What's the best Tuner?

[LeoFenderBender]

I need a replacement Tuner - my current tuner is a Luxman T-117 - there appears to be an intermittent short in one of the jacks - it is time I replaced it with something better.

What do you recommend for near-CD quality?

My system:
Krell KRC-3 Preamp
Rotel RCD-1072 CD Player
Rotel RB-1090 Amplifier
Carver AL-III Speakers
HSU VTF-3 Mk2 Sub

You guys are great - thanks in advance!

[Jimmy C]

... give a listen to the Mag Dyns.

I demoed their least expensive (which is still about a grand) model through a pair of Thiels, and it was the best FM repro I have ever heard. Vocals and instruments were rich and weighty, with a tactile "thereness" that you rarely hear from FM.

It could also partailly been the relatively spendy 3.6s, or the stack of tubed Audio Research, but if it ain't there in the first place...

Give a listen if you have a dealer in your area. Used might be an option.

Good luck...

[daviethek]

Mine is at least a 10 year old FT 101A, purchased on E-bay for 500.00. Best tuner I've ever had. It captures instruments correctly with high signal to noise and a low noise floor. I don't know about sounding as good as a CD. I set my sights low for FM and let the tuner amaze me as I listen.

[dean_martin]

For me it's been the Yamaha T-1. Relatively cheap, analog, great DXer, warm sound on uncompressed stations.

check out www.fmtunerinfo.com for all the info on the best tuners from days gone by.

P.S. Do have a Fender guitar? (I have a mid 80's Japanese re-issue of a '62 Jazzmaster and a 66 Mustang.)

[LeoFenderBender]

For me it's been the Yamaha T-1. Relatively cheap, analog, great DXer, warm sound on uncompressed stations.

check out www.fmtunerinfo.com for all the info on the best tuners from days gone by.

P.S. Do have a Fender guitar? (I have a mid 80's Japanese re-issue of a '62 Jazzmaster and a 66 Mustang.)

Hey Dino:

I saw the same FM Tuner info site quite a while ago when I was searching for a new tuner. Is it me, or are there few current production tuners that are as widely heralded?

As for Fender, of the dozen or so guitars I own, I have two custom strats – I have owned dozens of Fenders over the years including a USA 1962 reissue Jazzmaster with pickups out of a ‘60. Though Fender is in my moniker, the truth is, I am really a fingerstyle acoutic player and an electric wannabe.

Thanks for the Tuner suggestion – keep practicing…

[GMichael]

Hey Dino:

I saw the same FM Tuner info site quite a while ago when I was searching for a new tuner. Is it me, or are there few current production tuners that are as widely heralded?

As for Fender, of the dozen or so guitars I own, I have two custom strats – I have owned dozens of Fenders over the years including a USA 1962 reissue Jazzmaster with pickups out of a ‘60. Though Fender is in my moniker, the truth is, I am really a fingerstyle acoutic player and an electric wannabe.

Thanks for the Tuner suggestion – keep practicing…

Hey Leo,

Are any of you guitars Steinbergers? I was lucky enough to be friends with their production manager before they were bought by Gibson and moved away. I was able to pick one up for cheap back in the late 80's.

[LeoFenderBender]

Hey Leo,

Are any of you guitars Steinbergers? I was lucky enough to be friends with their production manager before they were bought by Gibson and moved away. I was able to pick one up for cheap back in the late 80's.

GM:

There are so many guitar makers. I have heard of Steinberger guitars but, of the guitars I own, Steinberger isn’t one of them.

My only contact with a Steinberger product is a German Riesling – I don’t recall ever playing a Steinberger guitar, maybe because I was drinking a Steinberger Spatlese or Auslese at the time.

[buril2000]

You should check out the meridian 504.
A great tuner!

[jocko_nc]

Intermittent short? Open it up and try to fix it. If you have narrowed down to where the fault is, it ought not be too tough.

Oh yea... Les Paul Custom and a vintage Trace Elliot amp. I wish I could play it...

jocko

[twochannelsonly]

For the money I would get a Carver TFM-11A from ebay. However if money is no option there is nothing like a Magnum.

