FM alive and well here...curious question

Internet radio sounds very bad to me. I am all digital except for a tuner. I can only listen to internet radio or other low quality streaming with low resolution speakers like AudioEngine A2 desktop speakers. When I upgraded to KEF LS50 speakers for my desktop I could no longer listen to internet radio.

FM is so much better with good stations. I used to listen to a great signal in the Bay Area, CA on my decent Magnum Dynalab tuner. It was almost CD quality sound. The same broadcast on internet radio was unlistenable to me. Same goes for the NPR music station I listen to now in Santa Barbara. The FM is way better.

@yyzsantabarbara - what were you using to receive the internet stations you referenced? What bit rate were you receiving?

I listen to Radio Paradise a lot and I typically listen to the highest quality bit rate - 320 MBPS. I think it sounds very good. I can't comment on other stations or lower bit rates as I haven't spent any time recently with those.

Unfortunately, I don't have any local stations worthy of a high quality FM tuner.

I can report that a Magnum Dynalab ST-2 yields great results here in NYC. Just tossed it under the credenza, hooked it up to the MR71 and I’m pleased as punch.

I’m surrounded by buildings 7 stories higher than my apt. Easily get classical stations broadcasting from north of the city and jazz stations in Jersey (and a bunch of stuff I don’t bother with). I don’t know what WQXR is using as source, probably CDs, but I would say its usually comparable to Tidal HiFi played through a Dragonfly Red or Meridian Explorer2. Quite good.

Anyone who thinks streaming is equivalent to FM broadcast isn't using a Mc tuner. They sound amazing. In some ways more engaging than vinyl. Most FM playlists, however, suck, and the good ones are usually low power. Therefore a decent outdoor antenna is crucial--I use a Wineguard 6100 (not expensive) but you've got to get it waaay up there to get the most out of it and avoid the dreaded multipath. Twenty feet above ground, minimum. Of course then you're going to have to properly ground it so you don't fry your awesome Mc tuner. Depending on your local FM fare, it can really be worth the trouble. 

For close to half a century I myself have always had a top quality fm tuner.  It really began when after I got out of the Army in 1970 I soon discovered the Maranta 20b FM Tuner.  Soon afterward the earlier 20 FM Tuner.  Years later I discovered the McIntosh MR78 and MR89 FM Tuners.  Presently I have a Mcintosh MR74 and a Day/Sequera FM Studio Tuner.  Actually the MR74 is a little better than even the Day/Sequerra but both are truly exceptional.  Anyway 35-40 years ago or so I learned that when, say a Stax electrostatic headphone system on a local live FM tation that when listening to a live FM broadcast, that the announcers themself would sound better over the air than they would actually sound in person.  That, first off, the live human voice sound better over FM radio than they actually sound right in front of you.  That is a fact.  Living now in Boulder, I ony have yo turn in 88.5 FM, KGNU, and that is what happens.  A few years ago I had a Naim 555 CD player, even today probably one of the finest CD players of all time.  Over a Stax tube headphone system played thru an Audio Research LS26 tune line stage, and directly comparing between the Naim and an McIntosh Mr80 FM tuner, it actually sounds better on FM Radio compared directly to some truly exceptional CD's at the time.  I am talking Neil Young at Massey Hall on HDCD, Jacintha on Autumn Leaves, the special Dire Straits Brother IN Arms Cd, various Mobile Fidelity both CD's as well as SACD's, overally FM radio sounds bettr overall.  Of course, a well recorded record is truly superior to digital and even FM radio-it is truly the supreme audio souce.  By the way, when I listen to KGNU, the differences between what they are playing at the time are easily discernable.  Thus whatever CD or record that they are playing at the time-how good the recording is at the time is almost as easy to discern as if I was playing that same cd or record myself on my own home audio system.  Thus I am contunially canging the volumn control on my Audio Research LS27 line stage depending to what music they are playing on KGNU at the time.  What they happen to be playing at the time-we one could actually do a review of the quality of what they happen to be playing at the time with little loss of audio fidelity compared to playing the same source material live on your own audio system.  That is what FM radio is all about.  By the way, a few years ago I tried out digital audio using a Bryston Dac.  Even though today I have an Oppo 105 player I do not even bother using it's Dac.  Internet radio, in comparison to FM radio truly sucks.  I do not even bother with it anymore.  And high resolution digital audio seems to be the audio source of the future, but records are still better.  Eventually I will get Tidal with MQA, but that will most likely be all that I will ever need.  Getting a huge selection of music on a hopefully better digital audio source should do it.  Anyway, FM Radio is, in my opinion, easily the best audio source for the money avaliable today.  Just as long as you live in Boulder.