"We've switched to mono because we have to share the available bandwidth equally amongst all national radio stations, and we were taking up too much space.Where physically possible we always try to offer Absolute Radio in as high quality as the bandwidth will allow such as 128k AAC streams online and on our mobile apps."
A bit misleading of course - their parent company is choosing to share bandwidth equally between all of its stations on Digital 1.
"We've switched to mono because we have to share the available bandwidth equally amongst all national radio stations, and we were taking up too much space.Where physically possible we always try to offer Absolute Radio in as high quality as the bandwidth will allow such as 128k AAC streams online and on our mobile apps."
A bit misleading of course - their parent company is choosing to share bandwidth equally between all of its stations on Digital 1.
Spin! What did you expect?
Careful use of words makes it sound for the greater good, rather than explain the truth that this is a commercial decision made by one company for its own purposes.
That said, the 128kbps AAC streams are pretty damn good :-)
112kbps Stereo loses the high frequencies [that 80k mono has] and has other audible artefacts.
Typically, an 80k stream has the highest frequency of 13k, and a 112k stereo stream has the highest of 12k, so although not the greatest of differences, you are absolutely right.
So I'd like to invite you personally to take part in this little test of mine: http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2037991
I would not be surprised if Capital Xtra goes mono and wouldn't even be surprised if Classic FM goes to 96kbps or 80kbps mono (it was after all, good enough for theJazz for a while) and the whole of Digital One goes mono.
Fine for DAB+ but not DAB.
I still remember Gold being 48kbps for a few days on MXR Yorkshire.
Also worth noting that 64kbps AAC+ with DAB+ won't get you the same sound quality as a 64Kbps AAC+ Internet radio stream. It's more like 49.6Kbps assuming a 8kbps PAD. There's a reason why Germany in its implementation of DAB+ uses bitrates between 72 and 96kbps.
Interesting that most of the Global stations stay stereo, whilst most of the Bauer stations go mono
Indeed, where I live, Heart, Capital, Capital Xtra, Smooth, XFM, Classic FM all stereo on DAB but Absolute, Absolute 80s, Magic, Planet Rock, Kiss all mono.
Global certainly more focused on higher quality output than Bauer, a lot of this is down to Global using both D1 and local Muxes where as Bauer don't bother with local DAB in many areas so just cram all their stations onto D1 and are then forced to go mono.
Why are Bauer not utilising local muxes to fix this, find it odd that with Bauer being more focused on guitar music stations they are all mono yet Global still have XFM in stereo.
You can always get a stereo image of Absolute Radio now that the DAB stream is mono by getting two AM radios and tune one to 1215khz and the other to any of the other frequencies 1197,1224, 1233 or 1260 and although reduced in hi fi response the phasing reception will give you an illusion of stereo!:D
You can always get a stereo image of Absolute Radio now that the DAB stream is mono by getting two AM radios and tune one to 1215khz and the other to any of the other frequencies 1197,1224, 1233 or 1260 and although reduced in hi fi response the phasing reception will give you an illusion of stereo!:D
I remember we used to do that back in the seventies. One radio tuned to AM and the other to FM
I would not be surprised if Capital Xtra goes mono and wouldn't even be surprised if Classic FM goes to 96kbps or 80kbps mono (it was after all, good enough for theJazz for a while) and the whole of Digital One goes mono.
Fine for DAB+ but not DAB.
I still remember Gold being 48kbps for a few days on MXR Yorkshire.
Also worth noting that 64kbps AAC+ with DAB+ won't get you the same sound quality as a 64Kbps AAC+ Internet radio stream. It's more like 49.6Kbps assuming a 8kbps PAD. There's a reason why Germany in its implementation of DAB+ uses bitrates between 72 and 96kbps.
.
Intereting statement, helps explain why when listening to the fun kids+ test on dab, though it sounded much better then 90% of stations on dab it was closer to a 32-48k aac+ stream on my tunein radio app rather then a 64k one..
So you have to be an audiophile to want decent sound quality? What a load of rubbish.
