Digital Radio from Cable Receiver

[knud0]

Hello!

I've configured a cable receiver to run headless in radio mode to feed my Devialet 120 with all
146 radio stations broadcasted digitally by my cable TV provider. For this I've connected
the receivers optical out to Devialets optical in. (In Austria there is no DAB/DAB+ available!)

On the whole, this works fine, but sound on my KEF LS50s is a bit low voiced. I feel also
it lack a bit of punch and dynamics.

Most of the radio channel broadcast MPEG-1 Audio Layer II, 196 kbit/s and 48,0 kHz, a few
even with 320 kbit/s.

The cable receivers audio output is set to PCM, but it is also possible to change the mode
to BITSTREAM.

Comparing PCM vs. BITSTREAM showed no significant difference in SQ to me.

Is it reasonable to fetch the signal from the HDMI output of the cable receiver with
an additional HDMI Audio Extractor and put it on to the Devialets optical in?

Or is it simply the MPII signal, that produces no better sound?

An alternative would be, of course, to use a traditional FM tuner and feed the Devialet with
RCA line inputs.

But today there exist only a few companies producing traditional FM tuners.

http://www.rotel.com/UK/products/Product...htm?Id=507
http://www.amazon.de/Onkyo-T-4030-FM-Tun...hifi+tuner
http://www.amazon.de/Yamaha-500-HiFi-UKW...hifi+tuner

I would be pleased for some recommendations to get an optimal radio sound for
my Devialet without being hooked on Internet and WIFI.

Indeed, it happened three times so far that AIR/WIFI broke down while relaxing in the
bath tub! :-)

Thank you!

Knud