Reviving radio’s misplaced dynamics

After concluding {that a} well-designed digital FM tuner can surpass the perfect analogue tremendous tuners of outdated, Jim Lesurf wonders if software program can be utilized to revive the misplaced dynamics of music on radio

What is ‘a inventive’? The time period is normally used to explain an actor or musician, or somebody working within the arts. But if creativity means problem-solving and producing new concepts, then can an engineer be described as ‘a inventive’ too?

This query popped into my thoughts when writing a latest column [HFN Feb ’25] on experiments I’ve been doing to discover if a digital stereo FM tuner may do a greater job than even the perfect outdated ‘tremendous tuners’ in terms of extracting the utmost doable sound high quality from broadcasts. (Interested readers can now learn a brand new webpage I’ve produced on the subject titled ‘Digital Tuners: The Best Choice for VHF FM Radio?’, to be discovered at https://ift.tt/SqEh5iH).

Dongles and knowledge

I did this work partly out of easy curiosity – the motive force of science. But additionally partly as a result of the engineer in me felt it’d result in new tuners that would ship higher sound even in antagonistic reception situations that defeat the perfect outdated ‘analogue’ tuners!

The outcomes had been fairly promising and do, certainly, point out {that a} well-made digital stereo FM tuner may ship increased constancy than the outdated ‘tremendous tuners’ when confronted with real-world issues, corresponding to multipath distortion. From the point-of-view of a scientist, that’s the required outcome. Job carried out. But for an engineer the true query turns into whether or not it’s doable to design, create, and make accessible a very ‘higher’ tuner for real-world sensible use.

Combined DAB/DAB+/FM digital radio module from Frontier Smart Technologies and [top] B&O Beomaster 5000 with IF levels and stereo decoder [centre], tuner-head, output filters and buffers [left],

The excellent news is that the best way I approached the problem relied on a small, however excessive efficiency, USB ‘radio dongle’ (the FUNcube Pro+, yours for round £150) and a few software program I wrote to seize and course of the outcomes. By its nature, that is one thing an engineer may undertake at low price. This may be very totally different to the outdated tremendous tuners that required very high-spec elements of their passband filters, and many others. In addition, additional features could possibly be had because the software program was developed. Users may then ‘replace’ this by downloading an improve fairly than having to purchase a brand new tuner, which might be ideally suited for what’s now a distinct segment market.

From flat to full

Having written the above I suppose I’m primarily an ‘engineer’ as a result of my actual curiosity was: ‘Is there a greater approach to do that and get improved outcomes?’, the reply being ‘Yes!’. My curiosity in science sparked my curiosity in regards to the elements that finally degrade the efficiency of conventional FM tuners. This now leads me to marvel: may software program in a digital tuner supply user-controlled ‘enlargement’ of the extent compression many radio stations apply? This compression flattens the dynamics of music and the software program may improve the listening expertise.

Radio realities

On this final query I’m uncertain. Not solely as a result of the behaviour varies from station to station, however typically with the time of day! And to be sincere, I truly take pleasure in listening to BBC Radio 3 FM through the daytime largely resulting from the truth that it’s level-compressed, and sounds higher when – because the broadcasters assume – I’m additionally busy doing another activity.

Evenings are a distinct matter. If we knew the compression settings of broadcasts, then matched enlargement may convey a major enchancment to live shows, and many others, on Radio 3. Regardless of whether or not I’m a ‘inventive’, that form of query intrigues me as each a scientist and an engineer. So keep tuned…

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April 16, 2025 at 01:58PM