[veloaudio]

So I've been thinking about how I could integrate a tuner into my system that has digital out for my Isabellina. I stumbled onto this Rotel RT-1084:

http://www.rotel.com/NA/products/ProductDetails.htm?Id=22&Tab=2&Pic=1

Has anyone used one of these before? Of course experience using it with your Isabellina would be a plus 

Thanks,

Matt
 

[wilsynet]

I don't really know because I don't have a superior tuner, but does FM or Satellite Radio really have sufficient fidelity that it would benefit from a high quality DAC?

[veloaudio]

I don't know about the benefits of an external dac on a tuner either but my issue is more of a lack of inputs (only one) on my headphone amp. So I'm looking to use my Isabellina as an input switch.

[wilsynet]

No experience, but I'm sure it would work.  My local NPR station streams, so iTunes and Internet Radio does the trick for me.

If you already have a tuner, you might also consider an input switcher like the Mapletree LR-1 for $160 which has 4 inputs and two outputs.

[mfsoa]

I thought that this unit outputs HD radio only through the digital outs (and maybe Sirius too?) so you still need conventional analog RCAs for the FM.

My brother is a dealer and has installed a few so he  might know if you want me to ask him something specific.

Mike

[CSI]

If your goal is high quality audio from your favorite FM stations and you don't already have a tuner, considering streaming. I currently listen to FM via the internet. It feeds through my Sonos (although you don't need Sonos to stream FM) and the digital output from Sonos goes to my Isabellina. Sounds great. Some of the computer literate guys on AC can probably tell you how to do this with just a PC or Mac.

[DZetye]

I am using a Sangean HDT-1X tuner through the digital out to a Cambridge DACmagic DAC.  The improvements are small but noticeable.  The biggest difference is in the deep bass.  Where the tuner reproduces it, it sounds like one note deep bass but through the DAC the deep bass becomes seperate notes and is tighter and deeper and you can hear different tones.  The rest of the improvements are small to my ears.  This is using the HD Radio digital outputs. 

[cruz123]

Personally, I wouldn't invest any significant money to listen to commercial FM radio.    Unless you just happen to have access to a lot of great radio stations in your area, I would strongly recommend that you consider an internet streaming device, such as a Squeezebox, Sonos, etc.    Streaming radio gives you access to radio stations all over the world, plus great music services such as Pandora, Rhapsody, RadioIO, etc.   And, the sound quality should be very good going through the Isabellina.   

[Vinnie R.]

Hi veloaudio,

If you can use the optical digital output of a tuner (or streaming device like a Sonos, Squeezebox, etc.) to feed your Isabellina,
at least you'd be isolating any noise generated from the tuner or streaming device (and many of them use switch mode power supplies) from your headphone amp or home audio system.  If you were to connect to your system via the analog RCA cables, noise can enter your system (via the ground path).

The idea of using the Isabellina as an input select is also cool since you have USB, coax and optical digital inputs 

Let us know how it all works out.

Vinnie

[veloaudio]

Well I just read the fine print in the Rotel manual. It only outputs HD to the digital outs. I was hoping it would do standard FM/AM as well. I don't have enough HD channels in my area to justify picking it up. So looks like I'll pick up a good analog tuner. I knew I should not have sold my Sansui TU-717 a fews years ago ...

[doug s.]

Well I just read the fine print in the Rotel manual. It only outputs HD to the digital outs. I was hoping it would do standard FM/AM as well. I don't have enough HD channels in my area to justify picking it up. So looks like I'll pick up a good analog tuner. I knew I should not have sold my Sansui TU-717 a fews years ago ...

hd does not sound as good as analog radio.  don't worry about the sansui you sold; these are not at all rare; you can find them f/s almost every day, especially if you don't mind using ebay.  there are many others that will equal the sonics of the 717 as well, for about the same price, or less, if you seek out the lesser known models.  the fmtunerinfo.com site and its related yahoo tuna forum are a wealth of info for us fm junkies.   

now, for a shameless plug, as i have almost forty tuna's presently, and i really need to thin the school, and one of them happens to be a tu717, feel free to contact me via pm to make me an offer.   

on the other hand, if you wanna try hd radio, i recommend picking up a sony xdr f1-hd.  a minimalist (and cheap) ugly thing that's not wery user friendly, imo; the consensus is it's the best sounding of the present crop of hd tunas, tho far from the most expensive.  and there's a guy who's posted a webpage dewoted to modding it, links are on the yahoo tuna forum, and here on a/c as well.  and, for signal grabbing, it's second to none, at least at my house, and, as mentioned, i have a tuna or three; quite a few about as good as you're gonna find anywhere. 

sonically, the xdr f1-hd is decent, but not great.  kinda fatiguing after a while, especially w/the hd stations, if you actually like to sit in the sweet spot and listen to fm, as i do.  (unfortunately, it takes a mod to force it to play analog if your station broadcasts in hd.)  however, the tables turn sonically, if you use a tube buffer stage between the outs of the f1hd and your preamp.  tho still a bit short of the best, it's closer than most would like to admit, and it sounds pretty darned good this way, even w/hd...

doug s.

[CSI]

To amplify a bit on my remarks above.....

I just started streaming audio from my favorite FM station (KKJZ) from my MacMini directly into my Isabellina via the USB input. This is a change and a big improvement over streaming from my Sonos (although it is quite good). Check to see if enough of your local favorite stations are streaming and give it a try before you buy another fish (er, tuna). If you are using a Mac and/or iTunes you may need to set the streaming buffer size to large. Go to the "Radio" section of iTunes and check. You can input your station's URL directly if it isn't listed.

If this works for you, I think you'll be amazed at the quality - and you'll be taking full advantage of your Isabella through her cleanest input. Of course, you can still invest in that analog tuner with the iTunes/FM stream as a supplementary source.

[doctorcilantro]

I'm trying to determine if HD radio bitrate is better than streaming.

We have a really nice station down here in Tampa. I have an extra digital input on my Nova, and an extra pair of analog inputs.

I'm interested in the Rotel if the HD signal is worth spending the money on capturing. EDIT - Turns out that WMNF High-Bandwidth is (56kps). I had read elsewhere that the standard for HD Radio is 96.

I'll give a listen to WMNF now online.

Happy holidays,
DC