My hi-fi system dates way back, and is built of separates (1). It includes an FM tuner, and by means of an additional selector can take inputs from TV (2) or computer. There are speakers in all three downstairs rooms.
Much of the time I am listening live to R4 or R2, otherwise downloaded podcasts or my own music collection, all of which has been copied to MP3. R6 music (via TV) only on Sunday morning for Cerys.
I am wondering if it is time to replace or add to the radio tuner, with something that will also cope with DAB, maybe even internet radio. Is this worthwhile, or more bother than it is worth? Are things changing so fast that anything I buy would risk being obsolete, or of little use, in a short time.
(1) Though in truth record deck and tape player are pretty much retired now.
A) Are you happy with the sound of your existing FM tuner? If so, is the problem:
B) You want to hear stations that aren't on FM?
C) How much concern do you have for audio quality? You mention 'MP3' but don't mention a bitrate.
D) Live or on demand?
The answers would determine your best course. If you're happy with what you have, why change? (That is meant as a real question: e.g. do you think there are other non-FM stations you might like well enough to buy new kit before you know?)
In terms of sound quality the cutting edge tends to be BBC R3 via the iplayer. You may find DAB OK, but it does use low bitrates at times, and may be level compressed when iplayer isn't.
You may also find DAB or Freeview gives you mono at times when iplayer or FM are stereo. (And if you're in Scotland, Freeview loses some BBC stations in the late afternoon or evening.)
To avoid 'obsolescence' for iplayer/internet radio you'd need to sort out a simple computer and DAC/network player. Then download from the iplayer or use the BBC's web interface. I now use get_iplayer for the bulk of my radio listening. Listen as and when you want, with good quality.
The advantage of using your own computer is you can update the software, etc, to keep in step with developments. Buy a closed box for internet access (or a 'smart TV/radio') and you may be stranded shortly afterwards. Easier when it works... but then you hit the problem that the makers 'orphan' it because they'd prefer you to buy their new model when there is a change that stops your existing one working. Caveat Emptor.
A very cheap way is to use a FreeView tuner sound only. Usually has all the stations you can't get on FM. Snag with most is the lack of display to tell you which station it is on. But you can programme the remote to those you actually want. And you've probably already got a UHF aerial.
DAB Often needs a decent external aerial to get the best results - and even then doesn't really offer anything over FreeView. In most areas.
If you want to listen to Internet radio download Ramaradio and use that as the source using your PC feed. It has the advantage that it can handle HD radio - or it did last time I tried (I think.) TapinRadio is another good listener.
However as others have said you can no longer listen to BBC national stations by this method (local radio still works though.) I understand get_iplayer is a Linux package so is no use for Windoze - the only way in Windows is to go to either iPlayerRadio from the iPlayer page, or go to the station page and select Listen now.
In terms of kit, if it still works OK and you like the sound of it why change. For example I have a pair of Wharfedale Dentons from decades ago but for a relaxed smooth sound they still take some beating.
If you want to update have a look see what Richers have to offer - especially NAD amps as they have loads of inputs.
Depends if you want to listen to any of the stations that are on DAB, and when and where you want to listen.. I quite often listen to R4 extra or Radio 6 Music, eldest likes to listen to music stations Yes I can stream them, but it is convenient to just press a button.
using a computer works, but always seems a slight faff (we have one attached to the TV). What has been a useful recent addition here is a Chromecast Audio. It's easy and convenient to grab a phone or tablet and stream Internet radio, spotify, iplayer radio etc.
because at the front it appears to be multiple separate components, but at the back it's apparent that it's either one box, or multiple boxes but they all need the main box to operate because they don't have their own power s upplies or standard inputs/outputs.
Do you actually have any DAB signal where you are?
Internet radio, well there is so much out there that finding something worth listening to, even with genre/sub-genre based indexes it more of a station hoping excercise than just "having the radio on".
Well, I still do as you say, tough I have to say mp3s are pretty naff compared to a good CD or vinyl recording. There are lossless codecs now and together with cheap storage, many find home servers the way to go. I'm not so sure as although formats change the problem is that data on a drive can be totally lost very easily. I'm thinking tat at the moment, DAB tuners exist and most can cope with DAB+, so may be valid. The sad part is that the quality and station choice on DAB is looking more like a replacementfor medium wave these days as its mostly mono and compressed. Other sources. I'd suggest a decent computer to get internet content, rather than an internet radio as feeds change so often its a real pain to set it up anew after its suddenly been moved. Freeview, and to some extent Freesat is often a reasonable source of good quality, and at least radio 4 extra on Freeview is in stereo, unlike DAB, but for how long one wonders. A relatvly cheap pvr or set top box is all you need, but steer clear of the really cheap ones as if you want analogue out I often find that they are a bit lacking on bass and plugging things in and out definitely affects levels elsewhere. Seems to be no buffering. DVD and blue ray players can be good as they play cds and mp3 cds as well, and its often the case that audio visual devices can play content on sd cards and ramsticks too.
If you are into mp3 players or apple devices then obviously some kind of input for those is handy as well. Marantz do some nice recorders that sound quite good working on ram sticks, but not cheap.
I still keep the ability to use cassettes with dbx and dolby, and I'd like to also have reel to reel as well and of course having a computer as part of the system does mean one can make digital media out of analogue recordings too. Brian
As has already been pointed out, get_iplayer is NOT "only for Linux". Its actually a set of perl scripts so can be used on any OS which can run the relevant version of perl. The email list for get_iplayer includes people who run get_iplayer on Windows and Macs.
And ffmpeg can now fetch hls streams. This matters more for 'TV' from iplayer, but it is worth noting as it shows ffmpeg can get streams and convert them for you. May take some furtling about, though, so can be easier to have get_iplayer employ ffmpeg on your behalf. :-)
I disagree. _Low bitrate_ mp3 are pretty naff; given enough bits, they can be indistinguishable from the original to _most_ listeners, especially older ones who've lost their upper frequencies (and also depending on the equipment used). What an acceptable bitrate _is_ is of course a source of endless debate, and also - if carefully chosen - dependent on source material. (I have some 1950s mono material [early Tom Lehrer] that is fine at 32k; encoded at lower sample rate, and mono. I have other material [1980s pop for example] that I can still hear the _odd_ artefact at 96k. I very much doubt there is much material - or ears or equipment - that could tell 320k mp3 from the original.)
Yes. Needs to be backed up - in the cloud, on another drive, or on optical media. For audio only, you can get many hours on even a CD, and days - possibly even weeks - on DVD, then BluRay. (Though I'd say for backup only.)
Agreed (though it depends on what you're listening to; speech is probably OK most of the time).
Not that it's relevant to the original enquirer, but are there DAB add-ons for computers? Many years ago I had an FM tuner card, then there was of course the original Psion (I think it was) Wavemaster, a futuristic-looking blue thing that received DAB and plugged into a USB socket. Is anything similar still made? (I've just had a look, and there aren't _any_ wavemasters on ebay! Either I've remembered the name wrong, or they've all either failed or are being kept by those who have them.)
Yes, though the resetting may be more difficult for Brian than some, since electronics manufacturers do seem to persistently refuse to cater properly to the VH. But it is still a good point - setting up such devices isn't trivial.
I don't _think_ it will go anytime soon, though you can never tell.
All good points (and interesting about cheap STBs, though I wouldn't have thought the levels will be a problem for a setup where you, er, set it up and leave it).
Yes, it's always good to have an extra analogue input or two (and possibly digital one, though there are still few such sources).
There are quite a lot of solid-state recorders around. Olympus do a range of qualities (mainly to internal RAM).
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