Is an FM tuner a serious music source for you?

3moons · « **on:** 5 May 2003, 02:50 pm »

Hello music lovers. Have you been to www.fmtunerinfo.com ? They have more information on FM tuners than you would ever have imagined, including a discussion group of over 900 members, world wide. On the group, the talk and information is about all things FM, including DIY mods, tweaks, repair, mods, the proper antennas to use, sound quality and how to improve it, info on your favorite tuner or one you wish was your's, FM DX and much, much more. All this shared information has been built from the input of our members, members are from a long list of everyday hobbyists and music lovers to engineers, technicians, from the young to old retired guys (me) and more. Everyone is welcome as long as they behave themselves. On the web site the best of this established information is spelled out and always being updated. All information, knowledge and advice is freely shared, given and taken. jim...
http://www.fmtunerinfo.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fmtuners/

zeke · « **Reply #1 on:** 6 May 2003, 01:44 am »

Yes, it still is a good music source for me. Living in Chicagoland ,there still are a few good stations -- jazz and blues do it for me at this time. But the quality ,choices, and variety of music offered by stations in the 60's is what i miss the most in FM . Seems like most stations these days play the same things over and over -- not much new and different music or new musicians are played............

ABEX · « **Reply #2 on:** 6 May 2003, 02:21 am »

Not for me.I think living in Maine is a big drawback for an FM music source. On occation I do listen to talk radio,but only to Howie Carr who is on AM from Boston and that is in my car.

I have an old Sanyo 70's FM\AM Tuner that I hooked up for the first time a few weeks ago to see what it could do.I use to have a slimline Phillips that I sold.

The main reason I gues is the fact I have so much music to listen to.2000LP's and 700 CD's make radio more of a distraction than a source.

Might try again at some point!

doug s. · « **Reply #3 on:** 6 May 2003, 02:50 am »

well, all it takes for me, is two-three decent-quality stations, w/decent programming, to keep me listening to my tunas *at least* 50% of the time, even when i'm sitting in the sweet spot. i'm sure i'd have a lot more than the ~1000 lp's & 200 cd's i've acquired over the years, if i wasn't such an fm junkie. the sound i get outta my hot-rodded h/k citation 18 tuna rivals that of my analog & digital rigs... it's really amazing to hear a top-notch fm broadcast over a killer tuna on a resolving rig... people who aren't knowledgable about fm are blown away by the sound they hear from my tuna - they really are shocked that fm can sound that good...

doug s.

ABEX · « **Reply #4 on:** 6 May 2003, 02:58 am »

I was just looking at the Tuner I have and will try hooking up a set of rabbit ears in a few minutes. Has newer technology advanced in the state of home tuners I wonder.

I have lived in LA and NYC where there is better station selection,but here it's very limited.I wish that Computer radio was better than it is.I was using Creatives IM Tuner ,but it kept cutting out during transmission.Wish there was something similar.Liked the selection though with what I was able to get in.

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #5 on:** 6 May 2003, 11:32 am »

No, I don't even own a tuner for my main system, though there's one in the TV system and in my boombox. The station selection here sucks--either repetitive smooth jazz or several "Classic Rock" stations with the same three Rush songs over and over.

The only radio I've enjoyed lately has been over the internet--XPN from Philadelphia has a really good selection and music I'm interested in. Of course, it wasn't listenable when I had a dial-up connection but it's great now that I have a cable connection.

We used to have a good music selection over our cable TV--Music Choice in maybe 20 categories. They've switched over to digital cable and eliminated music from the basic cable connection.

ABEX · « **Reply #6 on:** 6 May 2003, 02:46 pm »

Tonto
Understand that completely!

Val · « **Reply #7 on:** 7 May 2003, 12:28 pm »

3moons, thanks for the link!

I used to enjoy FM for many years until last year, when the only (and very good) classical FM radio station in Miami switched to hard rock or something they call music. At its peak that station was as good as CD with a good tuner and antenna. I now listen on the internet to Classic FM from London or to WQXR from NY when I am at my computer. Sad state of affairs.

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 May 2003, 11:24 am »

I jammed a CD in my work boombox, so I switched to FM--the classic rock station I mentioned above. It's almost like they have a set roster of artists---the artists they played in the morning were just shuffled around in the afternoon and a different track played. In the morning, I heard Harry Chapin's "Taxi" and in the afternoon they played "Cat's in the Cradle." Did the same thing with Paul Simon, Elton John, Springsteen and the usual suspects.

Of course, a few artists wouldn't fit the formula---Argent only has ONE song as far as classic rock is concerned ("Hold Your Head Up") so they could only play them once in the three days I listened (but I absolutely KNEW they would play that song eventually).

Funny thing is that the station promotes themselves as having the greatest music collection in SW Florida----but 100 "Greatest Hits" CD's would account for all the songs I've heard. Or a Time-Life box set or something from K-Tel. I used to think it would be cool to be a radio disc jockey, but this radio job would seem as mundane as going to the factory everyday and punching out the same product day after day.

