Tuners

[v5OhxSJu]

Have IBOC noise on your FM? Please do this

The FCC has established an "Interference Protection and Complaint Remediation" procedure to protect the reception of analog FM signals. It is documented starting at page 10 in http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-208A1.pdf . This procedure is a bit complex, and it requires that you first contact the station that you believe is receiving the interference. The onus is on them to first try to work it out with the station supposedly creating the interference.

 

[Jazzbo]

Hello all,

I have tried satellite (correction) not internet radio in my home but the signal was so poor I only have it in my SUV now. I am afraid to purchase a good FM tuner since I don't know what good FM stations are available here in Georgia. I love modern jazz, large and small scale classical works. I've noticed a gob of FM tuners on Audiogon, etc, but will have to do some research to see what's happening in this area.

jazzbo

 

[amirm]

Hi Jazzbo. Can you clarify if you are interested in Internet radio or HD radio? The former is received over an Internet connection. The latter over the air. My preference at home is to use Internet radio as it is not constrained in data rate as much as HD radio. You can find the good stations in your area using your SUV radio if it gives you the station call signs (e.g. "KIRO"). Once you have that, then just google that name and Georgia and you should find their web page with a link to streaming feed of the station.

If you like HD radio, their common site has a search tool for them: http://www.hdradio.com/. Click on the button on the left and it will give you a pop up for states. Select Georgia and then the local area within that and it should a list of them. Whether you have a strong enough reception in your area is hard to say but at least you know what is available.

 

[Jazzbo]

Hello and sorry Amir,

I just corrected my post. Actually, I have tried Satellite radio in my home using a rather hi end satellite radio. However, the signal was poor with very limited highs and tubby bottom end. I now only have it in my car where the audio quality is not that important. Now I am going to so some research and see what's available here in Georgia on FM radio. Thanks so much for your comments sir.

jazzbo

 

[amirm]

Satellite radio (XM and Sirius) fidelity is really poor. I can't listen to it unless someone forces me too . It has so much compression artifacts. Way back when I heard one unit that sounded decent and that was a Polk receiver of all brands!

Note that satellite radio is different than HD radio even though they are both digital. The latter uses normal FM ground transmitters and sounds better. It sill has compression artifacts but in balance, I like it better than analog FM. And per above, better than Satellite radio.

 

[v5OhxSJu]

Followup on IBOC noise and another take on the Day-Sequerra M4 HD/Analog tuner

I agree that soundstage truncation is one of the minuses of HD Radio compared to analog FM as heard over an excellent analog tuner. The other downside is that the HD signal will usually sound brighter. But all other sonic aspects of HD are at least as good as analog FM if not better and usually, on balance, I prefer to listen to the HD signal from my home location.

Since my last post, I purchased a Day-Sequerra M4. My three favorite stations have both HD and analog FM broadcasts. The Day-Sequerra is a complex tuner but makes it easy to compare analog and HD broadcasts.

I agree that the HD broadcasts sound brighter but in my location with all strong signals, I consistently prefer the analog broadcasts.

I had a conversation with the broadcast engineer at my station with a noise problem. He basically admitted it was cause by the HD broadcasts. In very diplomatic terms he told me to get over it and buy an HD radio, or at least an analog tuner with narrow IF bandwidth. Several tuners I have tried are quieter on that station (KBAQ Phoenix) with narrower bandwidth.

I'm less than eight miles away and I have tons of signal but that station is noisy on many tuners. Fortunately it is quiet in the analog mode on the Day-Sequerra. I believe that even when receiving an analog broadcast, the M4 uses Digital Signal Processing.

I'm looking forward to setting up my analog tuners for head-to-head comparison with the Day-Sequerra M4.

 

[R Johnson]

I recently replaced an older AVR with a Denon 3312CI which has HD Radio capability. I was unable to get a noise-free signal from WFMT with my old AVR. I bought the Denon for video related reasons, and was pleasantly surprised to find that I get a clean digital FM signal with the Denon.

 

[Jim Treanor]

Very late to this thread, but to answer the OP's question, I have three McIntosh tuners (two MR77's and an MR74) parked, respectively, in my main, bedroom, and home office systems. Each gets a fair amount of use, since I can pull in a user-supported 24/7 classical, a user-supported 24/7 jazz, and a community college station that frequently broadcasts music (typically jazz) on each. A roof-mounted FM yagi feeds the main system 77, rabbit ears the other two (with surprisingly good results, even though 70 air miles separate the jazz station and me).

 

[A-Line]

I listen to a lot of radio, always have.
I have a ReVox B780 receiver which has a excellent tuner section but I also play my tapes through it as well.

Additionally I also have 5 vintage McIntosh tuners which are in constant rotation between my 2 setups: MR74, MR75, MR77, MR78, & MR7083.