Does your sound system include a tuner?

rbbert said:
Could be, but I can state defintively that no tuner available on the '70's (the last time I had a chance to do a good comparison) used on the West Coast of the USA produced what I would call high-fidelity sound. Most of that was lack of quality broadcasting in LA, SF, SD or Seattle, but a good part of it is the inherent limitations of FM broadcasting. I did listen mostly to both Marantz 10 and 20, and less to a couple of SS Macs. No Sequerra (I don't think it was easily availBle, but it may just have been too expensive). JMO, of course.
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That's hard to believe. FM done correctly at both the transmitting and receiving end is definitely high-fidelity. Every format has its limitations Rob. The Marantz 20B is a damn fine sounding tuner and there are so many others.
 
Back in the day, the Day Sequerra Model 1 FM tuner ruled the roost. I couldn't afford $2500.00 for one in 1974 but that did not stop me from lusting over it.


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Here is a link to an interesting publication on the Sequerra Model 1 FM tuner. https://sites.google.com/site/mpbarneytuners/sequerrafm1
 
mep said:
That's hard to believe. FM done correctly at both the transmitting and receiving end is definitely high-fidelity. Every format has its limitations Rob. The Marantz 20B is a damn fine sounding tuner and there are so many others.
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I understand what you are saying, but noise and limited frequency response are hard things for my perceptions to overcome. I have similar problems with cassette tape, although I used cassettes extensively for live recording for years.
 
Double-D said:
Back in the day, the Day Sequerra Model 1 FM tuner ruled the roost. I couldn't afford $2500.00 for one in 1974 but that did not stop me from lusting over it.


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Here is a link to an interesting publication on the Sequerra Model 1 FM tuner. https://sites.google.com/site/mpbarneytuners/sequerrafm1
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A friend of mine has one of these magnificent tuners and he doesn't use his tuner either!

Nostalgia forces us to keep them.

By the time you find something worth listening to, you could have listened to a recording you already own
 
The best radio I remember is "All Things Considered" from NPR in the 70's and 80's. I thought I particularly remembered one host (Essie or Bessie Hopgood or Hobgood) but can't find her listed on the Wikipedia page.

Currently, aside from NPR, Sacramento radio is nothing but shock-jocks and overly-happy drivel or old moldies. Traveling the west in my car produces nothing better. I am definitely not country-fried. Internet radio also fails me. I guess I am not a radio person.

I have a Yamaha TX-930 tuner in a box. It and local radio are not worthy of space in my rack.
 
Double-D said:
Mechnutt.......I think the slim line design of your Luxman T-110 tuner looks attractive.
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Thanks, it is a beautiful piece with a real wood enclosure that I plan on refinishing with a nice rosewood stain to bring it back to it's original condition.

I also have a vintage 1962 Sansui tube tuner that I am restoring. It was their first tube tuner. I loved the sound of tube tuners growing up. My father built a heath kit stereo with a tube tuner, tube preamp and amp. It had that vintage romantic lush, warm airy sound. Certainly not hifi but it sounded great.
 
My McIntosh MR88 is an amazing tuner. Living in rural north central Florida I am continually amazed at the clean signals I receive from stations in Gainesville (55 miles away) and Valdosta, Georgia (60 miles away). Even more amazing is the MR88 pulls in AM stations from Jacksonville which is over 100 miles away. The McIntosh team that designed this tuner began with a blank sheet of paper. Although the front dial log appears analog, the MR88 tuner is digital with full digital signal processing (DSP) of the received signals. The analog signal is received at the antenna input then converted to a digital signal where a specialized microprocessor maximizes the signal strength, removes delayed signals (multipath), filters noise, and delivers a clean digital signal to the analog convertor that outputs to the balanced and unbalanced analog outputs. It also delivers the digital signal directly to coaxial and Toslink digital outputs for conversion through an outboard DAC if one desires. The MR88 is unique in that it tunes AM/FM/XM/HD stereo signals. The AM tuning section is supported by the provided external RAA2 powered AM antenna with a 20' connecting cable for locating the antenna in an optimum location. The MR88 offers control over how the FM signals are received and whether you want the tuner to automatically switch to HD when an FM signal is received that also has an HD signal available. Of course XM digital satellite radio is a subscription service. When subscribed to, SiriusXM delivers its full menu of stations from an external XM satellite antenna that plugs into the MR88.

The front panel has an analog scale for tuning manually with the wonderfully weighted and smooth tuning knob. The actual tuning dial needle is not mechanical, it is electronic and is displayed on a fluorescent display that digitally recreates the dial needle as it moves across the dial. Under the analog dial is another window that provides information on station frequency, station call letters, signal strength, and RBDS text. When available you can read the artist and song titles as they scroll on this display. The left hand knob is the station memory dial that can be programmed for your favorite stations, 20 each for AM/FM/XM. The tuner is built in the traditional McIntosh fashion with a stainless steel chassis supporting a technologically advanced component that is built like a tank. A robust power supply adds its weight to the total package that tips the scale at 25.5 lbs.