Worst thing is that they don't play any Redbone!!! (the Indian group that had one "Midnight Special" era hit). And of course no Amish music either.

Tonto

doug s. · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 May 2003, 11:55 am »

tonto, forget about commercial radio. if i dint have good public radio, i wouldn't be so into tuna!

not only do commercial radio's playlists suck, but so does the audio quality - *extremely* compressed.

doug s.

nathanm · « **Reply #10 on:** 16 May 2003, 04:59 pm »

You mean the playlist that doesn't change for six months or more? Rock radio in Milwaukee is like that movie Groundhog Day. I can often switch on the radio and still hear the same tunes I heard in 1994. Only now they've added in Godsmack and Korn songs. It's like a time warp; it never changes! I don't know why radio stations have big racks full of albums when their entire playlist could fit in one of those pocket-sized CD cases. (well, I assume everything is played from computers now, not actual CDs - just a guess)

Thirty gazillion albums being released everyday and FM radio insists on giving us only .005% of it. Fuck them.

doug s. · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 May 2003, 05:31 pm »

most commercial stations are owned by the same three or four media conglomorates. they dictate what's played. the fcc has done nothing at all to inhibit the monoplization of public airwaves. fuck *THEM*!!!

i tink colin powell's son is the present head of the fcc. he's not doing anyting to help, either. what a surprise...

doug s.

nathanm · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 May 2003, 08:34 pm »

I'd love to see some charts of all the bands on a certain record label side by side with their radio airtime and record sales. Cause to me it is as if Godsmack alone is supporting the entire record label on its back. That's all I ever hear when I mistakenly turn on a radio. How do they determine which song to play 15 times a day everyday? Are listeners actually making that many requests? How does the label figure out which song they are going to oversaturate us with? Is it the decision of one guy's opinion of what he feels is a hit song?

The DJs don't actually listen to the music while they are at work do they? If that were my job I would slit my throat from ear to ear! How many times can a person hear Bush "Little Things" before they go insane? Seriously!

arthur · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 May 2003, 05:34 pm »

wouldn't the sound quality depend on the quality of the station's system? don't most of them play cd's on mid range cd players? how would that compete with a decent home cd playback?

arthur · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 May 2003, 05:34 pm »

wouldn't the sound quality depend on the quality of the station's system? don't most of them play cd's on mid range cd players? how would that compete with a decent home cd playback?

nathanm · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 May 2003, 06:32 pm »

Well maybe, but mostly the signal is also going through racks of compressor\limiters and who knows what else before being broadcast; partly for valid, technical reasons such as not interfering with other frequencies but also for a more nefarious purpose which is to BE AS LOUD AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE AS EVERYONE KNOWS WE WILL TUNE INTO THE LOUDEST STATION AND CONSEQUENTLY BUY THAT BAND'S CDS CAUSE THEY ARE SO MUCH LOUDER THAN THE OTHER BANDS!!! I mean, that's how we all think, right? Musical content has nothing to do with it of course, it's the average SPL we care about, right? There's no volume controls on radios you see, the loudest station Wins! The listener has no control, and there's no such thing as relative volume.

Personally they could put it through however many compressors and enhancers they want and I wouldn't care, but maybe they could play a different song every day all week? You know, so like we could be exposed to NEW music that might be interesting? Oh wait, I forgot, there's only 10 bands in the world worth listening to. Variety, what an outrageous concept - it would never work! Utter madness!

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #16 on:** 20 May 2003, 06:48 pm »

I'm thinking of starting a radio station that ONLY plays "Smoke On the Water"
so whenever you want to hear that song, you just tune in. No inconvenient looking for CD's or cueing up the TT, just tune in.

We'll have contests of course, but the answer will always be "Smoke on the Water" so even the neurally-challenged can win.

I realize that people can't listen to "SOTW" 24 hours a day, so there will also be call-in programs so listeners can talk about their favorite "SOTW" experience--"I first had sex listening to "SOTW" with Pitty Sing. I could feel the throbbing bass line deep in my loins.. ......."

Investors have the option of hosting an hour show.

I accept PayPal!

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 May 2003, 08:24 pm »

I'm very fortunate to be get great reception of Minnesota Public Radio where I live. It's a 24/7 classical music station with very minimal talk content, and the also carry Garrison Keiler's "Prairie Home Companion." Sure, the rock/pop radio scene here is a barren moonscape of crappy rap/nu metal/teen pop, but who care's when you have this good a classical station?

I completely gave up on pop radio about a decade ago. Most of the stations here boast horrendous sound quality, odious content and maddening amounts of commercials. Who needs it?

I would like to investigate internet radio. I'm not sure if one needs any "gear" aside from a modem and a soundcard (and some type of decent speakers/amp, of course). Can anyone enlighten me?

JoshK · « **Reply #18 on:** 20 May 2003, 08:29 pm »

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #19 on:** 20 May 2003, 08:33 pm »

You mean, like, "NO, you're beyond help Rob" or "No, there isn't much on internet radio?