, I don't have a satellite dish; if I did, I could no doubt, depending upon which satellite, pick up television from Europe, Asia, the Far East, or elsewhere.

I actually meant the satellite radio they have over here- most cars have it installed as standard now; signal comes from 2 specially launches satellites. http://www.siriusxm.com

It's what allows me to listen to prem football in my car. I think there are about 200 channels now, which is great.

[cambgull]

Sigh... You're right, Cambgull, of course sound quality depends very much upon the equipment in use. That's obvious. But how can you say the airwaves make no real difference, when you admit that your FM signal was the best frequency you could find? But, all things being equal, with a good signal and top quality equipment, my experience, and that of a good many others, is that old-fashioned FM is superior in sound quality to digital radio.

But this is where the problem with FM lies. It is almost impossible to find signal as clear as DAB without spending hundreds of pounds on equipment, whereas I can pick up a DAB radio with perfect signal for as little as about £20. So, okay, perhaps the airwaves make some difference. The difference being that DAB is better because you always have perfect signal without spending the GDP of a small African nation.

However, given the type of music you mention to support your argument, it would appear that we are actually listening for different things. Perhaps that is the difference. When I listen for sound quality, I want to hear voices and sounds that are as close to the original as it's possible to be. I want to hear, in a symphony, and indeed in what is known as easy listening, acoustic instrumental music, and (dare I mention it?) in folk music, a completely natural sound, reproducing the full colour and dynamic and tonal ranges of an orchestra or a group of singers in a room. And in this regard, to my ears, all things being equal as stated, FM is superior to digital radio. Perhaps, on good equipment, not by a wide margin, but to me the difference is apparent.

Anyone else sensing the smugness that comes from a man who listens to Orchestras? Usually the type of person who assumes that people who listen to other forms of music aren't interested in and wouldn't listen out for anything even remotely close to what they listen to. Unfortunately, you're talking to someone who is a bassist and a singer, has been in bands from Folk, through Chillout and Jazz right up the scale to various forms of Metal, including Musical Theatre. Something which I actively take part in on the stage as well as off. I'm in a relationship with someone who is a music teacher at a post-Grade 8 standard on the Flute and not far off Grade 8 standard on around 7 other woodwind instruments. She was 1st Flautist for the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra (let's face it, Cambridge is full of musicians!) and has a knowledge of Orchestral music which is bordering on encyclopaedic. With another few months of training I will probably be pitch perfect and I work in electronics where my job is to understand in great detail how each and every product my company sells works, mostly audio and TV. Do you really think I don't know what I'm listening for?

Or, you could continue talking about technology and your ear for music which you seem to know so much about.

But then there is the question of the number of available stations or channels. There is nothing on digital radio locally which I want to hear that is not available on FM, except perhaps for the BBC World Service and the Asian Network, and these are available on my computer. Practically all the rest is all the same: a lot of stations playing rock or pop music in which I have no interest, mixed with some chat, news and sport. Thanks, but no thanks.

As for continental stations, with my FM aerial I've heard some excellent classical orchestral and instrumental music, operas, and mentally stimulating discussions, not to mention soccer commentaries! And if you want to learn a language: French, German, Dutch, Portugese, Spanish, these stations are ideal. How on earth can anyone say they're awful...??

You must have heard some totally different stations to the ones I've heard in France and Germany. Whenever I've listened they just seem to play Europop. As for German, (I can only speak for German stations, as I don't speak much French) the stations tend to just talk about the financial-goings-on in Germany and the EU, something which I can listen to on Radio 4 and the internet whenever it pleases me.

Rest assured, it is possible to pick up free and legal satellite television from various countries worldwide, though, as you would expect, the choice of channels is very limited. But I gave up on television years ago. I'm quite happy with the internet, my hi-fi music, CDs, DVDs, my books, and my FM radio...

It is possible, but anything worth watching is usually illegal, unfortunately. That's probably why it's worth watching. I'd highly recommend Netflix, very good service although it's now been beaten by Now TV, a service from Sky which allows you to stream the latest films at around the same time that they're released on DVD, around a year faster than Netflix and LoveFilm. Although for that it's a bit more expensive.

