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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4401 Registered: May-05 | Posting this here because I don't think very many people visit the tuner section... I've been kicking around the idea of getting an internet radio tuner. I get Internet radio on my Apple TV, but it's not the most convenient thing, as I need the TV to be on and I can't do presets. There's a way around the presets thing, but it's a pain in the rear end. I'd also like to get Pandora and one or two others like it. Again, it's possible with the Apple TV, but it's tedious. In a tuner, I want a set it and forget it approach. No computer running, no TV running. I'd really like FM too. It should also have a digital output so I can run it through my DAC. Type of connection doesn't matter - optical or coax. I've seen boombox type tuners, but only one or two component tuners. The one that's caught my eye is the Grace tuner for about $200 or so. I'm not looking for reference sound quality. Most internet radio stations are compressed pretty badly anyway. It'll mainly serve as background listening and/or to change things up when I get bored. I'm mainly looking for ease of use, flexibility, and reliability. Any input/suggestions? |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4402 Registered: May-05 | Sorry... Here's a link to the one I was referring to - http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00395ZQMK |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16101 Registered: May-04 | . "I'm not looking for reference sound quality. Most internet radio stations are compressed pretty badly anyway. It'll mainly serve as background listening ... " Those are contradictory values, Stu. Either it's background or it's at a reference level. I understand we all want decent sound quality but - and maybe I'm once again different here - when music is deemed "background", I've already made up my mind I'm not going to be sitting in front of the system making minute "reference quality" value judgements. I guess my response to, "Most internet radio stations are compressed pretty badly anyway", would be to avoid those stations - buying a better tuner won't change anything that's being done at the broadcast station. The higher the quality of your tuner, the more likely you are to notice imperfections in the source. If you're truly looking for "reference quality", I would suggest something along the lines of the T+A product; http://www.stereophile.com/mediaservers/ta_music_player_media_streamer/index.htm l Or look at the Slim Devices unit; http://www.stereophile.com/mediaservers/207slim Other than something along those same price points, I would have to say most internet streaming devices should - in theory - be pretty similar in quality and it's what you do after the unit's digital output that will matter. You might contact C.C. Crane; http://www.ccrane.com/ but I think they're more interested in stand alone radios. . |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4403 Registered: May-05 | Jan, I said I'm not looking for reference sound quality. I just want something that'll last a little longer than the day after the warranty expires and something that doesn't take me a 3rd master's degree to use. Pretty much all the internet tuners I've seen are tabletop radio type devices. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16104 Registered: May-04 | . Sorry, my mistake. Most internet radios I've come across are table top devices and without any provisions for taking an output from the unit into an audio system. The market for stand alone tuners to receive a signal that is coming from a computer based source doesn't seem to be a big item for audiophiles. But, then, the market for high quality, stand alone analog tuners isn't very big either. I'd chalk it up to the generally low quality of most stations no matter whether they are digital or analog based. With few exceptions tuners just aren't on the audiophile radar. Without any hands on experience in the products you're asking about, I'd still tend toward thinking most lower priced internet tuners are going to have similar qualities. Like price conscious DAC's, the differences will come down to the parts implementation but I know of no one who has made any effort to outline what parts are considered "good" when it comes to an internet tuner. I've never even heard of any shop offering comparisons between internet radio units. With that in mind it would seem that anything you buy is probably going to be a unit you'll either totally hate or accept as useful for background music - the same as any analog tuner. You're in uncharted territory here. There's an organic gardening guru here in Dallas with a call in radio show. Whenever someone asks him a question which he cannot answer, he tells them to try it and report their findings, they are in charge of the research. I think you've just won that honor, Stu. . |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4404 Registered: May-05 | I figured I was in uncharted teritorry with this. It's an idea I've been kicking around since I heard/played with a Naim Uniti. It's got an internet tuner in it. I was looking at this as more of a nicety than necessity. It was pretty cool playing around with the feature. Surprisingly, internet radio sounded very good through the Uniti. Not CD good, but I've easily heard far worse. My dealer said he has no idea how Naim got it to sound that good. Not that I'm assuming I'll get similar results. If everything goes right, I plan on moving in August. I figure I'm better off waiting to see of it'll get any regular use in the next place. If the stereo is in a room that'll be used when having people over and/or a room that the Mrs. will use, I'll pick one up. If not, maybe I'll look into playing around with my Apple TV and making the internet radio tuner a bit more user friendly to me. Internet radio is a bit overwhelming to me as there's countless stations. Scrolling through and listening to most or all of them to find a few good stations isn't my idea of a good time. I figured if I had a dozen presets that I can assign a mix of FM and internet stations, I'd be more willing to give it a go. My Apple TV does a good job of seperating stations by different criteria, but with so many stations, it's still a PITA. Combine that with having to turn on the TV to acess that feature, and I just lose motivation. To listen to anything else on the Apple TV, I don't need the TV; I can control it with my iPhone. I guess what I'm saying is I'll evaluate how much use the thing would actually get. If it'll get enough regular use, I'll buy one and try it out. If not, it's definitely not the end of the world by any means. Just seeing if anyone had any experience with this stuff and what their thoughts were. You never know, a few people might have something similar and love it. Thanks for the input, Jan. If I get one, I'll report back, good or bad. |
