Do any still use an older high end tuner from the past?....
Things like the CT-7000 from Yamaha, other Marantz, Magnum, Fisher, Scott or any others. It would be good for us "tuner people" to hear your experience with older, former SOTA tuners. Thanks.
I purchased a Meridian 504 tuner but honestly haven't gotten to hook it up yet. Maybe now with this Corona virus confinement, I'll get to finish the configuration of our system (Meridian 800, Meridian 861v8, Meridian HD621, Oppo UDP205 front end). More significantly, here's a website that compares tuners: https://www.fmtunerinfo.com/shootouts.html#504 For some reason, this comes up close to the Meridian 504 tuner review but if you scroll up to the top of the page you'll get to the start of this comparison. Hope everyone enjoys this site - I have, many times :-)
I have a Sansui TU-919 and a Mitsubishi DA-F20, purchased based on the tuner shootout rankings. I got the Mitsubishi first because the price was right and I had Mitsubishi equipment back in the day, excellent tuner. HOWEVER, everything they said about the Sansui TU-919 is dead on: if you're fortunate to live close enough to a good college station that doesn't compress their music (mine pulled in Princeton University from 32 miles away in PA), the dynamic range and sound quality is right up there with SACD. Buy one, they're worth it. Mine had some scuffs on the top, but when music sounds this good you listening with your eyes closed anyway ;-)
I have a MR-78, a Marantz 20B, and a Pioneer TX-9500II. The Pioneer is a bit beat up and never had the handsome looks of the Marantz or the McIntosh, but I think it sounds the best (and is obviously the best value.) That said, the MR-78 is the one in my main system.
I use an Accuphase T-100, a Sansui TU-9900, and a Sansui TU-717. All are really enjoyable to listen to, but I like the 9900 best, there's just something about its sound (once it gets warmed up well) that makes it stand out. I'd like to be able to hook up an outdoor antenna, but I live in an HOA community and that's not allowed. The dearth of good FM stations and programming makes it difficult to use them to their full potential. The tactile aspect is a big part of the FM tuner experience, using the big tuning knobs to zero in on the station.
Follow-up to my earlier post: I have been looking on Craigslist at a NAD 4225 ($50) or a Luxnan T111 ($75). I didn't want to spend much, as I don't listen much to radio outside my car. Others here noted the Luxnan T110 as a good tuner, but this is a T111 and the only info. I found on it was negative. The NAD didnt seem to impress either. This morning, I drove over to buy a Fisher tuner the guy asked $20 for, but he said it just stopped going into stereo so he just gave it to me. Thought I might fiddle with it and see what it will do.
Mac MR-67, Accuphase T-100, Sansui TU-9900 and Mitsubishi DA-F20 - all superb with a whip antenna 3 stories high,pointing to a great classical station in CT and WQXR in NYC - the MR 67 rules with incredible sound, but the Accuphase and Sansui not far behind. The MR 67 is serviced by Audio Classics every few years. one of these is on during our waking hours daily. We never know, when the MR is playing, whether it’s a CD or the tuner - until an announcer speaks.
I acquired a Marantz 10b from the original owner and sent it to Audio Classics a couple years ago for inspection and repair. It operates without flaw and sounds amazing.
I still have a good NPR station in the area and currently use a Yamaha T85. Good FM and AM (for talk shows, etc). Things are so cheap now I couldn't resist picking up a used Kenwood T07 modified and aligned. FM only. We'll see.
I have and still use a Sansui TU-9900 that has been modded to the max by Mike at Radio X. It ran many CD players out of my listening room and I doubt I will ever take it from the system but more of my listening these days is by Cambridge CXN (V2) streamer. That is probably more a byproduct of the very limited amount of stations in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area. Even with a Magnum Dynalab Signal Sleuth and 1/2 wave mast I can't get 125+ mile away west coast stations with any degree of Fidelity and consistency so that's it, maybe one classic rock, one country, one jazz is about it while there are hundreds if not thousands of each online.
