so, my favorite radio stations, 96.3 WDVD says "now broadcasting in source digital stereo" and I have been noticing that many other radio stations I listen to say they are broadcasting in digital stereo or "HD radio" as well. Now, it sounds all great and whatnot, but what is the improvement? Music on the radio still sounds the same as it used to! Is this supposed to be for people with a special radio that can interpret HD signals or what? I'm kinda confused what the hype is about!

Yah you need an HD tuner to get the HD stations, clarity is better or so I've heard

If you have a digital stereo system it'll sound better. If your system is analog it'll still sound the same as before. The purpose is to provide higher quality sound to those who have capable equipment now that the digital equipment is getting more and more mainstream.

I read article years ago that the very best sounding stereos are not digital, not analog but actually stereos that run vacuum tubes. Vacuum tubes provide natural harmonic distortion and that is why they sound the best. Guess the guy'* like Bill Gates have vacuum tube stereos at home. A company based in Illinois still makes and sells vacuum tubes, think they are called Richardson Electronics.

HD Radio is awesome. It sounds just like a CD is playing on your stereo, with no fuzz. Also, with HD Radio it works a lot like Digital TV. Where one broadcast frequency can have more than one channel. It'* pretty sweet.