I am not an audiophile. I don't know anything about high frequencies and all that. Nor am I a geek with an internet radio. If I want the internet I can get it on my computer and mobile phone so why would I buy a radio for that?
Based on my own listening experience and nothing else, I think that 80 kbps is the minimum good mono audio quality and 128 kpbs is the minimum good stereo quality. Anything less doesn't sound good enough. This even applies to talk.
Those who dismiss people like me as being audiophiles, would surely complain if stations were reduced to 1kbps to make more room for more choice. There would surely be a limit on how much stations lowered their bitrates before they became by their own definitions, audiophiles.
Regarding LBC, when I heard it online, having heard it on the regional multiplexes, Clive Bull sounded like a completely different person.
Anyone who cares about the sound of what they listen to is on a losing wicket I'm afraid - myself included. I don't know exactly why this is - I remember at secondary school in the early 90's most of the people I knew did not have time for rubbish sounding music - they soon noticed if you lent them a mono recorded cassette. Those early 2000's MP3 players were maybe the start of the rot - low bitrate recordings with warbling sound - but the downloads were 'free' and they were soooo tiny.
The users of these MP3 players got quite vocal when you dared say they sounded utterly rubbish and that mind-set remains with DAB users.
Indeed, where I live, Heart, Capital, Capital Xtra, Smooth, XFM, Classic FM all stereo on DAB but Absolute, Absolute 80s, Magic, Planet Rock, Kiss all mono.
Global certainly more focused on higher quality output than Bauer, a lot of this is down to Global using both D1 and local Muxes where as Bauer don't bother with local DAB in many areas so just cram all their stations onto D1 and are then forced to go mono.
Why are Bauer not utilising local muxes to fix this, find it odd that with Bauer being more focused on guitar music stations they are all mono yet Global still have XFM in stereo.
Originally GCAP were multiplex owners, but sold the D1 and Now muxes to Arqiva in return for discounted transmission rates so can afford stereo.
Bauer used Freeview rather than DAB so other than the northern !ocal muxes have come into DAB late, however if their joint bid with UTV for D2 works many of their national stations might go stereo if more stereo car sets are being used.
Originally GCAP were multiplex owners, but sold the D1 and Now muxes to Arqiva in return for discounted transmission rates so can afford stereo.
Bauer used Freeview rather than DAB so other than the northern !ocal muxes have come into DAB late, however if their joint bid with UTV for D2 works many of their national stations might go stereo if more stereo car sets are being used.
My big concern with D2 is the proposed low coverage, I get the feeling Bauer May move it stations from D1 to D2 but if you can get 1 but not 2 you'll lose the stations, so it will be back to AM to enable some to hear Absolute in their cars.
Bauer used Freeview rather than DAB so other than the northern !ocal muxes have come into DAB late, however if their joint bid with UTV for D2 works many of their national stations might go stereo if more stereo car sets are being used.
I hope this joint bid is handled better then utv/Bauer's Stoke multiplex which has remained largely empty for many years for no real reason. If they win you could end up with empty multiplex bar a few of there key stations with other station owners cramming more on D1 rather then pay money to there rivals
My big concern with D2 is the proposed low coverage, I get the feeling Bauer May move it stations from D1 to D2 but if you can get 1 but not 2 you'll lose the stations, so it will be back to AM to enable some to hear Absolute in their cars.
It could be that D2 starts first in the cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool etc where capacity is full (and will allow Bauer's min stations like Absolute, Kiss, Magic to go stereo as currently on the London 1 mux?) and some stations will be on local muxes where D2 coverage is yet to be rolled out (if ever)?
Will see what the D2 bid is like soon?
I hope this joint bid is handled better then utv/Bauer's Stoke multiplex which has remained largely empty for many years for no real reason. If they win you could end up with empty multiplex bar a few of there key stations with other station owners cramming more on D1 rather then pay money to there rivals
Hopefully with the delay due to another bid it might help push Bauer and UTV to put in a good bid?