I have actually owned two MR88 tuners. I bought my first to replace a second MR85 tuner in the living room system. Within the first six months I decided I liked the look of the digital display on the MR85 so I put it back in the system and sold the MR88. The photo below was my ad photo. Of course the tuner sold immediately. Then the nagging ache began to creep up on me that I had been hasty selling the MR88. It truly is an advanced design tuner in every respect and being a tuner enthusiast I bought another one. It now resides in my studio system. I have owned this MR88 for several years now and it isn't going anywhere.


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I purchased this McIntosh 4300V receiver new in 1989 for $2995.00 at a McIntosh dealer in Miami, Florida. I still use this receiver today. About four years ago I shipped it to McIntosh in Binghamton for a once over and a tuner alignment. It came back with a clean bill of health, a fresh tuner alignment, and a report that it still produced 100 watts per channel at less than .02% THD and a 100dB signal to noise ratio. That's pretty darn good for a 26 year old receiver. The 4300V powers my Niles speakers outside on my covered deck.

Manufactured from 1988 to 1993, the 4300V is an excellent example of McIntosh's dedication to tuner technology, even one included in a receiver. The tuner section in the 4300V is essentially a compact version of the MR80 tuner, McIntosh's first analog tuner with a digital display. The tuner has an FM sensitivity of 1.2uV across 75 ohms and pulls in distant stations with ease. The FM station the 4300V is tuned to in the photo is 30 miles away from my home. As you can see the signal strength meter shows full strength. The tuner's signal to noise ration is 70 dB, a very fine measurement for an over the air analog tuner. I listen to the 4300V tuner whenever I am out on the deck and when I am cooking on the bar-b-que, which is quite often. The McIntosh 4300V is a great receiver with an excellent tuner section. Having owned the receiver for so long I am sentimentally attached to it. It still looks and performs like brand new. I'll keep this beauty until to my final day.



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No tuner, but I never listen to a tuner for serious listening. I have a Denon 5.1 system that gets Spotify, Pandora, internet fm, am/fm et al. I can send the sound all over the house and by the pool....great to have all those tunes everywhere.
 
I don't have a tuner, but I always have my eyes open for a Mcintosh MR85.


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I don't have a dedicated Tuner, but 4 of my 5 systems have capabilities. 2- HT Receivers (1 with internet and AM/FM), 1- Receiver with AM/FM Tuner, 1 Pre-Amp/Tuner (Hafler)

The better question would be, Is it ever used? Rarely but yes.
 
Shadowfax said:
I don't have a dedicated Tuner, but 4 of my 5 systems have capabilities. 2- HT Receivers (1 with internet and AM/FM), 1- Receiver with AM/FM Tuner, 1 Pre-Amp/Tuner (Hafler)

The better question would be, Is it ever used? Rarely but yes.
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Brian.......Sometimes a person must push themselves a little to get started with something before they discover the fun an activity may have in store. Perhaps one late night you might select an FM source and start at one end of the dial and slowly move up. Take some time to linger on each station for a bit. Save the stations you find interesting. It just might surprise you to find some excellent programming. There are quite a few stations that do things differently late at night than they do during the day. You may be overlooking an exciting part of your sound system that can offer lots of enjoyment.
 
Ok Tuner guys ,

Setting up a second system in another location and will not be able to use an outdoor antenna ( have only used large outdoor types ) any experience with indoor units like the Terk ...?





Regards
 
The best internet radio seems to stream at 320kbs. Issues I tend to have is buffering from overseas countries and content is repetitive. It can sound CD quality.

AAC DAB+ is lousy in Australia where broadcasters prefer to cram in more sub-channels at much lower bitrates. In that respect DAB+ is a no better than DAB. Indeed digital radio is a scam and is not a patch on a high quality FM analogue broadcast.
 
a.wayne said:
Ok Tuner guys ,

Setting up a second system in another location and will not be able to use an outdoor antenna ( have only used large outdoor types ) any experience with indoor units like the Terk ...?
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a.wayne.......Most of the Terk antennas are amplified and tend to be a bit noisy. Not only are the little internal amps designed very cheaply but amplifying off the air signals also amplifies any noise that may be present in the signal. You would be much better off to use a passive omni-directional antenna whether it's installed indoors or outdoors. An antenna that delivers good reception for me in my rural area is the Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM antenna. The ST-2 works well mounted inside, maybe behind a window curtain or to a baseboard in the corner. It is an excellent performer when installed outdoors as well. The ST-2 antenna delivers 2.5dB of gain and comes with 24 feet of coaxial cable pre-terminated with F-connectors. I have two of them, one each for my MR88 and MR85 tuners.

They are available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Magnum-Dynalab-ST-2-FM-Antenna/dp/B003ETW2F0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8


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I will second the MD whip antenna and will further recommend that it be as far away from other electrical "things" as is reasonably possible. (EDIT: I also think it is roughly a 1/2 wave with a base-load impedance transformer, so it is less ground dependent than a 1/4 wave whip.) Many more home electronics use switching power supplies anymore and they tend to be RF noisy. A house full of them (mine certainly is) results in critical mass of interference of radio noise in a typical home environment. An amplified antenna near the gear is just going to exacerbate that problem.

If you can get the antenna up in the attic or at least near a window you will probably get better signal capture and if you can keep it away from other electronics and electrical "things" you may keep the noise level lower; signal to noise ratio is now your friend.
 
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