Does anyone listen to the radio anymore?

@bipod72 , thank you.  I will give WWNO a shake.  The WPR classical stream in Wisconsin appears to be a mono stream.  Why would anyone do that? 

only in the Jeep, NHL radio. If I want to listen to Music, my car stereo has a hard drive built in that I ripped over 1000cd's to, so I'm covered as well as I can stream quobuz and spotify from my phone. 

I only care about Hockey and quality music, sometimes Architecture (when I'm paid to do it).

I do - both in the car, in my home hobby shop on my Mac receiver and in the main room with my set up there - if I could find a bitchin' MR75 Id prob pick one up - I know there are better ways to get AM and FM but I do like to listen to baseball on the AM!  Old guy alert!

I do - both in the car, in my home hobby shop on my Mac receiver and in the main room with my set up there - if I could find a bitchin' MR75 Id prob pick one up - I know there are better ways to get AM and FM but I do like to listen to baseball on the AM!  Old guy alert!

I listen to a variety of channels on Sirius, mostly in the car.  However, Sirius channels are compressed and eq’d to be bass-heavy, and FM generally sounds warmer and less like 1’s and 0’s, so I often listen to classical on FM.  But I like the content on Sirius’ Deep Tracks, Blues and Bluegrass channels.  At home, we have a Grace digital radio and listen to local news and weather, as well as some internet stations (I particularly like a classical station in Prague).  Now and then, I stream internet stations through my LUMIN in my main system.

Here's my plug for WEVL 89.9 in Memphis, an add-less, all volunteer independent with amazing variety and a 40 year history.  Consistently rated Memphis' best station, I access it from the web and Bluetooth it (via a Macintosh receiver!) into my Pass INT-60 here north of Houston.  The knowledge base of their on-air contributors can be astonishing, and it's up to you to select what type of fare you enjoy. It's nice to have WEVL going in the background when doing something other than have a blaring TV there all day like so many people. Radio itself is the genesis of many of our hobby interest in music. I remember as a kid listening to the sandwich box one-transistor-earphone radio my engineer dad made with me, under my  pillow when I was supposed to be going to sleep, listening to Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly back when it was fresh. Now radio for me is in the shower or car pretty much, but back then that was how you grew up, and the DJ''s on your local station were your instructors.  Things were simpler. Whether better or not is for you to say. The music, however its focused distribution,, probably was better. 

@disc - one of the best FM rock stations ever was WHFS in Bethesda (I'm from Silver Spring), which I think is still going; don't know if it's still independent or not. 

@bipod72 The WWNO jazz (HD3 I think) programming comes from Pittsburgh.

You may have even heard me! I think they might still play my stuff.

A few minutes from my Tivoli Model One some days while brushing my teeth. I do enjoy Portland's great classical radio station this way. 

*chuckling at WWOZ* Sheesh..

I do, daily. No commercial stations though, they've become so abysmally bad.

The local "alternative" station hasn't changed its programming in 30 years. They still play Green Day.

I like listener-supported stations including NPR, local jazz and classical stations, and Latino stations to brush up on my Spanish or when I'm in the mood for norteño music.

 I live close to three major cities on the west coast of Canada, Vancouver, Seattle and Victoria. All have good stations still. The Seattle based NPR jazz station is on almost every day. I found it took a good tuner to make the sound quality worth it though. Also, not all stations are at the same sound quality level. But the good one’s sound excellent still. I have my system on almost the whole time I’m awake playing something, usually background music. After years off looking I’ve settled on Vintage tuners as the best sounding tuners, Sansui Tuners are my fav, currently a TU9900 restored/recapped/realigned, Dreaming of a TU-X1.

WCBN, University of Michigan student run station. They play virtually every genre of music, dj's mostly have one or two hour slots, very diverse lot!

Only in the car and only on the HD stations that have no commercials.

Car = yes, every day

Home = almost never

@secretguy Wow, I didn't know that about their jazz channel. I'm sure I've heard your voice then at some point! 

Listen to radio every morning, sometimes in the evening. Usually 4hrs a day is on radio, with my tuner. 

Have my local, and couple favorites saves from SF & Boston, but honestly, streaming radio is lo-fi. It sounds like crap compared to my tuner. 

KEXP doesn't always come in clear at my house, so forced to stream it. Always makes me cringe. 

@mswale maybe you’re using the low bitrate stream for KEXP? 
160K (AAC-LC) https://kexp.streamguys1.com/kexp160.aac

 

I listen to FM stereo, all day almost every day.  Unless there is something specific I want to listen to, it’s FM  stereo for this old geezer.  I have 2 expensive tuners. One in each system and use both daily.  I have more than gotten my moneys worth.  I will mourn the day my 2 favorite Rock stations go off the air. 

@larsman WHFS was a treasure.  Still miss it.

Yes, quite often (in the car, garage, etc).

