Hello everyone, I was wondering if anyone has any information or recommendations for the new am,fm hd tuners. I have been looking at some for my home stero set-up. The broadcast in hd claims to be better, 30hz to 19k, and the fact that alot of radio stations are starting to go hd in my area. They claim it sounds better also. Any thoughts, suggestions, or information pertaining to this would be appreciated. tv1143
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HD tuner
- Thread starter tv1143
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They lie.
The bandwidth is less than MP3 and the sound, to my ears, is sterile and "digital."
The range is half of analog FM too. It is less subject to noise and interference and it does have a bit more on the top end (FM stops at 15 kHz)but most music-loving reviewers have panned it.
Save your money.
The bandwidth is less than MP3 and the sound, to my ears, is sterile and "digital."
The range is half of analog FM too. It is less subject to noise and interference and it does have a bit more on the top end (FM stops at 15 kHz)but most music-loving reviewers have panned it.
Save your money.
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
Hi,
He's right. I am a broadcast engineer for a living. Here's the frequency response curve for HD Radio with a Sequerra Modulation Monitor ($9,500 list). 30-19,000 hz. Any good analogue tuner will do that. HD Radio sounds like a bad MP3 encoding. 10-20 mile reception is the best you'll do reliably. That's with an outside antenna (Yagi on a rotator on the roof). Not worth your time. You want more variety, Sirius Satellite Radio sounds better and is reliable on reception. If the station you are hearing has an HD2 channel, the bit rate is even lower. My 1960 Collins FM rig can pass better fidelity than any HD rig. I run very little compression/limiting on our family station group and we're choosy about source material and meticulous about our audio quality. We're audiophiles.
He's right. I am a broadcast engineer for a living. Here's the frequency response curve for HD Radio with a Sequerra Modulation Monitor ($9,500 list). 30-19,000 hz. Any good analogue tuner will do that. HD Radio sounds like a bad MP3 encoding. 10-20 mile reception is the best you'll do reliably. That's with an outside antenna (Yagi on a rotator on the roof). Not worth your time. You want more variety, Sirius Satellite Radio sounds better and is reliable on reception. If the station you are hearing has an HD2 channel, the bit rate is even lower. My 1960 Collins FM rig can pass better fidelity than any HD rig. I run very little compression/limiting on our family station group and we're choosy about source material and meticulous about our audio quality. We're audiophiles.
MeatLoaf
Audio Phreak
Also isent the real abv of the fm HD like hybrid digital? i think they just choose HD bc every one thinks high def
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
Hi,
It is Hybrid Digital. Bad digital at that. Also increases interference issues and reduces modulation of the main carrier program. Not a good deal!
It is Hybrid Digital. Bad digital at that. Also increases interference issues and reduces modulation of the main carrier program. Not a good deal!
bastek
Well-Known Member
Sony has a new HD Radio component tuner for $99. User reviews report FM sensitivity-selectivity and quality as good as Onkyo 9090 integra. Is that possible, you ask. I believe in 2008 it is. So HD comes as a bonus. Problem is, is not available anywhere close to NYC and BB salespeople don't know what a component tuner is.
crooner
Tube Marantzed
The new Sony component HD tuner looks like it might be the ticket for FM DX'ing, specially with the "sporadic E" season just arriving.
I'm going to pick one up from Fry's this weekend to play with. I like the small footprint compared to the Sangean.
The 10B will continue regular duties as my reference FM rig. For hi-fi listening, analog FM is unmatched. HD radio's MP3 like artifacts are annoying. The HD radio I plan to leave on continuously in case we have an "E" opening. It should be interesting to receive HD signals hundreds of miles away!
I'm going to pick one up from Fry's this weekend to play with. I like the small footprint compared to the Sangean.
The 10B will continue regular duties as my reference FM rig. For hi-fi listening, analog FM is unmatched. HD radio's MP3 like artifacts are annoying. The HD radio I plan to leave on continuously in case we have an "E" opening. It should be interesting to receive HD signals hundreds of miles away!
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
Hi,
E-Skip on HD Radio is likely not going to happen. The poster is referring likely to this tuner's analogue performance. Reliable reception on HD ranges from 10 feet from the tower to about 20 miles. With a Yagi on the roof and a rotor at that. I smell a flop.
E-Skip on HD Radio is likely not going to happen. The poster is referring likely to this tuner's analogue performance. Reliable reception on HD ranges from 10 feet from the tower to about 20 miles. With a Yagi on the roof and a rotor at that. I smell a flop.
crooner
Tube Marantzed
It is not a question of the tuner, but of the ionosphere. It cannot distinguish among analog or digital, it simply propagates VHF up to 6 meters.
I once experienced "E" skip on a cheap Fisher receiver (this was 20 years ago), and it was a fantastic opening. Stations thousands of miles away were heard in Stereo and with quality compared to locals. A good opening can last several hours.
Apparently "HDRadio" content can be decoded as well. The advantage is the ability to quickly ID a DX station during a "E" skip or tropo opening. RDS on analog stations also helps in this regard.
But you are right, the poster originally referred to ordinary local reception.
Then the new Sony HD tuner was mentioned. Hence my earlier reply.
Let's not get too worked up about HDRadio. I've learned to live with the self-noise and the sometimes negative effect on regular analog signals. Sign of the times. And time will tell if it dies or not.
A good side effect of HD tuner development is DSP based IF. Hence the comparison to an Onkyo 9090 for DX'ing. These cheap HDRadio capable tuners are amazingly sensitive and selective.
Even if HD is a flop, the ultra sharp selectivity is useful for analog reception, specially on adjacent channels.
I once experienced "E" skip on a cheap Fisher receiver (this was 20 years ago), and it was a fantastic opening. Stations thousands of miles away were heard in Stereo and with quality compared to locals. A good opening can last several hours.
Apparently "HDRadio" content can be decoded as well. The advantage is the ability to quickly ID a DX station during a "E" skip or tropo opening. RDS on analog stations also helps in this regard.
But you are right, the poster originally referred to ordinary local reception.
Then the new Sony HD tuner was mentioned. Hence my earlier reply.
Let's not get too worked up about HDRadio. I've learned to live with the self-noise and the sometimes negative effect on regular analog signals. Sign of the times. And time will tell if it dies or not.
A good side effect of HD tuner development is DSP based IF. Hence the comparison to an Onkyo 9090 for DX'ing. These cheap HDRadio capable tuners are amazingly sensitive and selective.
Even if HD is a flop, the ultra sharp selectivity is useful for analog reception, specially on adjacent channels.
radioactive
tube gear fanatic
what collins transmitter is that? collins made alot of great broadcast gear along with communication receivers . along with being ivolved with the old hi fi gear from the 50's and up my other love is collecting and listenig to the old boatanchor radios (see my avatar|) and collins sure did make some great receivers.
chirs
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
Hi radioactive,
The Collins of which I speak is a 831 B series. Built in February, 1960. Installed in May, 1960 originally in Bardstown, KY. Now at WSKZ-FM 106.5 in Chattanooga, TN. It's our standby rig. The new main rig is a Continental. Same design with a more modern design exciter.
The Collins of which I speak is a 831 B series. Built in February, 1960. Installed in May, 1960 originally in Bardstown, KY. Now at WSKZ-FM 106.5 in Chattanooga, TN. It's our standby rig. The new main rig is a Continental. Same design with a more modern design exciter.