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Digital Radio from Cable Receiver
#1
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
---
Devialet Expert 220 pro (Upgrade from LE 120), SAM on (100%), DPM off
USB
Macbook Air (4GB RAM), 2TB SSD via Thunderbolt
Audirvana+ 3.x in iTunes-Mode
KEF LS50
Russ Andrews YellO Power to wall socket
Russ Andrews X6 Block
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#2
Hello Knud,

I'm not sure how much you were thinking you might spend on an FM tuner, but you might want to have a look at what Magnum Dynalab can offer.  Until quite recently I had one of their FT-11 models which worked well and sounded very good.  (I sold it as part of my box-count reduction process when I got my Devialet, since I was hardly using it because I have Internet radio via Sonos.)

Hope that helps, and good luck!

Ian
Roon (Mac Mini), Wilson Benesch Full Circle, Expert 1000 Pro CI, Kaiser Chiara
Warwickshire, UK
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#3
(29-Mar-2015, 09:58)thumb5 Wrote: Hello Knud,

I'm not sure how much you were thinking you might spend on an FM tuner, but you might want to have a look at what Magnum Dynalab can offer.  Until quite recently I had one of their FT-11 models which worked well and sounded very good.  (I sold it as part of my box-count reduction process when I got my Devialet, since I was hardly using it because I have Internet radio via Sonos.)

Hope that helps, and good luck!

Ian

Another option is to look at the German brand Restek. 
I have a tuner from them which is FM and DAB+. I use the optical output to my Devialet. Yes, also FM is digital out!
The sound is quite decent, but the sound quality depends on what is offered via the cable and that is a far cry from CD quality.
Peter
Devialet 250, PS Audio Transport - PS Audio P5 - Aurender N100H- Thorens TD160MkII - Restek MTUN+, Eternal Arts TTP, TAD ME1
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#4
(29-Mar-2015, 16:03)PeterS Wrote:
(29-Mar-2015, 09:58)thumb5 Wrote: Hello Knud,

I'm not sure how much you were thinking you might spend on an FM tuner, but you might want to have a look at what Magnum Dynalab can offer.  Until quite recently I had one of their FT-11 models which worked well and sounded very good.  (I sold it as part of my box-count reduction process when I got my Devialet, since I was hardly using it because I have Internet radio via Sonos.)

Hope that helps, and good luck!

Ian

Another option is to look at the German brand Restek. 
I have a tuner from them which is FM and DAB+. I use the optical output to my Devialet. Yes, also FM is digital out!
The sound is quite decent, but the sound quality depends on what is offered via the cable and that is a far cry from CD quality.
Peter

Hello Peter,

I've also had a look at Restek. They even offer a tuner for digital cable only:

http://www.restek.de/mcab-dvb-c-tuner/

With the chrome finish this would be a stylish companion for the Devialet, but priced at EUR 1.400,00 is tough for a tuner. I know, all hand-made in Germany!

Mayby I will try the Onkyo T-4030 as a buget option first. It also has a digital output thats is also active for analog FM/UKW mode.

Thanks, Knud
---
Devialet Expert 220 pro (Upgrade from LE 120), SAM on (100%), DPM off
USB
Macbook Air (4GB RAM), 2TB SSD via Thunderbolt
Audirvana+ 3.x in iTunes-Mode
KEF LS50
Russ Andrews YellO Power to wall socket
Russ Andrews X6 Block
Reply
#5
(29-Mar-2015, 18:10)knud0 Wrote:
(29-Mar-2015, 16:03)PeterS Wrote:
(29-Mar-2015, 09:58)thumb5 Wrote: Hello Knud,

I'm not sure how much you were thinking you might spend on an FM tuner, but you might want to have a look at what Magnum Dynalab can offer.  Until quite recently I had one of their FT-11 models which worked well and sounded very good.  (I sold it as part of my box-count reduction process when I got my Devialet, since I was hardly using it because I have Internet radio via Sonos.)

Hope that helps, and good luck!

Ian

Another option is to look at the German brand Restek. 
I have a tuner from them which is FM and DAB+. I use the optical output to my Devialet. Yes, also FM is digital out!
The sound is quite decent, but the sound quality depends on what is offered via the cable and that is a far cry from CD quality.
Peter

Hello Peter,

I've also had a look at Restek. They even offer a tuner for digital cable only:

http://www.restek.de/mcab-dvb-c-tuner/

With the chrome finish this would be a stylish companion for the Devialet, but priced at EUR 1.400,00 is tough for a tuner. I know, all hand-made in Germany!

Mayby I will try the Onkyo T-4030 as a buget option first. It also has a digital output thats is also active for analog FM/UKW mode.

Thanks, Knud

Hi Knud,
That might be a wise choice. The sound quality of cable stations or free to air stations in the Netherlands is a lot worse than CD or streaming quality. Maybe it is not worth while spending a lot of money on a tuner nowadays. And DAB doesn't sound promising when economics are more important than quality.
Regards, Peter
Devialet 250, PS Audio Transport - PS Audio P5 - Aurender N100H- Thorens TD160MkII - Restek MTUN+, Eternal Arts TTP, TAD ME1
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