[LeoFenderBender]

Looks like the moderator moved this post to the Analog Room.

I suppose that means there aren't any digital tuners out there that are worth a look?

[Geoffcin]

Looks like the moderator moved this post to the Analog Room.

I suppose that means there aren't any digital tuners out there that are worth a look?

It's just that most "analog" guys have decent FM tuners too. FM is an ANALOG tech, even if you use a digital tuner. Digital FM is just now coming online, even though only a handful of the latest receivers have it.

[Jimmy C]

.."What's the best tuner?"

Chicken of the Sea, of course!

Nyuk, nyuk... err, sorry.

[LeoFenderBender]

It's just that most "analog" guys have decent FM tuners too. FM is an ANALOG tech, even if you use a digital tuner. Digital FM is just now coming online, even though only a handful of the latest receivers have it.

Yes, an FM signal is an analog source. However, I was enquiring about tuners in general, and they are either analog or digital devices. That is why I am confused about why it was moved into an exclusively analog room.

[Geoffcin]

Yes, an FM signal is an analog source. However, I was enquiring about tuners in general, and they are either analog or digital devices. That is why I am confused about why it was moved into an exclusively analog room.

No, actually none of them are digital devices. A quartz PLL "digital" tuner still converts an ANALOG signal, there is NO digital processing of the signal. Analog is not only records and tapes, but FM (and AM) as well.

[LeoFenderBender]

No, actually none of them are digital devices. A quartz PLL "digital" tuner still converts an ANALOG signal, there is NO digital processing of the signal. Analog is not only records and tapes, but FM (and AM) as well.

Than a digital tuner is a misnomer. Being the expert, where do I search for a good one? An analog tuner? or a (so-called) digital tuner?

[Geoffcin]

Than a digital tuner is a misnomer. Being the expert, where do I search for a good one? An analog tuner? or a (so-called) digital tuner?

FM is as good as it's going to get no matter what tuner you get. All but a few stations use heavy compression. Digital FM is another story. I've got a demo disk here of a direct comparison between the new Digital FM with analog and it was a clear improvment in fidelity. I would look for one of these tuners as soon as they become more available.

Here's some info from the FCC of all people!

What is IBOC Digital Radio?

IBOC refers to the method of transmitting a digital radio broadcast signal centered on the same frequency as the AM or FM station's present frequency. For FM stations, the transmission of the digital signal occupies the sidebands above and below the center FM frequency (e.g., 97.9 MHz). AM band transmissions also place the digital signal in sidebands above and below the existing AM carrier frequency. By this means, the AM or FM station digital signal is transmitted in addition to the existing analog signal. In both instances, the digital emissions fall within the spectral emission mask of the AM or FM channel (see 47 CFR Sections 73.44 and 73.317).

The present IBOC system is referred to as a "hybrid" since it is neither fully analog nor fully digital. During hybrid operation, existing receivers still continue to receive the analog (non-digital) signal. New receivers being developed are expected to incorporate both modes of reception, where receiver will automatically switch to the analog signal if the digital signal cannot be decoded or is lost by the receiver.

Technical information about IBOC can be found on Ibiquity's website, http://www.ibiquity.com/.

Quality of IBOC Digital Radio

IBOC digital radio is expected to provide near CD quality reception for stations operating in the FM broadcast band. For AM stations, IBOC digital radio is expected to provide reception approximately equal to today's analog FM reception. Minimal impact is anticipated on reception of existing service.

[LeoFenderBender]

FM is as good as it's going to get no matter what tuner you get. All but a few stations use heavy compression. Digital FM is another story. I've got a demo disk here of a direct comparison between the new Digital FM with analog and it was a clear improvment in fidelity. I would look for one of these tuners as soon as they become more available.

Here's some info from the FCC of all people!

What is IBOC Digital Radio?

