High-End FM?
On Aug 25, 10:53 am, Randy Yates wrote:
I'd like to get feedback on the following product idea: a very
high-end FM radio.
Here are some things that would set this radio miles apart from
the usual:
1. Included and an integral part of the design, an adaptive antenna
array and associated multidimensional equalizer that would greatly
improve performance.
2. All digital implementation, from front-end to output. A zero-IF
architecture would be used.
3. High-def as well as standard FM broadcast.
Randy:
I puzzled a bit before I posted to this. But my thoughts are at the
purely practical level and as follows:
Assume that analog FM will last for the foreseeable future, that some
stations will continue to broadcast a decent signal, and that HD will
gradually catch on such that it too will be supported, grow and retain
some level of fidelity. Therefore there *might* be a demand for such a
tuner as you suggest. All of the above is unlikely, but possible.
Some things to keep in mind:
a) For a tiny fraction of your suggested price, one might install an
antenna that is capable of capturing every FM signal broadcast within
the limits of the technology... "near" line-of-sight and (arbitrary
for this discussion) within a 150 mile radius. For say.... $1000,
including a 50-foot mast (where permitted by code), grounding systems
and so forth, this antenna would be highly directional, tunable and
and amplify without adding (much) noise.
b) Circuits within the tuner that would process the signal without
noise or added artifacts would be able to use such an antenna
effectively. Adding good filters for those artifacts that were added
or received would be more important than any internal antenna array.
It is my belief based on long experience that a moderate antenna and
an adequate tuner will do far better than an excellent tuner with a
crappy antenna. And an excellent antenna with a barely-adequate tuner
will do better than an excellent tuner with even a moderate antenna.
Put an excellent tuner together with an excellent antenna... you get
the picture.
At this moment, I keep seven tuners, of which only one could be
considered "excellent", being a Revox A720 tuner-pre-amp. That it
lacks HD is one thing, but short of that I would suggest that it is as
good as any analog FM tuner out there, past or present. I also have a
Citation 15 that is OK, an HK500 that is slightly better than OK, and
the range of Dynaco stuff that is absolutely fine for local stuff but
no more. We have a summer house that is at the bottom of a fairly
narrow valley. We get FM _only_ via an antenna, and even then only a
few stations. I am not so sure $5000 worth of tuner-hardware will
overcome that situation more effectively than $180 worth of antenna
and associated hardware coupled to a decent tuner has done. And unless
you can legitimately claim that your proposed unit will do that, there
is really no need for it other than the HD aspect. And that may be had
for much less than $5000.
Now, there is an aspect of the market that invests in all kinds of
stuff including little cable towers for speaker cables, magic rocks,
$1500 line cords and so forth. Without further comment, this segment
of the market might be very willing to invest in such a Super Tuner.
Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA
|