Must admit that the thought that came to my mind was, "I wonder what you'd make of the 320k aac stream processed into mono.
Dear Jim,
I have done a bit of an experiment, with rough comparisons between the BBC internet sends and the Troughline on some live concerts which engaged me less musically.
My conclusions are not scientific, though to my ears the differences were enough to justify noting.
The digital stream definitively has a more substantial bass extension compared to the Troughline on FM from Sutton Coldfield - when there is a pipe organ with the orchestra, it is more prominent with digital for example. On the whole sibilants on spoken and sung voices were more natural [and proportionate] on VHF. With the ear against the ESL on the digital stream, then there is a seeming absolute silence in the background, but with the Troughline tuned properly there is a tiny hiss that is audible from a couple of inches of the speaker - insignificant in normal listening. On the whole, the string-tone quality is finer on the Troughline, and is possessed of that hard to conjure combination of solidity and airiness that is often encountered in the concert hall. When this is well managed in a broadcast the difference between gentle and more formidable playing is clearly marked not only by dynamic, but also between the silky and the rosiny quality that every stringed instrument player will know not only as real, but aimed for in playing.
Now comes something where I may be forgiven a degree of admitted subjective preference - dynamic compression. I actually prefer a small degree of skilfully manipulated compression in recordings and broadcasts. This would be justified by the simple fact that my listening is done in a domestic setting where the normal domestic back ground noises themselves - cars on the road, the fridge, neighbours moving about and so on - would be considerably greater than what is present in most good concert halls. So if I don't want the loud parts louder than realistic [and I do not], then the slightly louder than real presentation of the long stretches of quieter music compete better than it would have to in a concert hall setting. Thus I find artistically managed dynamic compression is a blessing. On the whole the digital side of my replay is actually slightly more dynamic than the Troughline for a start, and if there is dynamic compression being done - as I believe that there is on VHF - then it is being done so artfully as to be not obvious in actually listening to music at least on live Radio Three.
To my mind, home replay of music involves a series of compromises which vary from set-up to set-up. If you live in a nice isolated farmhouse, far from any major roads, and out of earshot of neighbours, then it is easier to live with less compressed or completely uncompressed replay dynamically. I think that is an explanation for not finding well done dynamic compression to be a problem, so long as it is not taken to an obviously excessive degree.
As someone noted in another post earlier in this thread, if is were about the most perfect measuring replay, the LP would have disappeared by now. It is possible to enjoy the older style of less perfect replay, and even to prefer it for what it does do so well at its best. I was never a particular enthusiast for LPs, but retain my enthusiasm for what is good about VHF FM.
I also take the point Jez makes about the Japanese radios from the 1970s and 1980s. I cannot quite agree that the Trroughline is comparatively "crap," as though it probably measures worse, it still performs the magic trick of allowing the suspension of disbelief for the duration of a concert. A friend of mine recently got a Rotel 850 tuner on my recommendation. I once owned one, and knew it is a lovely radio. I know that the Rotel is bringing nice smiles to my friends when listening to live radio relays on the BBC!
Last December running up the Christmas, I decided to get a Rotel for myself, and only the fact that there were no good clean examples for sale at that precise moment stopped me. I scratched my head and let my heart lead. That is when I went on the madcap course of buying and getting serviced the Troughline. It has given a great deal of pleasure since its return from the rebuild. That is fine enough for me! I love great design and making from any time ...
Thanks to everyone on this thread, who have all posted in good humour and with much useful information as well.
Best wishes from George