KALX 90.7 in the great state of Berkeley

 

Favorite DJs: Berkestir, Control Issues, Excuse My French, Kowalski, Rare Earth, 

Sex 14s, Tumble Weed, and Vernal Pools

I sold my tuner many years ago. I listen to Qobuz while driving, and occasionally tune in to NPR.

I listen in my vehicle to Jazz station KNKX through the week while in the greater Seattle area and also to Jazz station KOHO out of Leavenworth when home on the weekends. Really enjoy my Accuphase T-101.

Absolutely!

Like many here only in my car.  95.9 The Krush Santa Rosa CA and The River 97.7 for Northern CA.  I'm much like @nicholsr in that I enjoy the obscure artists and the wonderful DJs who have the common decency to tell who you just heard and probably some interesting insight into the artist.

Also the local news and some interesting shows such as weekly interviews with the Mendecino County Marijuana Board members.  Just great to hear a human voice and the most complex algorithm, the DJs brain taking us in directions we didn't know we wanted...

I then put that info to use on the home system via streaming.

I   also LOVE antique radios from the 1925-1950 period.  So I decided to figure out the radio on the cover of The Spirit  Of Radio.  The key clue came from a picture on a Rush website from the album that showed the radio from behind.  The three tubes visible had AL GL NP imposed one set of initials each.  Through the magic of Google lens it turns out to be a Westinghouse 30 licensed to RCA as a model 140.

For the cover art the front grill had been redone to make a suitable background for the mystic figure for lack of a better term  which made it so hard to determine  from  the front.

Here is what I find the most interesting.  I mean why this radio model?  A website, RadioMuseum is a great resource for vintage radio pics, schematics, description and period advertisements.  This particular ad started "All the worlds a stage" basically when you chose the RCA 140.  That choice of radio is no accident.

Gorgeous furniture, ALL TUBES BB ;) and some really great sound and reception!

I am incredibly lucky to have had a Farnsworth Capehart 1948 114N2 passed to me.  Cost 1748.00 in 1948 and was the last word in home entertainment.  Benefiting from post WW2 tech and a cost is no object frame of mind it is a master piece!  The 41 E record changer is unreal.  Google Bobs 41E 33 conversion. First year of the Jensen 5/15 coaxial speaker.  Weighs  300 lbs, 250 made or so.

It would be interesting to see some Stereophile type reviews of top end gear from the old days IMO.

The deep connection to this beauty is the fact that I am a Farnsworth myself and a distant relative of Philo.  Cool beyond words to look at the data plate and see  The Farnsworth Radio and Television Company.  

A gift beyond price that's almost free RIP Neil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have unreliable land line dsl service so I listen to a  classical and a jazz station from Portland Oregon on a tuner. I am also far enough away to have gone through many tuners to settle on one that works very good. A local dealer is happy I went through all those tuners, too. And no interruptions from the programming if I use a tuner.

Yes frequently. We are lucky in Philadelphia to have an excellent Classical / Jazz station.  Have an old but goodie Kenwood KT-8300 tuner in my system with a good antenna. 90% Classical / 10% other. In the car, about 80% Classical / 20% other. 

All the time. Have a dynalab md109 and a marantz10b. Listen to Kbuu malibu which is so helpful when you have no internet. Programming is awesome and sounds great. Classical radio 91.5 is amazing. Radio sounds amazing with a good one and is a great solution besides streaming that is free. Live broadcast from the met is one the best quality sounding sources, on par with the very best vinyl and dac solutions. Radio 📻  is a must in my opinion. 

For some reason I was convinced that over-the-air FM radio was on its way out, to go off the air in a couple of years and be replaced by HD radio. I even thought the AM / FM radio spectrum had been auctioned off to broadband operators.

Anyway, this thread made me look it up and I was wrong, it actually sounds like FM has a couple few decades ahead of it still... So maybe it's worth getting a good tuner after all 🙂

 

Live broadcast from the met is one the best quality sounding sources, on par with the very best vinyl and dac solutions.

@simchowitz +1

https://www.metopera.org/season/radio/saturday-matinee-broadcasts/station-finder/

 

Some people consider Live Broadcast FM Radio to be the best source possible.  Here is a link to all the stations in the US that you can tune into for the Met's weekly Matinee.

As a former owner of a beautiful sounding Marantz 10B, I lament the loss of quality classical music programming!! In CT, we have lost all quality programming except for WMNR, with a limited range of reception. So, in the Hartford area, there is nothing more than NPR leftist talk radio. I will not be sorry if funding is cut to these sources, because they no longer serve the public! Streaming of these stations pales in quality compared to the quality analog signal that used to be broadcast! It’s all about the bottom line. Yet, they’re always asking for money? Get rid of it, and stop using our tax dollars for this! Wake up folks!