IBOC refers to the method of transmitting a digital radio broadcast signal centered on the same frequency as the AM or FM station's present frequency. For FM stations, the transmission of the digital signal occupies the sidebands above and below the center FM frequency (e.g., 97.9 MHz). AM band transmissions also place the digital signal in sidebands above and below the existing AM carrier frequency. By this means, the AM or FM station digital signal is transmitted in addition to the existing analog signal. In both instances, the digital emissions fall within the spectral emission mask of the AM or FM channel (see 47 CFR Sections 73.44 and 73.317).

The present IBOC system is referred to as a "hybrid" since it is neither fully analog nor fully digital. During hybrid operation, existing receivers still continue to receive the analog (non-digital) signal. New receivers being developed are expected to incorporate both modes of reception, where receiver will automatically switch to the analog signal if the digital signal cannot be decoded or is lost by the receiver.

Technical information about IBOC can be found on Ibiquity's website, http://www.ibiquity.com/.

Quality of IBOC Digital Radio

IBOC digital radio is expected to provide near CD quality reception for stations operating in the FM broadcast band. For AM stations, IBOC digital radio is expected to provide reception approximately equal to today's analog FM reception. Minimal impact is anticipated on reception of existing service.

Thanks for all the information - for a while, I was beginning to think this was some sort of a secret handshake club.

[dean_martin]

Yeah, I do not understand the use of heavy compression. What is the supposed benefit? Even in my car, the stations using compression sound like crap. I've noticed that most of them are affiliated with Clear Channel. Someone needs to take those idiots out.

I listen to 2 stations. Neither of them use compression. Both are small college stations. They carry NPR programming during the day. I listen to them mostly at night. One carries an original local program called Radio Avalon from 8:00-midnight. The other carries a program called World Cafe which is probably nationwide. On Sunday nights one of the stations carries an original local program called Liquid Aire. Even though I only listen to 2 stations (except for college football games on Sat.), my old Yamaha T-1 tuner is my favorite component. Some say that analog FM sounds like syrup, but I like the smooth sound. (Whoever says that digital radio will have near cd quality sound hasn't heard over 3/4 of my cds. If they had, they wouldn't be bragging about near cd quality. On the other hand, almost all my cds sound better than compressed fm.)

[JoeE SP9]

Yeah, I do not understand the use of heavy compression. What is the supposed benefit? Even in my car, the stations using compression sound like crap. I've noticed that most of them are affiliated with Clear Channel. Someone needs to take those idiots out.

I listen to 2 stations. Neither of them use compression. Both are small college stations. They carry NPR programming during the day. I listen to them mostly at night. One carries an original local program called Radio Avalon from 8:00-midnight. The other carries a program called World Cafe which is probably nationwide. On Sunday nights one of the stations carries an original local program called Liquid Aire. Even though I only listen to 2 stations (except for college football games on Sat.), my old Yamaha T-1 tuner is my favorite component. Some say that analog FM sounds like syrup, but I like the smooth sound. (Whoever says that digital radio will have near cd quality sound hasn't heard over 3/4 of my cds. If they had, they wouldn't be bragging about near cd quality. On the other hand, almost all my cds sound better than compressed fm.)

My old Accuphase T101 walks all over everything out there except for the best MacIntosh and Magnum Dynalab tuners as far as sound quality goes. With a rooftop antena I can pick up Howard Univ. (90.1)from DC when WRTI from Temple Univ. here in Phila(90.1) goes of the air. For the most part a digital tuner means the tuning is digitally set to receive specific frequencies. There is nothing digital about FM. Sometimes a signal will sound better if the station is slightly de-tuned. This is not possible with a digital tuner. Fortunately here in Phila. there are several college stations that broadcast a clean compression free signal. WXPN (Univ of PA.) WKDU (Drexel Univ.) and WRTI (Temple Univ.) all have great sounding FM. WRTI broadcasts Jazz (real Jazz) at night. It is my favorite station. It is the only place I can listen to something other than the Jazz Lite the smooth Jazz stations play. As far as satellite radio is concerned I opt out. There will never be a time when I will pay to listen to the radio.
World Cafe Originates here in Phila. on WKDU from Drexel Univ. My alma mater has certainly moved up in the radio world.