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[Ai4i]

If one is near an AM transmitter and recieves an extremely strong signal from that station, a crystal diode detector feeding an audio amplifier will provide very good frequency response, probably the best.<P ID="signature">______________
Proud 2 B a pioneering satellite radio subs¢riber
Ai4i is always on the trailing edge of technology
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[JasonW]

> If one is near an AM transmitter and recieves an extremely
> strong signal from that station, a crystal diode detector
> feeding an audio amplifier will provide very good frequency
> response, probably the best.

If you're reasonably close to an AM station, an ordinary crystal radio hooked up to a small 8 ohm speaker through just a 1000 ohm/8 ohm transformer is amazingly loud in volume.

Unpowered crystal radios are indeed high fidelity, because there are no amplification stages that have the potential to cause audio distortion. I often spend hours listening to local and distant AM stations on my "Rocket Radio" slug-tuned loopstick crystal set. With music as well as speech, the audio is as rich and crisp as FM! -- JasonW

 

[RichWood]

> Even many of today's CD's are mastered as such so they don't
> sound "CD quality."

So that makes deception OK? All CDs (except the recent Sony/BMG ones with the rootkit crud on them) follow the Red Book rules in order to use the "compact disc" logo. If you choose to pack it with crap, that's your business. If you, as a broadcaster, choose to mess up your signal, that's fine. I don't have to listen.

When AM IBUZ craps all over its neighbors signals, then I have a problem.

CD Quality has a definite, carefully spelled out, set of requirements. Claiming some inferior technology also meets those requirements by inference is deception.

It's an awfully poor way to launch the salvation of terrestrial radio.

Rich

 

[RichWood]

> I remember a Clear Channel mandate that all CC AM's limit
> bandwidth and only transmit 5Khz. I wonder how many
> stations actually did that

Not doing it for a Talk station would, most likely, be professional suicide. You'd better have an awfully good reason to violate a company directive. Actually, that's not only true for Clear Channel. When the boss says do something, do it or find other work.

Rich

 

[RichWood]

> Even many of today's CD's are mastered as such so they don't
> sound "CD quality."

However, they adhere to the Red Book standard. You get out what you put in. When codecs are involved, there's a loss. I'm surprised the inventors of CDs haven't filed suit against everyone who claims low rate streams are CD quality.

Rich