I disagree, in part, with Satch. His argument about RF pollution is correct with respect that large corporation owned FM stations (those that own many top pop 40 stations for example) deliberately compress the signal so it sounds like garbage, if another station within the 1Mhz or 2 of your station is strong or close to you it can have an influence but not if it is farther than that unless it is very very strong. If you listen to a good local fine arts station through an outside antenna connected to a good tuner it will sound great. Very very very close to CD sound. But just like the argument about the poor not being educated so that is why they eat bad foods is wrong. They are educated it is their source about foods is bad. It is called Corporate America. I heard on npr (FM!!) that there is nearly a 100% correlation between the rise of fast food advertizing (education) and the fast food industry and fat related diseases. You really deserve it to your self to find someone with an exceptional tuner and a good FM station (probably are next to none that play the pop stuff) signal to take a listen at what a free music library is all about and as important what democracy is about (I guarantee that across many university FM stations across the country are topics and guests discussing those topics that NO TV station would allow to air).
Are tuners getting worse?
Equipment Reviews in Stereo Review for last several years seems to indicate that FM performance even in premium receivers is not up to performance of several years ago. If I want a good stereo FM tuner should I be looking for something from the mid-80's? Any suggestions on good models/vintages for picking up on an auction or classified?