Why make another FM Tuner?

it is a shame that on a lot of DAB stations the compression is so much that it barely compares with mp3 @ 128kbps. Good FM reception can exceed 800kbps. I can see the need to digitalise to allow expansion of an already crowded frequeny airspace but in this instance ithink quality is in order rather than just the quantity.

As for your point , i agree £4k tuners are a bit OTT

all art is contemporary; it is the way we look at it that changes...

I was speaking to the owner of a far east radio manufacturer recently and he was quite insistent that there would be a definite move to digital in the US. In fact, they have already developed DRM/FM dual band radios with a view to marketing these in the US later this year/early next . They will also be producing DAB units for the UK and Europe.

His feeling was that "DAB/DRM sounds better because it is digital". Now, there is quite a bit of debate about the role of digital when it comes to radio, but the market in mass produced portables is pretty large and influential and, if the manufacturers consider it better "just because" then it will be tricky to justify FM only products.

To be quite frank - Naim would be wasting their time developing DAB until the BBC stop crippling sound quality by using such puny data rates...

OK so it's no great shakes, but my Technics STGT1000 DAB/FM/MW tuner (bought VERY VERY cheaply - £160 bnib) sounded much better on BBC stations in June 2001 - by late 2002 the data rates were squashed to fit in all these minority/r'n'b/crap (sorry to offend!) stations and all the big 5 now sound pretty poor - even Radio 3.

FM might have hiss but it wees all over BBC's DAB output. Even the commerical ensemble - the one with Planet Rock and Kiss, sounds better than the BBC's now - how's that done then?

As one conversation once read:
You can't polish a turd, Beavis. I bet it was pretty cool to try though...

If I were Naim I'd wait until the BBC start transmitting the same number of stations, but split across two ensembles. It might sound like music and not digitis then...

My NAD 4225 FM tuner that I got for £12 from Smack Generators, even with the rubbish T-piece aerial I use, widdles all over the Technics in DAB mode - even on Radio 1...

When the music's over turn out the lights

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My NAD 4225 FM tuner that I got for £12 from Smack Generators, even with the rubbish T-piece aerial I use, widdles all over the Technics in DAB mode - even on Radio 1...

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Have to agree - bought a Hitachi tuner from a similar store for £5 and found the quality much better than the sound produced by the SO's PURE Evoke-1 (when run through the hi-fi). However, the tuner has been relegated to box-room status and the PURE is used by her when working at home. It's a shame as there appears to be a direct quantity/quality relationship here which need not be the case.

Quote:

"But in the US and other places FM is still going strong so there is still a market."

Yes, here in Sweden the DAB movement has been put on a halt because of costs. FM will be around for a long time still. Of, course Sweden is a small market.

The big disadvantage for me is that I live in an area with VERY bad FM reception, the only thing that has worked for me is the Tivoli radio. A Naim one would be unusable.

JohanR

Why indeed with only four years left of transmition time, personally with only the odd program on radio six, three, two or jazz fm recorded from an analogue source that I listen to the rest from cd, the quality is just fine and I for one can’t wait to see what the L band can offer as far as choice concerned, roll on 2007.

Stuart

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Why indeed with only four years left of transmition time,

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What? Do you know something we don't?

Steve B

IIRC, in the UK, the original switch-off date of 2010 has been extended indefinitely, so FM is around to stay for a while yet. In the US I believe they will kill all FM transmission in the next 4 or 5 years.

DAB has great potential to sound better than FM over a wider audience with a better spread at a lower maintenance cost. However, as long as the transmission rates are as low as they are at the moment (128k), people will not switch on to DAB. There is also the portable element - in particular cars - and the take-up there has been very slow indeed. Portable radios have been the main instigator in moving the market. This is odd since the car manufacturers are the ones who really should have jumped onto the DAB bandwagon since that's exactly the problem that DAB was meant to solve. So far I only recall one manufacturer offering a DAB unit as standard.

I think that if Naim bring out a new tuner, then it has to have built in DAB support, just in case FM dies, but I agree that the BBC seems to be making a mess of the broadcast scenario.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

So you worry about the switching off of FM and the investment in your tuners, but surely the CD switch to SACD or DVD-A will happen sooner, making all those CDS3's obsolete. Ohh err...

...not until some decent software on DVD-A and SACD comes out - I mean, how many copies of Michael Jackson's Thriller, REM's Automatic for the people, Doors' LA Woman, or J Lo's On the six (??) does one person need?

Actually I could live with having another copy of LA Woman but that's a different story - will have to get one when/if my Pioneer 656A ever turns up...

When the music's over turn out the lights

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To be quite frank - Naim would be wasting their time developing DAB until the BBC stop crippling sound quality by using such puny data rates...

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I'll desist from my usual rant here

I will though make one prediction - the situation will not get better, but only worse.

The economics of DAB are disasterous, which is why data rates are being squeezed.

It's supposed efficiency in terms of spectrum use is rubbish, it becomes highly inefficient in both terms of cost and spectrum usage to add a single station, hence the existing ones are squeezed to make room.

This is the future of radio in the UK and it looks bleak. This depresses me even more at present - in the UK we have some stunning live music sent straight to our homes at present, the Proms, WOMAD and loads of other great live sets - I'm in heaven!

Fortunately we don't have to worry for at least 10 years, so my NAD FM tuner will still be doing sterling service for many years to come.

Andy.

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Originally posted by Rasher:
So you worry about the switching off of FM and the investment in your tuners, but surely the CD switch to SACD or DVD-A will happen sooner, making all those CDS3's obsolete. Ohh err...

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Yes, just like vinyl. I mean, who wants a turntable these days...?

"In the US I believe they will kill all FM transmission in the next 4 or 5 years".


Frank, what evidence do you have for this? I figure there must be 250+ million FM radios in the US. I seriously doubt FM will disapear anytime soon...look at HDTV and the vanishing mandates from the FCC. There are simply too many FM tuners in cars, where Americans listen to most FM radio.

Chris Bell

Back to my concerns about the landfill problem when all the FM radios are junked

Derek

<<Have you checked your PTs today>>

I hope you're right Chris, but my understanding is that this was passed some 5 years ago in the US. I could be wrong of course...

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

DAB has been slow on the uptake in Canada. In the largest FM market, Toronto, only 1 station is actively pushing DAB and for automobiles primarily.

Realistically, who has time to read what the bloody program is on a puny screen when attempting to drive? Cell phones being used in automobiles when driving are on the verge of being banned because of the distraction they provide. I assume that the DAB would /will follow in this type of legislation.

I think that DAB will appeal to the young and the cell phone gaming, text messaging and photo mob out there.

Until there are readily available commercial receivers (home not car units) and stations using the format, DAB may go the way of mini-disc, Beta, Elcassete and other formats.

Just my uniformed ramblings.

XM, the sat. radio service stock has gone through the roof!!!

They now offer a unit for the house and the computer.....

I use the service in my car. Yep a small but readable display. I have not listened to F.M. in the car for nearly a year.
No commercials,great music to choose from,and no less than a 100 channels.
40,000,000 watts of power!! The only time I lost the signal was when I was driving through cavern in Yosemite.
Believe it or not? It sounds great!!!

This might be the beginning of the demise of F.M.....

Regards,

Marc