Best Buy's new HD Radio Shelf System

[Len14043]

Based on my personal experience, the JVC is a great unit for the car.

 

[Chuck]

I'm not an engineer or expert on audio...I'm just a humble newsman who works at an AM station. I'd love to hear my station come in with FM sound quality.

So...my question to you folks who know this stuff is:

Which HD radio should I buy? Radio Shack? Best Buy? Somewhere else?

I really don't understand technical stuff...I just want a radio that sounds good!

Thanks much!

You didn't say if it is for the home, or your car. Do you want to connect it to your home stereo?

For normal "table radio" applications, I'd say go with the Sony. It looks nice and sounds nice. I know it's available at Best Buy and Target and probably a lot of other places as well. The Sangean HD table radio is nice too. It may be a bit harder to find. I've seen them at Fry's. I’m not sure what stores you have in NYC, but a trip to one of the box houses like B&H would probably get you what you want.

If you want a tuner for your stereo, the Sangean tuner is hard to beat. For the car, everyone seems to like the JVC car radio.

 

[SUPERCASTER]

I'm not an engineer or expert on audio...I'm just a humble newsman who works at an AM station. I'd love to hear my station come in with FM sound quality.

So...my question to you folks who know this stuff is:

Which HD radio should I buy? Radio Shack? Best Buy? Somewhere else?

I really don't understand technical stuff...I just want a radio that sounds good!

Thanks much!

HD radio will not help you at all unless your station transmits the additional adjacent channel hissing digital signals that are required by HD radio.

I assume your station is probably not transmitting in HD radio, because as an employee (you said you are a newsman there) you probably would have already heard about it (HD stations broadcast promotional announcements) the station management, salesmen, staff, or engineer would know about HD radio and probably be promoting and chatting about HD radio.

In short, if your station does not have the HD radio equipment and are using HD on the air (by transmitting the noisy HD adjacent channel signals) an HD radio will not pick up HD radio from your station.

 

[fybush]

I assume your station is probably not transmitting in HD radio, because as an employee (you said you are a newsman there) you probably would have already heard about it (HD stations broadcast promotional announcements) the station management, salesmen, staff, or engineer would know about HD radio and probably be promoting and chatting about HD radio.

In short, if your station does not have the HD radio equipment and are using HD on the air (by transmitting the noisy HD adjacent channel signals) an HD radio will not pick up HD radio from your station.

And just like grampa always used to tell me when I was growing up, "when you ASSume, you make an a$$ out of u and me."

Look at Steve's sig. He works at WCBS. They're in HD. Next question?

(Oh, and PS to Steve - I concur with the other opinions here - the Sangean HDT-1X if you're looking for a home component tuner, the Sangean HDR-1 or the Sony for tabletops, and the JVC for a car stereo would be my picks, too.)

 

[oaktree]

Here's the part I love: $135 for the unit ... and for an HD Radio antenna ...

Terk - Outdoor HD Radio Antenna HDR-O
Reg. Price: $129.99
You Save: $13.00
Sale: $116.99

Yep. This sure sounds like a "Best Buy."

Bet they'll throw in the 10% THD as well at no extra charge.

 

[clouseau]

I'm not an engineer or expert on audio...I'm just a humble newsman who works at an AM station. I'd love to hear my station come in with FM sound quality.

So...my question to you folks who know this stuff is:

Which HD radio should I buy? Radio Shack? Best Buy? Somewhere else?

I really don't understand technical stuff...I just want a radio that sounds good!

Thanks much!

HD radio will not help you at all unless your station transmits the additional adjacent channel hissing digital signals that are required by HD radio.

You must be in politics because you just ignored the question and answered with one of your standard, relatively irrelavant, talking points.

From the Political consultant side, however, good use of hissing and especially the new LARGER type. Next time don't forget Damaging, destructive defective and especially "Titanic 2000 of Broadcasting". You also missed "High school science experiment".

I'm kinda wondering why, as someone who admittedly owns exactly NO HD radios, you would respond to a call for advice about something you would appear to know absolutly nothing about?

Just wondering.

In answer to the OP's question, I have an Accurian in the house. Works great, but I use it as a tuner for the Stereo. I've heard good thing about the Sangeans. I have a Dual in the car. I don't care for it. It has weird DSP on weak AM signals.

YMMV

Clouseau

.

 

[dbdigital]

I took the plunge and bought one of these Insignia HD Radio shelf systems today.

