How about a request on Absolutes 'I haven't heard it for ages'?
Anything by the Stereophonics!
or one of the following.
I Sold My Bed, But Not My Stereo - Capital Cities
Lost In Stereo - All Time Low
Moving In Stereo - The Cars
Roots In Stereo - P.O.D.
Stereo - John Legend
Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes
Stereo Love - Edward Maya
Interestingly, I was listening to Absolute 60s yesterday, in stereo, via the internet AAC stream, and they played The Beatles' 'You've Got to Hide Your Love Away' in mono, even though it's available in stereo. I don't listen to A60s much, but they were certainly playing tracks in stereo, except of course where only mono mixes exist (which naturally covers a fair proportion of a sixties station's output). I wonder where they got it from, and why?
Well you may think you are listening to a Global Stereo station but listen carefully. All you need is love by The Beatles came on Gold at midday today. Ooh - is this a new mix I thought? No, half the instruments were missing because the feed was one-legged.
Interestingly, I was listening to Absolute 60s yesterday, in stereo, via the internet AAC stream, and they played The Beatles' 'You've Got to Hide Your Love Away' in mono, even though it's available in stereo. I don't listen to A60s much, but they were certainly playing tracks in stereo, except of course where only mono mixes exist (which naturally covers a fair proportion of a sixties station's output). I wonder where they got it from, and why?
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Geoff Lloyd prefers to play the mono versions where possible as these are the versions that The Beatles wanted us to hear.
I believe that The Beatles were in attendance at the mixing of the mono versions, but the stereo mixing was done after they had left the studios.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Geoff Lloyd prefers to play the mono versions where possible as these are the versions that The Beatles wanted us to hear.
I believe that The Beatles were in attendance at the mixing of the mono versions, but the stereo mixing was done after they had left the studios.
I hadn't heard that but I can believe it. The stereo mixes are in some cases laughably cack-handed. Eleanor Rigby is a joke.
According to George Martin's book "All You Need Is Ears", EMI refused to pay for stereo equipment, they used a two track recorder with the vocals on one track and the rhythm on the other. The two tracks were mixed down to mono. He was horrified when they later released the tracks in "stereo" with the rhythm and vocals from separate speakers. Some stereo recordings were made, in case this new stereo thing was not a flash in the pan, but as George Martin didn't supervise them he initially refused to to let them be re-released on CD. True stereo began when EMI bought 4 track equipment. There is lots more information in "Abbey Road" by Brian Southall.
For those talking about listening in the car, just out of interest...
In a car, you don't get a fantastic stereo image anyway...due to being sat at one side (obviously).
Does stereo really matter that much in the car? I find it hard to tell sometimes when an FM station has switched from stereo to mono during weak signal areas. Of course if I was sat in a better listening environment then I can tell straight away.
Well you may think you are listening to a Global Stereo station but listen carefully. All you need is love by The Beatles came on Gold at midday today. Ooh - is this a new mix I thought? No, half the instruments were missing because the feed was one-legged.
Honestly I don't think you can tell that much when listening in the cat. My Ford DAB makes the mono magic and abs 80s sound good. Even kisstory on the local multiplex sounds ok now they have the volume right.
Only main difference with stereo is those stations appear louder.
I think DAB is now about choice and not sound quality.
as with dvb t1, the 1st version of dab is "not very fit for purpose". In that, for a given tx power, transmission range is below the original predictions, so coverage is far from complete, and often there is reduced capacity. But, we're stuck with it. Remember that, supposedly, analogue fm switchoff was going to be this year .......
as with dvb t1, the 1st version of dab is "not very fit for purpose". In that, for a given tx power, transmission range is below the original predictions, so coverage is far from complete,
A better comparison is as with FM the original coverage was to be using rooftop aerials. In the eighties FM coverage improved for indoor use and DAB
is being rolled out for indoor use.
Bauer still have not said if they intend to revert their D1 stations to stereo with the D2 bid, so might be worth writting to Ofcom
I had a Vauxhall GTC hire car last week, first time I've had a hire car with DAB built in.
I was quite surprised how bad the lower bitrate stations sounded compared to my ancient Blaupunkt, it was noticeable on the 112k stations and the 80k and 60k mono stations didn't sound much better than medium wave! I'm guessing the decoder chip in the built in system isn't up to much, I now understand why some people complain so much about the lower bitrate stations if this is what they are hearing!
RU Mine by Arctic Monkeys was played on XFM this morning with very noticeable stereo effects, would sound very dull with those guitar solos come out of both speaks on a mono station.
Well done Global for keeping their stations stereo on local muxes and D1. Just a shame Bauer rather than Global bought Absolute and now one of the two national commercial music stations is only broadcast in mono, Global own Classic FM and have of course kept this in stereo on D1.