As a former owner of a beautiful sounding Marantz 10B, I lament the loss of quality classical music programming!! In CT, we have lost all quality programming except for WMNR, with a limited range of reception. So, in the Hartford area, there is nothing more than NPR leftist talk radio. I will not be sorry if funding is cut to these sources, because they no longer serve the public! Streaming of these stations pales in quality compared to the quality analog signal that used to be broadcast! It’s all about the bottom line. Yet, they’re always asking for money? Get rid of it, and stop using our tax dollars for this! Wake up folks!

@devinplombier getting a decent antennae is important. I have a Fanfare FM-2G

omni and a Winegard directional can aim at weak distant stations. The Marantz has dual antennae inputs. Also has wide and narrow signal selection.

Just great to hear a human voice and the most complex algorithm, the DJs brain taking us in directions we didn't know we wanted..."All the worlds a stage"

@guscreek  well said.

I stopped listening to the radio maybe about 15 years ago. There is nothing locally besides NPR or another public radio station locally worth listening to. So much ash and trash radio stations out there. However recently wit the advent of being able to stream stations from around the world things seem to be opening up for me. An actual radio no, but streaming a station yes.

@timstella +1

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/npr-editor-uri-berliner-resigns-after-accusing-outlet-liberal-bias-rcna148258

At times, KBACH 89.5 classical music in the greater PHX area. Listen through my Sansui 8080 or Kenwood KR7400 depending where I am in the house. 

WRTI 90.1 - Temple University broadcasts HD classical and jazz full time over its two channels.  Excellent programming on each.  I spin vinyl for my focused listening sessions but daily have WRTI on while reading or doing chores or simply not in the mood to change Lp’s.   The HD signal through my Outlaw Receiver certainly provides a richer sound than I get streaming Spotify or Sonos radio.  Through both channels I have been introduced to new material and artists which I have then sought out on vinyl which I purchased to add to record collection.  Support local radio.  It beats algorithm derived playlists any day.  

In the car.

Jazz stations? Absolutely!

@yogiboy 

THANK YOU for sending me this! 🙏🎶

I only listen to the radio in the car and primarily listen to a local station here in Memphis, TN WEVL 89.9 wevl.org

You can stream them online.

I encourage everyone to check them out.....and support if you enjoy

They have only 1 paid position. The rest of the staff are all volunteers, WEVL....we volunteer.

The genre of music changes ever 1-2 hours with the DJ

They hold a spring and fall pledge drive and raise about $75k on each one and then have random fundraisers throughtout the year.

Been on the air about 50 years now.....love them!

NPR does good work. Yes, it skews left, but it’s not that hard to mentally adjust for it.

It’s like the oven in your kitchen. If you want 350 degrees, you know from experience you have to turn the knob to 375. It doesn’t take a genius.

 

We are lucky here in the Spokane area to have 3 good FM stations, which I listen to at home and in the car. An NPR station that plays classical during the day, has great news, and multiple jazz, bluegrass, alternative, and blues programming. A college station that plays mostly jazz with some good blues programming and a private rock and roll station that plays an eclectic mix. I live out in the country and all of them come in clearly.

I'm listening to the radio as I type this.   What can I say, I grew up with it, listening to the growth of the FM stations in Chicago. I love WFMT plus I really like all the college stations at the bottom of the dial.  They're a great source of new music for me and stuff I missed along the way.  I purchase quite a bit of Avant guard music including  jazz and classical music besides what the younger generations are listening to.  I mean I would have not found Acid Mothers Temple, Ozric Tentacles, At The Mountains of Madness(Zorn), The Dip Tse Chok Ling Monastery, Prayer For Kala Rupa (anyone remember the movie "Altered States" ), Bowery Electric,  Gergiev's Scheherazade, and on and on recent purchases.  And B-4 I forget, note to self:  pickup Nick Caves latest recording, "Wild God".

I can't understand the attraction of listening to FM when we have Roon and all of the streaming services.  Is it nostalgia?  I an't imagine using to an FM station and trying to listen to it, full of commercials, low quality sound and not even related to the music that you really would like to hear.  Sometimes we just need to let old technology go, like the Sony Walkman.

@evanpress Yes well written, kind of ground breaking.  Wickedly funny, lovable characters and of cours Lonnie Anderson.  I nominate News Radio and Frazier to a lesser degree fun radio based shows.  Ironic I guess considering how one came to render another irrelevant.

While I am driving I listen to 75% sports radio talk shows and 25% music. That’s about it.

I have no idea what the quality of what the actual quality of the signal is and I don’t really care.

It’s car radio. You just listen and and sing along when something good comes on.

It is nice sometimes to get rid of our need to analyze and just enjoy the music.

Oh certainly. Here in the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon, I love listening to JPR. Jefferson Public Radio plays an eclectic blend of music, ranging from Americana to Country to Alt. Rock and Electronic to folk. It also has various other shows from the larger NPR universe that are fabulous. Regular radio stations are actually kind of boring, sticking to the main formulas of the 80s and 90s. Nothing new or novel. And talk radio and Christian stations are abominable.