Try FM

bikezappa

Some people can't stand any change in thread topics. Wonder why? I suggested that a consideration for a reciever selection in an other thread be the tuner specs. I thought this group wanted to be informed with other opinions and suggestions.

So I will start my own thread so as not to upset any one.

Why buy a vintage tuner to listen to quality FM music?

Reasons;

Its free.

It will expand your music options.

The FM signal with a good tuner and antenna can produce a high quality musical enviroment in your 2 channel system.

The problem is that the tuners in recievers today cost the manufacturer about $1.00. Tuners from the 70's and 80's are much better than ANY of todays tuner regardless of price. They can produce a wide dynamic range, sound stage and clean signal. However, there is NO wide selection of good tuners today.

Solution; Go to http://www.fmtunerinfo.com/ for information regarding vintage tuners. Tuners that will out perform all current tuners can be purchased for $100 or less on ebay. Some tuners even have remotes.

Depending on your location you may need a outside antenna with rotor, but you may get a good signal with $5 RH rabbit ears.

Want to listen to uncompressed live opera from the MET on Saturdays, great live and recorded folk, jazz and classical on NPR stations? Get a vintage tuner and give money to NPR. I'm very lucky to recieve great NPR stations in the Boston area. There are also many interesting FM college stations that play interesting music and programs. I don't listen to any Clearchannel stations however because they are compressed and all sound the same.

It's all about the music, right. Increasing music options that are free or very cheap would seem like a good idea/option for the group because we have currently spend much money.

Have a blast.

bikezappa

Playing and modifying FM tuners can be very addicting.

dorokusai

BZ - Tuners are great, and I also appreciate an excellent tuner section or unit.

The reason I commented in the other thread was because of the fact that LP didn't ask, hint or query about a tuner section...at all.

It was out of context. What about that don't you get?

I completely agree on your tuner information, but realize that www.fmtunerinfo has been mentioned previously in other threads. It's a very valuable resource for those that are looking for specific tuner information, ratings and information.

F1Nut and I value FM...which is why we both invested in a high quality antenna in order to receive it more accurately. I couldn't be happier, and I know for a fact he's giddy as a schoolgirl.

If I couldn't get O'Reilly and Don & Mike in my house, I think I would go insane

FM is a dinosaur, and who knows if they will put forth the amount of effort that's needed to compete with SAT, but we'll see.

faster100

I love my fm tuner, also receivce 1 NPR station i listen to now and then... I listen to fm radio alot, mostly because we have some good stations and a good variety. I do need a better antenna then the wire i have now though, and i rarely sit and critical listen. No need for me, and my 2 girls make it impossible to do now until they get older i suppose.

Airplay355

All we have around here is ClearChannel. They suck, I gont even get reception in my room anyway, so fook it.

BobMcG

I too used to enjoy FM. Being in a "deep fringe" area however I used to have to go the extra yard for decent reception. In conjunction with a Denon tuner I used to have, (my system 20yrs ago being all Denon separates) I had the "deepest fringe" antenna made by Channelmaster. On it was their best power booster and inside was another interior power booster. It was the only way I could get to enjoy any TV and FM at the time. Making the change to sat. years ago kinda got me away from an active interest in FM. The antenna still stands but............

BTW: At the time, my family owned a Radio Shack so at least I got the antenna, rotor, guy lines and boost equipment for cost and installed it myself. That was handy.

F1nut

Of all the things to consider when shopping for a receiver the tuner section would be last on my list. While I do enjoy the radio at times, it is not for critical listening, but more like background noise at best.

Why you felt it was worth bringing up in that other thread is beyond me as it had absolutety nothing to do with the questions being asked.

RuSsMaN

FM can be for critical listening, especially most NPR and Classical stations. You do need a good, separate (expensive) tuner though.

I love my vintage Scotts and Fishers. What other thread are we talking about?

Cheers,
Russ

bikezappa

Russ

I think you can get a good tuner for $100 on ebay. If you spend about $400 you can get tuners that cost $1600 in the 80's when new. I have a Revox tuner that is out standing that I bought for $250 with remote. They are a work of art. The problem for me and FM is that they sometimes need alignment and an outside antenna and rotor and ladder and no fear of hieghts.

Critical listening is very possible with FM but it requires an investment other than buying a tuner. You need that antenna unless you are close to the FM transmitter..

You also need good FM stations. The real problem for the future of FM is to have diverse programing. Except for NPR the list of interesting programs is limited. I think that is why many people have no interest in FM. If I didn't like the CDs for sale I wouldn't care about CD players either.

I wish I had parents that owned at RS.

BobMcG

Yes, it used to come in real handy once opon a time. It was actually my father and mother in-law that owned it and my wife was manager. They sold it about nine years ago.

I was just on a spare room cleaning mission (so full of stuff you can't walk thru) and found a like new in the box Carver CT-26V vpreamp/tuner. Haven't seen it in years. So I guess I do have a tuner after all. I have no idea how well the tuner section works though not ever having used it. Actually I've owned two of these preamps and this one was only used for a couple of months.

gidrah

Somebody loaned me his Magnum Dynalab last year. It's going to be hard to give it up when and if he ever asks for it back.

michael_w

I do happen to have a spare shelf on my rack... hmm I have yet to experiment with tuners just yet. I'll have to keep an eye out for something cheap and local. Thanks for the link.