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Gold Member Username: John_aLondonU.K. Post Number: 4856 Registered: Dec-03 | Stu, I'm not a frequent visitor here these days. But I scan this thread and think I understand your question. I have an Apple TV, and was not happy with the sound, or having to use a TV. Late last year I bought a Logitech Squeezebox Touch. It is now my preferred source for listening to radio broadcasts. You don't need to have the TV on - it has its own touch-screen user interface. Sound quality; good. Also works as a source for streaming audio files. You might wish to consider and check it out. Regards to old friends here. Ghia Cabriolet/Simply Mac first mentioned squeezeboxes. This was some years ago. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16115 Registered: May-04 | . Hey, John, how was the wedding? You get drunk at the reception? Do the boogie-woogie with the Queen? |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4405 Registered: May-05 | Thanks for the heads up, John. I have no complaints about the Apple TV's sound. Combined with my Rega DAC, it's better than anything has ever sounded in my home. Far better than a lot of stuff I've heard in hifi shops too. I use my iPhone to control it the majority of the time. I'll look into the Squeezebox Touch. The main reason why I went with the ATV was that I didn't want the computer on to be able to play my music. If I go the Squeezebox route, it'll be to use it as a tuner and do the stuff I mentioned earlier in the thread. |
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Gold Member Username: John_aLondonU.K. Post Number: 4857 Registered: Dec-03 | My pleasure, Stu. I still have the Cambridge Audio DACMagic. One day... You might be interested in Rega DAC - Has anyone auditioned one yet?" on the Squeezebox forum. Over here we now have BBC Radio 3 HD (for High Definition) - a 320 kbps stereo aac stream. It is good. "Live" broadcasts especially. I'd never have believed internet radio could become first choice for broadcast sound. Jan, you know me too well. Did you get any/much news coverage in Texas? Yes, there were real things happening in the World, including devastation in Southern US. What can I say? First, clearing my throat, the remaining family at home recently watched the HBO TV series "John Adams" on DVD. All our loyalties, of course, were with the American colonies, their union, and their Independence. Who could disagree? Benjamin Franklin, one of the greats in my estimation. This is just to establish my republican (small "R") credentials before answering your question. Then... Well, watched it on TV. You got me. I notice on another thread here your comparison of audio gear with cars again, talking about leasing hi-end stuff. A leased BMW? Not in a million years. A Porsche? Beggar the thought. I know, now, the car I would own above all others. A 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Volante. Blue, please. We narrowly missed seeing one, license plate "JU5T WED". Hating crowds, and having seen the morning razzamatazz on TV, we thought we should take a look, and walked from Trafalgar Square up The Mall towards Buckingham Palace. Why was The Mall still cordoned off in the afternoon? Turning back to cross Westminster Bridge, I noticed eight police motorcycles escorting one immaculate, new, white Ferrari (sorry, model unknown). Couldn't see the driver. Wonder who that was. Not bad, but trying too hard, and a personalised license plate (can supply, subject to security clearance). Give me an Aston any time. And, of course, I'd loan it to a trusted family member... After dinner, overlooking the Thames, of Quattro Staggioni with Chianti, and having recrossed the river at the Millennium Bridge, we got home, watched the news, and only then understood the cordon on The Mall. I found this clip and now recall, too, the presence of a yellow helicopter. Big off-topic remark. Apologies! But you asked... Yep, that's as close as we got. Didn't see anything, really. Didn't boogie. But it's good enough. A day to remember. P.S. A small note of delicious schadenfreude: Blair wasn't invited. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16117 Registered: May-04 | . Charles owns a convertible Aston?! Oh, well, if you can't be King ... Coverage here in Texas was limited to international pool reporting. Which they've shown from start to finish about ten times so far. Someone would think there's not much else going on in the world. Take care, John. Give Tony my best when he asks if you want fries with that burger. That's what you get when you become someone's lapdog. . |
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Gold Member Username: John_aLondonU.K. Post Number: 4858 Registered: Dec-03 | Much appreciated, Jan! Let us return to Internet radio tuners... |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4406 Registered: May-05 | No offense to my British friends, but I was getting tired of all the coverage of the wedding. I was looking for cartoons for my 5 month old daughter, and couldn't find any due to the coverage the other morning. I kept thinking "This will go on nonstop until something else happens." Sure enough, something else did happen. Now I'll get to relive 9/11 nonstop for a week or so. Closure? A little bit. But it doesn't erase anything. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16118 Registered: May-04 | . Drip ... "Two helicopters ... " Drip ... "Pakistan ... " Drip ... "East Room ... " Drip ... "9-11 survivor ... " Drip, drip, drip ... . |
