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Does anyone else like FM?

Mark1

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Jan 10, 2025
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Does anyone else think FM sounds better than free digital streaming music with its below 160 kbps bit rate and even some paid sources like SiriusXM? I wish often times for a little higher fidelity than FM, but I don't believe I can get that with streaming without paying for a high than the free bit rate (not to mention procuring a networking receiver or a streamer). Maybe I shouldn't make that conclusion because I still don't have wifi streaming to my Hifi, but every time I listen to system using free streaming music I think the FM sounds better.

FM is free, you don't even need internet and a streamer and DAC. IMO FM tuning just works better for the user than streaming with its simplicity and quick access. When I'm listen to music I don't want to fiddle with my phone and apps. And most of the time, I like having a DJ curated playlist that just keeps the music rolling. I'm sure there are many free curated streaming music sources, but a lot of them aren't, I feel that FM broadcasting's potential especially digital was sort of neglected in the move toward streaming. Anyway, I'm interested in anyone's view on FM and even ones that might convince me digital music streaming is a better choice (it took me a long time to finally switch from traditional cable tv to streaming but I did it, so there's always hope I can do similar with audio lol).
 
My problem with FM is the advertisements and mindless talkback "personalities". It's unlistenable in this country because of that, and I have some lovely tuners too, so a pity.
 
I sold gear some time ago and we had the wall of tuners on display. So we connected OTA antennas to each one, lay'd out the antennas for best reception @ each tuner and the Luxman was the best out of Sony, Pioneer, Yamaha and Harman Kardon. So if you can pickup a Luxman digital tuner it may be good for you.
 
Does anybody use a analogue FM tuner and compare it to a newer digital tuner? I found some analogue tuners to be very sensitive and lock onto stuff that a digital rejects.
 
I haven't listened to FM in years. All my fav stations died. The remaining ones are advertising channels here in the Bay Area. SQ wise FM definitely not ever set a standard, in my opinion.
I do agree FM channels can have poor music playlists. Since I like 70s and 80s rock, most of my local stations accommodate my music preferences pretty well. In my opinion free digi streaming lowered the SQ bar below FM.
My problem with FM is the advertisements and mindless talkback "personalities". It's unlistenable in this country because of that, and I have some lovely tuners too, so a pity.
Agree FM is less listenable in the morning, exactly when I like to listen, because of talk personalities. I much prefer SiriusXM and that regard, but then as I mentioned there's sound quality issue and it's not even free and having to fiddle with streaming. I'm coming from a US perspective and imagine the FM situation is a lot different in other countries.
 
Yeah I still listen to both AM and FM, but mostly in the car... and mainly AM, ABC news channel or ABC Classic.


JSmith
Sort of hypocritically I listen to SXM in the car for better content, but do think FM sounds better there. But the thing is car radios seamlessly integrate XM so it's as convenient as FM while home audio as far as I've seen do not. I either have to stream the SXM or have to use a SXM tuner component and pay for another subscription.
 
FM is limited at around 15kHz and getting fully rid of the noise is hard (as far as I remember at least). So even Soundclouds 64kbps Opus sounds better than FM.
 
Does anybody use a analogue FM tuner and compare it to a newer digital tuner? I found some analogue tuners to be very sensitive and lock onto stuff that a digital rejects.
But an analog tuner would be more fiddling than a streaming app :p. I haven't had an analogue tuner since the 80s All the good analog vintage equipment has gotten expenive, but I do think the older FM tuners even the digital were more sensitive and better than the new ones.
 
FM is limited at around 15kHz and getting fully rid of the noise is hard (as far as I remember at least). So even Soundclouds 64kbps Opus sounds better than FM.
I didn't link it but I saw a study that concluded a bit rate above 192kbps and good compression codec was needed for parity with FM sound quality. That pretty much eliminates free streaming which I think is usually under 160kbps.

 
With a strong signal - FM is OK for me, and preferred over the HD-Radio simulcast due to the "crunchy-ness" of the extremely low bitrate. But anywhere FM reception is plagued with multipath and a constant toggling from mono to stereo - HD Radio wins even with the crunchy-ness :)
 
I didn't link it but I saw a study that concluded a bit rate above 192kbps and good compression codec was needed for parity with FM sound quality. That pretty much eliminates free streaming which I think is usually under 160kbps.

I disagree with that - especially if talking about mobile/moving reception. It is not taking into account the consistency and interference of the FM signal - which is akin to the pops and clicks on vinyl. And when driving - the occasional-to-persistent collapsing to mono does not have an equivalent in the streaming world. A descent 1st generation 128kbps MP3 rip is a better overall experience IMNSHO, and any modern codec will pretty much beat that at even lower bitrates.
 
WMNF Tampa
 
Once upon a time I listened to a lot of broadcast FM, particularly in the car but at home as well. The style of radio personalities that I used to listen to disappeared a while back along with the corporate consolidation thing. Then I started living in a few places that had very poor or no reception for even home use and simply moved over to my own content about 20 years ago, on cd particularly, these days thumb drive in the car. I have dabbled a bit with the internet radio access, quality somettimes was an issue but there's almost too much to choose from and I can just use spotify too. Commercials and today's radio "personalities", meh.
 
Does anybody use a analogue FM tuner and compare it to a newer digital tuner?
My older car radio would switch between the two depending on signal strength. Digital had better channel separation and frequency response. However, it also has compression artifacts. In balance, it is subjectively better but I wish they would not subdivide the channel so much and use higher bit rate.
 
FM is limited at around 15kHz and getting fully rid of the noise is hard (as far as I remember at least). So even Soundclouds 64kbps Opus sounds better than FM.
Depends on content. Also, terrestrial digital FM transmission allocates fair amount of bandwidth for error correction. When using very low bitrate subchannel, there is as little as 33 kbps from memory which causes very audible artifacts especially in voices.
 
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