I had a Vauxhall GTC hire car last week, first time I've had a hire car with DAB built in.
I was quite surprised how bad the lower bitrate stations sounded compared to my ancient Blaupunkt, it was noticeable on the 112k stations and the 80k and 60k mono stations didn't sound much better than medium wave! I'm guessing the decoder chip in the built in system isn't up to much, !
Shouldn't make any difference. The essence of compression systems, is the decoder is a 'dumb terminal', and all the clever bits, and therefore the quality is defined by the encoder
I dont bother with mono music stations in the car (I have DAB). They sound flat and lifeless, as the music lacks the depth that stereo broadcasts bring.
So it was bye bye Absolute 80s and Planet Rock, and now Absolute. I removed them from my presets when they went mono.
Whats the point of a mono music station? It may as well be on bloody medium wave.
Agree not an issue if you have a single speaker portable radio, but I do most of my listening either in the car or with headphones.
I had a Vauxhall GTC hire car last week, first time I've had a hire car with DAB built in.
I was quite surprised how bad the lower bitrate stations sounded compared to my ancient Blaupunkt, it was noticeable on the 112k stations and the 80k and 60k mono stations didn't sound much better than medium wave! I'm guessing the decoder chip in the built in system isn't up to much, I now understand why some people complain so much about the lower bitrate stations if this is what they are hearing!
It needs to be 128kbps for the stereo reception to be good quality. 112kbps in stereo doesn't really cut it.
Even 80kbps in mono sounds better than 112kbps in stereo. Bauer would rather broadcast their national DAB stations in stereo but if they transmitted them in 112kbps in stereo it would be like them doing it in half measures even if there was the capacity/bandwidth at present for all their national stations to be in 112kbps in stereo.
For those talking about listening in the car, just out of interest...
In a car, you don't get a fantastic stereo image anyway...due to being sat at one side (obviously).
Does stereo really matter that much in the car? I find it hard to tell sometimes when an FM station has switched from stereo to mono during weak signal areas. Of course if I was sat in a better listening environment then I can tell straight away.
A few years ago I think (maybe longer than that) weren't some of the Beach Boys' singles "made" into stereo? They sounded so un-natural.
That's because Brian Wilson was deaf in one ear so went for a mono mix. However some of the later tracks were recorded in stereo and have now been released/.
Absoloute 60s is probably the only music station that would work in mono, OFCOM need to legislate to force music stations to broadcast on DAB in stereo as a minimum requirement.
Absoloute 60s is probably the only music station that would work in mono, OFCOM need to legislate to force music stations to broadcast on DAB in stereo as a minimum requirement.
When more bandwidth becomes available, yes.
But stereo @ 128kbps must be the minimum requirement. I don't blame Bauer for opting for a mono output @ 80kbps rather than stereo @ 112kbps even if there was the capacity to do 112kbps in stereo because 112 kbps in stereo is substandard. Better for Bauer to save some money in the meantime until the capacity allows them to provide stereo @ 128kbps
Ofcom have awarded a lot of new DAB licenses but with inadequate bandwidth and capacity available at present to allow across the board minimum 128kbps output in stereo on DAB for all music stations.
I think, like most people, I thought Ofcom had allowed the proliferation of mono music stations as a temporary measure to help kick start the platform until more bandwidth was available. It should have been specified that once D2 was on the air that all music channels should revert to stereo (maybe apart from specialist, low demand genres).
Ofcom have awarded a lot of new DAB licenses but with inadequate bandwidth and capacity available at present to allow across the board minimum 128kbps output in stereo on DAB for all music stations.
There is an argument, that if listeners really wanted stereo then radio companies would close other stations to free up bandwidth and convert existing stations to stereo. The gain in listeners paying for the additional costs.
Perhaps Bauer etc have done their research and found listeners are not that bothered, particularly if many are listening on kitchen radios or in a noisy vehicle environment.
But stereo @ 128kbps must be the minimum requirement. I don't blame Bauer for opting for a mono output @ 80kbps rather than stereo @ 112kbps even if there was the capacity to do 112kbps in stereo because 112 kbps in stereo is substandard. Better for Bauer to save some money in the meantime until the capacity allows them to provide stereo @ 128kbps
Ofcom have awarded a lot of new DAB licenses but with inadequate bandwidth and capacity available at present to allow across the board minimum 128kbps output in stereo on DAB for all music stations.
This is where, in theory, DAB+ would help. DAB+ sounds decent at 64kbps (better than 112kbps MP2, worse than 128kbps) however with the proposed stations on D2 being 48kbps or 32kbps then I worry that the 'race to the bottom' will continue if we transition to DAB+.
