Internet Radio Station, which has the least and quietest talking?

[CLS]

Hi there,

Question as the title. Any idea?

I listen to the "Radio Suisse Classique" most of the time (when I turn on the radio). It's the station I found with the least talking, very good for background musuc, and with quite good sound quality (in the mp3 format).

However I'm still "shocked" by the bursts of narrations from time to time, especially in quiet late night.

It's so annoying that those producers always set the voice level of the host (or just a narrator) at the highest related to the music content. While the average level of most classical music is relatively low. So when the 'quiet' music stops and the naration show, it's almost a violent burst!

I found this is common among the radio stations I have emailed a complaining letter to one of the local station about this but got zero response. And it kept bombarding me with those violently loud narrations and letting the music play at mosquito level. Then I quitted listening to it.

There are so many stations on the network. It's almost impossible for one to browse them all. So, would you please share your experience? Thanks a lot

[stoolpigeon]

Hi CLS, have you tried the BBC? I listen mainly to world news but hopefully the quality of their other stations is right up there.

sp

[Glowbug]

I've never listened to their online stream, but WCPE is a classical station that's pretty close to me, and their over-the-air broadcast doesn't seem annoying. One of the better stations in the area about that.

WCPE - Listen over the Internet

[zapnspark]

There is a nice choice of classical European streaming stations listed here:

Classical Online Radio in Europe. Free Classical Music

My current favorite is ClassicFM NL

Cheers.

ZAP

[CLS]

Hi, Thanks for the replies

I found and tried the BBC-3 (and it's now playing in the backgroung when I'm typing here). Very good sound quality and music selections (for my taste), very enjoyable most of the time. However it has the same problem as mentioned -- narrations are just too loud -- or they are not adjusted well (or I'd guess they never adjust the level).

The voice level of the narrations is equivalent to "ff" hits of a whole orchestra ! (if not "fff" ) And they are often twice as loud as instument or vocal solos. It's so bizarre to have a gentle, almost whispering 'tone' of speaking, but with twice volume of a flat out soprano solo seconds before. The narrator (or, the host of the show) of BBC-3 now has a soft male voice which is very easygoing, even sweet-sounding by itself. And I also fonud he manages to control (suppress) his voice as gentle as he can following the quiet passages. It's much better than the male narrator of the "Radio Suisse Classique" in this regard, but it's still often twice as loud as the mucic

Sigh~ oh well, maybe it's me. Too picky, maybe? Or maybe I often turn up the volume when the music is what I like, maybe turn it up too much (as background music). Then, comes the narration of a 'normal' level, which is now a violent burst on the turned-up setting previously, and scares the xxxx out of me. Maybe I should use the radio as I use the air conditioner - turn it on and forget.

Oh, BTW, I'm using a standalone internet radio instead of a PC for this. It seems to come with a (very large) built-in station list. And I can't find WCPE in it, pity.

I'll try the "ClassicFM NL" later, thanks a lot.

[Pano]

I've been lamenting the same problem for years. It's not just the Internet stations, many FM are that way too. It's like they don't listen to what was just playing. A real pain.

[traderbam]

LOUNGE-RADIO.COM ...this is how we lounge !

[Ron E]

Pandora Radio - Listen to Free Internet Radio, Find New Music