Any good FM tuners around for less than $200?


There is not much discussion of tuners these days - who still listens to radio unless it is over the Internet?? lol I imagine there are still some folks that like the radio, and hopefully some of them are here on Audiogon.

I would like to add a decent - not top of the line, obviously, given my budget - FM tuner to my 2-channel system. I am rather overwhelmed by the info on the FM Tuner Information site - I don't understand a lot of it, and many of the tuners they review and like are seldom available for sale these days. I just want a good sounding, not too expensive tuner that will 'satisfy' my occasional radio listening needs! The stations I listen to - mostly via car radio - are local and primarily public (no ads) radio stations, though I do listen to some classic rock stations as well.

A tube tuner would be nice, but possibly more than I can spend, especially if it needs tube replacement, alignment and that sort of thing. Solid state will do, obviously. So, Fisher? Rotel? Marantz? Something totally different?

I do not currently have an outdoor antenna, but that is something I hope to get in the future - one that can be mounted on the exterior wall as opposed to the roof

What tuners would you recommend that I put on my short list?

Holly
oakiris
I've owned the Nikko some years back! It has 5 gang with dual bands and a volume control! FMTUNER INFO rates it very high! You will not find anything better at less than $200!
It takes so long for a new thread to be posted on Audiogon that I usually don't check back for a day or so, but I actually somehow forgot I had started this one until today, and look at all of the responses!

I have had a bit of a financial setback in my "play money" fund - turns out I am going to have to spend $450 to get a tree trimmed before it causes damage to someone or something - so my tuner purchase is going to have to wait for a while, but it looks as if I have PLENTY of research to do!

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions! :-)

Holly
The best vintage tuner is the one most recently aligned.
If you don't want to get it aligned, which for most IS a hassle, don't buy one.
I was a tree worker for some years many years ago. I once had a job of removing a big old antenna mounted on the top of a big spruce tree:) Antenna placement does matter.
I use the MD ST-2 whip antenna mounted with a hose clamp on an outside terrace railing.