"Paul Dormer" wrote in message
...
: Copied from another group.. for anyone that's interested!
:
: "Argos, code number is 5002553, was £99.99 now £44.99 .
: Ring & reserve using this code number for a bargain."
:
:
Just bought one, ordered via Argos Beckton, 45 UKP. So far so good:
- picks up loads of stations at full signal
- nicely screwed together with 2 yr warranty
- sounds rather muffled and bassy, but quite pleasing, rather like an old
Roberts
- very impressed when routed through the stereo

I bought it as part of my gadget accumulation regime, and the fact that i
like to listen to BBCR6 and world service, both of which were too much of a
faff pre-Evoke. For the money and my whims, no complaints.

Rob

Rob wrote:
"Paul Dormer" wrote in message
...
Copied from another group.. for anyone that's interested!

"Argos, code number is 5002553, was £99.99 now £44.99 .
Ring & reserve using this code number for a bargain."


Just bought one, ordered via Argos Beckton, 45 UKP. So far so good:
- picks up loads of stations at full signal
- nicely screwed together with 2 yr warranty
- sounds rather muffled and bassy, but quite pleasing, rather like an
old Roberts
- very impressed when routed through the stereo


Impressed with DAB through a stereo???? I thought this was an audio
newsgroup??


I bought it as part of my gadget accumulation regime, and the fact
that i like to listen to BBCR6 and world service, both of which were
too much of a faff pre-Evoke. For the money and my whims, no
complaints.



I suggest you get Freeview, because the audio quality of 6 Music on
Freeview wipes the floor with the audio quality of 6 Music on DAB.


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info

DAB sounds worse than FM, Freeview, digital satellite, cable and
broadband internet radio

"DAB sounds worse than FM" wrote in message
...
Rob wrote:
"Paul Dormer" wrote in message
...
Copied from another group.. for anyone that's interested!

"Argos, code number is 5002553, was £99.99 now £44.99 .
Ring & reserve using this code number for a bargain."


Just bought one, ordered via Argos Beckton, 45 UKP. So far so good:
- picks up loads of stations at full signal
- nicely screwed together with 2 yr warranty
- sounds rather muffled and bassy, but quite pleasing, rather like an
old Roberts
- very impressed when routed through the stereo


Impressed with DAB through a stereo???? I thought this was an audio
newsgroup??


I bought it as part of my gadget accumulation regime, and the fact
that i like to listen to BBCR6 and world service, both of which were
too much of a faff pre-Evoke. For the money and my whims, no
complaints.



I suggest you get Freeview, because the audio quality of 6 Music on
Freeview wipes the floor with the audio quality of 6 Music on DAB.


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info

DAB sounds worse than FM, Freeview, digital satellite, cable and
broadband internet radio


If your so adamant that Freeview is the only option why are you advertising
the fact that the Evoke 1 is available to buy from Argos for £44.95 ? Why
not just tell people to buy Freeview boxes instead

"DAB sounds worse than FM" wrote in message
...
: Rob wrote:
: "Paul Dormer" wrote in message
: ...
: Copied from another group.. for anyone that's interested!
:
: "Argos, code number is 5002553, was £99.99 now £44.99 .
: Ring & reserve using this code number for a bargain."
:
:
: Just bought one, ordered via Argos Beckton, 45 UKP. So far so good:
: - picks up loads of stations at full signal
: - nicely screwed together with 2 yr warranty
: - sounds rather muffled and bassy, but quite pleasing, rather like an
: old Roberts
: - very impressed when routed through the stereo
:
:
: Impressed with DAB through a stereo???? I thought this was an audio
: newsgroup??
:
Yep, correct. From first impressions at normal listening levels I've found
the sound quite good considering - uncompressed and clear. Not as (er)
sonorous as FM, but this isn't really about ultimate sound quality period
for me - it's about casual listening to certain radio programmes I like.
Hence 'audio'.
:
: I bought it as part of my gadget accumulation regime, and the fact
: that i like to listen to BBCR6 and world service, both of which were
: too much of a faff pre-Evoke. For the money and my whims, no
: complaints.
:
:
:
: I suggest you get Freeview, because the audio quality of 6 Music on
: Freeview wipes the floor with the audio quality of 6 Music on DAB.
:
I've got a freeview box. It would involve routing a cable from one room to
another, switching the TV on, fumbling with the slow interface, remembering
the channel number. I just can't be bothered for the extra 32 kb/s (or
whatever).

