94.5 FM Format Flip in Birmingham!

[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.   

This is typical of stations where the programming people use MP3 cuts downloaded over the internet instead of ripping CDs.  The heavy compression of an MP3 coupled with the compression of program automation sent over a digital STL into a digital processor can result in a very compressed or "smashed" sound.  Seperation can disappear when this happens not to mention the noise generated when all these compression algorithms clash.

[whitfm]

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.

That seems unlikely, don't you think? Considering that Cox is already running urban on the #1 and #2 stations in Birmingham?

"Never say never," but even so...

[Zach]

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.   

This is typical of stations where the programming people use MP3 cuts downloaded over the internet instead of ripping CDs.  The heavy compression of an MP3 coupled with the compression of program automation sent over a digital STL into a digital processor can result in a very compressed or "smashed" sound.  Seperation can disappear when this happens not to mention the noise generated when all these compression algorithms clash.

Back when I actually called the station to complain about the sound quality, I was still in high school IIRC, maybe 93-94.  Was Napster around back then?

I would have figured it was the precursor to MP3s, called Musicam I think.  Poorer results with less space saved from my experiences, but at the time it was probably considered cutting edge.

As for the mono on 94.5 - these were modern tunes like Celine Dion and Tracey Chapman - and those songs might be in stereo next time they were played. 

[duncanalausa]

no napster wasn't around until the mp3 format was settled (@96-97).

i started downloading mp3's in 98.  usually beatles bootlegs at 128kbps or less. 

sony commissioned the first mp3 codec (their codename was "psycho-acoustic" compression).

they never thought they would be cutting into their own sales.  when a 2.5 mb mp3 took 30 minutes to download on dialup it wasn't a threat.

some stations buy packages of music that has inferior versions of the original by the original artists recorded at a later time (neil diamond is one of the many that have done this).  their remakes sound awful and deminish the reputation and feel of the original tot he point that someone who had never heard the original can't sense the power and wonder that the record originally had.  such a shame.

[Zach]

their remakes sound awful and deminish the reputation and feel of the original tot he point that someone who had never heard the original can't sense the power and wonder that the record originally had.  such a shame.

If Citadel takes 94.5 CHR, let's hope they don't make the same mistake.

 

[Nate Wesley]

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.

And to think, WBHJ "95-7 Jamz" and urban AC WBHK "98.7 Kiss FM"  have been operating under rogue Cox Radio management all this time!

And I thought I was the one pretending to know about radio...

 

[Nate Wesley]

That seems unlikely, don't you think? Considering that Cox is already running urban on the #1 and #2 stations in Birmingham?

"Never say never," but even so...

There's a better chance of Rick & Bubba joining PETA than there is any notion of a new urban debuting on WNCB 97.3. 

[Shady]

I agree as far as flips goes I would think either cox would take  97.3 CHR or Citadel will take 94.5 CHR.

I really dont see cox putting another Urban on.  It just doesn't make sense  when your the big sticks in town why share when you dont

have to.   Again I may be wrong but the only format in town that doesn't have more than one station doing the same format is CHR.


Don't get me wrong much love to the Q I started there and one of my close friends is PD there.

What do you think guys do you think the old home town could or would support another CHR any thoughts?

[Kent]

I agree that it doesn't make much sense for Cox to put another urban on FM, unless, maybe, they mean the urban gospel format of WAGG.  However, Clear Channel already found that urban gospel got the numbers on FM but was a much tougher sell.

[Nate Wesley]

I agree that it doesn't make much sense for Cox to put another urban on FM, unless, maybe, they mean the urban gospel format of WAGG.  However, Clear Channel already found that urban gospel got the numbers on FM but was a much tougher sell.

If gospel on FM could get younger listeners with more money, I think they'd have tried doing it already.  I think that's probably the main reason they've never pulled it from 610.  'Heaven' (do they still call it that?) is probably still dominated by Boomer listening.