[Gullscorer]

Well, I have a £40 DAB radio and the sound quality leaves much to be desired. Could indeed be a poor signal where I live, though I have no problem with the FM signal. But I would dispute that there is always a perfect signal, whether digital or otherwise. DAB reception quality degrades differently from FM with a decreasing signal and is more suited to receivers on the move. In theory though, DAB quality should be as good as CD. It's a pity we don't have the DAB+ system which really is of better quality.

I have no experience of satellite radio, but I would be surprised if that was not at least as good as a terrestrial DAB signal. Equipment is of course important; perhaps if my DAB equipment matched the quality of my traditional hi-fi FM, I would be more satisfied.

First time you've mentioned classical/orchestral in your posts here, Cambgull. Even so, you must surely agree that such music, and electric/rock/pop/metal music, have different sound qualities, and I was therefore pointing out the sound qualities I look for. How on earth is that smugness? I, too, listen to all types of music but, like you and everyone else, we all have our own particular preferences, interests, likes and dislikes. I'm sure you didn't intend to question the personal qualities of a contributor to the debate, but, if you did, it's probably time for me to withdraw. I'm very sensitive and easily hurt.. :na:

[cambgull]

Well, I have a £40 DAB radio and the sound quality leaves much to be desired. Could indeed be a poor signal where I live, though I have no problem with the FM signal. But I would dispute that there is always a perfect signal, whether digital or otherwise. DAB reception quality degrades differently from FM with a decreasing signal and is more suited to receivers on the move. In theory though, DAB quality should be as good as CD. It's a pity we don't have the DAB+ system which really is of better quality.

I have no experience of satellite radio, but I would be surprised if that was not at least as good as a terrestrial DAB signal. Equipment is of course important; perhaps if my DAB equipment matched the quality of my traditional hi-fi FM, I would be more satisfied.

First time you've mentioned classical/orchestral in your posts here, Cambgull. Even so, you must surely agree that such music, and electric/rock/pop/metal music, have different sound qualities, and I was therefore pointing out the sound qualities I look for. How on earth is that smugness? I, too, listen to all types of music but, like you and everyone else, we all have our own particular preferences, interests, likes and dislikes. I'm sure you didn't intend to question the personal qualities of a contributor to the debate, but, if you did, it's probably time for me to withdraw. I'm very sensitive and easily hurt.. :na:

A decent DAB radio would be at least around the £100 mark, no different to analogue stereos 10 years and more ago. £40 would be a fairly average one. Does the speaker have a mesh front or a solid plastic one? I've never understood why they even make the solid plastic ones because it's always of a poor quality. The sound reverberates through the plastic too much.

As for the signal decreasing, I suppose it's down to how close you are to a transmitter. My experience of DAB is that it either picks up the station or not. In which case there are plenty of other stations to listen to. The one thing that really annoys me is the hiss and crackle you get on FM radio. As for the sound quality, I would say that a 128 kbps on DAB is better than on FM, although that is entirely personal preference. DAB also has the potential to go higher, whereas FM doesn't. When it does go up to 192 kbps, which is the case with many of the BBC stations, it does beat FM quite convincingly. This will only get better with DAB+ which doesn't need to increase the bitrate but broadcast in a different format. DAB wasn't ever likely to broadcast at CD quality from the outset though, there would be too much data travelling down the airwaves. In the same way that the HD channels on Digital TV are only broadcasting at 720p rather than Full HD 1080p. Give it time and DAB will blow FM out of the water. Around 2 years given the planned upgrades to transmitters.

I haven't mentioned classical/orchestral music because the topic hasn't really come up, other than the "What Are You Listening To?" thread in which I post about a minuscule amount of the music I actually listen to, play or even record myself. I've probably written more songs in the last 5 days than songs I've ever posted about on this forum. Just because I don't talk about it, doesn't mean I don't like it. The reason for the smugness was the seemingly implied idea that someone who talks about Metal must have not have the faintest clue about Classical music. A viewpoint which I have come across many times before and is pretty much always backtracked upon when it becomes obvious that I have a far greater musical knowledge than they have. Now, THAT'S smugness!

[Gullscorer]

Let's hear you sing... :~D

[cambgull]

Come all the way to Cambridgeshire and the show I'm in which is opening tonight!

[Gullscorer]

Who's the star of the show...?

[cambgull]

Not me!














This time around.... Muhahahahah