[BC] NO HD RADIO FOR CHRISTMAS -- Why not let it die?

[DANA PUOPOLO]

I agree, Rich.

I have my XM home tuner connected up to my re-capped Advent 300 receiver.
Speakers are Athena AS-B1, which are considered "Low high end" speakers. I can
CLEARLY hear artifacts on just about everything bit rate reduced (especially
male voices) - even many FM analog stations that use bit rate reduced audio
sources.

Here's a (related) question - with all this bit rate reduced audio everywhere
(radio, TV, DVD movies, etc.) that involves psychoacoustic masking, could our
ears be getting 'better' at masking? That is, could they be getting trained to
work better at masking?  The reason I ask this is that today I noticed that
when I'm in the shower and my wife talks to me from another room, I can hear
her but not make out what she's saying. With the shower off I can her her
fine. It used to not be this way. My latest hearing test (about a year ago)
shows that my hearing is fine.
Could it be that my ears/brain have become better at masking then before
because they're being 'exercised' more these days?

Anyone?

-D


------ Original Message ------
Received: Fri, 02 Dec 2005 10:34:48 AM PST
From: Rich Wood <richwood at pobox.com>
To: Broadcast Radio Mailing List <broadcast at radiolists.net>
Subject: Re: [BC] NO HD RADIO FOR CHRISTMAS -- Why not let it die?

------ At 10:57 AM 12/2/2005, Jeff Loughridge wrote: -------

>The naysayers always have their say early in the development of new 
>technology, when it is easy to point out low numbers, lack of 
>familiarity, and limited availability.

Early adopters are usually audiophiles, especially in the high end of 
the low end. The worst thing I can imagine is someone being 
introduced to IBUZ on a great audio system. This is Entertainment 
Quality, not worthy of high end equipment. It's fine for cars and 
clock radios. The absolute worst possibility is a good quality 
portable device where the audio is blown into your brain. With decent 
quality headsets the artifacts will be fatiguing. So will carrying 
the batteries in the little red wagon. (Sorry Mike. Had to do that).

I used to have both SIRIUS and XM connected to my home theatre 
system. Too annoying. Now I listen in the car and through a 
relatively high quality computer audio system. When the car is 
stopped I have a problem with artifacts. When it's moving the road 
noise masks them. I time the traffic lights so I never have to stop.

If the Boston Acoustics HD radio is similar to their analog unit, the 
response is bottom heavy, so the high end artifacts probably won't be 
a problem. I don't consider it High Fidelity. Polk is generally 
considered high end. I'm surprised they got involved in this. Still 
no receivers available in Western MA. Tweeter will special order the 
Boston Acoustics but have none on display. Delivery is 5-6 weeks. 
Circuit City, none on order. Best Buy, none on order. In each case I 
was told I was the first person to ask about it. I asked the guy at 
Tweeter about promotion. When he stopped laughing he said none is planned.

Rich


Rich Wood
Rich Wood Multimedia
Phone: 413-303-9084
FAX: 413-480-0010


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