As for wipes the floor I've been unimpressed with implementation of digital
terrestrial in general - I prefer analogue TV audio (Nicam) and FM. The
whole thing has been a botch, and at that point when the thing gets
consolidated I would hope for higher bitrates for audio and video. And when
that point arrives, if it arrives, you can bet we'll need new hardware,
until the next time. Rant over.

For now, for the money and for what it does, I like the Evoke.

Rob
:
: --
: Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info
:
: DAB sounds worse than FM, Freeview, digital satellite, cable and
: broadband internet radio
:
:

Rob wrote:
"DAB sounds worse than FM" wrote in message
...
Rob wrote:
"Paul Dormer" wrote in message
...
Copied from another group.. for anyone that's interested!

"Argos, code number is 5002553, was £99.99 now £44.99 .
Ring & reserve using this code number for a bargain."


Just bought one, ordered via Argos Beckton, 45 UKP. So far so good:
- picks up loads of stations at full signal
- nicely screwed together with 2 yr warranty
- sounds rather muffled and bassy, but quite pleasing, rather like
an old Roberts
- very impressed when routed through the stereo


Impressed with DAB through a stereo???? I thought this was an audio
newsgroup??

Yep, correct. From first impressions at normal listening levels I've
found the sound quite good considering - uncompressed and clear. Not
as (er) sonorous as FM, but this isn't really about ultimate sound
quality period for me - it's about casual listening to certain radio
programmes I like. Hence 'audio'.


However you describe your listening habits, DAB sounds crap, end of
story.


I bought it as part of my gadget accumulation regime, and the fact
that i like to listen to BBCR6 and world service, both of which were
too much of a faff pre-Evoke. For the money and my whims, no
complaints.



I suggest you get Freeview, because the audio quality of 6 Music on
Freeview wipes the floor with the audio quality of 6 Music on DAB.

I've got a freeview box. It would involve routing a cable from one
room to another,


Big deal.


switching the TV on,


Not necessary if you got the highly regarded Humax F2FoxT with an LED
channel number display:

http://tinyurl.com/5pm2q


fumbling with the slow
interface,


Slow interfaces are a thing of the past on Freeview boxes. Only the old
On/ITV Digital boxes are slow now.


remembering the channel number. I just can't be bothered
for the extra 32 kb/s (or whatever).


But you said:

"very impressed when routed through the stereo"

Don't make comments that make the audio quality out to be something that
it is not, whether you can be bothered about the audio quality for radio
listening, or not.


As for wipes the floor I've been unimpressed with implementation of
digital terrestrial in general - I prefer analogue TV audio (Nicam)
and FM. The whole thing has been a botch, and at that point when the
thing gets consolidated I would hope for higher bitrates for audio
and video. And when that point arrives, if it arrives, you can bet
we'll need new hardware, until the next time. Rant over.

For now, for the money and for what it does, I like the Evoke.


I also bought an Evoke for £40 (the £45 offer plus I had a £5-off
voucher), and I have to say I'm completely unimpressed by it. The reason
I bought it (while knowing what DAB sounds like) was the fact that I've
seen so many people praise the sound quality of the Evoke-1. What a joke
that is. My £25 Sony ICF703 analogue portable blows it away in terms of
sound quality. The one and only advantage the Evoke has is that it has
presets, but you can get FM portables with presets for about £30+, so I
think I'll be selling the Evoke on eBay when I get round to it and buy a
Sony analogue portable with presets instead, and I certainly won't go
round saying "very impressed when routed through the stereo" because I
don't like misleading people.


