Why even bother?


I have some general questions.
How any audiophile could be serious about having tuner in his of her system?
The FM signal is so compressed that sound is way far inferior to the sound from any records, CD and even tape.
Why some hi-end companies are still produce them?
I haven't seen any discussions regarding this matter.
What is your opinion?
Thanks.
misterl

Showing 1 response by jameswei

Why do I listen to radio?
-It's easier than putting on something I have on disc.
-Sometimes I don't have a strong preference and just want some music to listen to.
-Radio is one of the primary ways I discover new music that I like.
-It's free.
-Notably, I find myself listening to my tuner quite a bit and liking it. The sound doesn't have to be the ultimate in fidelity. I enjoy listening to radio in my car. Should I turn it off and not listen because the sound quality isn't as good as a disc on my home system?

Why do I have a quality tuner?
-While signals are not always pure and perfect, I want to hear them as good as they are, not further degraded by my own equipment. After all, no source is absolutely perfect.
-Some stations do actually broadcast high fidelity signals, and I'd like to be able to enjoy their quality.
-If I'm considering an album purchase, hearing it on the radio could dissuade me when I can tell the recording quality is poor (i.e., help me decide). This can happen when the broadcast is high fidelity and requires that I have a good tuner.
-It's a pleasure for me to own and use well-designed, good equipment, even tuners.