1. Vol.28N4 of the BASS has been published. It features 2 meeting summaries: Nov 2005, Switched Audio Amplifiers by Jam-Tech, and Feb 2006, Member's Favorite Recordings. Also a report on CEDIA 2006 by David Weinberg. 29pp

2.  I got tired of waiting for a reasonably priced HD tuner and bought a JVC KD-HDR1 car radio, for use with 12 VDC. The impetus was that I was looking for better reception from WAMC FM, Albany NY, which is 140 miles to the west. I get it in fairly hissy stereo, and listen to the program "The Record Shelf." Unfortunately that didn't work--the threshold for digital is about the signal strength for slightly hissy stereo analog FM. However WGBH Boston, 50 miles to the East, has that program on its 2nd digital channel which is all classical, all the time. Also they have "Schickele Mix." With 2 (stereo) digital channels, the data rate is 48 kbps and I don't hear any obvious artifacfts. The radio displays the call letters of digital stations, which is kinda cool. One station displays 4 asterisks. I guess they didn't get around to programming it. The display flashes "HD" for digital stations and displays a steady "HD" when locked on to digital. WCRB Boston is broadcasting a single 96 kbps digital channel which would be good quality except that it is the same processed and compressed signal that their analog channel has. Almost unlistenable except as background music. One wonders, what's the point? Perhaps the digital might be better in high multipath situations. WFCR, Amherst MA has a steady crackle at low levels on their HD2, all others are dead quiet. Next I'll explore the BSO broadcasts on WGBH. There is a potential for some high quality broadcasting--we need an updated "Adventures in Sound!"

President, Boston Audio Society

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