Tuner buying advice needed...

starkiller · « **on:** 22 Jul 2012, 07:33 am »

Am after a good, very sensitive tuner. Live btwn two military bases where reception is lousy. Have to go out on our porches to use our cell phones. Do not want a tube tuner as I don't think they will be sensitive enough. For now I just have a CC Crane dipole antenna but am thinking about going the attic route. Have gone over the shootouts and such on the fmtunerinfo site so have some ideas but would like to get some thoughts from those doing the "hands-on" daily use approach of what works and what doesn't.

Sensitivity wins out over sound quality at this point in time

thanks!

Doublej · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 Jul 2012, 11:59 am »

Though now discontinued, the Sony XDRF1HD HD Radio Tuner fits your description of needs. It's ability to pull in stations out of thin air is phenomenal. Sounds decent, though not as good as my Onkyo T-9.

wharfrat · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 Jul 2012, 01:03 pm »

What about a wireless digital tuner? This eliminates the interference you get from living between the military bases and gives you the opportunity to access internet radio. There are A LOT of great online radio stations out there!

medium jim · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Jul 2012, 02:08 pm »

Tube Tuners rule! Look for a nice Scott, McIntosh and if you have a good antenna you should be fine!

Jim

Doublej · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 Jul 2012, 12:02 am »

wharfrat nailed it. If you have a decent speed internet connection, just get a cheap laptop and stream your favorite stations

hdspeakerman · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 Jul 2012, 12:27 am »

Any interest in a Marantz Model 104? Howard

dB Cooper · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 Jul 2012, 03:05 am »

FM tuners are a niche product now it seems... A good vintage one might cost a lot for what you get, will have uncertain life expectancy, and who knows what performance. Like turntables, there aren't many low cost/high quality tunas left.

May seem like an odd suggestion but.. look at the Kloss Model One table radio, it has an excellent FM section and very good SQ (the built in speaker has EQ to make it "sound bigger" but this has no effect on the line out signal.) With a good antenna (critical for any tuna in low signal areas), it will pull in some really weak stations.

wharfrat has a point; I listen to a lot of internet radio now too... Although my restored and modded Dyna FM3 beats it easily in SQ, I'll take music any way I can get it.

medium jim · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Jul 2012, 03:59 am »

Quote from: dB Cooper on 24 Jul 2012, 03:05 am

FM tuners are a niche product now it seems... A good vintage one might cost a lot for what you get, will have uncertain life expectancy, and who knows what performance. Like turntables, there aren't many low cost/high quality tunas left.

May seem like an odd suggestion but.. look at the Kloss Model One table radio, it has an excellent FM section and very good SQ (the built in speaker has EQ to make it "sound bigger" but this has no effect on the line out signal.) With a good antenna (critical for any tuna in low signal areas), it will pull in some really weak stations.

wharfrat has a point; I listen to a lot of internet radio now too... Although my restored and modded Dyna FM3 beats it easily in SQ, I'll take music any way I can get it.

Digital radio has its advantages, but nothing sounds as lush and pleasing as a dialed in tube radio and they're not at all expensive if you find a nice oldie but goodie that has been aligned.

Jim

doug s. · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 04:34 am »

an antennacraft fm6 is what you want in your attic. hopefully, all your stations are in one direction, otherwise you will have issues not being able to rotate the antenna. but, they're relatively cheap; you could set up two in different directions, and run a switchbox. or, there are some tunas that actually have two antenna inputs.

re: tunas themselves, no doubt the sony fdr x1hd is the most sensitive, but also only so-so sounding. (can be improved w/use of a tube buffer between it and your preamp, but it still won't sound as nice as a decent regular tuna.)

regarding standard analog tunas, (including non-hd digitally synthesized tuna), i have many suggestions, but price range would be helpful. and, ergonomic preferences - want digital? pre-sets? remote? classic analog dial appearance?

doug s.

doug s. · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 04:39 am »

Quote from: dB Cooper on 24 Jul 2012, 03:05 am

...there aren't many low cost/high quality tunas left.

i must take exception w/this statement. there's a plethora of excellent sounding and sensitive tuna awailable for ~$200 or less. sometimes a lot less.

yes, even tho they may sound great and have good reception as-is, it is true they will likely sound even better if you send them out for refurb & alignment - we're talking 20-40 year old electronics, after all. and many were not properly aligned even right out of the factory. (even tho i got in a heated "discussion" w/someone on this site who insists if a tuna sounds good as-is, there's no reason to send it out for alignment/refurb; my ears and experience have told me otherwise.) spend more money on mods and they will rival the wery best.

ymmv,

doug s.

starkiller · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 04:42 am »

doug s

Will look for one of those antennacraft fm6's...as far as the tuner goes....for my use, the computer room system, its more important to be as sensitive as possible. The rack with the gear is right next to my keyboard so a remote is not needed, plus, I have at least a bazillion lp's to clean and listen to not to mention my 2-3 thousand cd's...so, sound quality takes a back seat to pulling in them distant tunes! I do have a tube buffer also that is not doing anything at the moment if the sony fdr x1hd turns out to be route to go..though, they are pricey and I really dont want to spend $200...thoughts??

