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HD

michael hagerty

michael hagerty

As some of you might know, I'm also an automotive journalist (http://tirekicker.blogspot.com), and in the next two weeks, I'm testing two vehicles with HD radio...the Jaguar XK convertible and the BMW X5.

Despite driving 125 cars a year, these are only the second and third cars I've driven with HD...and the first (a BMW x1 convertible) was more than a year ago.

After 2 days in the Jag, I notice real differences in the audio quality between HD stations around the dial. And some things surprise me. KBAQ, which I figured would be a natural for HD, isn't broadcasting in HD. But KMVP (860) is.

Most impressive is the difference in AM quality. The radio locks on to the analog signal for about five seconds before switching to HD...and on KOY, the sound of it opening up, from mono to stereo, and in frequency response and dynamic range, is really something to hear.

I know...I know...me and six other people.

But being only 2 days into HD...and very likely out of it again in two weeks...I'd like to hear opinions about audio quality and programming from anyone else on the board who is a regular or semi-regular HD listener.

---Michael Hagerty
 
Actually, now that Apple is adding HD radio (with iTunes tagging) to the iPod, there might yet be life for HD radio. Who knows?
 
Don't forget the Zune HD. That's gotta mean, what, three more HD listeners? Long as you don't get more than ten miles from South Mountain, it'll all be good.
 
KOHS said:
Actually, now that Apple is adding HD radio (with iTunes tagging) to the iPod, there might yet be life for HD radio. Who knows?
Click to expand...
Apple ISN'T adding HD Radio...they're adding a standard radio.
 
We haven't seen or heard anything about HD FM for the I Phone....strange, as tagging is popular among music listeners.

As far as HD Ancient Modulation, aint gonna stop that dinosaur from going extinct. Sure it sounds almost like FM, but let's face it.. the Old Gringo is right about no one under the age of 55 being interested in listening to AM anymore. Just as AM Stereo did nothing, AM HD will do the same.
 
Dr. Akbar said:
We haven't seen or heard anything about HD FM for the I Phone....strange, as tagging is popular among music listeners.

As far as HD Ancient Modulation, aint gonna stop that dinosaur from going extinct. Sure it sounds almost like FM, but let's face it.. the Old Gringo is right about no one under the age of 55 being interested in listening to AM anymore. Just as AM Stereo did nothing, AM HD will do the same.
Click to expand...

Wait a second there Doc! I'm 24, well below the age of 55, and I will admit, I don't listen much to AM. But, if the Lumberyard ever goes HD, I'm all over it! KOOL just doesn't do the trick anymore with it's heavy lean on the 70's and early 80's. Also, let's not forget those frequent commercials for Mark Kia, Mark Kia!

I love my 14-in-a-row Goldmine oldies and it would be great to have it in crystal clear HD. I would even settle for some AM stereo from the DOS powered lamptimer. Come on Gumpdusky, your dropping the ball here! =)
 
michael hagerty said:
As some of you might know, I'm also an automotive journalist (http://tirekicker.blogspot.com), and in the next two weeks, I'm testing two vehicles with HD radio...the Jaguar XK convertible and the BMW X5.

Despite driving 125 cars a year, these are only the second and third cars I've driven with HD...and the first (a BMW x1 convertible) was more than a year ago.

After 2 days in the Jag, I notice real differences in the audio quality between HD stations around the dial. And some things surprise me. KBAQ, which I figured would be a natural for HD, isn't broadcasting in HD. But KMVP (860) is.

Most impressive is the difference in AM quality. The radio locks on to the analog signal for about five seconds before switching to HD...and on KOY, the sound of it opening up, from mono to stereo, and in frequency response and dynamic range, is really something to hear.

I know...I know...me and six other people.

But being only 2 days into HD...and very likely out of it again in two weeks...I'd like to hear opinions about audio quality and programming from anyone else on the board who is a regular or semi-regular HD listener.

---Michael Hagerty
Click to expand...

You mean AM HD works? I have a Boston Acoustics HD Receptor on my nightstand, and while the HD light will turn on for some AM stations, it sounds no better than the analog signal. The FM stations do sound nice and open - most of them don't overprocess the HD.

It looks like KJZZ has taken the HD plunge but KBAQ hasn't done it yet. Isn't KBAQ's main transmitter in the White Tanks? HD runs 1% of licensed power and the analog signal on KBAQ has never been great (they use 2 translators for fill-in) so why waste the electricity?

I am surprised to see that KJZZ is using the Spanish language NPR feed for HD2. I would have put KBAQ there, or Jazzworks during news hours. HD3 is a perfect place for SunSounds.
 
I was really looking forward to the BMW, since the Jag's sound system isn't great (possibly they haven't figured out how to get around the limitations of a convertible)...and the BMW's is....but....

This particular BMW came without the optional HD.

So...it might be another year before I have HD again.

---Michael Hagerty
 
michael hagerty said:
I was really looking forward to the BMW, since the Jag's sound system isn't great (possibly they haven't figured out how to get around the limitations of a convertible)...and the BMW's is....but....

This particular BMW came without the optional HD.

So...it might be another year before I have HD again.

---Michael Hagerty
Click to expand...

I may take the IBOC plunge this year in my car, just to try to get rid of the multipath.
 
Wound up with a Mercedes E350C this week...and it has HD. Much better audio system than the Jag.

Surprise so far: How good the gospel music sounds in HD on KMVP (860) at 4AM.

And would it have been asking too much for KJZZ to make one of their HD channels jazz 24/7?


---Michael Hagerty
 
michael hagerty said:
Wound up with a Mercedes E350C this week...and it has HD. Much better audio system than the Jag.

Surprise so far: How good the gospel music sounds in HD on KMVP (860) at 4AM.

And would it have been asking too much for KJZZ to make one of their HD channels jazz 24/7?


---Michael Hagerty
Click to expand...

I don't understand why they're taking Ahora, either. It's Spanish-language, but it's European. I'm not sure if there's really a demand for Spanish-language public radio from Radio Netherlands Worldwide, but I could be wrong about that. :)

If it were my decision, I'd run the Jazzworks public radio network 24/7 on HD2, or run Jazzworks on HD2 during news/talk on the main channel and news talk on HD2 during jazz programming on the main channel.

Maybe Ahora is cheap.

If you find yourself in a lousy reception area (I hear this on rimshot HD stations) you can tell a real difference in processing as the radio blends from digital to analog. Most stations set their digital to be nice and open, but the analog chain is really dense.
 
johndavis said:
If you find yourself in a lousy reception area (I hear this on rimshot HD stations) you can tell a real difference in processing as the radio blends from digital to analog. Most stations set their digital to be nice and open, but the analog chain is really dense.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much the case with any of the AM HDs between Moon Valley and Sky Harbor at 4AM. Both KMVP (which sprinkles in a little Jazz with their Gospel) and KOY are remarkable when the analog transitions to HD.

---Michael Hagerty
 
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