Hello,
I'm mostly visit Tubes/Valves and Planers & Exotics but I have a question that I'd like answered and I did a search and nothing came up. So here it is: Is there a difference in the quality of a radio stations audio over HD radio vs Internet streaming? While I'm here, throw in regular analog too. Analog cuts of at around 15-16KHz so I' guessing the other two are better? If anyone knows thanks for answering.
Jim
I'm mostly visit Tubes/Valves and Planers & Exotics but I have a question that I'd like answered and I did a search and nothing came up. So here it is: Is there a difference in the quality of a radio stations audio over HD radio vs Internet streaming? While I'm here, throw in regular analog too. Analog cuts of at around 15-16KHz so I' guessing the other two are better? If anyone knows thanks for answering.
Jim
Yes there is a quality difference. However one cannot say which is better than the other because compression can vary within each medium (obviously FM analog isn't digitally compressed but does have other issues like you mentioned as well as broadcasters adding EQ processing to the signal etc etc).
Of the choices listed, I'd choose Internet streaming and only pick stations that met my minimum compression quality standards.
In the Americas, AM channel spacing is @ 10kHz. Since it's DSB + carrier the absolute audio bandwidth is less than 5kHz.
Broadcast FM in the UK is (or was) the best source available (here), exceeding that of digital systems, better than CD quality on occasion. There has been some talk about poorer quality in recent years, I don't know to what extent it is justified.
Since there is the capacity to vary the quality with digital broadcast it has become difficult to be assured of the quality you are receiving. Most people think it sounds pretty good, mostly. Defnitely better than AM and on a par with FM.
Sorry to be so vague, but you have to deal with these digital sources on a case-by-case basis - when you can actually discover what bitrate and compression is being employed. If you want an assurance of quality, CD is easiest.
w
Broadcast FM in the UK is (or was) the best source available (here), exceeding that of digital systems, better than CD quality on occasion. There has been some talk about poorer quality in recent years, I don't know to what extent it is justified.
Since there is the capacity to vary the quality with digital broadcast it has become difficult to be assured of the quality you are receiving. Most people think it sounds pretty good, mostly. Defnitely better than AM and on a par with FM.
Sorry to be so vague, but you have to deal with these digital sources on a case-by-case basis - when you can actually discover what bitrate and compression is being employed. If you want an assurance of quality, CD is easiest.
w
I would go with Internet streaming ... but quality will vary .. I try to stay with 128K streams or better...my squeezebox makes it so easy to find classical stations..WXXI out of Rochester has an excellent feed, as well as WGBH...like Jazz? Try Jazz88 out of San Diego...hundreds of choices..
My Sony HD radio just gave up the ghost ( it scans and so on, but all I hear is a hum ...),,,I think I will stay with the squeexzebox for now
For fun, I hooked up my HK tuner, and the sound is wonderful...seems much less compressed (which is probably the reality)
The FMtuners group and their listserv would have some pretty definitive information on the quality of HD FM versus analog FM and conclusions generally favor a properly managed FM analog signal..
Tuner Information Center - Vintage Stereo Tuners
Based on my very limited exposure both satellite and HD FM are easily bested by streaming internet radio particularly at sample rates of 192K and beyond.
It should be noted that UK digital FM and US digital FM standards are entirely different, and so comments should be weighed on that basis for relevance.
Personally I can't be bothered with Ibiquity's HD FM I think it sounds mediocre at best.
Tuner Information Center - Vintage Stereo Tuners
Based on my very limited exposure both satellite and HD FM are easily bested by streaming internet radio particularly at sample rates of 192K and beyond.
It should be noted that UK digital FM and US digital FM standards are entirely different, and so comments should be weighed on that basis for relevance.
Personally I can't be bothered with Ibiquity's HD FM I think it sounds mediocre at best.
The channel spacing in the United States is 10kHz.. However the actual broadcast audio bandwidth can be as high as 10.2kHz or so using adjacent unused allocations, but channel width may not exceed 20.4kHz under current FCC rules. (1989) I have an antique Atwater Kent receiver with sufficient bandwidth that I can hear the quality differences between different local stations, but I doubt many are using the full allowable bandwidth. (4 - 5kHz would seem to be it)
Not what you expect but AM broadcasters in the States are allowed to transmit up to 10.2 KHz. Yes the channels will overlap but not within a market (a few exceptions). If your AM radio sounds really bad, try a wider bandwidth receiver. Not great but certainly adequate for talk and elevator music.
AM broadcasting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Scroll down to 'Limitations'.
Best radio I ever heard was a bootleg FM transmitter fed directly by a CD player with no processing of any sort. The modulation depth was correct and the sound was stunning - not like the squashed EQd krud from LA broadcasters. Truly dreadful sound and it's a shame but limited brainpower listeners want it loud and the market rules - as it should.
G²
For what it's worth, AM receivers with synchronous detectors are supposed to be better, and IIRC the North American AM Stereo format required required synchronous detection. Some '80s factory car radios included AM stereo, and presumably have RF sections that perform well. My friend's Chrysler K-car had AM stereo, and it sounded reasonably good. I suspect you could find such a tuner in an auto wrecking yard quite cheaply, then modify it for line level output. Possibly cannibalize the AM stereo detector chip and add it to another receiver. (IIRC the chips are long out of production, and could only be purchased by licensees.)
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