How many people have a separate FM tuner?

warnerwh · « **on:** 23 Sep 2005, 04:30 am »

Am curious being as FM tuners are not as common as they used to be and most aren't very well designed unless you spend a significant amount of money. I use a modded Kenwood Kt 7500 and stock Kt 8300. The 7500 sounds outstanding, better than many cd's I have if the broadcaster is using a good quality cd or LP on my favorite jazz station. With a good antenna I can listen FM and enjoy it as much as a cd.

Many people have no doubt ever heard a good quality broadcast like from an NPR station through a good antenna to a good tuner and have no idea how good FM can sound. That's the reason I suspect many companies don't make tuners anymore and the ones they put in receivers are usually little better than junk. Also the reason most people just use FM as background music or listen only in their cars. In my experience also all the digital tuners I've had including very well reviewed ones don't sound as good as analog tuners.

jon_010101 · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 05:20 am »

I own a Denon TU850 which does sound pretty good. I used to own a newer TU800 digital tuner which sounded completely different. The 850 being open and somewhat delicate while the 800 being darker and warmer. I also have an FM3 but the TU850 is in a different league in every regard.

Sadly, I now live in an apartment with plaster-on-mesh walls and I don't get good reception with my indoor antenna anymore. Well, I can't get NPR in stereo which is about all I'd want to listen to anyways. Should probably put one out my window but I'm not sure what the building owner would think.

tvad4 · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 05:27 am »

I do. Carver TX-2 circa 1991.

warnerwh · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 05:28 am »

jon: Some people claim the Godar indoor antennas work very well and were designed for apartment dwellers. I think they're around 50 or 60 bucks. I understand about the NPR stations as that's all I listen to myself. I also had a Denon TU 800 and it was so outclassed by the modded Kenwood I sold it immediately. The 850 has always been one of my favorite tuners for looks and is no doubt an excellent tuner.

zeke · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 05:38 am »

I have two separate tuners ---- one in the garage and one in the main rig, each with their own external antenna.

not sure if it's worth owning a tuner if you don't live within 40 or 50 miles of a big city ------ not much variety offered in the boonies.......

most stations these days play a "top 40" playlist over and over ---- no matter what genre the station airs .......

jon_010101 · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 05:41 am »

Quote from: warnerwh

jon: Some people claim the Godar indoor antennas work very well and were designed for apartment dwellers. I think they're around 50 or 60 bucks. I understand about the NPR stations as that's all I listen to myself. I also had a Denon TU 800 and it was so outclassed by the modded Kenwood I sold it immediately. The 850 has always been one of my favorite tuners for looks and is no doubt an excellent tuner.

i will definitely have to check out that antenna. i don't have a television and i'd love to be able to catch up on the news via npr.

i'm not at all surprised that your kenwood destroyed the 800. to be honest, the 850 vs. the 800 was like vinyl vs. an mp3 player. it wasn't a hard decision which to keep.

woodsyi · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 12:22 pm »

I have a B. Ammons modded Kenwood 8300. Works like a charm with an attic antenna for local stations. Quality is near but not as good as my CD or vinyl but heck of a lot cheaper. There are stilll a couple of stations that are good to listen to in DC area. It would be better if they can survive without on air fundraisers even though I understand the necessity of it. I just don't like any interruptions where it's for a good cause or not.

I may try the internet radio through SB2.

DARTH AUDIO · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 12:59 pm »

I have a Vintage (1966) Knight tube tuner(10 tubes). It is killer!! I use it more than my CD player. NPR jazz at night is fantastic.

ScottMayo · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 01:37 pm »

I still have my Sony STJ-75. Still works like a charm and sounds very decent.

JoshK · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 01:40 pm »

I have a Sumo Aurora that I bought off doug s. Its a good little tuner, maybe not the all time best but good none-the-less. Usually I use it for when I am working on the house, which is pretty much all weekend these days. I like mostly a lot of rock, not a jazz fan and the stations are of course as you would expect most rock stations to be, not the highest quality. However, on Saturdays, Seton Hall's college radio has some really cool programming, so I like to tune that it when its on.

Dan Banquer · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 02:11 pm »

I have a rehabilitated Yamaha T-80. If at all possible I would strongly recommend a directional antenna to reduce multipath and for signal gain. As someone on another forum said: putting one of these little Terk antennas, or the usual dipole, is a lot like putting bicycle tires on a Ferrari.
I have tried the Godar; I gave it away.
d.b.

ohenry · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 02:12 pm »

I recently got a deal on a mint Yamaha CT-800 (1974) off ebay for $50 that listed for $370 way back then. It sounds very good stock and I'm interested in having some of the tuner gurus give it a sonic makeover.

Also, I have an Adcom GFT-555 that is good looking, decent sounding and very convenient to use. Good for the kitchen.

I bought a Tivoli PAL thinking it may be good to hook up via the stereo phone jack in a second system. Don't bother, save it for portable use or take the $140 and buy a real tuner.

My problem is the lack of quality stations in my area.

I'm looking to get an attic antenna to help my reception of a distant NPR jazz and classical stations. Does anyone have experience with the Antenna Performance Specialists antennas?

Dan Banquer · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 02:29 pm »

APS and Winegard both make good antennas.
d.b.

Tweaker · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 07:02 pm »

I have a Sansui TU-717 which is left tuned to our local jazz/NPR station KPLU 88.5. Sound quality is great.
(KPLU has a new online streaming format that produces excellent sound, check it out)
http://www.kplu.org/whatson/indexlisten.cgi

rosconey · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 07:52 pm »

i bought a jungson tuna last year-=sounds alot like my sansui tu317-
have a rat shack antenna in my attic ,that will be on the roof this weekend keepng my hdtv antenna company

woodsyi · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 07:56 pm »

Ohenry,

Quote

My problem is the lack of quality stations in my area. icon_cry.gif I'm looking to get an attic antenna to help my reception of a distant NPR jazz and classical stations. Does anyone have experience with the Antenna Performance Specialists antennas?

For attic placement, I was recommended Dehli QFM-7 from Stark Electronics in Worcester, MA. ($60). It is usefull when you have stations all in the same direction since it stays put where you install it. For DX you will need out door (rooftop) directional antenna. I know APS has a good one. You can also e-mail dougs. I think he had spare antennas.

Brad · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 07:57 pm »

I picked up a nice Scott 350A tube tuner a few months ago.

Love the sound, plus it looks terrific and tunes very well.

Listening to it right now.......

markC · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 08:24 pm »

I've got an older Harmon Kardon TU910, (cica 1980's?). It's in my second system upstairs and use it to listen while puttering around the house. There is a decent jazz station in Toronto, night and day difference in sound quality compared to rock stations even on the second system. It's hooked to the old tv antenna that's not used for tv anymore since they brought cable to the area about 10 years ago. I can pull in a rock station, (and get it to lock in), from St. Catherines, about 90 miles away.

sm4r2d2 · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 08:38 pm »

Hey Brad - I see your listening to Riding the Storm Out ! Maybe you should try a little Willie Nelson - like On The Road Again?
Best of luck ---Richard David---

ken · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 Sep 2005, 01:34 am »

I'm currently using an Akai at 2400 which has a nice sound to it but I'm having trouble pulling in my favorite NPR station 90.7 WFUV which is only approx 15 miles from my house as well as 107.1 in White Plains. didn't have much luck with a dipole so I purchased a Godar but that didn't help either and wound up breaking the rabbit ears off it

I've read that this was supposed to be a pretty sensitive tuner but I got less interference and better reception with my cheap 5 channel receivers. I suspect the tuna is in need of some adjustments.