The best DAB radio channel in your opinions for---

bluecat · September 2023

I have not tried Absolute yet ! Still very happy with planet rock. I know I could go on internet channels like you tube music , but that would be my choices. Radio opens up a lot different sounds, some I probably have not heard before, and that is good for me. Thanks again for your suggestions. I will get through them all.

monquixote · September 2023

None of them.

The sound quality of DAB is appalling.

strumjoughlamps · September 2023

monquixote said:

None of them.

The sound quality of DAB is appalling.

I'd have thought all or at least more stations would be Dab+ by now..

Dab on premium radios is good, I have a Ruark R5, R3 and R1mk4 in the house and they are excellent but pricey compared to others; worth it IMO

monquixote · September 2023

strumjoughlamps said:

monquixote said:

None of them.

The sound quality of DAB is appalling.

I'd have thought all or at least more stations would be Dab+ by now..

Dab on premium radios is good, I have a Ruark R5, R3 and R1mk4 in the house and they are excellent but pricey compared to others; worth it IMO

It doesn't matter how good the radio is.

DAB is MP2 and usually low bit rate so it sounds poor.

UK messed up DAB adoption by doing it too early DAB+ is much better.

bluecat · September 2023

So tell me more. What is DAB + ?

Philly_Q · September 2023

bluecat said:

So tell me more. What is DAB + ?

It's just like DAB, only more and betterer.

No, I've no idea either.

scrumhalf · September 2023

DAB + is another device you have to buy to receive the same things you got with ordinary DAB but with a couple of new things.

So, DAB+ is... another £100 you have to fork out.

TheMarlin · September 2023

Short list. Radio 6

monquixote · September 2023

bluecat said:

So tell me more. What is DAB + ?

DAB+ uses the AAC codec rather than MP2.

MP2 sounds passable if you use at least 192kbps but many DAB stations use 96kbps and sound terrible as a result. AAC sounds much better at low bit rates.

It's used in a few European countries but rolling it out here would mean most DAB radios would stop working so it's not worth it given people are moving to online anyway.

For comparison Spotify is anything up to 320kbps depending on your settings.

exocet · September 2023

monquixote said:

bluecat said:

So tell me more. What is DAB + ?

DAB+ uses the AAC codec rather than MP2.

MP2 sounds passable if you use at least 192kbps but many DAB stations use 96kbps and sound terrible as a result. AAC sounds much better at low bit rates.

It's used in a few European countries but rolling it out here would mean most DAB radios would stop working so it's not worth it given people are moving to online anyway.

For comparison Spotify is anything up to 320kbps depending on your settings.

DAB + has been in UK for a while - somehow my old 2014 SEAT DAB radio is compatible but in general I agree, Internet delivered content is direction of travel. My favourite at the moment is FIP (produced by Radio France) - they have a number of channels dedicated to Rock, Jazz, Funk, Classical but the default FIP Live plays a mix of everything.

https://getdigitalradio.com/ways-to-listen/dab-digital-radio/dab-digital-radio/#:~:text=There are now over 180,Reloaded, Capital Dance, Boom Radio

EricTheWeary · September 2023

Apparently in Ireland they have closed DAB broadcasts now. Plenty of countries where it has never been popular. In the UK it's effectively propped up by the BBC and there is no longer a plan to stop FM transmissions. Planet Rock has nearly closed two or three times. DAB isn't a dead format yet but it's breathing hard.

Sassafras · September 2023

exocet said:

monquixote said:

bluecat said:

So tell me more. What is DAB + ?

DAB+ uses the AAC codec rather than MP2.

MP2 sounds passable if you use at least 192kbps but many DAB stations use 96kbps and sound terrible as a result. AAC sounds much better at low bit rates.

It's used in a few European countries but rolling it out here would mean most DAB radios would stop working so it's not worth it given people are moving to online anyway.

For comparison Spotify is anything up to 320kbps depending on your settings.

DAB + has been in UK for a while - somehow my old 2014 SEAT DAB radio is compatible but in general I agree, Internet delivered content is direction of travel. My favourite at the moment is FIP (produced by Radio France) - they have a number of channels dedicated to Rock, Jazz, Funk, Classical but the default FIP Live plays a mix of everything.

https://getdigitalradio.com/ways-to-listen/dab-digital-radio/dab-digital-radio/#:~:text=There are now over 180,Reloaded, Capital Dance, Boom Radio

Is that the same FIP I used to listen to in Paris in the 80s where they played back to back music with no interruptions for over 20 minutes or so at a time?
That was a brilliant radio station.

fretmeister · September 2023

Planet Rock for me, although I only really listen to the radio in the car.

exocet · September 2023

Sassafras said:

exocet said:

monquixote said:

bluecat said:

So tell me more. What is DAB + ?

DAB+ uses the AAC codec rather than MP2.