Perhaps Bauer etc have done their research and found listeners are not that bothered, particularly if many are listening on kitchen radios or in a noisy vehicle environment.
Ofcom questionnaires always come back with listeners overall being happy with the quality of audio on DAB so I don't blame Bauer for doing what they do, especially as the vast majority of DAB radios are mono anyway. Hopefully as more and more cars have DAB/DAB+ radios built in there may be a move towards DAB+ and therefore more stereo stations as I just don't see there being a move to stereo stations using DAB - there just isn't enough bandwidth to meet the demand.
Comments
Stereo MCs - Connected
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Geoff Lloyd prefers to play the mono versions where possible as these are the versions that The Beatles wanted us to hear.
I believe that The Beatles were in attendance at the mixing of the mono versions, but the stereo mixing was done after they had left the studios.
I hadn't heard that but I can believe it. The stereo mixes are in some cases laughably cack-handed. Eleanor Rigby is a joke.
In a car, you don't get a fantastic stereo image anyway...due to being sat at one side (obviously).
Does stereo really matter that much in the car? I find it hard to tell sometimes when an FM station has switched from stereo to mono during weak signal areas. Of course if I was sat in a better listening environment then I can tell straight away.
A few years ago I think (maybe longer than that) weren't some of the Beach Boys' singles "made" into stereo? They sounded so un-natural.
I raise you:
Do Me Bad Things - 'Move In Stereo'
or anything by Stereolab or Jim's Super Stereoworld...
Which version of Gold were you listening to ?
Only main difference with stereo is those stations appear louder.
I think DAB is now about choice and not sound quality.
is being rolled out for indoor use.
Bauer still have not said if they intend to revert their D1 stations to stereo with the D2 bid, so might be worth writting to Ofcom
I was quite surprised how bad the lower bitrate stations sounded compared to my ancient Blaupunkt, it was noticeable on the 112k stations and the 80k and 60k mono stations didn't sound much better than medium wave! I'm guessing the decoder chip in the built in system isn't up to much, I now understand why some people complain so much about the lower bitrate stations if this is what they are hearing!
Well done Global for keeping their stations stereo on local muxes and D1. Just a shame Bauer rather than Global bought Absolute and now one of the two national commercial music stations is only broadcast in mono, Global own Classic FM and have of course kept this in stereo on D1.
Shouldn't make any difference. The essence of compression systems, is the decoder is a 'dumb terminal', and all the clever bits, and therefore the quality is defined by the encoder
So it was bye bye Absolute 80s and Planet Rock, and now Absolute. I removed them from my presets when they went mono.
Whats the point of a mono music station? It may as well be on bloody medium wave.
Agree not an issue if you have a single speaker portable radio, but I do most of my listening either in the car or with headphones.
It needs to be 128kbps for the stereo reception to be good quality. 112kbps in stereo doesn't really cut it.
Even 80kbps in mono sounds better than 112kbps in stereo. Bauer would rather broadcast their national DAB stations in stereo but if they transmitted them in 112kbps in stereo it would be like them doing it in half measures even if there was the capacity/bandwidth at present for all their national stations to be in 112kbps in stereo.
That's because Brian Wilson was deaf in one ear so went for a mono mix. However some of the later tracks were recorded in stereo and have now been released/.
When more bandwidth becomes available, yes.
But stereo @ 128kbps must be the minimum requirement. I don't blame Bauer for opting for a mono output @ 80kbps rather than stereo @ 112kbps even if there was the capacity to do 112kbps in stereo because 112 kbps in stereo is substandard. Better for Bauer to save some money in the meantime until the capacity allows them to provide stereo @ 128kbps
Ofcom have awarded a lot of new DAB licenses but with inadequate bandwidth and capacity available at present to allow across the board minimum 128kbps output in stereo on DAB for all music stations.
Perhaps Bauer etc have done their research and found listeners are not that bothered, particularly if many are listening on kitchen radios or in a noisy vehicle environment.
Wouldn't surprise me.
This is where, in theory, DAB+ would help. DAB+ sounds decent at 64kbps (better than 112kbps MP2, worse than 128kbps) however with the proposed stations on D2 being 48kbps or 32kbps then I worry that the 'race to the bottom' will continue if we transition to DAB+.
Ofcom questionnaires always come back with listeners overall being happy with the quality of audio on DAB so I don't blame Bauer for doing what they do, especially as the vast majority of DAB radios are mono anyway. Hopefully as more and more cars have DAB/DAB+ radios built in there may be a move towards DAB+ and therefore more stereo stations as I just don't see there being a move to stereo stations using DAB - there just isn't enough bandwidth to meet the demand.