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DaySequerra M4FM Opinions

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Posted on December 10, 2015 at 10:27:03
Dimitry
Audiophile

Posts: 457
Location: Massachusetts
Joined: January 26, 2006
I currently use MD108t and love it. I am contemplating trying the new, DSP-based M4FM from DS.

Any opinions on this unit? I can't find any reviews on it at all.

 

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What sort of antenna are you driving the MD108 with?, posted on December 17, 2015 at 03:42:59
Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002
:-)


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Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

RE: What sort of antenna are you driving the MD108 with?, posted on December 18, 2015 at 09:29:03
Dimitry
Audiophile

Posts: 457
Location: Massachusetts
Joined: January 26, 2006
Two Godar Model 2a antennas pointed toward my favorite stations.

 

Does the Md108 have tahe capability to tell you the actual signal strength you are getting?, posted on December 20, 2015 at 16:53:45
Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002
Instead of just a swinging needle?

The reason I'm asking is that I don't know if you are getting the very best from the MD108

I would suggest that you listen to the sound with both Godars pointing at the same favourite station. Preferably the weaker signal of the two.

Does it sound quieter and nicer? If so, get back to us.



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Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

RE: Does the Md108 have tahe capability to tell you the actual signal strength you are getting?, posted on December 20, 2015 at 19:43:51
Dimitry
Audiophile

Posts: 457
Location: Massachusetts
Joined: January 26, 2006
I am not really sure what you mean.

108t has the signal strength meter, multipath meter and the cat's eye center frequency tuning.

Signal strength on my favorite stations is at 9. Multipath meter is not moving.

Do you mean I should gang up two Godars into a single antenna input with a 2-to-1 splitter?

I really like the 108t. It is highly resolving, if a little cool sounding.

 

IME most SS meters are optimistic. Small indoor directional antennas usually don't have a lot of gain, posted on December 20, 2015 at 21:16:14
Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002
And, most needle type SS meters are optimistic - providing little real discrimination between station's actual signal strength - being designed to make most stations look strong.

So, you are using two antennas and swapping leads into the MD or does it have two antenna inputs?

If you could obtain a diplexer it might be worth trying the two Godars aimed - at each of the two stations - and see if the sound improves.

You might find that the needle barely moves from 9 when it ought to show a significant difference.

Should you buy the M4FM? Reviews

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=DaySequerra+M4FM+&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=IId3VuzuCIbMmAWO67SACQ

And, you couldn't find any reviews?

The M4FM by DS is a broadcast monitor for stations using Hybrid Digital side-bands to generate more income. It's a tool for such station's engineers to monitor if the HD signals are working. In short you would be paying for a lot of features you just do not need.

Even IF you were vitally interested in the HD output of the two broadcasters you aim at there would be decent HD capable tuners for far less money.

IMExperience the only way to get very good sound from analogue FM is to spend a fair bit of effort and thought on maximising the gain from a directional antenna aimed at the station's transmitter

None of the Godar indoor antenna range have particularly high gain - because they can't - being too small compared to FM wavelengths of 3 metres.

There is just one kind of indoor directional and high-gain antenna which you can DIY and will perform as well or better than many outdoor FM Yagis. It can also go in a loft space, the bigger the better.

You might be able to build two of them and hide them under a big rug / even tack one each on the ceiling of two adjacent rooms aimed at your two stations.

Click below.


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Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

RE: IME most SS meters are optimistic. Small indoor directional antennas usually don't have a lot of gain, posted on December 21, 2015 at 11:15:35
Dimitry
Audiophile

Posts: 457
Location: Massachusetts
Joined: January 26, 2006
I am certain I get strong signals on my main stations.

108 has two antenna inputs.

M4FM is not HD. I own M4.0X which is HD and like it. M4FM is strictly analogue FM, all done in a fast DSP. The cheap Sony that made a splash a few years ago used a similar technology.

Like I said before, I like the sound of the 108t. However, the rest of my system has gone solid state, so I am trying to find an interesting tuner to try with it.

 

READ the reviews of the M4M from the search list I posted, posted on December 21, 2015 at 12:57:38
Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002
It is a broadcast monitor.


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Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

RE: READ the reviews of the M4M from the search list I posted, posted on December 21, 2015 at 13:04:09
Dimitry
Audiophile

Posts: 457
Location: Massachusetts
Joined: January 26, 2006
FM ANALOGUE broadcast monitor. You stated it is an FM HD monitor. This is not the case.

 

Okay, there are several versions. , posted on December 21, 2015 at 13:21:46
Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002
But, even with the M4M, do you really need all those extra features, like SCA levels, and the slot for the IBOC-HD module?








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Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

RE: Okay, there are several versions. , posted on December 21, 2015 at 14:53:42
Dimitry
Audiophile

Posts: 457
Location: Massachusetts
Joined: January 26, 2006
No, but it is the only DSP based tuner in current production.

I don't need web-based data output and control, either. I could use a remote control and a power switch on the front, though...

 

RE: Okay, there are several versions. , posted on December 23, 2015 at 15:49:02
6bq5
Audiophile

Posts: 4390
Location: SF Bay
Joined: August 16, 2001
I am not sure what there is to gain with a DSP ready tuner-
Most of the stations that are broadcasting a good to great signal are on the left end of the dial (Non-profit) and have not yet jumped the broom stick for Digital-
the analogue signal is great - and with the right antenna you can have amazing sound quality.
I see that you are in MA- irrespective of which part of the state - barring some remote valleys - there is great FM in them thar air...
try the Godars in a twin configuration - or as Tim suggests - a Rhombic-
Happy Listening

 

RE: Okay, there are several versions. , posted on December 24, 2015 at 23:30:26
Dimitry
Audiophile

Posts: 457
Location: Massachusetts
Joined: January 26, 2006
Thank you, I am getting some really great signal. I now have three Godars each pointing to a favorite station for best reception.

However, an all DSP analogue tuner has some potential advantages. Note, that this is not an HD tuner, but rather the entire RF processing is done in the digital domain - all the IF, sideband rejection, bandwidth choice, etc. There are solutions to common FM problems that can be implemented in the digital domain that simply can't practically be done in the traditional analogue design.

Certainly, the only tuner that has implemented this - a cheap Sony box has a dedicated cult following and NOS units sell at many times the original price.

M4FM promises an audiophile implementation and maybe sounds great, or not.

 

The SONY is a great DX tuner, but it is not highly rated on sound quality., posted on December 27, 2015 at 14:40:30
Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002
I still think that driving your MD108 really hard offers the best ROI in sound quality terms.


Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

RE: DaySequerra M4FM Opinions, posted on January 10, 2016 at 16:11:43
openmind
Audiophile

Posts: 183
Location: Phoenix
Joined: November 8, 2008
I had one; please see my comments on Audiokarma. If for some reason you can't, send me a message and I'll mail you a copy.

 

RE: DaySequerra M4FM Opinions, posted on January 11, 2016 at 16:10:06
6bq5
Audiophile

Posts: 4390
Location: SF Bay
Joined: August 16, 2001
Thanks for posting a link to your review-
And a thoughtful review-
After reading it I think that I will stick with my MR-74s and 77, and work on antennas...
Happy Listening

 

RE: DaySequerra M4FM Opinions, posted on January 12, 2016 at 07:17:56
openmind
Audiophile

Posts: 183
Location: Phoenix
Joined: November 8, 2008
You are welcome, you have two fine analog tuners there!

 

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