What is Wrong With HD Radio & Why Aren't HD Tuners Being Made?

Not sure if this is the same thing but Sony made a "Digital Radio" tuner box  ( http://wd4eui.com/Sony_XDR_F1HD.html) in the early-to-mid 2000s. Didn't build them very long (few years). Weren't expensive, less than $200 as I recall.

My 14 y/o Onkyo HT receiver has digital radio which I made use of in Las Vegas (very nice sound!). I haven't been able to make it work since I've been in Indianapolis, however.

I also have the Sony XDR modified by the XDRguy.com. It is a killer tuner if you use a great RCA interconnect with it. I have 4 tuners from $500 - $8K and I listen to radio a lot.

HD radio is awful in the instances I have heard it. I always tune in on the FM band even when HD is available. This is only with the SONY that supports HD radio.

HD radio is lossy digital. The way it's used in the US, the main HD channel ("HD-1") is limited to around 120 kbps and if there are multiple subchannels the limit on HD-1 is 64 kbps. The quality on the other subchannels is even less. So if you like the quiet that digital can offer, so-called "HD radio" can offer that. But it comes at the price of much lower overall resolution.

The current best technology for high quality audio is streaming… most all channels available on the air are available through streaming… thousands all over the world. So, there just isn’t a long term place for them, the manufactures know this.

Streaming services like Qobuz offer such high quality and variety and 30,000 radio stations. The depth is simply astounding.

+1 @ghdprentice  

The thing with streaming is the loss of the human factor in music discover. I am lucky that I have 1 incredible NPR station (for music) locally available and also a classic rock station that I am surprisingly fond off (in short bursts).

A great example is the new group "Say She She". This is the first group in over a decade that I am looking forward to a new release. I discovered them on the great station I listen to with the DJ’s talking them up.

I also love most of the DJ’s on the great station, very eclectic music selections. I make a point of listening to certain ones because the musical enjoyment is unlike streaming radio. Their moods dictate the music they play. Radio was great back in the day, and I think this station is keeping the fire burning.

I have both TIDAL and Qobuz and stream a ton.

I'll take my Magnum Dynalab MD 102 over HD Radio any day.   I have HD in the car and I do enjoy the content of the sub channels .   Honestly the "Radio.com"  channels I play through my Vault 2i don't sound too bad, so I agree with GDH, internet radio and other streaming really put a hurt on the FM tuner.  Hybrid Digital or analog....