It could be that D2 starts first in the cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool etc where capacity is full (and will allow Bauer's min stations like Absolute, Kiss, Magic to go stereo as currently on the London 1 mux?) and some stations will be on local muxes where D2 coverage is yet to be rolled out (if ever)?
Will see what the D2 bid is like soon?
Will the bid contain the planned transmitter sites do you know?
Comments
"We've switched to mono because we have to share the available bandwidth equally amongst all national radio stations, and we were taking up too much space.Where physically possible we always try to offer Absolute Radio in as high quality as the bandwidth will allow such as 128k AAC streams online and on our mobile apps."
A bit misleading of course - their parent company is choosing to share bandwidth equally between all of its stations on Digital 1.
You could move to the London 1 coverage area where you can still get Absolute Radio in 112kbps Stereo.
Otherwise it's internet streaming, Freeview or Satellite for you...
Spin! What did you expect?
Careful use of words makes it sound for the greater good, rather than explain the truth that this is a commercial decision made by one company for its own purposes.
That said, the 128kbps AAC streams are pretty damn good :-)
So I'd like to invite you personally to take part in this little test of mine:
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2037991
Fine for DAB+ but not DAB.
I still remember Gold being 48kbps for a few days on MXR Yorkshire.
Also worth noting that 64kbps AAC+ with DAB+ won't get you the same sound quality as a 64Kbps AAC+ Internet radio stream. It's more like 49.6Kbps assuming a 8kbps PAD. There's a reason why Germany in its implementation of DAB+ uses bitrates between 72 and 96kbps.
Indeed, where I live, Heart, Capital, Capital Xtra, Smooth, XFM, Classic FM all stereo on DAB but Absolute, Absolute 80s, Magic, Planet Rock, Kiss all mono.
Global certainly more focused on higher quality output than Bauer, a lot of this is down to Global using both D1 and local Muxes where as Bauer don't bother with local DAB in many areas so just cram all their stations onto D1 and are then forced to go mono.
Why are Bauer not utilising local muxes to fix this, find it odd that with Bauer being more focused on guitar music stations they are all mono yet Global still have XFM in stereo.
I remember we used to do that back in the seventies. One radio tuned to AM and the other to FM
and me.
112 kbps stereo through headphones on a Pure Move 400D sounds fine. 80 kbps mono awful.
Roll on DAB+
At what bitrate is DAB poorer quality than AM?
It would have to be pretty low I would imagine.
Even 64 kbps sounds a lot better than AM.
Intereting statement, helps explain why when listening to the fun kids+ test on dab, though it sounded much better then 90% of stations on dab it was closer to a 32-48k aac+ stream on my tunein radio app rather then a 64k one..
Anyone who cares about the sound of what they listen to is on a losing wicket I'm afraid - myself included. I don't know exactly why this is - I remember at secondary school in the early 90's most of the people I knew did not have time for rubbish sounding music - they soon noticed if you lent them a mono recorded cassette. Those early 2000's MP3 players were maybe the start of the rot - low bitrate recordings with warbling sound - but the downloads were 'free' and they were soooo tiny.
The users of these MP3 players got quite vocal when you dared say they sounded utterly rubbish and that mind-set remains with DAB users.
Bauer used Freeview rather than DAB so other than the northern !ocal muxes have come into DAB late, however if their joint bid with UTV for D2 works many of their national stations might go stereo if more stereo car sets are being used.
My big concern with D2 is the proposed low coverage, I get the feeling Bauer May move it stations from D1 to D2 but if you can get 1 but not 2 you'll lose the stations, so it will be back to AM to enable some to hear Absolute in their cars.
Will see what the D2 bid is like soon?
Will the bid contain the planned transmitter sites do you know?
Well, on this page is a list of Tx sites, though the winning organisation is not obliged to use all the sites
http://www.a516digital.com/2014/07/10-things-to-know-about-digital-2-dab.html
http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/radio/digital/nationalradio/advert.pdf
h0pefully will be public after the 29th?
http://www.a516digital.com/2014/10/deadline-for-digital-2-licence-extended.html