Playing through my cd changer the tone is nice and full and deep. However, using the FM, my radio sounds thin, like a freakin transister radio. Why? Is the radio itself to blame?

 

Coming from my limited knowledge in sonics, I was always under the assumption that radio transmissions had a much steeper cutoff for higher frequencies along with weaker lower frequencies.

I believe the evolution of HD Radio would help if you had an HD Radio ready head unit...and is supposed to be at the level of CD audio.

Jon

 

2 things affect the sound quality: 1) signal to noise ratio (snr), 2)frequency response (fr). snr for cd is around 100dB, while for fm tuner is around 60dB, that's why cd sounds better. also cd has better fr than radio, for cd is around 10k Hz, whereas for radio is around 30k Hz.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_n..._Dynamic_range
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency_response

 

Your FM should sound as good as most every other FM radio. It's not CD quality, but it shouldn't be crap either. Try adjusting the treble/bass levels.

 

Or...perhaps your antenna has a poor connection......

 

Are the "Audio" settings independent for each source? Check bass, treble, etc. w/ a CD then w/ radio on.

I don't think this can be the problem, however -- and I don't have this problem. Radio sounds fine (w/in limits of FM frequency response).

 

I noticed that also. The CD quality is dramatically better then the FM radio. Much more noticable then in other cars. I'm used to it now. Some stations do sound better then others though.