Pros:
* Seems well constructed, good appearance and finish.
* Speakers sound good for their size.
* Includes coaxial input for FM antenna.
* It DOES decode C-Quam AM Stereo, despite the user manual's claim that stereo on AM is only available on HD stations!
* It does have a Stereo indicator for AM Stereo and FM Stereo, although it's a tiny "curly-cue" indicator which doesn't make much sense (what happened to plain ol' "ST"?).

Cons:
* You need to use the remote control for almost all functions... and its response is PAINFULLY slow! You push a button, and there's no response for a second or two... THEN it does what you asked it to. Tuning in a station is FRUSTRATINGLY slow. When switching from AM to FM or vice versa, I count three seconds of no response after pushing the button, before it switches bands!
* Buttons on the remote are tiny and poorly labelled. Many have the label BELOW the button, completely opposite of the industry standard, leading to many wrong buttons pushed!
* No headphone jack, and the audio output jacks only work when using the CD/DVD player, making the radio USELESS for personal listening or recording airchecks!
* Reception with the included antennas is poor on FM and medicore on AM.
* HD Radio reception is intermittent or not available at all unless you're within the "city-grade contour" of a signal.
* Mono/Stereo button only works on FM. There is no way to force the AM tuner to Mono when listening to a C-Quam AM Stereo station.
* Analog AM audio response is sharply filtered at 4.6 kHz, and sounds shrill (it's probably not following the NRSC de-emphasis curve up to that point).
* The CD/DVD looks exactly like a slot-loading unit, and you can stick a CD into it, but it's actually a slide-out drawer. I got a CD inserted almost all the way in before I realized the mistake.

Needless to say, I'm returning it. It LOOKS like a good little shelf system, but it's just so frustrating to use through that HORRIBLE remote with the reaction time of a 95-year-old person, and the lack of a headphone jack or usable line output is a real killer for me.

Kevin's being modest. He wrote a very good review of the Best Buy HD Radio receivers in the Dec. issue of Radio-Guide.

Admittedly, I was sorry to read the these radios, while decoding AM stereo, did not open up to allow for a wider frequency response. It's still telephone quality audio but in stereo.

http://www.radio-guide.com/issues/RG-DEC-2007.pdf

db

 

[SUPERCASTER]

I assume your station is probably not transmitting in HD radio, because as an employee (you said you are a newsman there) you probably would have already heard about it (HD stations broadcast promotional announcements) the station management, salesmen, staff, or engineer would know about HD radio and probably be promoting and chatting about HD radio.

In short, if your station does not have the HD radio equipment and are using HD on the air (by transmitting the noisy HD adjacent channel signals) an HD radio will not pick up HD radio from your station.

And just like grampa always used to tell me when I was growing up, "when you ASSume, you make an a$$ out of u and me."

Look at Steve's sig. He works at WCBS. They're in HD. Next question?

(Oh, and PS to Steve - I concur with the other opinions here - the Sangean HDT-1X if you're looking for a home component tuner, the Sangean HDR-1 or the Sony for tabletops, and the JVC for a car stereo would be my picks, too.)

Why not just ask CBS to try one of the HD Radios still in their many closets?

 

[SUPERCASTER]

clouseau said:

I'm kinda wondering why, as someone who admittedly owns exactly NO HD radios, you would respond to a call for advice about something you would appear to know absolutly nothing about?

You have to personally buy and own item in order to know absolutely anything about it?

Since when?

Ever hear of:
"Try before you buy"?
"Test drive"?
Demonstrations?
Product evaluations?
Revues?
Showrooms?
Product literature and specifications?
Engineering reports?
Product tests?
Use at, and experiences of acquaintances, friends and family?
Other evaluations?

I'm glad I don't have to buy everything in order to know absolutely anything about it. Apparently you do.

No wonder you bought into HD radio, hook line and sinker.

 

[calstymes]

Steve Scott did thusly inquire:

I'm not an engineer or expert on audio...I'm just a humble newsman who works at an AM station. I'd love to hear my station come in with FM sound quality.

So...my question to you folks who know this stuff is:

Which HD radio should I buy? Radio Shack? Best Buy? Somewhere else?

I really don't understand technical stuff...I just want a radio that sounds good! Smiley

Thanks much!

First let ME say, you do nice work!

And SUPERCASTER did thusly reply:

Why not just ask CBS to try one of the HD Radios still in their many closets?

Just how many HD radios do they have in their closets? And just how many closets do they have?