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info

DAB sounds worse than FM, Freeview, digital satellite, cable and
broadband internet radio

DAB sounds worse than FM wrote:

I also bought an Evoke for £40 (the £45 offer plus I had a £5-off
voucher), and I have to say I'm completely unimpressed by it. The
reason I bought it (while knowing what DAB sounds like) was the fact
that I've seen so many people praise the sound quality of the
Evoke-1. What a joke that is. My £25 Sony ICF703 analogue portable
blows it away in terms of sound quality. The one and only advantage
the Evoke has is that it has presets, but you can get FM portables
with presets for about £30+, so I think I'll be selling the Evoke on
eBay when I get round to it and buy a Sony analogue portable with
presets instead, and I certainly won't go round saying "very
impressed when routed through the stereo" because I don't like
misleading people.

Let us know when you put it up on eBay...

"DAB sounds worse than FM" wrote in message
...
Rob wrote:
"DAB sounds worse than FM" wrote in message
...
Rob wrote:
"Paul Dormer" wrote in message
...
Copied from another group.. for anyone that's interested!

"Argos, code number is 5002553, was £99.99 now £44.99 .
Ring & reserve using this code number for a bargain."


Just bought one, ordered via Argos Beckton, 45 UKP. So far so good:
- picks up loads of stations at full signal
- nicely screwed together with 2 yr warranty
- sounds rather muffled and bassy, but quite pleasing, rather like
an old Roberts
- very impressed when routed through the stereo


Impressed with DAB through a stereo???? I thought this was an audio
newsgroup??

Yep, correct. From first impressions at normal listening levels I've
found the sound quite good considering - uncompressed and clear. Not
as (er) sonorous as FM, but this isn't really about ultimate sound
quality period for me - it's about casual listening to certain radio
programmes I like. Hence 'audio'.


However you describe your listening habits, DAB sounds crap, end of
story.


I bought it as part of my gadget accumulation regime, and the fact
that i like to listen to BBCR6 and world service, both of which were
too much of a faff pre-Evoke. For the money and my whims, no
complaints.



I suggest you get Freeview, because the audio quality of 6 Music on
Freeview wipes the floor with the audio quality of 6 Music on DAB.

I've got a freeview box. It would involve routing a cable from one
room to another,


Big deal.


switching the TV on,


Not necessary if you got the highly regarded Humax F2FoxT with an LED
channel number display:

http://tinyurl.com/5pm2q


fumbling with the slow
interface,


Slow interfaces are a thing of the past on Freeview boxes. Only the old
On/ITV Digital boxes are slow now.


remembering the channel number. I just can't be bothered
for the extra 32 kb/s (or whatever).


But you said:

"very impressed when routed through the stereo"

Don't make comments that make the audio quality out to be something that
it is not, whether you can be bothered about the audio quality for radio
listening, or not.


As for wipes the floor I've been unimpressed with implementation of
digital terrestrial in general - I prefer analogue TV audio (Nicam)
and FM. The whole thing has been a botch, and at that point when the
thing gets consolidated I would hope for higher bitrates for audio
and video. And when that point arrives, if it arrives, you can bet
we'll need new hardware, until the next time. Rant over.

For now, for the money and for what it does, I like the Evoke.


I also bought an Evoke for £40 (the £45 offer plus I had a £5-off
voucher), and I have to say I'm completely unimpressed by it. The reason
I bought it (while knowing what DAB sounds like) was the fact that I've
seen so many people praise the sound quality of the Evoke-1. What a joke
that is. My £25 Sony ICF703 analogue portable blows it away in terms of
sound quality. The one and only advantage the Evoke has is that it has
presets, but you can get FM portables with presets for about £30+, so I
think I'll be selling the Evoke on eBay when I get round to it and buy a
Sony analogue portable with presets instead, and I certainly won't go
round saying "very impressed when routed through the stereo" because I
don't like misleading people.


