FáilteDAB: Coverage, Tests and Services

JDxtra

OK, so Energy Dance has been on now for a few weeks. It’s a welcome addition to the DAB+ platform and a further recognition that there’s an audience out there for dance music. 👌

I’ve been involved with many dance radio stations since the '90s and I am a (somewhat obsessive) dance music collector. I may not represent the normal listener, but nevertheless - here are a few suggestions:

• Consider excluding the more commercial tracks from the playlist - for example tracks from artists like Dua Lipa & Ariana Grande.
• Play some more longer club tunes - for example one at top and bottom of the hour. Make it a feature maybe? Keep the real dance fans happy.
• Add more music - there's a huge potential library of quality dance tunes to choose from. I’d much rather hear more tracks less frequently than hearing the same tracks regularly.
• Some, not all, of the older '90s tunes can sound a bit flat or warbly. Check the source is the best possible.
• Consider specialist shows in the evenings - DJ mixes, club classics, trance music etc.

Other comments:

• As mentioned above, some of tags are not quite right. It has improved but a small number have the artist and track names reversed or contain a typo.
• The online audio steam is MPEG audio - newer codecs (like HE-AAC v2) would be a better choice for audio quality in 2025 (now widely supported).

Best of luck the Energy team and their continued efforts. 😎

Mickey Mike

As a man who lives in Kerry I have to say that DAB+ needs to be advertised and promoted if its to go forward. I don't think anybody knows about this new service. It will fall on its ass if no noise is made about it, just like RTE DAB and I'm thinking that's what will happen.

vinnielo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123943473#Comment_123943473

It seems you lack the basic understanding of the purpose of HE-AAC v2.

L1011

There is no point using modern codecs if you have high bitrates to play with; they're streaming at 128k so conventional AAC would probably be ideal.

Something else I've noticed is that some tracks are clearly off mix compilations - you can hear the start of the mix to the next track at the end; and they start a bit bluntly.