[randog]

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?misctunr&1114434226

What can you tell us about it? How does it compare to other tuners of it's day? (which is considered the heyday for tuners in general)

[avahifi]

This appears to be the final AVA tuner circuit set we built for the Dyna FM-5 chassis.  The orignal Dyna "guts" are gone and are replaced by our own original design.  It was a VERY good sounding tuner.

If the front end assembly (metal box under the large tuning drum) is still good, then it could be a very good buy.  It did not have outstanding sensativity, but in a decent reception area it is excellent.  The "weak link" is the original Dyna front end assembly (not repairable).  If that goes south the tuner is done for.

A test is to tune the tuner to interchannel noise (not to a station) up around 108 on the dial and listen to the sound of the noise.  If is pure steady "white noise" all is ok. If it has a cycling "sput, sput, sput" characteristic, it means the front end is starting to oscillate at high frequency and is not long for this world.

Note that there are no repair parts avaiiable for the orignal Dyna metal and mechanical bits and that we no longer provide service for these old units.

Frank Van Alstine

[randog]

Thanks Frank. Must be kinda cool to see your old stuff still floating around out there. Maybe you should be buying some of this stuff back and start an AVA museum.  

[beatgr]

Frank -

Are the PC boards (or even board layouts) and instructions/parts list/schematic still available for the Super Tuner II (AVA Dynaco FM-5 retro-fit)  -- ??

Greg

[avahifi]

Sorry, AVA boards and parts for the Dyna FM-5 have been out of production and out of stock for nearly 20 years now.

Frank

[meilankev]

Otis,

I hadn't heard of this FCC mandate you speak of.  I'm not disputing the information from your link (as I didn't even read it).  But if what you are saying is true, audio tuners becoming obsolete is a pretty small issue in the big picture.  There's not many folks who own them.

Yes, lots of folks own receivers, but I would guess a minority of them use the tuner capability with any regularity.

No, the big issue will be automobile radios and even more so clock radios.  I assume all of these items will no longer bring in a radio signal either.  If so, the stock of certain companies will surely be increased because of this ruling.  I would think a much higher percentage of these units will be replaced.

Kevin

[ohenry]

Think of it, an 80 year supply of radio tuners, turned into obsolete junk by the flip of a bureaucrati ...

Oooh, I feel my knee wanting to jerk, but I want let it.  

You failed to mention that stations will be carrying both formats for an undetermined amount of time.  Radio is a business and they don't want to lose their market due to technology changes.  So, chill.

[Dan Kolton]

I would guess a minority of them use the tuner capability with any regularity.
...

I probably use my AVA tuner more than any other source.

[doug s.]

Folks, it would be unwise to spend more than Salvation Army money on any tuner right now.

The FCC has already mandated that the new digital radio format will supercede the old fashioned analog broadcasts.

http://ftp.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitalradio.html

This will go into effect "soon" at a yet unannouced date, and render regular tuners useless, unless you like picking up dead air.

Think of it, an 80 year supply of radio tuners, turned into obsolete junk by the flip of a bureaucrati ...

analog tuna will be arond for a *long* time.  digital broadcasting won't happen for a long time for a coupla reasons.

- it doesn't offer radio stations any adwantages - it does not increase signal strength, range, etc.  the only thing it increases is station's costs.  it's >$100k for a station to conwert to digital.  

- it actually screws up most folk's reception - its out of band output means it's wery hard for fm listeners to pick up fringe stations they now listen to.  the out-of-band output of your local station will ruin a weaker station that's nearby on the dial.

- w/o any major benefits to listeners & broadcasters - and actual detriment, w/reduced sound quality, & reduced listening coverage, due to out-of-band digital output i mentioned above - it will be difficult to conwince joe six-pack, which is the driving market force, to spend the add'l money for some new technology that offers no benefit.  

this issue has been beaten to death over on the yahoo tuner info forum.

ymmv,

doug s.

[EMM801]

Another issue is interference between digital tv sidebands and interference- with FM radio, in particular the lower part of the band usually occupied by college and public stations, and what's worse, remote medical monitoring equipment (there used to be a link buried on npr.org about it.)

I had the FET three plus version of the FM-5 and still don't know what I was thinking when I sold it.

[doug s.]

Another issue is interference between digital tv sidebands and interference- with FM radio, in particular the lower part of the band usually occupied by college and public stations, and what's worse, remote medical monitoring equipment (there used to be a link buried on npr.org about it.)

I had the FET three plus version of the FM-5 and still don't know what I was thinking when I sold it.

emm, there's a whole slew of tuna awailable for $200 or less (sometimes a *lot* less!), that will give ya great sonics & reception.  wpfw 89.3 has a particularly excellent sound quality.  go here for decent tuna info:
http://www.fmtunerinfo.com/
and go here to talk about it:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fmtuners/

doug s.

[hifigeezer]

If you must have a Dynaco FM-5, theres an unassembled kit on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200826008957?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

No connection to seller.