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info

DAB sounds worse than FM, Freeview, digital satellite, cable and
broadband internet radio



The only thing is that there are people who want a small radio on which to
listen to stations that are otherwise unavailable to them like 5 Sport,
BBC7, JazzFM, etc.

For speech based progs its is more than acceptable in my opinion. I bought
one as an early birthday present for SWMBO and it is the first in many years
which she has not only accepted without complaint but positively enjoys!!


--

Woody

Woody wrote:

The only thing is that there are people who want a small radio on
which to listen to stations that are otherwise unavailable to them
like 5 Sport, BBC7, JazzFM, etc.

For speech based progs its is more than acceptable in my opinion. I
bought one as an early birthday present for SWMBO and it is the first
in many years which she has not only accepted without complaint but
positively enjoys!!


That's great, but don't forget that there's more to radio than small
mono portable radios.

Basically though, the problem with DAB in the UK is that the Radio
Authority (now under Ofcom) set the minimum bit rates for stereo music
stations to be 128kbps, and now 98% of all stereo stations in the UK are
128kbps. 128kbps may well be okay for a small portable radio, but DAB
was originally designed to provide CD-quality (look at ANY research
paper from the early days (late 80s early 90s) of DAB development and
the main reason for it being developed was to provide high audio
quality)

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/bbc_bitrates.htm

Now we've got 5 extra BBC stations and Radios 1, 2, 4, 6 Music and 1Xtra
using 128kbps, which has been officially classified as providing
"Annoying" audio quality:

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/bi...vs_quality.htm

Also, we have the commercial radio groups all using 128kbps for music
stations, despite the fact that there's lots of spare capacity on the
commercial DAB multiplexes:

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/wa...x_capacity.htm

But anyway, thanks for letting me know that your wife loves DAB. I'm
sure the rest of the nation will be thrilled by the fact that your wife
likes BBC7 yet they're listening to their favourite 128kbps music
station at a significantly lower audio quality than on FM.

Well, to be honest, Joe Averge will just fall for the DAB hype and
*believe* that DAB is better, even though it's actually worse.

Oh, and BTW, the UK has the lowest audio quality on DAB in the entire
world, see:

http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/worldwide_dab.htm

but that's alright, because your wife can get Radio 5 Sports Extra....


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info

DAB sounds worse than FM, Freeview, digital satellite, cable and
broadband internet radio

DAB sounds worse than FM wrote:
Woody wrote:

The only thing is that there are people who want a small radio on
which to listen to stations that are otherwise unavailable to them
like 5 Sport, BBC7, JazzFM, etc.

For speech based progs its is more than acceptable in my opinion. I
bought one as an early birthday present for SWMBO and it is the first
in many years which she has not only accepted without complaint but
positively enjoys!!


That's great, but don't forget that there's more to radio than small
mono portable radios.


Maybe... but I, like many others, will use FM for 'serious' radio and DAB
for easy tuning, good-enough quality, display the track titles Jonathan Ross
is playing when I've just woken up, bedside radio

DAB sounds worse than FM wrote:

At the end of the day, 128kbps music stations on DAB sound a lot worse
than they do on FM, and the commercial broadcasters don't want to
increase bit rates (there's loads of unused capacity on multiplexes
now), and the BBC may not be able to increase bit rates if the
commercial radio groups get their way (they are obviously opposed to
the BBC getting any more capacity), and the codec used on DAB is now
very old and mature and is not going to magic up better audio quality
without increasing the bit rates.

Agreed... However, I only listen to Radio 4 (plus Jonathan Ross on Saturday
mornings) in the bedroom and my current £7.99 Homer Simpson-shaped radio is
ok for that. DAB (even at 128kbps) will do very nicely as a replacement!


So, what do you propose should happen when FM is turned off and you've
no longer got decent audio quality on the radio?

What I propose *should* happen is the BBC up the DAB rate to 320kbps on
Radio 4... Can't see it happening though :-( What do you propose should
happen after the FM switch-off?