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92.1 QFM ...way too compressed

N

NEPA_RadioGuy

Guest
I have listened to QFM off and on and is it me or is this station's audio way too compressed for it's own good? The music isn't bad but the compression is jacking up the bass and is killing the vocals. Sometimes, it sounds like a karaoke track. It actually hurts my ears to listen for any length of time. (and yes, I have listened on several radios both car and home.) It may actually be more compressed than KRZ and they were the kings of compression for years! I know entercom had to go the other way when the Buzz first came on because the audio was flat from prior WISH format. Anyone else with thoughts on this???
 
> I have listened to QFM off and on and is it me or is this
> station's audio way too compressed for it's own good? The
> music isn't bad but the compression is jacking up the bass
> and is killing the vocals. Sometimes, it sounds like a
> karaoke track. It actually hurts my ears to listen for any
> length of time. (and yes, I have listened on several radios
> both car and home.) It may actually be more compressed than
> KRZ and they were the kings of compression for years! I
> know entercom had to go the other way when the Buzz first
> came on because the audio was flat from prior WISH format.
> Anyone else with thoughts on this???
>
I haven't noticed any problems hearing the vocals on my car or home stereo. I think it sounds ok, but I am not a big fan of the station so I don't listen that much. Also since I am not at all familar with compression or any other audio settings that stations may use I can't offer any real opinions about what they are doing or should be doing.
 
> I haven't noticed any problems hearing the vocals on my car
> or home stereo. I think it sounds ok, but I am not a big
> fan of the station so I don't listen that much. Also since I
> am not at all familar with compression or any other audio
> settings that stations may use I can't offer any real
> opinions about what they are doing or should be doing.

The best way I can describe the over-compression... The audio sort of has a "pumping" characteristic to it. Every time the bass hits, it gets smashed down by the processing, as does the rest of the audio (mid-range, treble, and all the audio bands in between). Then, it gets sucked back up really quickly, hitting the eardrums and causing "listening fatigue".

Actually, it sounds like they're using Rock 107's old processing equipment, because 107 doesn't sound anywhere near as fatiguing as it used to.

With that said... Musically, I think QFM sounds great! I'm 31 and this station's music library is the closest duplication of my personal music library I've heard on the radio yet :)<P ID="signature">______________
When you tune in to the one or two AM/FM stations in your area that actually play something you like, and they're talking or playing commercials ...you're "paying for radio".</P>
 
> > I haven't noticed any problems hearing the vocals on my
> car
> > or home stereo. I think it sounds ok, but I am not a big
> > fan of the station so I don't listen that much. Also since
> I
> > am not at all familar with compression or any other audio
> > settings that stations may use I can't offer any real
> > opinions about what they are doing or should be doing.
>
> The best way I can describe the over-compression... The
> audio sort of has a "pumping" characteristic to it. Every
> time the bass hits, it gets smashed down by the processing,
> as does the rest of the audio (mid-range, treble, and all
> the audio bands in between). Then, it gets sucked back up
> really quickly, hitting the eardrums and causing "listening
> fatigue".
>
> Actually, it sounds like they're using Rock 107's old
> processing equipment, because 107 doesn't sound anywhere
> near as fatiguing as it used to.
>
> With that said... Musically, I think QFM sounds great! I'm
> 31 and this station's music library is the closest
> duplication of my personal music library I've heard on the
> radio yet :)
>
QFM audio is a work-in-progress...as is the entire project. More to come!
 
2 things...

treble and bass. Just because one station sounds good on your radio doesn't mean anything else will. Case in point...after setting my radio for Rock 107, The River and KAB sound muddy....go figure
 
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