94.5 FM Format Flip in Birmingham!

[Charles1]

Wow Just what we don't need another Country station.

Personally I would love to see them come back as the old I95 and go head to head with the Q.

Correct me if I'm wrong but as long as the Q has been moved to Birmingham  I don't think they have ever had

another CHR go head to head with them.

I thought at one time or another that 97.3 was CHR.

97.3 signed on as CHR in '98, using the handle Hot 97.3.  They were actually a better sounding station than the Q was, but their weak Class A signal barely covered Jefferson County.  They flipped to active rock in '99...then went Oldies in '01...then all-70's in '04, only to go country later in '04.

[icycool7227]

Well glad I don't live in Birmingham! Wish I could have airchecked WYSF -0 anyone have one? I don't expect it but would be so nice.

[duncanalausa]

i listened yesterday from about 530pm till 615 pm as i drove home (I20 from eastlake to 411n to odenville).  typical country hit mix, but the coverage was great.  good stereo seperation (except on a couple of tunes and all the local commercials.  the couple of songs sounded like kazaa downloads at @160kbps and the local spots were flat and mono.

i'd give it a solid 7.5.

[whitfm]

the couple of songs sounded like kazaa downloads at @160kbps and the local spots were flat and mono.

That was the same way 94.5 sounded when they first signed on with Hot AC last year. It only lasted for a few days, presumably until they could get a full playlist and on-air presentation implemented.

[eleslie]

its wierd, i read about this while i was out of town, loved 94.5, sad to hear it had gone country, but when i got in town today - it was simulcasting wjox with 100.5 - which part of the reason 94.5 changed formats like 6 months ago when jox took over 100.5 the X

I have scoured al.com trying to find out why the flip, the last thing we need is another country station that will die to The Bull or WZZK

[Zach]

the couple of songs sounded like kazaa downloads at @160kbps and the local spots were flat and mono.

Back a few years ago when I still lived in B'ham every song sounded like "kazaa downloads @160kbps".   Or really, 96kbps.  Them and Rock 99 (and The X) were by far the worst sounding stations in the market.  They still are, from what I heard recently.

I specifically remember though during the Y-94.5 years a period of time where one song would be in stereo, then one in mono.  Then one in stereo, then one in mono.  It went on like that for what seemed like forever. 

Some fine engineering there, huh?

[BlueWanderer]

Back a few years ago when I still lived in B'ham every song sounded like "kazaa downloads @160kbps".   Or really, 96kbps.  Them and Rock 99 (and The X) were by far the worst sounding stations in the market.  They still are, from what I heard recently.

I specifically remember though during the Y-94.5 years a period of time where one song would be in stereo, then one in mono.  Then one in stereo, then one in mono.  It went on like that for what seemed like forever. 

Some fine engineering there, huh?

I must admit that The X during its 107.7 days did sound compressed at times when I compare the songs between radio quality and regular cd quality.

The whole one song in stereo, then another in mono shift I don't like. That "shift" happens a lot on stations like WRTT that will mix new rock with old rock. I think it's the aged, old rock copies they're using which causing the problem and not an engineering issue.   

[dangyankee]

understand that Cox is flipping 97.3 urban and putting the Rickey Smiley show on that freq next week. Allot of format flips in Birmingham.

[b5]

If Cox flips 97.3 Urban, where will the Rick and Bubba replay go?

[rtech]

Back a few years ago when I still lived in B'ham every song sounded like "kazaa downloads @160kbps".   Or really, 96kbps.  Them and Rock 99 (and The X) were by far the worst sounding stations in the market.  They still are, from what I heard recently.

I specifically remember though during the Y-94.5 years a period of time where one song would be in stereo, then one in mono.  Then one in stereo, then one in mono.  It went on like that for what seemed like forever. 

Some fine engineering there, huh?

I must admit that The X during its 107.7 days did sound compressed at times when I compare the songs between radio quality and regular cd quality.

The whole one song in stereo, then another in mono shift I don't like. That "shift" happens a lot on stations like WRTT that will mix new rock with old rock. I think it's the aged, old rock copies they're using which causing the problem and not an engineering issue.