Personal Tuner Evolution

No Sequerras?

I am down to just a single tuner now , one of these.

 

3 tube models that every FM tuner fan should have on their bucket list:

Scott 4310

Marantz 10B

REL Precedent- the inspiration for Saul Marantz on designing the 10B.

My choice for the coolest looking. 

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/radio17_precedent_646_c1.html

I

TUNER UPDATE:

1. Harman Kardon 330C rec’r
2. Mitsubishi DA-R8 rec’r
3. McIntosh MR-71
4. Sansui TU-717
5. Pioneer TX-9800
6. Dyanco FM-3
7. Luxman T-110
8. Luxman T-400
9. McIntosh 1900 rec’r
10. Yamaha CT-810
11. Quad FM-4 (din outputs)
12. ADS T-2 - fun to use
13. NAD 4020A
14. Pioneer TX-500
15. B&K TS-108
16. Dyna FM-3
17. NEC T-710 - better than B&K
18. Tandberg 3030 rec’r - nice
19. Creek CAS-3140 (din to rca) - neck and neck w/Tandberg
20. Pioneer TX-8500 II
21. Sumo Charlie
22. Luxman TX-101
23. Yamaha T-1
24. Magnum Dynalab FT-101A
25. Quad FM4 (late model RCA output)
26. Harman Kardon HK715
27. NAD 4300

28. Perreaux TU-1

29. Sony T-88

30. PS Audio ST-1

31. Meridian 504

FAVORITES: 3,4,5,6,12,17-22, 27,30,31

Now have the NAD 4300 and just got a Perreaux TU1.
Love both of them!

TUNER UPDATE:

1. Harman Kardon 330C rec'r
2. Mitsubishi DA-R8 rec'r
3. McIntosh MR-71
4. Sansui TU-717
5. Pioneer TX-9800
6. Dyanco FM-3
7. Luxman T-110
8. Luxman T-400
9. McIntosh 1900 rec'r
10. Yamaha CT-810
11. Quad FM-4 (din outputs)
12. ADS T-2 - fun to use
13. NAD 4020A
14. Pioneer TX-500
15. B&K TS-108
16. Dyna FM-3
17. NEC T-710 - better than B&K
18. Tandberg 3030 rec'r - nice
19. Creek CAS-3140 (din to rca) - neck and neck w/Tandberg
20. Pioneer TX-8500 II
21. Sumo Charlie
22. Luxman TX-101
23. Yamaha T-1
24.  Magnum Dynalab FT-101A
25.  Quad FM4 (late model RCA output)
26.  Harman Kardon HK715
27.  NAD 4300 (arriving next week)

FAVORITES: 3,4,5,6,12,17-22

zavato-

The MR 65 or 71 can be found for reasonable prices, with a little patience and effort.

I found my MR 71 in excellent shape here, for $700. Been used daily for a few years now.

These days the only tuner I have is a beautiful MR78, which was recapped in 2017. 

Wondering- if I want to fool around with a reasonably priced tube tuner with good sensitivity, what's a decent recommendation?  I've already been down the FM-3 road so I would be interested in trying something new to me- 

NAD 4020A from new in 1981 and still using it.

Cool looking tuner, looks to be made for the European market.  

Just added a Sony ST-313 analog tuner to my pair of NAD integrated amps (3225pe & 3020i) and Technics SL-1700mk2 vintage system. The Sony has a big beautiful analog dial with a flywheel weighted mechanism. It’s got a servo-lock feature and nice big analog meters for signal strength and tuning center point. Reception is good even with a lousy indoor antenna. It has a cool unique feature that allows you to place 10 moveable markers along the tuning scale (5 for FM, 5 for AM) that trigger the tuner to switch to the respective band that the marker is on when you dial in one of the 10 marked frequencies. It’s relatively huge, (as large as the two NAD integrated amps if stacked), but definitely period-correct to match the other gear. Now if I could have all that, and a nice remote control!

Yes, and perhaps a bit undervalued because they are not as nice looking as many of their Japanese competetitors, let alone Marantz or McIntosh.

Thats interesting!  Those Pioneers were great tuners!

1. Pioneer TX-9500II
2. McIntosh MR-78
3. Marantz 20b

For me the Pioneer sounds best by a small margin (although the MR-78 is now what I listen to--go figure!) The Marantz lags behind (and it has been recently serviced.)

Almost 4 years later - Tuner Update:

1. Harman Kardon 330C rec'r
2. Mitsubishi DA-R8 rec'r
3. McIntosh MR-71
4. Sansui TU-717
5. Pioneer TX-9800
6. Dyanco FM-3
7. Luxman T-110
8. Luxman T-400
9. McIntosh 1900 rec'r
10. Yamaha CT-810
11. Quad FM-4 (din outputs)
12. ADS T-2 - fun to use
13. NAD 4020A
14. Pioneer TX-500
15. B&K TS-108
16. Dyna FM-3
17. NEC T-710 - better than B&K
18. Tandberg 3030 rec'r - nice
19. Creek CAS-3140 (din to rca) - neck and neck w/Tandberg
20. Pioneer TX-8500 II
21. Sumo Charlie
22. Luxman TX-101
23. Yamaha T-1

FAVORITES: 3,4,5,6, 12, 17-22

Tuner Update:

1. Harman Kardon 330C rec'r
2. Mitsubishi DA-R8 rec'r
3. McIntosh MR-71
4. Sansui TU-717
5. Pioneer TX-9800
6. Dyanco FM-3
7. Luxman T-110
8. Luxman T-400
9. McIntosh 1900 rec'r
10. Yamaha CT-810
11. Quad FM-4 (din outputs)
12. ADS T-2 - fun to use
13. NAD 4020A
14. Pioneer TX-500
15. B&K TS-108
16. Dyna FM-3
17. NEC T-710 - better than B&K
18. Tandberg 3030 rec'r - nice
19. Creek CAS-3140 (din to rca) - neck and neck w/Tandberg
20. Pioneer TX-8500 II
21. Sumo Charlie

