Years ago, I put a Winegard TV antenna that also receives FM in my attic. Then I connected it to various McIntosh tuners that I own. I also live in the Los Angeles area, about 100 miles from Los Angeles. The best Mac tuner for long-distance (at least in my McIntosh collection) is a MR-80. The MR-80 is an absolute killer for long distance reception, outperforming my MR-71, 74, 77, and 78. |
Don Scott had a Rotel RHT-10 when I traded emails with him a couple weeks ago. He is asking $800. A Rolls RS79 for $300; A Marantz 112 for $125. Also a couple Marantz ST6000P he modified asking $450. Don's address is: bdscott@nac.net A great source for antennas and information is: http://www.antennaperformance.com/ |
You can have a good tube tuner: the MD108. Oops except it's not all tubes, just the audio output stages I believe. I have the MD102, one step down from the 108, but it's still marvelous. |
I had the Onkyo T-9090 (I don't think they ever made a T-9990) and T-9090 II. The F-93 was superior in long distance ability over the Onkyo all over the FM band. Yet the Onkyo was very good indeed for getting stations. I agree the Onkyo sounds terrible. I would say nearly as bad sounding as any tuner I have every had. Too bad you can not use a good tube tuner (not a watered down version in a receiver) since they sound far more realistic than all the solid states I have ever come across. No wonder so many TAS reviewers use them over solid state. |
Well, sooner or later you have to make a decision for really long distance or for some good sound.
I tried a few. I have a excellent antenna on the roof with a strong rotor.
The best long distance tuner was the Onkyo T-9990. Unbelievable.
But horrible from sound quality. Compressed and dry.
After that I changed to a Dynalab Eutude with a Signal Sleuth 205. I would say, this combo was very close to the Onkyo, but much better sounding.
Now I use a Dynalab 108 with the SS 205. That's it for me.
Long distances are ok, but not on par with the Onkyo, but the sound quality is unbelievable good.
Definetly the best from both worlds. |
1. Good antenna
2. Magnum Dynalab tuner
3. Magnum Dynalab Signal Sleuth tunable RF preamp |
The F-93 is a very smooth sounding tuner for a Solid State but I would take the Fanfare over the F-93 for transparency and the Rotel RHT-10 over the Fanfare for transparency and an Aligned with NOS Telefunkens in McIntosh MR-67, MR-71,Fisher 200B, Marantz 10B, or Citation IIIx over all of the Solid States for "You are there sound!". By the way, and this is very serious....for our nation, Michael Powell (Collen's son and FCC head) wants to increase the concentration of voices in one or two corporate mega giants by allowing them to own all the newspapers, radio stations, TV Stations, etc in several markets. If you think 911 blind sided us this is a most major ENRON type curtain there ever could be. Hitler never killed one person in WWII except himself, just his Zombies did. Propaganda did it all. I know this sounds extreme but to those that have traveled extensively in Europe you know what taping our mouths shut can do. There are many venues covering this including www.fair.org (just run search under Michael Powell's name). |
Nanderson, how does the sound of the F-93 stack up to others? |
Besides getting a very good FM antenna like the APS-13, strong rotor, Magnum Dynalab 205 Signal Slueth there is nothing out there for long distance like the Pioneer Elite F-93 for pulling in stations. I have had the FT1a, Etude, and tons of others and stations are not even on their dials that show up on the F-93. However, I would, if you had to have Solid State get a MD-108 (hydrid design) for better sonics. |
1.I would contact Don Scott. He has some inexpensive tuners for sale that can be tweaked for your situation. He may also align your present set-up.
bdscott@nac.net
2. That being said, what I (and all engineers I have read)have found is that money spent on the optimum antenna for your situation is 10x more important than the money spent on a tuner. This is just good systems engineering, especially in marginal situations. If the Audio Prism is that much better (I don't know either unit, I use an outdoor unit) than what you have now it is cheap at the price. Obviously, if you don't get a clean strong signal in, a Sequerra is just a light show, n'est-ce pas? |
I have the 7 foot tall antenna,and it will work well so spurlge on one.After all it's only money well spent. |
Watch for a 'Fanfare FT 1-A ' tuner used or a new "Lite"
AND you really need a good FM antenna. I have both and I
listen 85% to NYC area Free Music as good as CD ! |
Talk to a TV/FM tech that knows your area. Then buy a Magnum 108 Tuner and put up the best stacked FM antenna..ie: Finco FM-4, APS, Winegard(sp?)...etc...and enjoy. |
Talk to a TV/FM tech that knows your area. Then buy a Magnum 108 Tuner and put up the best stacked FM anetnna..ie: Finco FM-4, APS, Wingard(sp?)...etc...and enjoy. |
Everything you would want to know about the most popular vintage and other classic tuners is at:
http://www.geocities.com/tunerinfo/
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