[John Casler]

Saturday saw a re-wiring of the system and I also installed a wireless mouse and keyboard, as well as a 19" LCD flat panel to my laptop (sitting atop my system) to allow me to control the Olive OPUS from my listening seat.

I also Re-did the QuickSilver Gold to the speaker connections.

In this exercise, I also had a chance to listen to HIT MUSIC STATION.NET on SHoutcast.com.

The sound was incredible.  It reminded me of those days in the 70's, late at night listening to underground (wasn't every station) FM.

It just seemed to have a "quality" that was unobtainable with records or tapes.

It had a "depth" and "body" that was just unique (even without the assistance of any enhancements of that period aa )

Well this is what I was getting, and I was listening to a 70's cut from AMERICA, like "Ventura Highway.

Well the good thing about the OLIVE is that you can instantly call up that very song on CD.

There was quite a difference.  On CD, it was clearer and had far less body, but sound much more real.

This leads me to beleive, Radio Station still "process" the songs a great degree.  I wonder what they do.

In particular the Station Promos and banter in between the cuts is "off the charts" in the processing department.

Anyone know what they do to the sound?

I know back in the day, many used some of the dBx processing and equalization.  I assume that is still the case?

In any event, it didn't degrade the imaging and soundstage which was incredible

[accentstryping]

Kinda left us a little vague there John, which did you prefer overall?
                                                                                        MMM

[Carlman]

I too wonder what processing the radio stations do before transmitting.  The DJ's I've spoken to didn't know... they just worked there.. 

It's great that you found an internet station that actually sounded 'good' at all... I listen to 'weenradio.com' on the Squeezebox as part of 'Shoutcast' which is horrendous.  I dare anyone to listen to this station for more than 30 minutes.  If you like Ween, you might make it 20 or so.  At 30, you start to go insane. 

Have fun!

[Scott F.]

Hi John,

I don't know that all radio stations enhance their sound the same way. I've heard that a couple of local St Louis stations compress and then 'normalize' (boost the gain levels) before the feed hits the airways. I know of another that (at one itme) used the aural exciters at least on their DJs to make their voices deeper and more resonant. I really think you'll find its station dependant.

When it comes to internet radio, give Pandora.com a test run. I used to listen to shoutcast on winamp all the time but I'm a Pandora convert. You can create your own 'radio stations' based upon the music you like. I've got about 8 different stations set up with separate genre's. Its pretty darned intuitive. You listen, if you don't like a song, tell it so and it excludes similar music based upon the 'type' of sound it has. Its kinda hard to describe how it works but think if Pandora as a huge relational database where somebody went through and put relationship taglines for each and every song they have ripped....and the selection is huge. It even borders on the obscure. I typed in Trapeze, the 1970's prog rock band and they had them ripped to their hard drive. Then they built a station around Trapeze based upon that particular prog rock style. Its actually very cool.

I haven't asked the question yet but I'm guessing Pandora is streaming well above 128kbps but if I had to guess based on bandwidth usage, I'd think its closer to 320kbps. The sound (to me) is extremely clean for internet radio. I listen all day at work. I've tried it with the Squeezebox but it sort of lumbers around. A straight feed from the computer via USB or spdif on the soundcard would be the best option.

[John Casler]

Kinda left us a little vague there John, which did you prefer overall?
                                                                                        MMM

Well, I don't have a Tuner now, so the internet radio is in there.

And I haven't used a real tuner in years, so it is a tough call. So IR is good enough for catching up on whats out there and the stations I listen to  are 160-192kbits so they are decent.

Compared to CD's?  No contest.  CD's are well beyond anthing I have heard over the airways.

[John Casler]

When it comes to internet radio, give Pandora.com a test run. I used to listen to shoutcast on winamp all the time but I'm a Pandora convert. You can create your own 'radio stations' based upon the music you like. I've got about 8 different stations set up with separate genre's. Its pretty darned intuitive. You listen, if you don't like a song, tell it so and it excludes similar music based upon the 'type' of sound it has. Its kinda hard to describe how it works but think if Pandora as a huge relational database where somebody went through and put relationship taglines for each and every song they have ripped....and the selection is huge. It even borders on the obscure. I typed in Trapeze, the 1970's prog rock band and they had them ripped to their hard drive. Then they built a station around Trapeze based upon that particular prog rock style. Its actually very cool.

I haven't asked the question yet but I'm guessing Pandora is streaming well above 128kbps but if I had to guess based on bandwidth usage, I'd think its closer to 320kbps. The sound (to me) is extremely clean for internet radio. I listen all day at work. I've tried it with the Squeezebox but it sort of lumbers around. A straight feed from the computer via USB or spdif on the soundcard would be the best option.

Hi Scott,

I think with the OLIVE units, you are limited to Shoutcast.com

[Joules]

i like the internet radio not necessarily for audiophile quality but to her new music and some thing to listen to wile i work.
I don't have a tuner, I use a PC based music server so every thing i need is allready there. The station I like is KZAM, they play a very wide selection of different stuff from one extreme to the other. As KAZM says "Playing more music than the record company's know what to do with".

[Daygloworange]

This leads me to believe, Radio Station still "process" the songs a great degree.