doug s. · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 04:59 am »

Quote from: starkiller on 30 Jul 2012, 04:42 am

doug s

Will look for one of those antennacraft fm6's...as far as the tuner goes....for my use, the computer room system, its more important to be as sensitive as possible. The rack with the gear is right next to my keyboard so a remote is not needed, plus, I have at least a bazillion lp's to clean and listen to not to mention my 2-3 thousand cd's...so, sound quality takes a back seat to pulling in them distant tunes! I do have a tube buffer also that is not doing anything at the moment if the sony fdr x1hd turns out to be route to go..though, they are pricey and I really dont want to spend $200...thoughts??

i wouldn't wanna spend the $200+ that the xdr f1hd's, (my bad - it's not fdr x1hd), sell for either - they're ok for background, but not the best for actual listening. the tube buffer makes it ok. but, if you can't get decent reception w/even an excellent analog tuna...

so, i suggest getting an antenna first; then see what it does to whatever it is you are now using. you may be fine w/an analog tuna, if you have a better antenna. in my less-than-optimal location, sticking a yagi in my attic instead of the dipole i was using prior, allowed even my tubed sherwood tuna to pick up my one difficult station in full quieting, something only the xdr f1hd and one analog tuna (refurb'd modded rotel rht-10) could consistently manage before. every single other tuna i had - even refurb'd modded - would get noisy a few times a month...

doug s.

starkiller · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 05:03 am »

Ok, will find one of those fm6 antenna's and then I guess find a pole for it in the attic....

dB Cooper · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 11:03 am »

Quote from: doug s. on 30 Jul 2012, 04:39 am

i must take exception w/this statement. there's a plethora of excellent sounding and sensitive tuna awailable for ~$200 or less. sometimes a lot less.

yes, even tho they may sound great and have good reception as-is, it is true they will likely sound even better if you send them out for refurb & alignment - we're talking 20-40 year old electronics, after all. and many were not properly aligned even right out of the factory. (even tho i got in a heated "discussion" w/someone on this site who insists if a tuna sounds good as-is, there's no reason to send it out for alignment/refurb; my ears and experience have told me otherwise.) spend more money on mods and they will rival the wery best.

ymmv,

doug s.

Wasn't referring to the vast used market or "rolling the dice" on a 20-40yo item as far as reliability and SQ. Referred to new market.

doug s. · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 11:54 am »

Quote from: dB Cooper on 30 Jul 2012, 11:03 am

Wasn't referring to the vast used market or "rolling the dice" on a 20-40yo item as far as reliability and SQ. Referred to new market.

agreed you will have to spend a pretty penny to get quality sonics w/a new tuna. re: "rolling the dice" on used, as far as reliability & sq goes, i have had a success rate over 95%, and that's having purchased >100 tunas over the past 20 years...

doug s.

doug s. · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 12:01 pm »

Quote from: starkiller on 30 Jul 2012, 05:03 am

Ok, will find one of those fm6 antenna's and then I guess find a pole for it in the attic....

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=fm6&d=Antennacraft-FM6-6-Element-FM-Antenna-(FM6)

you may or may not be able to find a better price if you search; this is the first one i found. mine is simply laying on a box in my attic crawl space. the main concern is that there is no metal obstruction in between it any your stations you are trying to receive...

doug s.

starkiller · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 09:51 pm »

A box eh? I can do that

My biggest problem is figuring out how to get the cable from the computer room to the attic..of course the computer room is on the lower floor so needs to run past the 2nd floor also...

JLM · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 11:10 pm »

Don't know why Sony stopped making the fdr x1hd. I had an order in for one for months and the company gave up and so did I as I've went through two CDP's (both got permanent "headaches" and stopped working). So I'm on my last CDP, when it dies I'm diving back into the music server waters for the main rig (still have an AV system with receiver and another music system with a receiver but they both use DVD's).

doug s. · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 Jul 2012, 01:24 am »

Quote from: starkiller on 30 Jul 2012, 09:51 pm

A box eh? I can do that My biggest problem is figuring out how to get the cable from the computer room to the attic..of course the computer room is on the lower floor so needs to run past the 2nd floor also...

yup, snaking cabling thru walls can be challenging...

doug s.

doug s. · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 Jul 2012, 01:26 am »

Quote from: JLM on 30 Jul 2012, 11:10 pm

Don't know why Sony stopped making the fdr x1hd. I had an order in for one for months and the company gave up and so did I as I've went through two CDP's (both got permanent "headaches" and stopped working). So I'm on my last CDP, when it dies I'm diving back into the music server waters for the main rig (still have an AV system with receiver and another music system with a receiver but they both use DVD's).

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=107058.0

doug s.