Posted by Kevin T. on October 14, 2009 at 17:53:27:
I tuned in 105.9 WQXR this afternoon and immediately noticed that compared to since they first launched on the frequency, they have now really cranked up the audio processing. At full orchestra, they are now comparable in loudness to most other stations on the dial, and quiet solo passages are now raised up enough so that you no longer mistake them for dead air when listening at a volume suitable for other NYC stations.
The processing is now perhaps a bit overbearing for classical music purists, as the dynamic range is now drastically reduced, but given the signal limitations of 105.9, perhaps it's an acceptable tradeoff. Certainly now the much louder audio does a good job of covering up the background noise and hiss that was painfully obvious and annoying beforehand.