Sound Board Feed Or Actual Radio Sound On Stream?

[Captainfirst]

As I hit final preparation stage for the new stream (which will be 80-90% 60s and 70s music),
I'm wondering which listeners would prefer, the sound as it comes out of final processing or taped off an actual radio after I've fed the audio into a transmitter. The sound with Breakaway using a couple of the free plugins offered on the site and a tube pre-amp VST effect is simply amazing. But hearing it passed through a good transmitter and played on an actual radio is good as well. Different, of course, but good in its own way.

Which would you prefer, dear reader? Please chime in with answers and advice.

 

[Tom Wells]

It would depend on the radio. I aircheck my AM 1620 off real radios and more recently, straight off a diode detector.
It will sound more like radio if it's off a radio.

 

[Jay Peninger]

That is a very subjective question and although on my station I prefer the processed audio, I have heard several who have done the tape/radio route and sounded great too...

Too bad there were not airchecks from both methods available so we could offer a more informed opinion.

 

[Captainfirst]

That is a very subjective question and although on my station I prefer the processed audio, I have heard several who have done the tape/radio route and sounded great too...

Too bad there were not airchecks from both methods available so we could offer a more informed opinion.

Not a bad idea, actually. I'll put up 30-second samples of each later tonight. I'll post them on Rapidshare or someplace like that.

 

[lilburncommunityradio]

It would depend on the radio. I aircheck my AM 1620 off real radios and more recently, straight off a diode detector.
It will sound more like radio if it's off a radio.

I was feeding the FM air signal to the streaming machine that Im using, but I decided to stop using the FM and go Board feed only, although processed through a Berringer Compressor Limiter and it actually sounds really good. I use Zara Radio as the automation service. Im about to upgrade to a better streamer, as well as go to Sam Broadcaster, depending on what streaming service I pick. Im thinking of using live 365, anyone have any better ideas.www.mylakeradio.com

 

[mymediaradio]

yeah, check out the site in my sig. We can get you set-up quickly, easily and help with all the hardware as well!

 

[snarfdude]

I'm using zararadio also, with simplecast (the encoder part of sam broadcaster) as I am very happy with the mp3 codec quality. I found shoutcast's is not as crisp and clean for high end.

I'm also using a behringer compressor/limiter in the chain....minicom 800. You can hear the thing breathe now and then, but the price is right, and i'm not exactly able to afford a optimod. I loop everything through a 40 yr old console to be able to play vinyl/CD/Carts to air.

Zara is OK, though it does pause with some of my mp3's....it freezes.....not sure why, maybe the PC is too slow (1ghz) but doesn't do it for everything.....weird.

I see prices do vary for shoutcast servers.....they're getting more competitive....FINALLY!

as for off air or program console feed.....it's really up for debate....I'd say to go with what you're listeners are used to if you're a terrestrial service...commerical FM is so overprocessed my basic compressor/limitrer sounds far better then a lot of them. I still love a great sounding (often optimod processed) AM sound.

 

[Captainfirst]

Just a quick update...decided to go with the actual radio sound. Now comparing stream providers and making a decision soon.

 

[Chuck]

One good thing about using a tuner for your audio source is you can check to see if your transmitter is actually on the air from anywhere in the world. If you log into your web stream and hear another station, or just white noise, you know you have a problem....

 

[Boardengineer12]

www.wbxo.com uses a Harris MSP-90 Tri-band processor which gives us our unique sound.

 

[DonTheTrucker]

The only station I can speak for uses a standard home FM receiver hooked into the audio in on the computer used to stream. They use a nice quality home unit (Sony I think?), and it sounds good.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

I would prefer a straight radio, given that you have a good enough signal in the studio,, if its oldies than Mono would probably be fine for most listeners, as it was broadcasted in mono back then.. I know that the high RF noise inside the studio could put static inside the FM feed if the Transmitter isnt real close by, or if you dont have a TX facing window to put the radio by. Radio Over Air would DEF sound better to me,, but some people would prefer an overall crisp and clean non processed stream. If your gonna stream with shoutcast I suggest starting off using http://www.cloudbroadcaster.com/ if thats the wrong link than just type in Cloud Broadcaster in your search bar. They off you the first 25 slots for free, and after you grow out of that you can get 100 slots for 29 dollars,, these streams will work with Winamp Itunes, WMA, Real, and Quicktime. I personally use Wavestreaming from the UK cause they offer you 15 slots for 10.00 U.S dollars and offer support.. I like Could Broadcaster better though because they use Centova for a control panel which records all your listeners and tells exactly where they are and how long they listened,, so starting out 25 slots should be good enough to test and you can do this for free,,,, Plus Copyright Sound Exchange and BMI and all that... Or you could always use Loud City or Live 365 for dirt cheap with all royalties paid, they are now accepting comerical stations now if you use the pro package for 99.99,,,, that sounds high for a server, but that with every bit of roylalties paid,,, no inserted adds, and you can sell your own adds.. Im a part time broadcaster,, but being a full time FM/AM station it is not a good idea at all to even test a stream without royalties cause S/E and BMI will come down hard on you and they know right where to find you.