HD Radio Frustration

[Sarius]

Hi,

As I posted before, I'm in need of a new tuner. You-all convinced me that XM wasn't worth it at home. I realized that my favorite non-commercial Jazz/Blues station is broadcasting in HD and I live within optimum reception distance, so I did some homework. HD, when properly implemented seems to offer 'CD' quality sound, and given that this station (WEMU) is all about the music, I would guess that they've set up their system for the optimum quality this format is capable of. In fact, I seem to be within reception range of four other HD broadcasts that I might enjoy.

So I started looking for HD tuners and it would seem that I have no options at all in terms of a component that would go into a good home system. I find this very puzzling. Does anyone know of an 'audiophile' tuner that will support HD?

Any ideas why a new format that seems to offer a significant step up in reception quality, and is being actively broadcast by stations that music lovers would actually want to listen to, is being totally ignored by the high end component makers? I mean, if I wanted to spend a grand or more on a new power cord, I'd have many options. I can drop big bucks into a CD demagnetizer, 'quantum aligned' interconnects, or 'noise harvester'. But, if I want to buy a tuner that will pull in a signal that is already being broadcast which seems to offer some real sonic improvements, there isn't a single one to be had?

Go figure!

 

[zepaholic]

Hi,

As I posted before, I'm in need of a new tuner. You-all convinced me that XM wasn't worth it at home. I realized that my favorite non-commercial Jazz/Blues station is broadcasting in HD and I live within optimum reception distance, so I did some homework. HD, when properly implemented seems to offer 'CD' quality sound, and given that this station (WEMU) is all about the music, I would guess that they've set up their system for the optimum quality this format is capable of. In fact, I seem to be within reception range of four other HD broadcasts that I might enjoy.

So I started looking for HD tuners and it would seem that I have no options at all in terms of a component that would go into a good home system. I find this very puzzling. Does anyone know of an 'audiophile' tuner that will support HD?

Any ideas why a new format that seems to offer a significant step up in reception quality, and is being actively broadcast by stations that music lovers would actually want to listen to, is being totally ignored by the high end component makers? I mean, if I wanted to spend a grand or more on a new power cord, I'd have many options. I can drop big bucks into a CD demagnetizer, 'quantum aligned' interconnects, or 'noise harvester'. But, if I want to buy a tuner that will pull in a signal that is already being broadcast which seems to offer some real sonic improvements, there isn't a single one to be had?

Go figure!

Check out the Yamaha RX-V4600 it has HD Radio.

 

[Sarius]

Check out the Yamaha RX-V4600 it has HD Radio.

Thanks, I should have mentioned that I've got a Parasound A21/P3 system which I'm quite pleased with, so I only need to find a tuner. This is for a two channel only system. I have separate home theater and music systems with no TV attached to the music system. The HT is built around a Yamaha RX-V2400 which I am likewise very pleased with.

 

[cosmun]

HD Radio Receiver Issues

Hi,

As I posted before, I'm in need of a new tuner. You-all convinced me that XM wasn't worth it at home. I realized that my favorite non-commercial Jazz/Blues station is broadcasting in HD and I live within optimum reception distance, so I did some homework. HD, when properly implemented seems to offer 'CD' quality sound, and given that this station (WEMU) is all about the music, I would guess that they've set up their system for the optimum quality this format is capable of. In fact, I seem to be within reception range of four other HD broadcasts that I might enjoy.

So I started looking for HD tuners and it would seem that I have no options at all in terms of a component that would go into a good home system. I find this very puzzling. Does anyone know of an 'audiophile' tuner that will support HD?

Any ideas why a new format that seems to offer a significant step up in reception quality, and is being actively broadcast by stations that music lovers would actually want to listen to, is being totally ignored by the high end component makers? I mean, if I wanted to spend a grand or more on a new power cord, I'd have many options. I can drop big bucks into a CD demagnetizer, 'quantum aligned' interconnects, or 'noise harvester'. But, if I want to buy a tuner that will pull in a signal that is already being broadcast which seems to offer some real sonic improvements, there isn't a single one to be had?

Go figure!

Hi - I know this is old news to you but I am curious if you are listening to HD Radio now if if so, what do you think? I am seriously considering a Yamaha RX-V4600. Which are already discontinued but still available. I listen to WEMU, WDET, WUOM & WGTE all in toledo. I have a Fanfare antenna and get good reception.

Thanks if you receive this and respond.

Sincerely,
COsmun

 

[markw]

I hear ya.

I think it's a licensing issue and the people who own it want to make a fortune by squeezing the consumers. I don't know if this is such a good idea.

