DAB Radio

[andy_k]

Andy it must be your location then as dab sound quality in the north east and surrounding areas is superb and far better than FM. you come across certain dead spots so it's not perfect but channel choice is way better also.

Unless you are using a coat hanger for your FM receiver and are completely deaf  there is no way that DAB can sound better than FM.

Let's dispel the locatio myth, DAB either works or it doesn't, unlike analogue stations that will lower in performance if the signal strength drops.

Most UK stations use 128k/bits compression - about the same as a poorly encoded mp3 file (only Radio 3 gets 192k/bit) which really doesn't sound that good even in a car. The mono stations (yes, there are quite a few of those on DAB) broadcast with bit rates as low as 40!!!

FM is uncompressed (apart from what the stations apply to normalise the sound) and sounds so much warmer and accurate.

Just because you've been told DAB is good, don't fall for the hype

[mcmaddy]

Well the DAB sounds superb up here in the north and believe me it is better than FM. So we obviously have DAB working properly.

[andy_k]

No, you don't have FM working properly

[mcmaddy]

Nothing wrong with fm mate. get a full signal for fm and dab and dab sounds better.

[andy_k]

Then there is something wrong with your ears

If you are talking about sound quality (rather than choice of channels) FM is superior in every way to DAB - that's not just my opinion, that is a fact. DAB broadcasts (in this country) are at best about the same as a crappy 128kbit mp3 or to put it another way about 11:1 compression of a CD.

There is no such thing as lossless 128kbit compression so DAB cannot sound as good as FM.

You can believe the hype that because DAB is new it's better but quite simply it's not.

[mcmaddy]

nothing wrong with my ears thanks. in the car your possibly right although on my rns510 dab I always get more than 128kbs signal. My dab in the house is better quality than FM.

[andy_k]

you don't get more than 128kb because that is the maximum bitrate that all of the channels (except radio 3) use.

Can you hear the difference between a 128bit encoded mp3 and a CD (another 'flawed' media but it's the only real reference we have these days )?

If the answer is 'yes' then that is roughly the difference between DAB and FM

If the answer is 'no' then it's down to your ears or your hi-fi

[mcmaddy]

nothing wrong with either.

[andy_k]

You aren't actually understanding what I'm writing are you?

DAB uses an inferior bit rate - yep, that means it sounds worse. It can't sound better because FM is not restricted in bandwidth like DAB is.

It's not about signal strength, it's not about what it sounds like to you (because your ears are clearly made of cloth ) it's about simple mathematics. DAB broadcasts an inferior signal to FM.

If you think mp3's sound better than CDs then DAB is great for you - me, I'll continue to listen to FM and endure DAB for the additional channels it offers.

Sound quality wise, it is awful. If you want decent DAB listen to a DAB2 signal - we don't get that in this country but it is streets ahead of the outdated DAB1 system we have had foisted on us and that thousands of mugs up and down the country have accepted.

In some areas, the BBC have actually degraded the FM signal to make their piss poor DAB stations sound good.

If you think I'm making this up, have a search around the net

[mcmaddy]

well your obviously a world renowned expert who can't be told anything by anyone oh and I'll just add a funny face on the end to make it look as though it's light hearted