I
have and still use a Sansui TU-9900 ... Even with a Magnum Dynalab Signal Sleuth and 1/2 wave
mast I can't get 125+ mile away west coast stations with any degree of
Fidelity and consistency ...
FM is VHF, so reception is arguably confined to line-of-sight, which is limited by the curvature of the earth and the height of a radio station's antenna. As a practical matter, even with the best equipment, it is usually difficult to get reliable reception beyond 65-70 miles.
Really? An FM station using just one HD sub-channel has a maximum of 96 kbps. It’s worse if it uses multiple HD sub-channels. So HD radio is kinda like mp3 files; good s/n, but that’s about it. In other words, it’s anything but "high definition," as iBiquity/Xpiri acknowledge.
I occasionally use a Pioneer TX 9500 with Bic FM 10 as an antenna; unfortunately the commercial radio stations in my area infest the ether with bad music and transmissions that saturate the signal.
There are lots of used tuners on the market, but in my opinion most are not worth over $100. Clearly there are exceptions.My experience is that the old Philips AH673 is a good tuner, once it has been refurbished and aligned. But the cost of a good refurb is several hundred dollars. A Magnum Dynalab MD90 tube is close, but it depends on what each tuner sells for. Check out my comments on Canuck Audio Mart tuner forum.
@frogman A belated reply to you long-ago question about the Museatex FMT Tuner, if you're still curious. I have one. I bought it about 20 years ago from a Sales Rep after Museatex stopped business, so had been rarely used, only shown, and treated with utmost care.
I've had several "audiophile" tuners over the years, and the FMT is one of them. I've been comparing just this week with my Tandberg 3001, and preferring the FMT. The sound is expansive, lush and "embraces" you. It's probably too "romantic", a coloration. The Tandberg, OTOH, is crisp and crystal clear, with loads of minute detail. I admire its accuracy but love the FMT's musicality (I don't like that word, but there it is). It's just more involving, and if the particular piece Music can sweep me away, the FMT only helps. I can listen to the FMT for longer periods with more pleasure... if the programs warrant it. Voices are so real they're (another cliché) in the room with you.
I haven't much to add technically because where I live, Los Angeles, the FM transmitters are only a few miles away, on mountaintops over a flat terrain, and signals are strong. It's laden with features I rarely use, such as 95 presets, two independent antenna inputs, micro-fine tuning... and more, but I have little expertise in Tuners.
I have the remote — I'm told only 20 or so were made — and it's handy but not a dealbreaker.
I share your enthusiasm for the brand. I'm using the 100W stereo power amp now. Again the sound is "luscious" but doesn't cloud the detail, nuance, the ambient sound of venues, and a broad and deep soundstage. I think it's better than the Meitner monoblocks, which I used to have, and have a more stellar reputation.
Not such a fan of the preamps though. I've had both, and the newer one was not an upgrade, IMO, the first was cleaner. But to my ears both sound a bit misty. I don't use either, except as a separate —
— power supply for the also-rare Phono Preamp, which I think is exceptional.
I hope this very small review is helpful, and sorry it's so late — I just didn't see your question till I idly googled the FMT the other day. But if I can help, of course just ask.
And if I'm doing something wrong with the preamps that lessens their performance, please advise me.
We had an AR (Acoustic Research) tuner come through the shop recently. It needed a new filter capacitor in the power supply, and one of the rectifiers was leaky so I changed both out. After that is spec'ced out quite nicely on the bench and pulled in weaker stations in town with no worries- better than I was expecting. I wasn't expecting much to be honest; the AR amplifier was a terrible beast so it was a nice surprise to see that the tuner was much more competent.
Ditto on the AR Amp. I have one in storage with my AR Tuner.
Separately, following up on my earlier post, I have since replaced my Emotiva UMC-1 with an Outlaw 975, and the 975's FM tuner section has clearly better reception than the UMC-1 using the same antenna setup (Magnum Dynalab ST2 whip into MD 205 Signal Sleuth).
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