Tuned into the latest incarnation of the KKGO multi-cast, which as most of you know is up to 4 separate streams and boy was the sound quality bad. I am by no means Mr. Audiophile but the streams (particularly streams 3 and 4) were really compressed, such that it was almost painful to hear. The main KKGO country format sounded okay but the rest simply sounded like they were filtered through a sieve full of mud.
It is hard to complain because in theory what Saul is doing is great - identifying formats no one else is serving and then making the investment (no matter how small it may be) to make them available, and in some cases doing a really good job. Heard Connie Francis and the Beau Brummels back to back on the oldies channel and that would have never been played by KRTH in any era. He is a radio owner who actually cares about the music and what goes out on his stations, and that is to be commended very highly.
The only problem is, it all sounds like my 1960's era transistor radio (you know, the one that only has one very small AM (only) dial and has to be turned in a specific direction to reduce the static, but is very convenient for listening to Vin Scully call the Dodger games underneath your pillow after your childhood bedtime). I think I am like a lot of people and the only listening these stations are going to get out of me is in the car and although I don't have the available fancy Mark Levinson sound system, it is nevertheless still pretty decent and most FM stations sound fine, most satellite stations sound compressed, but not obnoxiously so, and then there is a huge drop off to the sound quality here. Sorry, but as much as I want to stick around for the variety, the muddy sound is going to force me back to the satellite.
It is hard to complain because in theory what Saul is doing is great - identifying formats no one else is serving and then making the investment (no matter how small it may be) to make them available, and in some cases doing a really good job. Heard Connie Francis and the Beau Brummels back to back on the oldies channel and that would have never been played by KRTH in any era. He is a radio owner who actually cares about the music and what goes out on his stations, and that is to be commended very highly.
The only problem is, it all sounds like my 1960's era transistor radio (you know, the one that only has one very small AM (only) dial and has to be turned in a specific direction to reduce the static, but is very convenient for listening to Vin Scully call the Dodger games underneath your pillow after your childhood bedtime). I think I am like a lot of people and the only listening these stations are going to get out of me is in the car and although I don't have the available fancy Mark Levinson sound system, it is nevertheless still pretty decent and most FM stations sound fine, most satellite stations sound compressed, but not obnoxiously so, and then there is a huge drop off to the sound quality here. Sorry, but as much as I want to stick around for the variety, the muddy sound is going to force me back to the satellite.
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