Tuners?

[bully]

We've had threads counting our speakers, telling about our turntables, yada yada.
So, now, how about your tuners? How many do you have?
My favs are the two Onkyo T-9.
Others include:
Yamaha T-80 (two, excellent)
Onkyo T-4090 (sweet)
Technics ST-8080 (excellent)
Denon TU-600 (nice, but not enough time with it yet)
Yamaha CT-800 (haven't got 'round to listening to it)
Audica ST-3120B (a mystery, but very good)

That's 9 tuners, oh there is the old NAD 4020, but it's in a box 'cause it 'wanders' but it was a sweetie.

[Lefty]

Well I'm down to just two tuners at present:

Kenwood L-07T II
Luxman T-02

[ProAc_Fan]

Not beig a fan of FM radio quality I currently have only one tuner. It's a tiny Akai I paid $10 for. However I'm not averse to being converted into a tuner fan, so if somebody wants to sell me a very nice tuner for a very nice price I'm game. :D

Mike

[ddarch]

I like Chicken of the Sea, but when it's on sale, 3 Diamonds is good, too.

Oops, my New England accent is showing....

Couldn't resist...

Dave:D

[Shain]

Marantz Esotec ST-8
Marantz Esotec ST-7
Marantz 2130
Marantz 120B
Marantz 2020
Marantz 115B (2)
Marantz 112 (2)
Marantz 110 (2)
Marantz 105
Marantz 104

Kenwood KT-8007
(using it at work, with 1040 Marantz amp)
(best of the Kenwoods, or Pioneers, or Sansui's I've had)

Recently sold a couple of Marantz tuners, a Kenwood tuner, a Technics tuner, a Sony, and a Pioneer, so that's it for now!

Does a tuner in a console count? I have one of those.

Need to sell some more I guess! ;)

[CUlater]

I believe that I am fairly reasonable on this count (at least next to the 44 receivers I have collected!):

two Akai AT-2400
Optonica ST-3636
Pioneer TX-1000
Harmon Kardon 719
Nikko NT-850
Sansui digital something or another

...and I still burn over the thief that stole my Technics ST-9030 twelve years ago!!!

[fredmarantz]

Here is my contribution!

Marantz 10B
Marantz 20
Marantz 23
Marantz 115B
Marantz 120 (2)
Marantz 125
Marantz 150
Marantz 2110 (2)
Marantz 2120
Marantz 104

Technics st-9600
Pioneer TX-9500

Looking for a nice Accuphase T-100 - would someone care to send me one for Christmas?

Best Regards

Freddy

[Brian]

No particular order of preference:
Philips 6731 (ss)
McIntosh MR77 (ss)
McIntosh MX110 (well, tuner/preamp) (tube)
Sherwood S3000IV (tube)
Dyna FM-3 (tube)

[hotgas]

Charlie Sumo
Technics ST-9600
Marantz ST-300 (just sold on Audiogon)
Yamaha T1

I love the Sumo the most ...

[Toasted Almond]

I have a few, but the only one I ever listen to is the Pie In Ear TX-9500 on my desk at the squadron. I don't have a special love for it, it's a good tuner and brings in tough to get stations. Plus, it fits with the SA-9500 underneath it.

Carver TX-11a
KLH Model 18
Onkyo T-4038
Nikko NT-790
Sansui T-1110
Akai AT-M5 (Stephie's bedroom with Dynaco SCA-80Q)
Aurex FM-01 (the upper end of the scale stops at 88MHz)

I think I have more tuners. I'm fairly certain I don't know where they are.


Almond, Toasted/MSgt, USAF

"They told me not to kill the people... but I forgot."

[CUlater]

Originally posted by Toasted Almond
...
I think I have more tuners. I'm fairly certain I don't know where they are.



...too cool! :ntwrthy:

[mhardy6647]

Tuners I remember that I have:

(2) EICO HFT-90
Yamaha CT-610II
Yamaha T-500
Radio Craftsmen CT-800
Sansui TU-717
Sherwood S-3000 (mono)

When I use a tuner (very rare), I listen to the Shewood.

