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KFBK FM | Audio Critique

stewie

stewie

On a trip back from San Francisco comparing KCBS FM and KFBK FM I discovered what I don't like about the sound of KFBK FM. It's mono! Yeah, you heard me...

Now before someone replies with a NO. KFBK FM is transmitting a pilot tone but the source audio is being summed somewhere in the air chain feeding the FM side.

While it's impossible to tell during talk programming; When liners, adds, and/or "local bumper music" is played, it's clearly mono.

I guess it doesn't really matter for most, they might as well turn off their pilot tone.
 
stewie said:
On a trip back from San Francisco comparing KCBS FM and KFBK FM I discovered what I don't like about the sound of KFBK FM. It's mono! Yeah, you heard me...

Now before someone replies with a NO. KFBK FM is transmitting a pilot tone but the source audio is being summed somewhere in the air chain feeding the FM side.

While it's impossible to tell during talk programming; When liners, adds, and/or "local bumper music" is played, it's clearly mono.

I guess it doesn't really matter for most, they might as well turn off their pilot tone.
Click to expand...

Now that you mention it, I haven't heard any stereo separation. I still prefer the sound quality compared to KFBK-AM. They're probably feeding the same mono audio to both left and right. I believe it's called "dual mono". I often do that when only a mono feed is available.
 
Steven Roy said:
stewie said:
On a trip back from San Francisco comparing KCBS FM and KFBK FM I discovered what I don't like about the sound of KFBK FM. It's mono! Yeah, you heard me...

Now before someone replies with a NO. KFBK FM is transmitting a pilot tone but the source audio is being summed somewhere in the air chain feeding the FM side.

While it's impossible to tell during talk programming; When liners, adds, and/or "local bumper music" is played, it's clearly mono.

I guess it doesn't really matter for most, they might as well turn off their pilot tone.
Click to expand...

Now that you mention it, I haven't heard any stereo separation. I still prefer the sound quality compared to KFBK-AM. They're probably feeding the same mono audio to both left and right. I believe it's called "dual mono". I often do that when only a mono feed is available.
Click to expand...


That's right. Mono sources (such as mics, telephone hybrids) are fed to both left and right in stereo broadcasts.
 
Steven Roy said:
stewie said:
On a trip back from San Francisco comparing KCBS FM and KFBK FM I discovered what I don't like about the sound of KFBK FM.  It's mono!  Yeah, you heard me...

Now before someone replies with a NO.  KFBK FM is transmitting a pilot tone but the source audio is being summed somewhere in the air chain feeding the FM side.

While it's impossible to tell during talk programming; When liners, adds, and/or "local bumper music" is played, it's clearly mono.

I guess it doesn't really matter for most, they might as well turn off their pilot tone.
Click to expand...

Now that you mention it, I haven't heard any stereo separation. I still prefer the sound quality compared to KFBK-AM. They're probably feeding the same mono audio to both left and right. I believe it's called "dual mono". I often do that when only a mono feed is available.
Click to expand...
I know talking about audio is typically boring.  I worked at BK for many years and was always told the console and air chain was wired for stereo but that's not the case.  When comparing KCBS FM and KFBK FM there's noticeable difference.  Again, most of the content is mono so it doesn't matter, would be nice to hear some stereo during bumpers, etc... I agree though, a far improvement to KFBK AM. :)
 
Both the am and fm run hd signals also. They must be mono too. The fm dropped their hd-2 (Pride radio) several weeks ago. That did not seem to be a logical fit. I could not stand the audio quality on the am hd side.
 
Listen to the KFBK-AM IBOC. Want to talk about overdriven audio...geez. Who is at the wheel over there? Seems like no one cares about the audio.
 
whonigs said:
Listen to the KFBK-AM IBOC. Want to talk about overdriven audio...geez. Who is at the wheel over there? Seems like no one cares about the audio.
Click to expand...

Looks like this issue was solved last week when the stations moved to Riverside Drive in Sacramento. KFBK-FM is now stereo. HOORAY! :)
 
stewie said:
whonigs said:
Listen to the KFBK-AM IBOC. Want to talk about overdriven audio...geez. Who is at the wheel over there? Seems like no one cares about the audio.
Click to expand...

Looks like this issue was solved last week when the stations moved to Riverside Drive in Sacramento. KFBK-FM is now stereo. HOORAY! :)
Click to expand...

Anyone got a mod monitor or radio over there? Listened to a lot of weekend programming on KFBK-FM and I had to considerably crank up my radio to hear programming. Probably still working out the kinks in the new location...I hope. :)
 
stewie said:
stewie said:
whonigs said:
Listen to the KFBK-AM IBOC. Want to talk about overdriven audio...geez. Who is at the wheel over there? Seems like no one cares about the audio.
Click to expand...

Looks like this issue was solved last week when the stations moved to Riverside Drive in Sacramento. KFBK-FM is now stereo. HOORAY! :)
Click to expand...

Anyone got a mod monitor or radio over there? Listened to a lot of weekend programming on KFBK-FM and I had to considerably crank up my radio to hear programming. Probably still working out the kinks in the new location...I hope. :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, audio levels are really low. The signal seems to be weaker, or something. It is more difficult lately to pull stereo sound when driving around...at first I thought they switched to mono, but then would receive stereo intermittently. Maybe operating on aux transmitter...???
 
Big D said:
stewie said:
stewie said:
whonigs said:
Listen to the KFBK-AM IBOC. Want to talk about overdriven audio...geez. Who is at the wheel over there? Seems like no one cares about the audio.
Click to expand...

Looks like this issue was solved last week when the stations moved to Riverside Drive in Sacramento. KFBK-FM is now stereo. HOORAY! :)
Click to expand...

Anyone got a mod monitor or radio over there? Listened to a lot of weekend programming on KFBK-FM and I had to considerably crank up my radio to hear programming. Probably still working out the kinks in the new location...I hope. :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, audio levels are really low. The signal seems to be weaker, or something. It is more difficult lately to pull stereo sound when driving around...at first I thought they switched to mono, but then would receive stereo intermittently. Maybe operating on aux transmitter...???
Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't mean to rag on them, in fact I used to work for them at one point. It's just way down. My wife, who listened to BK, asked me about it and she's not a radio geek. I've been traveling this past week, the issue haven't been fixed yet?

A backup transmitter is most likely NOT the issue. They're most likely on a backup audio processor or maybe they replaced STL gear in the process of moving and no one has worked with it. I'm really surprised it hasn't gotten more attention.
 
KFBK in stereo...Amy in one speaker, Ed in the other? Kitty in one speaker, Pat Walsh /news reporters/Dana Hess in another? :D
 
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