Digital AM/FM challenges satellite radio

Back to the radio itself. I found that aligning the supplied FM wire antenna to receive a good HD signal can be tricky. The further away you are from the broadcast tower the more problems you might encounter.

As with other quality radio receivers, a good separate antenna might make all the difference in the world.  That means C. Crane's terrific FM Reflect model for indoors - or a well-designed outdoor antenna.

That said, I was able to receive most AM and FM stations listed on iBiquity’s Web site for the New York broadcast area. Where the signal was weak, the radio stayed in the analog mode for both AM and FM stations.

But what you want to hear are the digital broadcasts. On the Boston Acoustics radio the difference ranges from subtle to wow! The actual sound of the station, whether you’re listening in analog or digital, is very good.

What changes in FM digital is the background noise — it totally disappears in HD. The difference is subtle. Analog FM sounds really good on the Recepter HD. But when it automatically switches to digital you become aware that any traces of noise or hiss have disappeared.

The effect is less subtle during AM reception. The one AM station I could receive in HD nearly knocked me off my chair. When I first tuned in, I heard the familiar AM sound. But within 5 seconds the HD signal kicked in and AM was transformed. I was listening to a talk radio station and the voices just popped from the speakers. I can’t wait to hear what digital AM music sounds like.

As for general sound quality, the Boston Acoustics Recepter Radio HD is quite amazing. I can’t believe the amount of bass coming from this radio. Mids (voices and most music) are terrific.  Highs (cymbals, etc.) sounds fine via the radio’s speakers. Overall, the sound from this table radio is great.

When I plugged the Recepter HD into my stereo system I was amazed at how good it sounded. The major difference was the treble coming from the HD radio’s highs was not as accurate as that coming from any of my beloved analog FM tuners. Then again, the Recepter HD was not designed as a component tuner.

The Recepter HD is bleeding-edge technology. Currently, it’s available from a number of select online and local brick-and-mortar retailers and comes with a suggested retail price of $500.

Before you roll your eyes at the hefty price, remember that satellite receivers were very expensive when they first came to market. And the big difference: you currently have to pay $13 a month to listen to XM or Sirius. Once you have the receiver, HD radio is free.

While it’s not cheap, the Recepter HD might just be worth the price — more than some not-so-great sounding radios from certain other nationally advertised manufacturers.  You could plug an MP3 player, CD or any other device into the AUX outlet on the back and have a terrific music system that fits on a shelf.

One last confession: When I first got the radio I set it up near my expensive music system.  The Recepter HD filled the very large room with glorious sound. At one point I had to remind myself that all this music was coming from a table radio.

More HD radios will be released soon, but for now, the Receptor HD is a winner on both analog and digital broadcasts. It is highly recommended.

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