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KAAM Audio Quality

C

Chuck

Is it just me? I was driving to Dallas from East Texas this afternoon. About the time I got to Canton, I switched my radio (A GM/Bose unit that sounds pretty good) from KTBB, an AM station in Tyler to KAAM. Although it is a News/Talk staton, KTBB has a warm and full sound that is pleasant to listen to, even though it is AM. When I changed stations, I was shocked by the appalling thin and screechy sound I was getting from KAAM. The signal was strong. There was no noticeable interference or distracting sounds; just incredibly low-fi audio. I've heard intercoms that sounded a lot better. There was absolutely no bass. The top end couldn't have made it to 4 KHz, although there seemed to be a big peak in frequency response about 3KHz or so. It was very fatiguing to listen to. I really couldn't handle it for very long and switched over to WRR, which sounded very good.

I know KAAM is running HD. When they switched to HD, there was a noticeable degradation in their analog signal. Still, I don't remember it sounding that bad. Does anyone know if this is temporary, or is this “the new state of the art?" I can't imagine anyone with a music-oriented format intentionally having an analog signal that was so hard to listen to.
 
KAAM's audio quality went downhill with IBOC. Their engineer told me they are set up to have audio out to 7 or 8 kHz but I wonder about that, seems I read the limit with IBOC was about 6 kHz. I complained to them about it, and the audio quality on their IBOC daytime signal having little or no highs, not living up to the "FM-like" quality as touted by Ibiquity. I was told this was news to them, no one else has complained. Engineer told me he didn't want it to sound too bright and harsh like KMKI. (Talk about unlistenable analog audio quality - KMKI 620 is awful.) KAAM's internet stream sounds quite good though.

I have a CD I recorded in 2004 of one of KAAM Hubcap Carter's shows in C-QUAM stereo. Amazing how good that sounds!
 
Megapsycle said:
KAAM's audio quality went downhill with IBOC. Their engineer told me they are set up to have audio out to 7 or 8 kHz but I wonder about that, seems I read the limit with IBOC was about 6 kHz. I complained to them about it, and the audio quality on their IBOC daytime signal having little or no highs, not living up to the "FM-like" quality as touted by Ibiquity. I was told this was news to them, no one else has complained. Engineer told me he didn't want it to sound too bright and harsh like KMKI. (Talk about unlistenable analog audio quality - KMKI 620 is awful.) KAAM's internet stream sounds quite good though.

I have a CD I recorded in 2004 of one of KAAM Hubcap Carter's shows in C-QUAM stereo. Amazing how good that sounds!
Click to expand...

Depending on the setup, the typical IBOC AM analog audio is good to about 4-5 kHz max..there IS a mode for IBOC to allow up to 8kHz analog audio....but noone is using that afaik and you loose some things like data, etc. in the digital mode (its where the tertiary sidebands are; the secondary sidebands contain the stereo infromation, the primary sidebands-out the farthest from carrier- have the mono information). Internet streams are not affected and can be 20kHz stereo even though its an AM station! The CQUAM stereo is still better sounding than the IBOC stereo signal ;)
 
Ibiquity recommends 5 khz analog audio limit for talk stations, 6 Khz for music. KAAM's HD sound is quite good, but their C-Quam was more natural sounding without having to reduce the audio quality to analog radios.
 
Frank Provasek said:
KAAM's HD sound is quite good..
Click to expand...
Maybe they opened up the high end since the last time I listened with a critical ear. I complained several months ago about the high freq response sounding like it was rolled off above 8 kHz or so, as though the High filter is engaged on my amplifier. The engineer said he set it up like that so there would't be such a dramatic difference as the HD mode switches in and out from signal variations in a mobile environment.
 
Megapsycle said:
The engineer said he set it up like that so there would't be such a dramatic difference as the HD mode switches in and out from signal variations in a mobile environment.
Click to expand...

AHHH isnt that what HD is SUPPOSED to do? Sound BETTER than an analog??? Why go to the bother of the expense if you dont use it??? GEESHH some wonderful thinking there!
 
CW said:
Megapsycle said:
The engineer said he set it up like that so there would't be such a dramatic difference as the HD mode switches in and out from signal variations in a mobile environment.
Click to expand...

AHHH isnt that what HD is SUPPOSED to do? Sound BETTER than an analog??? Why go to the bother of the expense if you dont use it??? GEESHH some wonderful thinking there!
Click to expand...

Agreed

R
 
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