CBS-FM Audio Tweaks?

[ty_kleinle]

I was driving in my car yesterday and have 101.1 as one of the presets. Usually, it's WBEB out of philly because of my location (Stroudsburg) and yesterday I thought I had pushed the one preset which is a direct translator for WRNJ-AM, 92.7. I heard Let's Spend The Night Together, and just assumed it was 92.7 because of the flat dead mono-like audio (like AM translators) and how WBEB doesn't play The Rolling Stones. Sure enough, I looked at the display and it was actually 101.1 WCBS I was picking up from a part in my town where Philly stations are blocked. Does the engineer even have a radio?! I have never heard such a bad sounding station in my life!

[Giacomo Siffredi]

I heard Let's Spend The Night Together, and just assumed it was 92.7 because of the flat dead mono-like audio (like AM translators)

Is it at all possible that CBS Radio is going for that sound? I was listening last night, and heard one of the Ford spots voiced by Mike Rowe. The sound was very similar to that which I heard while hearing the same spot air on WEPN 1050AM prior to the changeover to ESPN Deportes. First WCBS-FM was using reverb (albeit incorrectly) and now the sound is about as dull and flat as AM radio. As if they are trying to recreate the sound of Musicradio77 WABC.

Regardless, I left a constructively critical comment on their Facebook wall. Whether anyone at CBS Radio or WCBS-FM reads it or acts on it is anyone's guess. But I won't hold my breath too long...

[Bill DeFelice]

First WCBS-FM was using reverb (albeit incorrectly) and now the sound is about as dull and flat as AM radio. As if they are trying to recreate the sound of Musicradio77 WABC.

When I was active with the New York chapter of Society of Broadcast Engineers I was lucky enough to meet quite a few talented folks who knew their craft. It boils down to it either being an engineering decision or a programming decision. If it's indeed a programming decision then it's totally out of the hands of the engineers. If, on the other hand, it was a decision solely made by engineering, it's pretty sad - I simply can't (and don't) listen to it anymore.

As far as sounding like Musicradio77 WABC goes, I remember growing up listening to it as well as have plenty of airchecks at my disposal that seem to prove that even though WABC was an AM station that it had great audio. A nice bass thump (not quite on par with CKLW) and better than average processing. It's more of an insult to compare the way CBS-FM sounds like today to the way WABC sounded like in its MusicRadio heyday.

I know it sounded much better when Mike Erickson had his hand in it. Likewise, I had brought my own stash of processors when I worked at a couple of stations. Once time I even had a consultant tell me to pull my processors out of the line. I simply waited him out and when he left I put them back in during the next maintenance period. I think when Mike left they lost their golden ears.

[LenoxAve]

No kidding! Really? From a worsed tweaked optimod 8500 station to a perfectly tweaked Omnia.11 station. It's a better choice indeed.

I heard CBS-FM has a 8600 - I doubt anyone will buy one after hearing the audio on 101.1!

Lite FM has a Omnia 11? I haven't heard any improvement in the audio :/

Amazingly, after listening to CBS-FM, Lite's audio sounds pretty good. While there is some distortion in the vocals (clipping, I guess?), the overall sound is fairly crisp. Green Day's "Good Riddance," though, always sounds distorted on Lite.

The Clear Channel stations in NYC sound very well processed compared to their competition.

[erwin33]

I just read that old topic about the processing from CBS FM, when whe all enjoying that sound. I could not realize then that it sounds so bad these days.

http://radiodiscussions.com/smf/index.php?topic=171409.0

[secondchoice]

I don't think the improvements in these new boxes are dramatic. They're just excuses to turn it up louder. At this point the improvement seems to be new hardware. I've heard the new stuff and there may be a small improvement but one worth 12k? 

Yes if it improves ratings half a point.  Big market big dollars.

[Turnpike Tuner]

Yes if it improves ratings half a point.  Big market big dollars.

I doubt the ratings will move up with this processing, but won't hurt them too much either.

I'm biased as hell towards processed audio, but I think Howard Hoffman's "Great Big Radio" and Tom Lawler's "Jammin 105" are benchmarks for how Classic Hits audio should sound. Rich, full, LOUD, and both have reverb that add depth to it without sounding like the audio is in the toilet.

Great Big Radio: http://www.loudcity.com/stations/greatbigradio/files/show/index.html
Jammin 105: jamminoldiesradio.com/?page_id=8

[Tom Wells]

Yes if it improves ratings half a point.  Big market big dollars.

I doubt the ratings will move up with this processing, but won't hurt them too much either.

I'm biased as hell towards processed audio, but I think Howard Hoffman's "Great Big Radio" and Tom Lawler's "Jammin 105" are benchmarks for how Classic Hits audio should sound. Rich, full, LOUD, and both have reverb that add depth to it without sounding like the audio is in the toilet.

Great Big Radio: http://www.loudcity.com/stations/greatbigradio/files/show/index.html
Jammin 105: jamminoldiesradio.com/?page_id=8

I'd always rather hear a song on the radio, because when it's processed properly, it always sounds better on the radio than
on the direct source "dry" into some sound system.

Proper reverb/modulation is a delicate balancing act, and when it's adjusted ideally, the result IS Great Big Radio.

[iKPAT]

OK.

[LenoxAve]

OK.

No, it's not OK. It sounds like crap!

WMTR in Morristown sounds better, and they're an AM station!