Remember, in the olden days, when Dolby Noise Reduction was introduced to the common man? Yeah, it added to the cost of the decks but, thanks to clever marketing, most of that was due to the hardware, not the licensing fees. They intentionally kept the licensing fees low so any manufacturer could afford to include it their product. conversely, any consumer that wanted to avail themselves of it could do so without incurring tremendous costs.

The result? It became a standard and, like McDonalds, those pennies added up real quick.

Now, it appears that HD radio sold it's product to the radio stations and made some pretty good money off of them. Now they want to squeeze every penny out of every consumer they can. Manufacturers, who deal in a highly competitive hardware market, are willing to adopt new technology, but only if they can sell it and make a profit. If the price asked to include this in a receiver pushes the cost up a few levels, I'm sure they will reconsider.

I think the lack of this on car radios somehow adds to this theory. We can get a pretty serviceable car radio for $100 up. If that same radio with HD radio cost $200, how many would be willing to pay the difference? I don't think the manufacturers wanna waste the retooling to take that gamble.

But, I think with Satellite radio looming on the horizon (both literally and figuratively), they are playing a dangerous game.

Remember, we are not Joe Sixpack. We're willing to pay a little (note "little") more for something like that but the bulk of the consumer electronics buyers shop out of the Sunday sale fliers from the big box stores.

I do see where it's only on a few table radios that seem overpriced for what they do. and, I don't think these even offer outputs to feed a home stereo, but I could be wrong.

 

[MDS]

According to commercials on the radio here, BMW is the only car manufacturer so far to include HD radios in their cars. I'll pass (on the BMW too). HD radio is still radio - you don't get to choose what you hear or when you hear it and now you have to pay a fee for it.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

NAD c445 DAB

 

[joebob]

Have you looked into the Sangean HDT-1? It looks like a good option for home radio.

http://www.sangean.com/product.php?model=HDT-1

I have an HD tuner in my car. I like the quality of the reception and lack of commercials on the HD2 channels; but the stations in my area still have heavy rotation of the same songs. They will never learn.

 

[no. 5]

but the stations in my area still have heavy rotation of the same songs. They will never learn.

'cuz they are doing it to make someone famous, not to give us something to listen to.

 

[Thunder18]

I think the lack of this on car radios somehow adds to this theory. We can get a pretty serviceable car radio for $100 up. If that same radio with HD radio cost $200, how many would be willing to pay the difference? I don't think the manufacturers wanna waste the retooling to take that gamble.

I have the JVC KD-HDR1, available for $160 from overstock.com, in my car. I needed a new cd player anyway so I figure what the heck. I believe at this point in time it is the only mobile HD radio tuner for automobile use that does not need any add-ons to operate. I love it! Clean clear stations with no static. One of the favorite things is that my daughter likes to listen to Radio Disney, an AM station that has always had poor reception in any car i've ever driven. It is broadcast in HD and really does sound like a very clear FM station. Of course, it does help that JVC's tuner is really good as well. I'd definately recommend it to anyone. Fact of that matter is, I'm bought another to put in my fiance's car and I'm having to buy a third one because some jerk thought he'd try to seal mine. He ended up stealing the face and jacked up the body of the radio so I can not just replace the face. I've been without radio now for about a month.

 

[markw]

Weee, this is encourging news.

I have the JVC KD-HDR1, available for $160 from overstock.com, in my car. I needed a new cd player anyway so I figure what the heck. I believe at this point in time it is the only mobile HD radio tuner for automobile use that does not need any add-ons to operate. I love it! Clean clear stations with no static. One of the favorite things is that my daughter likes to listen to Radio Disney, an AM station that has always had poor reception in any car i've ever driven. It is broadcast in HD and really does sound like a very clear FM station. Of course, it does help that JVC's tuner is really good as well. I'd definately recommend it to anyone.

That's what it's gonna take for it to go mainstream. Make it an invisible,painless investment and people will buy into it without knowing it, just like Dolby NR, stereo TV , et al,

I wish I had known about this about 6 months ago, WE just upgraded two car radios simply to get front-panel aux inputs for our MP3's. HD would have been a nice bonus.

Fact of that matter is, I'm bought another to put in my fiance's car and I'm having to buy a third one because some jerk thought he'd try to seal mine. He ended up stealing the face and jacked up the body of the radio so I can not just replace the face. I've been without radio now for about a month.

Now, this isn't encouraging. Sounds like a mean-spirited child who, upon finding out he couldn't steal it, decided to destroy it.

Even here in the car theft capital of the US, car radio thefts have dropped off to zip. in the last many years. Now it's hand-held GPS, those blue headlights and, of course, cars themselves, which always seem to head towards Newark.