'nuff said.

[Retro Stereo]

Here we go........

Pioneer F-91 Elite
Pioneer TX-9800
Pioneer TX-9500II
Pioneer TX-9500II
Pioneer TX-9500II
Pioneer TX-D1000


Retro

[botrytis]

I have only one tuner - a pristine Yamaha T-1060.

Dave

[kkib]

HHScott 310E
Fisher FM100B
Sherwood 3000V

oops... was this the SS forum? ;)

[cruisaire]

A scant 3:

Pioneer TX-7800
KLH Model 18
Dynaco FM-3

[Shain]

How about this one? Cheap!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3034336532&category=3284

[rhinofly]

I have one. A sansui Tu-717. Man those esotec tuners are gorgeous. My wife would kill me if I bought it:)

[JoZmo]

Only one, an Onkyo T-4090. Paid $40 for it. As you said Pete... it's sweet.

[Wired]

Originally posted by Shain
How about this one? Cheap!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3034336532&category=3284

The FM range on that tuner is only 76 - 90 MHZ which means that you won't be able to tune in most radio stations since in Australia and the US we both use a scale of about 88 - 108 MHZ. The am section would work fine however.

[Wired]

Tuners I have are:

Phillips 191 (well built)
Kenwood KT-400
Sansui 4000 Receiver

[Brian]

kkib,
Really nice selection, especially the 310E. It is the consumer version of the 4310 which is THE tuner that beats the 10b, hands down. How do you like and find the 3000V. Outside of the meter are there differences between it and the 3000IV?

[Trawlerman]

Just dug up this thread whilst searching.

Mine are...........


Audiolab 8000T
Kenwood KT-5500
Pioneer TX-5500
Pioneer TX-8500II
Emerson TETI 8080
Sony ST-S311
Sony ST-S300
Sansui T80

[JonTee]

Philips 673 (Fully restored with BG caps and aligned by Punker-x)
Sherwood S-2100 II (also aligned by Punker-x)
Pioneer TX-9500
Sherwood S-3300
Sherwood S-2300
Sherwood S-2200


Jon

[marantzbe]

My contribution to this post

Marantz 2120
Marantz 2110
Marantz 2100L
Marantz 2100
Marantz 105
Marantz ST 450L
Marantz ST 72L
Pionneer TX 7100

[gyusher]

Right now I have two A Nikko Gamma 20 Like NIB and my favorite tuner yet a Optonica ST-3535 that sounds as good as many CDs sound. I dont keep much but I think I will keep this one. . . ,.

[Don C]

That's what I have the least of.
Sony ST-J55
Onkyo T-4120
Kenwood KT-313
Kenwood KT-318
I need to get rid of them, since I only listen to sattelite radio now.

[gyusher]

I only listen to sattelite radio now

I want to know more about this. . . Probally FM of the future. . . I think I will start looking into it. . ,.

[Tom Bavis]

Too many mono tuners...

Pilot FA-670
Bell 2222 (simulcast AM-FM)
Dyna FM-1
Heath FM-3

An Olson RA-something stereo FM
Lafayette LR-800 and Fisher 800C receivers
Adtec tuner / preamp (only solid state one I have...)

[ProAc_Fan]

Only 1 I use is a Magnum Dynalab FT-11. I've got a few collecting cobwebs in the basement though.

Mike

[DanTana]

Sansui TU-517 Bigger PS caps, new audio TIP31C amp. Analog. Exactly the same as it's bigger brother the TU-717 except no calibration tone. Very sensitive, fairly selective. Does everything "right."

Toshiba F-15B Stock. Digital. Quiet, sound that seems to rival the TU-517. Great imaging. Mids and highs are extremely detailed. Bass shy because of it's size, probably needs bigger PS caps. Very good sensitivity, fair selectivity, only tunes in .1 increments. A real surprise and a definite "sleeper."