FAVORITES: 3,4,5,6, 12, 17-21

have not had many tuners. I had an Onkyo 9090II(super sensitive, OK sound); Dynaco FM3 (old fashioned sounding), and a Magnum Dynalab MD100 (purchased in 2001) which I upgraded to an MD105 (2012). I also has a Mac MR67 in my home for a few days but it was clearly not working correctly, so I returned it. I also once had a Scott tubed tuner in my home that was DOA. That also went back. Way back I had an Adcom GTP 500II tuner/preamp which was pretty nice. I am now using my MD105, and every so often I get the bug to drive to Audio Classic a few hours drive) and come home with a restored/modded Mac tuner. Maybe one day. The one that got away was a 10b, or more precisely, 2 10b's. I was once way upstate New York and a guy had a store; we got to talking and it came up I was into audio gear and music. He brought me to his stock room where he had two Marantz 10b tuners sitting on a shelf. He wanted $1200. Just the asking price indicated he knew he had something. Had my wife not been with me at that moment, I wonder whether I would have tried to make a deal for at least one of them. Oh well-

.
Sansui 771 receiver/tuner

Sansui Tu-X1 ...this beast is everything that you've heard about it and more. Sadly, there is only one FM jazz station in LA, and I don't always agree with their programming. I listen to Pandora more than my tuner.
.

1. Harman Kardon 330C rec'r
2. Mitsubishi DA-R8 rec'r
3. McIntosh MR-71
4. Sansui TU-717
5. Pioneer TX-9800
6. Dyanco FM-3
7. Luxman T-110
8. Luxman T-400
9. McIntosh 1900 rec'r
10. Yamaha CT-810
11. Quad FM-4 (din outputs)
12. ADS T-2 - fun to use
13. NAD 4020A
14. Pioneer TX-500
15. B&K TS-108
16. Dyna FM-3
17. NEC T-710 - better than B&K
18. Tandberg 2020 rec'r - nice
19. Creek CAS-3140 (din to rca) - neck and neck w/Tandberg

FAVORITES: 3,4,5,6, 12, 17-19

I've replaced the Kenwood L1000T with the Rotel RHT10 Michi.
Unfortunately the music program available from FM stations in my country, guides me to sell this tuner in the immediate future and buy some internet tuner. I'm quite suprised by other's knowlege and dedication to the FM subject. I have friends that advocate their tuner as the better source even in contest to their TT. I've never experienced that, so, I'm reluctand to invest on FM again, especially given the persistent bad taste at broadcast music in Greece.

Currently in system:

Scott 350B

Others in collection:
Scott 350 will be restored and will replace the 350B.
Another Scott 350B to be restored at some point.
Parasound TDQ 1600 replaced by the 350B

Previously owned:
NAD 1600 Monitor Series Tuner/Preamp
Adcom GTP 400
Sansui TU 719
Bell and Howell receiver
Magnavox All in One Receiver/TT, at 14 years old my first stereo, thought I was the cats meow!

Best,

Dave

Presently in collection:

Marantz 20B
Fanfare FT-1A
McIntosh MR-71
Sansui TU9900
Tandberg 3011A
SAE 3200

1968 to 1977----Dyna FM-3 (modified)--great sound but noisy in stereo

1985 to 1993---Denon TU-720---reasonable sensitivity and noise, very nice sound (unfortunately it was stolen)

1993 to 1995----Magnum DynaLab FT-100A---great sensitivity and noise, but a real dog sonically

1998 to present---Denon TU-720 (isn't Ebay great?)

2004 to present---Fisher FM-100B---not too bad sensitivity and noise, that nice tube tuner sound again!

Presently in use:

-- Main System: REL Precedent + Scott LM35 Multiplex Adapter (the best combination of sensitivity and sound quality in my experience)

-- Second System: Scott 310D + Fisher MPX100 Multiplex Adapter
(aside from the Precedent, the 310D is my favorite tuner among those that require an external multiplex adapter for stereo)

-- Third System: Radiocraftsmen 10 (mono only, but gorgeous, lush sound when given a good signal)

Others presently in my collection:

-- Scott 310C
-- Fisher FM90X (not yet restored)
-- McIntosh MX110 Tuner-Preamp (not yet restored)

Others I've had in the past:

-- Another Fisher FM90X (very nice)
-- Two Marantz 10B's (along with the Precedent, the most sensitive tuners in my experience)
-- McIntosh MR71 (very nice)
-- Scott 311D
-- Fisher FM100
-- Three other Radiocraftsmen 10's or RC10's (I had to buy four until I was able to restore one to top-notch condition, including one that was bought just for the knobs)
-- Carver TX11 (despite its sophisticated signal processing, not nearly as good as the Marantz 10B's and REL Precedent at receiving weak stations with minimal hiss, as well as not being in the same league in sound quality).
-- Kenwood KR-4070 Receiver

Regards,
-- Al

Sumo "Charlie" the Tuner

For Tuners:
1970 to 2005... McIntosh 73,77,78,80 and 85.

Current:
Marantz 10b,20,20b,115b,120b, and 125.
Sansui 9900
Kenwood 917
SAE Mark VI
Favorite: Tough one...Tie between the 10b and 20b.

Receivers:
Marantz 18,19 and a gold/engraved 2270.
Favorite: Tie between all 3. :)

Kenwood KT-815
Sansui TU-717
Yamaha CR-840 (receiver)
Denon TU-767
Sony XDRF1HD

Favorite - Sansui! Sounds spectacular and green-ish dial goes great with green lights on Naim gear : )