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Cue Sheet entry

CLOCKERS

Have you ever wondered why our newscasts from NPR begin at one minute past the hour, instead of straight up like most other things on radio and TV? It's because the newscasts are designed to be embedded into whatever else NPR (or local stations) may have on the air. A show begins with a one-minute segment teasing what's coming up later, and then there's a break for news. It's all part of a very complicated clock system that is not broken down into 60 (or even 12) neat divisions. You'll find the details here.

2 Comments

Fred Corron @ Sep 21, 2013

Dear Sir:

Other than being related to KUAT-FM, this is off-topic, but it's apparently my only option for asking you this question, which is related to high-resolution digital, for which you have expressed enthusiasm.

I recently heard the BIS recording of Beethoven's 9th symphony (BIS-SACD-1616 http://www.bis.se/album_info.php?aID=BIS-SACD-1616) on KUAT, and was convinced that it sounded too good to be a CD. Is it possible that I was hearing the stereo SACD layer?

Fred Corron @ Oct 6, 2013

After a little investigation, it appears possible that I might have been hearing the benefits of Denon's al32 interpolation technology, combined with the precision of 16-bit data derived from a modern "1-bit" conversion process. Still, I would prefer high-resolution data.

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About Cue Sheet

James Reel's cranky consideration of the fine arts and public radio in Tucson and beyond.

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