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Gold Member Username: John_aLondonU.K. Post Number: 4859 Registered: Dec-03 | I heard Mr Obama's announcement on the radio here, not long after he made it, and not long after my last post, above, I drafted some lines but decided not to post. Don't apologise, Stu! I wrote "Yes, there were real things happening in the World...". I think Jan was trying to wind me up. I don't understand your last post, Jan, not unless you are drawing attention to drips of information in a developing story. Sure the drips are managed. But how else could it be? It is a long story. There were years of preparation which had to be secret, and some aspect still do, obviously. Also, it is still happening, and there is no end in sight. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittStamford, Connecticut USA Post Number: 4407 Registered: May-05 | There's no end in sight because there will never be an end to terrorism. Eliminating the head of an organization doesn't eliminate the organization. That group may get temporarily weakened or even split due to more than one person claiming control. If bin Laden's group did somehow give up, there's plenty of others that'll love to move up the ladder. Where they come from and who they claim to pray to is irrelevant. They're everywhere and they have the same basic M.O. The only thing you can do is try to stay a step ahead of them, and keep people on the fence about them from falling for their BS and being recruited. Beyond that, it's a part of life that's been around since the begining of time in one way or another. If you kill the head of the mafia, it's not like his cronies will say "Well, the godfather's gone... I guess we'll retire now." |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16126 Registered: May-04 | . "Jan was trying to wind me up." Moi?!!! Undoubtedly the announcement is of great significance to the history of the US and the world and should be given the respect it deserves. It has been likened to the death of a certain German dictator whose name you cannot post on this forum. IMO since you can neither defeat nor sign an armistice with an ideology, I wouldn't go so far as to say this represents any more than the closing of a chapter in that history. Obama will get a bump in his ratings but soon people will again blame him for the rising price of gasoline and microwave popcorn. However, momentous as the event is, the "bin Laden is dead" information stream on cable/satellite TV channels is akin to watching video footage taken by a helicopter kept well off-site of a large tire fire on the outskirts of Los Angeles County. Haul out the "experts", ask questions that have no real answers, warn of the grave dangers which loom large, discuss those things we don't have information to fill and continue on and on without much other than those repetitious drippings the likes of which I've seen coming from a brisket on my slow smoker. Political hay will be made from what should be a non-partisan congratulations to the best America has to offer and it will turn into more drips ... drips ... drips. Despite the relevance of this event to more than a decade's long hunt for Usama there are other things happening in the world. There are still people suffering from numerous, truly life altering events which have occurred over the last year. Rescues are being made, people are burying their dead and others are getting on with their lifes in less than adequate ways. Elsewhere, people are dying for no better reason than a lack of attention. They have all but dropped from the radar screen of coverage. Yet the 24/7 news channels trot out someone from the Reagan administration to comment on what Usama's death means to the US. The nutjobs are even taking this opportunity to make claims he has been dead for weeks and this was held for the appropriate time just to distract from the release of Obama's birth certificate - which they can prove has been Photoshopped. This nation has the attention span of a dimwitted hamster and I'm sure there are plenty of people who are plenty p!ssed the President cut into the last half hour of "Celebrity Apprentice" (Trump's show) just as he was getting ready to tell some unknown or no longer known "celebrity", "You're fired!" And then there's this .. http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-may-2-2011/moment-of-zen---we-just-killed-bin-laden My opinion? This was all cooked up just for the start of the pledge drives on NPR. http://www.politico.com/2012-election/ http://www.infowars.com/obama-shamefully-exploits-bin-laden-fairytale-in-transparent-pr-stunt/ http://mediamatters.org/ . |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 16129 Registered: May-04 | . This is why you need an internet tuner; http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201105020016 Stay tuned to the very end - if you can. |
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Gold Member Username: John_aLondonU.K. Post Number: 4860 Registered: Dec-03 | Thanks, guys. I take all these points. This is completely off-topic and I sort of started it so, I can't complain. What I would like to say, from ex-lap-dog-land, is "Don't beat yourselves up over this". Al-Q tolerates no doubt, no uncertainty, no criticism - it knows for sure precisely how everyone else should live, and will stop at nothing to make the rest of the world complies with its delusions. The U.S. in contrast is an open, tolerant and pluralist society placing a premium on justice, freedom and individual self-determination. The U.S. has done some big and good things in the world. This is one of them in my estimation, for what this is worth. In a free society it is right to be skeptical and suspicious of people in power, especially when they keep secrets. But, when you're dealing with enemies who are certain that mass murder of innocent people is a righteous cause, you've got to use your intelligence, deploy great care and skill, trust almost no-one, take risks, and hit hard when the moment is right and enough evidence is on the table. That is what was done. Obama's address from the White House was factual, respectful, moving, inspirational, correct, and delivered as soon as it could be, looking at the timings. You have a great man there. Wish we had a leader like that. If it makes any sense from me, on this blog, I say Thank You. No more on this from me. |