M
Mike Walker
Guest
Sound and Vision magazine reviews TWO products with HD Radio in the new issue. The first, the Polk I-sonic with Ipod dock, which they loved...especially the integration with Ipod and Itunes, using tagging. This means absolutely nothing to me, as I've never been interested in Ipod! My Archos, Sandisk, and Creative players DO MUCH MORE, cost much less, include FM tuners (good ones in the case of Sandisk), and RECORD with no expensive accessories!
But I digress! The other HD Radio product was a Yamaha receiver. Interestingly enough, though they list HD Radio in the features, they had no comment at all on radio reception.
I think reviewers got out of the habit of paying much attention to tuner sections of receivers when a)-quality slipped in the 90s (in comparison to MUCH better tuners in the 70s and 80s!), and b)-surround playback bacame the focus. However, there's a reason most people choose a RECEIVER, rather than a separate amplifier (minus tuner)...RADIO! After all, today's high end receivers AIN'T CHEAP! One could go the amp-only route. Most choose not to (and home isntallers nearly always hook up that antenna for FM reception (hopefully AM TOO!)
But I digress! The other HD Radio product was a Yamaha receiver. Interestingly enough, though they list HD Radio in the features, they had no comment at all on radio reception.
I think reviewers got out of the habit of paying much attention to tuner sections of receivers when a)-quality slipped in the 90s (in comparison to MUCH better tuners in the 70s and 80s!), and b)-surround playback bacame the focus. However, there's a reason most people choose a RECEIVER, rather than a separate amplifier (minus tuner)...RADIO! After all, today's high end receivers AIN'T CHEAP! One could go the amp-only route. Most choose not to (and home isntallers nearly always hook up that antenna for FM reception (hopefully AM TOO!)