Here… Lets get howard stern to answer it
From Radioinfo:
DAB+ should be the perfect home for experimentation
Opinion from Ben Downing.
When I sit at home and scan through the DAB stations available, I can’t help but feel disappointed. On paper, digital radio was meant to be a step forward — more choice, better sound, and the freedom to experiment beyond the limitations of FM. In reality, what greets the listener is often the opposite. Endless decade-based stations that blur into one another. Services running at 16kbps that sound like the music is being piped through mud. Multiplexes crammed full of stations, not because there is a genuine desire to broaden choice, but because it minimises licensing and streaming costs. As a listener, the question becomes unavoidable: where is the innovation?
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I wrote this and I’d be interested to hear others’ perspectives on what I’ve said. I’ve outlined much of my thinking here already, but wanted to share it beyond MediaSpy.
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Amongst CRA members, the answer is clear. Rarely.
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Wait so was it actually stereo or not?
Depends, If you had good signal of a station and the engineer of the station knew was he was doing it then it would sound .. stereo.. (I had to force myself to type that)
Also add in being rich enough to afford a receiver.. thats if you could find one for sale.
If you want to listen.. look up WION, their stream is taken offair from their AM stereo transmitter
Gold 80’s now on air in Brisbane.
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Smooth Vintage DAB in Melbourne has been showing the wrong track info for more than a day now. Just random song titles, not related to what’s been going to air.
EDIT: and they’re playing songs that were only on 90 minutes ago. I know of quick rotations in CHR formats, but this is ridiculous!
Good Brisbane on air now. 32kbs, using the RDS “Just Great Songs”
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I wonder if Gold is also on DAB in Adelaide?
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It looks like KIIS X has either been quietly scrapped or delayed as there is no stream of it and it’s not on DAB in Sydney.
Perth is becoming networked thanks to DAB+.
First we had Smooth FM on DAB+, then 96fm became part of the GOLD network, and now we have a new ‘KIIS Perth’ which has replaced CADA. Well that is one good use of DAB+ for the commercial networks to access markets where they haven’t been able to enter on FM (especially for Perth where FM is going to be filled up with the ABC stations now). More information on these changes band be found in the ‘KIIS Network’ and ‘Gold Network’ threads under Major Metropolitan Radio.
CADA and Gold 80s were already networked. The only difference is KIIS replaces CADA and 96FM has become a part of the Gold network, so naturally they will take the networked programming from Gold.
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True but CADA is a DAB+ only station whereas KIIS has an AM/FM commercial presence in other metro areas. It is a no-brainer to replace CADA with a commercial station already on the FM band in other metro areas to now be in Perth on DAB+. Commercial music stations like 6iX, Smooth and now KIIS are now relying to make their success on DAB+ given they have no presence on FM. Even the ABC is way more excited getting access to the FM band, ignoring the fact they have been broadcasting DAB+ for over 10 years in high-quality stereo audio, lucky them!
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CADA does have an FM presence on 96.1 in Western Sydney (Katoomba). I’m not understanding the point you’re trying to make. All of the stations are basically networked nowadays, except for local breakfast and some 10-3 workday shifts. Everything from 2 or 3pm to 6am (15-16 hours) is networked on FM and some are fully networked outside of breakfast.
I am referring to ratings, the top commercial AM/FM stations in Syd/Melb include KIIS and SMOOTH which only have a presence on DAB+ in Perth, only GOLD has a presence on FM but that is rebranding the existing 96fm which was already hitting the top of the charts (no different to Mix rebranding as KIIS in Adelaide, but that Mix was owned by ARN not SCA). Already Smooth is one of the top DAB+ stations in Perth, together with 96fm 80s (now GOLD 80s) so will KIIS now follow? Certainly CADA has abysmal ratings in Perth on DAB+.
Bunnings Tradio has replaced SEN Track and SEN Melb in Sydney.
The music is good, a mix of 90s and 2000s rock and alt but the sound quality is very poor.
Update: it appears there’s also rock from the 70s and 80s in the playlist.
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