I've had the opportunity over the years to hear 2 track masters played over the airwaves. It doesn't sound like the original at all.

stations compress and then 'normalize' (boost the gain levels) before the feed hits the airways. I know of another that (at one itme) used the aural exciters

 

I know back in the day, many used some of the dBx processing and equalization.  I assume that is still the case?

 

These are the typical things that every radio station I've ever heard does. It's known as the FM sound. It became such a popular thing that recording engineers started replicating that sound. There was a thread a while back regarding the overuse of compression and the digital domain.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=28325.0

Cheers

[satfrat]

Hi John,

I don't know that all radio stations enhance their sound the same way. I've heard that a couple of local St Louis stations compress and then 'normalize' (boost the gain levels) before the feed hits the airways. I know of another that (at one itme) used the aural exciters at least on their DJs to make their voices deeper and more resonant. I really think you'll find its station dependant.

When it comes to internet radio, give Pandora.com a test run. I used to listen to shoutcast on winamp all the time but I'm a Pandora convert. You can create your own 'radio stations' based upon the music you like. I've got about 8 different stations set up with separate genre's. Its pretty darned intuitive. You listen, if you don't like a song, tell it so and it excludes similar music based upon the 'type' of sound it has. Its kinda hard to describe how it works but think if Pandora as a huge relational database where somebody went through and put relationship taglines for each and every song they have ripped....and the selection is huge. It even borders on the obscure. I typed in Trapeze, the 1970's prog rock band and they had them ripped to their hard drive. Then they built a station around Trapeze based upon that particular prog rock style. Its actually very cool.

I haven't asked the question yet but I'm guessing Pandora is streaming well above 128kbps but if I had to guess based on bandwidth usage, I'd think its closer to 320kbps. The sound (to me) is extremely clean for internet radio. I listen all day at work. I've tried it with the Squeezebox but it sort of lumbers around. A straight feed from the computer via USB or spdif on the soundcard would be the best option.

May I suggest you give Shoutcast on Winamp another try but first, download the plug-in DFX 8.0 at http://www.fxsound.com/dfx/index.php?vendor=0&subvendor=0&plus=0&refer=0 , it's free to try  out and I will guarantee (imho) that the clarity of the music will be looking thru crystal. I've been a fan of DFX for some time now, thanks to Witchdoctor, and DFX was the motivating factor for me to make my HTPC my only music source. Just today, FXSound just upgraded their audio enhancer to DFX 8.0 and I'm simply blown away,,, again. The pristine sound needs to be heard I do truely believe. I use Window Media Player 11 myself for my music library but I use Winamp for Shoutcast Radio. For the best in Alternative Rock, try Alternative config. in the libary and find MVYRadio broadcasting at 98 bitrate from Martha's Vineyard in Boston. I find with DFX, a little goes a long way. It'll open your ears! 

Robin

[denjo]

Hi Scott

The sound (to me) is extremely clean for internet radio. I listen all day at work. I've tried it with the Squeezebox but it sort of lumbers around. A straight feed from the computer via USB or spdif on the soundcard would be the best option.

I am new to internet radio! Thanks for the Pandora heads up! I tried it and found the idea simply amazing. I like New Age music and simply chose "Kevin Kern" when prompted to choose the artist. Now I have a plethora of pleasurable music from artists of the same genre. Cool way of choosing CDs that I wish to buy!!

I have a query: how do I connect it to my 2-Ch hifi? Can the Paradisea (with adaptations) be used to as a DAC to filter the digital signal from Pandora to my amplifier?

I would also like to thank you for the review of the Mhdt Paradisea which I bought based on the positive things you said in your review. I have tried the GE stock tubes, National 2C51 and now the Western Electric 396A. I must say the WE is very special sounding!

Thanks very much!

Best Regards
Dennis

[Scott F.]

Hi Scott

I am new to internet radio! Thanks for the Pandora heads up! I tried it and found the idea simply amazing. I like New Age music and simply chose "Kevin Kern" when prompted to choose the artist. Now I have a plethora of pleasurable music from artists of the same genre. Cool way of choosing CDs that I wish to buy!!

I have a query: how do I connect it to my 2-Ch hifi? Can the Paradisea (with adaptations) be used to as a DAC to filter the digital signal from Pandora to my amplifier?

I would also like to thank you for the review of the Mhdt Paradisea which I bought based on the positive things you said in your review. I have tried the GE stock tubes, National 2C51 and now the Western Electric 396A. I must say the WE is very special sounding!

Thanks very much!

Best Regards
Dennis

Hiya Dennis,

There is a couple of ways I can think of to connect your computer to your stereo. First would be to use a sound card that has a SPDIF output. You could run a cable from it to your Paradisea. I forget what the maximum length is for a digital interconnect but a quick Google should tell you.

The second way would be to use Jim Hagerman's HagUSB ($125). Just run a USB cable to the HagUSB and then it converts the USB to SPDIF. Then run your digital cable to the DAC.

I'm sure there is a few other ways to do it, maybe the other guys can chime in with some help.

Thanks for the kind words about the article. The word is definitely starting to get out about the MHDT DACs. They really are great sounding. I saw a post the other day that said that the Paradisea holds it's own against the Altman. Glad to see that my tastes in gear (and hearing) is on par with most everybody else.

[Val]

Both RadioIO classical and jazz sound pretty good on my SB2.

[denjo]

Hi Scott
Thanks very much for the leads! Sounds very promising!
Best Regards
Dennis