Internet radio for Luddites


I listen to Jazz FM a lot in my workshop but when they switched from DAB to DAB+ I bought a Denon DNP-800NE purely for that and continue with my beloved TU1800 for BBC as it's so easy to switch stations, sounds good enough and is internet free. Use a Wi-fi link at the moment which isn't great (might run a CAT cable but it's going to be a pain) but the main thing is I want to get all the great American jazz stuff and the DNP can do it but it's a major PITA for a simpleton like myself that just wants to press a button, store a few favourites and surf without staring at a tablet/ monitor/ phone etc. I don't do apps (have an old Nokia and my vintage I-pad doesn't play ball with a lot of stuff now). My amp (Cambridge Audio CXA80) will take digital which I use for both tuners and a CXC transport (even has XLRs on it) and is running Quad 57s and an REL. 

I used to have a portable radio thing in the kitchen that brought all the internet stations up on a screen and you just scrolled and pressed and used the headphone out to my separates- sound was surprisingly good but the main thing was useability.- just want station name and poss what's playing. When it died went back to a TIBO DAB+ which is OK but lost all those stations.

The only solution I can see at the mo is to make space for a spare computer with decent sound card and plug it in but want the workshop to be my escape from that...

Never bother with FM now despite decent antenna and reasonable reception (have an old Leak Troughline along with various other Denon, Technics etc tuners sitting unloved at the mo)

Anything under a grand (UK sterling) would be marvelous
keithsax

Showing 5 responses by keithsax

I was originally going to get the CXN but got the Denon instead and have since regretted it (money was tight at the time and the DNP seemed to fit the bill). As I said I don't do smartphones or tablets! Just want basically an internet radio version of tuners of old pref with no touchscreens (I hate touchscreens) but no-one seems to make them.
Thankyou everybody but it seems HI-FI, like life is now totally app based ARGGHH

The haunted fish tank has become the black mirror. At least the blue screen of death is rarely with us and turning off and on still often fixes it...
I don't think the FM reception will reach Bedfordshire from Boston! (even the Lincolnshire one). Love getting the green bars on the Leak Troughline as close together as poss or the signal strength needle on the Yamaha CR-800 receiver to the right.

Remember watching a programme on Charlie Parker where all the sax guys stood around his statue in Kansas and someone played Parker's Mood beautifully. Have fond memories of the amazing quality of the busking in Chicago and the guy in the (amazingly huge) record shop not understanding me asking for Magnetic by Steps Ahead ( someone said he means Maargnetic!)

Weirdly it's interesting to hear the New Jersey morning traffic reports here in Blighty!

I think it was a ROKU unit I used to use in the kitchen- it was so simple; just had a list of stations you scrolled down and pressed on- how I found the 1920's network.

OK fidelity isn't going to be an issue with the 1920's radio network but WGBO (listening to Art Pepper through Sennheiser HD580 phones from Onkyo CR505DAB off computer at the mo and it's pretty good) , Jazz FM etc. have always sounded great through my ESL57s, REL, CXA80 (soon to be Quad 22/ II again)

Am going to go for a CXN after payday and get the Quad 22 going again (keeps dropping a channel); used to take it back to the factory in Huntingdon for servicing back in the day- think they've started doing service again as my current repair guy obviously isn't that great.

To recap all I really want is a good sounding simple to use way of getting internet radio stations sans apps/ phones/ hassle
Thanks cm6td- have just been reading the instructions for CXN and you are totally right. It seems to be the only bit of kit out there that is pretty much switch on, set the WiFi up and listen/ explore with a reasonable display. The reviews seem pretty good for sound quality as well- the sound quality and useability of the CX amp/ transport does it for me.

The Denon will just stay on Jazz FM- it wants me to set up an HEOS account but I'm going to use it effectively as one large preset box. Have had mixed fortunes with Denon in the past- DRM 24-HX chewed up a fortune in cassettes (after second warranty fix gave up on it and have a Technics RS-BX747 that's still going!), have had AV amps break as well. Still love the TU1800 though.

Having said that have had broken Cambridge Audio subs and AV amps

I'm not IT illiterate- used to programme Fortran77, build computers from scratch including software installs, drivers, music software, keyboards etc; I just want to escape all that and listen to music.

My epitaph will be 'no I didn't get the app'!
I see Audiolab do a 6000N with presets on the front but it sounds like this has 'app synchronicity' issues. Also Arcam but again app based by the look of it to work effectively. Also it's radio stations with real people/ DJ's and human involvement that I want- can surf You-Tube, Spotify (used to subscribe) etc. anyway. Don't mind the adverts as you get those on everything else now as well anyway; 'skip-ad in 6s',  pop-ups, algorithms making you think you're finding new music