But seriously, I would imagine that perhaps your engineering personnel might have a suggestion for you? I will tell you that from personal experience, if your receiver will be in an area where you do not receive a very good and strong signal from the station then no matter what receiver you decide upon will have difficulty switching to AM HD mode and if/when it does, actually staying in AM HD mode. The constant switching back and forth between AM analog and HD modes becomes very tiresome, very quickly.

People have talked a lot about erecting or installing more sophisticated antennas in order to receive AM HD "more comfortably" but your success factor and mileage will vary greatly depending upon your actual receiving conditions.

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

Why not just ask CBS to try one of the HD Radios still in their many closets?

Hey, if WCBS has HD receivers cluttering up their closet, can you be sure and send one my way? A "Recepter" is OK. It can just rust in peace in my bathroom. ;D

 

[SteveScott]

Thank you to all for your responses!

Yes, my station (WCBS-AM) broadcasts in HD. Thanks for those who cleared that up.

I should have been more precise in my question...I guess I'm looking for a tabletop HD radio, not a car or "stereo tuner component" unit.

Sorry for my lack of technical knowledge on this stuff. Ask me about Pakistan or the primaries, and I'll do okay. Technical stuff...ummm, no.

Thanks again!

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

Steve, I'd recommend either the Radiosophy HD-100 or the Sony XDR-S3HD if you want something with a half decent IBOC tuner.

The Sony does sound significantly better than the Radiosophy, but it's got a price tag to match (about $200).

 

[Len14043]

Steve, my Radiosophy is a great FM tuner, but I would rank the AM section as OK. All 3 AM IBOC stations lock in for me, but their towers are fairly close too. If you want to listen to AM, you may want to look at some of the other radios mentioned. I have heard good reports on the Sony and Sangean for AM.

 

[KB1OKL]

Here's the part I love: $135 for the unit ... and for an HD Radio antenna ...

Terk - Outdoor HD Radio Antenna HDR-O
Reg. Price: $129.99
You Save: $13.00
Sale: $116.99

Yep. This sure sounds like a "Best Buy."

Bet they'll throw in the 10% THD as well at no extra charge.

That's the baby for me, yup!

 

[KB1OKL]

Thank you to all for your responses!

Yes, my station (WCBS-AM) broadcasts in HD. Thanks for those who cleared that up.

I should have been more precise in my question...I guess I'm looking for a tabletop HD radio, not a car or "stereo tuner component" unit.

Sorry for my lack of technical knowledge on this stuff. Ask me about Pakistan or the primaries, and I'll do okay. Technical stuff...ummm, no.

Thanks again!

Well I guess that just about proves that NO ONE knows anything about iBlock, even the employees! ;D

 

[SteveScott]

Oh, I'm sure the people who need to know about it know plenty about it.

Thank you for all who have offered suggestions. I may go for the Sony at BestBuy...I just happen to have enough on account on a gift card to get the Sony for free. WooHoo! ;D

FYI...I live in Jersey City, right on the Hudson across from lower Manhattan, so reception and signal strength are typically not problems for me. Will I likely be okay with the antenna system that comes with the Sony?

 

[KB1OKL]

Oh, I'm sure the people who need to know about it know plenty about it.

Thank you for all who have offered suggestions. I may go for the Sony at BestBuy...I just happen to have enough on account on a gift card to get the Sony for free. WooHoo! ;D

FYI...I live in Jersey City, right on the Hudson across from lower Manhattan, so reception and signal strength are typically not problems for me. Will I likely be okay with the antenna system that comes with the Sony?

Sure if it's a yagi.

 

[Savage]

Steve, noting your candid confession that you're not an engineer like some of us geeks:

A "yagi" is a beam-type outdoor antenna of the type used for TV reception, with crosspieces or bars which serve as reflectors. In other words the supplied room antenna or the ferrite-bar inside the radio cabinet may not be sufficient to get an HD signal to lock.

Without an external antenna he means you might find yourself listening to analog more than digital.

 

[oaktree]

Steve, you'd be better off with an INTERNET radio like the Roku Labs or Com1 "Phoenix," portable ... or even the Sangean WRF-20.

You'll then hear all of the CBS stations coast-to-cast in great quality from KNX to WCBS and back.

I know...I listen to you in California ... in studio quality. HD is a rip. A decent antenna will cost you $115 ... and works within 20-25 miles.

With an Internet radio ... you get 10,000 stations ... clearly.

Keep up the good job at WCBS!