R3 DAB now sounds great

[JANDL100]

I'd given up on listening to BBC Radio 3 on DAB because of the horrible sound resulting from the reduction in data rate.

But I tried again last night - Miaskovsky string quaret 13 - and it sounded bloody good.

Have they upped the data rate again?

 

[jonjin]

Hmmm... still ahming and uhming about going DAB. Which DAB player are you using?

JJ

 

[JANDL100]

I'm using the digital output from a Videologic DRX-601E (about £70-£80 on eBay) into my Burmester CDP's DAC.

I reckon it sounds better than my old Denon 260L FM tuner. And no hiss

- gawd, I hate FM hiss .....

As long as the DAB broadcaster buggers keep the data-rate up to a decent standard - otherwise it's MP3-time, soundwise.

 

[JANDL100]

..... and of course you get the dreaded "burbles" if the signal strength isn't high enough - or if the weathers bad ..... sometimes in real bad weather there's no signal at all ....

.... but they don't tell you this in their digital radio propaganda do they ?

 

[Chumpy]

Because to me BBC R3 sounds often jolly good on Fm - stereo or mono or processed into 7000 channels - although I record sometimes from Cable or Freeview, I have somehow avoided buying DAB-tuner thing.

I understand that at last usually naff DAB is being superseded towards the end of 2007 ...

 

[RichardG]

Correct chumpy!

Not sure of the role out timescale...but ALL current dab equipment (including the stuff they're still selling in shops) will be useless. I think the broadcast system will be based on Apple's AAC format? If you want the equivalent of DAB, you're probably better off getting a freeview receiver which is DV-B rather than DAB and will at least be useful for telly after DAB finishes.

It's certainly within the next 18 months...

Edit:

It's called DAB+ (there's imaginative!) and will not be receivable on current DAB equipment. But it's not all bad news as the current DAB broadcasts will continue "until the vast majority of DAB receivers are DAB+ type and OFCOM allows the switch-off of the old DAB transmitters" according to OFCOM themselves. Predicted for around 2010 - 2013....so should get some use out them yet!

 

[earl of sodbury]

Currently R3 is broadcasting digital at 160KBPS for most programmes and 192KBPS for live concerts - this is lower than when they first went digital...

I recently acquired a Denon TU1800, as it stands, straight into the amp,I can barely tell DAB from FM, except the latter soundsa bit more "radiogram-y".

However, feed the digital output from thetuner through the Stello's DAC and there's barely a fag-paper between DAB and CD

:shock:

It's fucking excellent.

I've tried avariety of DAB tuners and this is the best yet, but the difference a decent DAC makes is exponentially greater than any difference between different models of tuner.

churz, eofs

 

[Glens of Antrim]

Anybody know if I'd be able to run my DAB tuner from the DAC on my X-Ray v3? And what kind of cable would I need.

GofA.

 

[earl of sodbury]

Glens of Antrim wrote:

Anybody know if I'd be able to run my DAB tuner from the DAC on my X-Ray v3? And what kind of cable would I need.GofA.

No, you can't - there's no digital input unfortunately...

 

[Glens of Antrim]

earl of sodbury wrote:

Glens of Antrim wrote:

Anybody know if I'd be able to run my DAB tuner from the DAC on my X-Ray v3? And what kind of cable would I need.GofA.

No, you can't - there's no digital input unfortunately...

Bugger - should have guessed when AM is flogging a stand alone DAC

 

[earl of sodbury]

Glens of Antrim wrote:

earl of sodbury wrote:

Glens of Antrim wrote:

Anybody know if I'd be able to run my DAB tuner from the DAC on my X-Ray v3? And what kind of cable would I need.GofA.

No, you can't - there's no digital input unfortunately...

Bugger - should have guessed when AM is flogging a stand alone DAC

Got it in one...

 

[chfs911]

Try a Magnum Dynalab 108 on good old FM. Best source I have by far. R3 is superb.

 

[JANDL100]

earl of sodbury wrote:

However, feed the digital output from theDAB tuner through the Stello's DAC and there's barely a fag-paper between DAB and CD

:shock:

It's fucking excellent.

Yup - I run my DAB tuner thru my Burmester CDP's DAC - :note:

... didn't know about DAB being phased out though - I hope the new DAB+ boxes have digi outs.

 

[earl of sodbury]

JANDL100 wrote:

... didn't know about DAB being phased out though - I hope the new DAB+ boxes have digi outs.

IfDAB+ happens at-all, it's years away and will run alongside not instead of DAB - first implementation will be via streamed webcasts.

 

[JANDL100]

Glens of Antrim wrote:

earl of sodbury wrote:

Glens of Antrim wrote:

Anybody know if I'd be able to run my DAB tuner from the DAC on my X-Ray v3? And what kind of cable would I need.GofA.

No, you can't - there's no digital input unfortunately...

Bugger - should have guessed when AM is flogging a stand alone DAC

GofA - get yourself one of those little Beresford DACs - £100 - and you'll probably run your CD player through it too - it may well sound better than your MF's on-board DAC !

 

[HectorHughMunro]

I just bought a Quad FM3 for £65. Absolutely tears apart DAB BBC Radio 3 on a Sony STS DB-900 played through the DAC of a TAG Mclaren AV32. Might actually be even better than a Troughline and is certainly better than the FM4 I was previously using for Radio 3. I was truly shocked at the quality.

 

[JANDL100]

Quad FM3 ? - interesting.

But I think these things need a lot of signal strength (?) - sadly lacking out here in the backwoods of Gloucestershire.

 

[Glens of Antrim]

Could anyone recommend a DAB tuner with very good FM? I'm using a Pure 702 at the minute & while the DAB's good, the FM is not. Good sensitivity would be a real bonus too (I don't ask for much do I).

Haven't the space for a seperate FM tuner.

John.

 

[JANDL100]

Glens of Antrim wrote:

Could anyone recommend a DAB tuner with very good FM? I'm using a Pure 702 at the minute & while the DAB's good, the FM is not. Good sensitivity would be a real bonus too (I don't ask for much do I).Haven't the space for a seperate FM tuner.

John.

^^ You'd be beststarting a thread onthat on the 2 Channel debate part of the forum, methinks !