MP2 sounds passable if you use at least 192kbps but many DAB stations use 96kbps and sound terrible as a result. AAC sounds much better at low bit rates.

It's used in a few European countries but rolling it out here would mean most DAB radios would stop working so it's not worth it given people are moving to online anyway.

For comparison Spotify is anything up to 320kbps depending on your settings.

DAB + has been in UK for a while - somehow my old 2014 SEAT DAB radio is compatible but in general I agree, Internet delivered content is direction of travel. My favourite at the moment is FIP (produced by Radio France) - they have a number of channels dedicated to Rock, Jazz, Funk, Classical but the default FIP Live plays a mix of everything.

https://getdigitalradio.com/ways-to-listen/dab-digital-radio/dab-digital-radio/#:~:text=There are now over 180,Reloaded, Capital Dance, Boom Radio

Is that the same FIP I used to listen to in Paris in the 80s where they played back to back music with no interruptions for over 20 minutes or so at a time?
That was a brilliant radio station.

Most likely - it's quite an eclectic mix with minimal announcements.

www.radiofrance.fr/fip

I've managed to get the Fip skill added to Alexa - not very straightforward in a post Brexit world - you need to login to Amazon.fr and add from there.

Kittyfrisk · September 2023

Getting off the DAB thread a bit, but my old Roberts Radio 93i can get FIP and thousands of other internet stations.

TTony · September 2023

Kittyfrisk said:

Getting off the DAB thread a bit, but my old Roberts Radio 93i can get FIP and thousands of other internet stations.

I've got one of those too @Kittyfrisk - it's a great piece of kit.

S56035 · September 2023

As an extension of this does anyone have any internet radio stations to recommend for rock stuff? There's a gazillion of them in the U.S. but wading through is a bit tough.

strumjoughlamps · September 2023

S56035 said:

As an extension of this does anyone have any internet radio stations to recommend for rock stuff? There's a gazillion of them in the U.S. but wading through is a bit tough.

I like 90s90s Grunge and Delta Radio Alt (I think they have a Rock one too)

Philly_Q · September 2023

OK, dopey question but can you buy a radio (in the traditional sense, appearance-wise at least) which plays internet radio stations? I don't have any internet-connected devices which can just sit there unobtrusively in my kitchen.

strumjoughlamps · September 2023

Philly_Q said:

OK, dopey question but can you buy a radio (in the traditional sense, appearance-wise at least) which plays internet radio stations? I don't have any internet-connected devices which can just sit there unobtrusively in my kitchen.

Yep quite a few. The Roberts i range as mentioned above. Ruark which are what I own, highly recommended but expensive. Revo Audio are also excellent.

Philly_Q · September 2023

strumjoughlamps said:

Philly_Q said:

OK, dopey question but can you buy a radio (in the traditional sense, appearance-wise at least) which plays internet radio stations? I don't have any internet-connected devices which can just sit there unobtrusively in my kitchen.

Yep quite a few. The Roberts i range as mentioned above. Ruark which are what I own, highly recommended but expensive. Revo Audio are also excellent.

Thanks, I shall investigate. My radio is bound to break in the next few days now that I've raised the possibility. Karma.

S56035 · September 2023

Philly_Q said:

OK, dopey question but can you buy a radio (in the traditional sense, appearance-wise at least) which plays internet radio stations? I don't have any internet-connected devices which can just sit there unobtrusively in my kitchen.

https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/best-internet-radios

strumjoughlamps · September 2023

Philly_Q said:

strumjoughlamps said:

Philly_Q said:

OK, dopey question but can you buy a radio (in the traditional sense, appearance-wise at least) which plays internet radio stations? I don't have any internet-connected devices which can just sit there unobtrusively in my kitchen.

Yep quite a few. The Roberts i range as mentioned above. Ruark which are what I own, highly recommended but expensive. Revo Audio are also excellent.

Thanks, I shall investigate. My radio is bound to break in the next few days now that I've raised the possibility. Karma.

If you do consider a Ruark they have a graded section where you can usually save £100ish. 2 of mine are from graded and they were as if I had purchased them brand new..

https://shop.ruarkaudio.com/collections/graded-products?_gl=1*1tceqk9*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE2OTUyMTYzNTcuQ2p3S0NBandzS3FvQmhCUEVpd0FMcnJxaU9TU1dadmZQazJQblEwYU42RGdUa0RtOE5lWG1nbkc5RDd6bGk1cG1sQjVDUHFncHJ5REtSb0M5YThRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_au*MTgyNDU4MjM1OS4xNjk1MDk3Mjg3*_ga*NjE2MzU3OS4xNjk1MDk3Mjg3*_ga_KSS5GW23VY*MTY5NTIxNjM1Ny4yLjAuMTY5NTIxNjM1Ny42MC4wLjA.

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The best DAB radio channel in your opinions for---

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