what is FM multipath?

danger boy

i'm looking for a vintage FM tuner. and I run into outputs on the back of some tuners that say FM Multipath. can anyone please explain and how do you use it?

thanks, AL

Tour2ma

Whoa... some very old brain cells trying to fire up here...

Want to say that multipath was a filter system to select and lock in the strongest signal for a given frequency. Many times reflections of the same source signal exist due it buildings, etc., that might be present. These reflections would be time delayed and if all were pulled in by the tuner, the result is a less than clean listening experience.

As I recall an analogous term used was "picket fencing". I seem to remember this mostly being related to car audio as a static chatter that occurred driving through downtown.

Anyway a tuner with a good design should detect the strongest signal and reject the weaker reflections. Ditto for other stations' signals limping into your listening region.

Obviously where you live impacts the importance of a tuner's performance in this area, i.e., a Nebraska farm vs. a NYC apartment.

At least that's what the old brain cells are saying.

EDIT: Well appears there's life in the old noggin after all. A Google of "fm multipath" turned up this little gem amongst others...
http://www.installer.com/tech/multipath.html

danger boy

thanks for the link. it does make sense. so i can hook up these multipath output RCA's to my pre amp i guess.

dorokusai

Yes.