Proton 440 OPA-2604's. Digital. Quiet as they come. Very good, mids and highs with new opamps. Bass is very strong. Good sensitivity, fair selectivity.

Sony ST-J55 OPA-2604. Digital. Great all-around tuner. Tunes in .05 increments, very good sensitivity and selectivity with .05 tuning. Much better overall sound with new opamp. Makes me want a ST-J88.

Rotel RT-500 Bigger PS caps. Analog. Surprisingly sweet sounding little 3 gang 2 filter tuner.

H/K TU-911 Stock. Digital. Very quiet, surprisingly good sound for being bashed by fmtunerinfo. Good sensitivity. Very pleasing sound.

Phillips FM-2121 Stock. Analog. Highs are a little forward. Good bass, good sensitivity. Need more time with this one, good candidate for modding.

Sansui T-707 Stock. Analog with motor drive and Digital readout. Decent sounding, very unique with motor tuning. Surprisingly sensitive and sometimes hard to tune with the motor drive. The tuner locks onto a station and moves the dial for you. Can be overridden though. Also need more time for this one. Good overall tuner.

[Army]

I've got two

A Kenwood 5300 if memory serves, its in for cleaning...

And an oddball Mitsibushi TA-10 I picked up a couple a weeks ago kinda looks like a silverfaced Sansui BA-5000 amp. Big meters and the tuning dial goes around a half circle !?
Complete with built in rack handles. I needed a tuner for my garage Pioneer 8100 amp. They work fine together..

Anybody running any Mitsy stuff ?:dunno:
Regards
Army

[dr*audio]

I have:
Marantz 125 (my favorite)
Kenwood KT1000 Audio Purist Series
Denon TU-500

And for those with satellite radio; you can't pick up WCLV! (Cleveland's Classical music station)

[Tullman]

Originally posted by hotgas

Marantz ST-300 (just sold on Audiogon)


Why put it on the list? If you don't got it, it don't count.:D

[Tullman]

Originally posted by gyusher
I want to know more about this. . . Probally FM of the future. . . I think I will start looking into it. . ,.

I doubt it will be the near future for sattelite. FM is free and satellite is not. Besides Satellite is digital and I think you know what that sounds like. I have digital music channels on my dish and I never listen to these. I like my FM radio much better.:cool: y

YEAH BABY!

[Tullman]

I have the following:

McIntosh MR78/ MPI 4
Kenwood KT 8300
Marantz 2110
Sansui TU 9900

The Rotor antenna goes up tomorrow! I have been dreaming of this for many years. I finally got a house and antenna, almost 30 years after I bought my TU 9900. Better late than never I say.

[bob adams]

I have the following tuners.

Sansui TU-717
Sansui T-E550
Kenwood KT-7300
Marantz 2020

There are a lot of big tuners I'd like to have Sansui TU-X1,
Philips 6731 etc .... but I'm very interested in several lesser costly tuners

One is the Sansui TU-S77AMX. It has all four of the AM stereo circuits. Not many tuners covered all the bases but that one did.

[Bigyank]

I have:

Onkyo T-9090
Fisher FM-100B
Sansui tu-d99x
Adcom gtp-450 (Tuner preamp count?)

Yank

[Don C]

" I want to know more about this. . . Probally FM of the future. . . I think I will start looking into it"
The more I listen, the more I like it. I figured out that I was listening to the satellite radio through the TV set, when I fixed that by hooking the Dish Network 811 straight to the pre-amp, it started to sound better. It is still not quite CD quality, but it is OK.
No Commercials! And they seem to have a good selection, I can listen to several of the stations without getting annoyed. That never happens when I listen to regular radio. I probably would not pay for this, but since it is free with dish network, I am glad to have it.

[gyusher]

I remember the music channels on Direct TV. . . . My friend loved it but I couldnt listen very long even for background music. Sounded compressed or something especially after the addition of local channels. I think that cut into their bandwidth.

[Tullman]

Originally posted by gyusher
I remember the music channels on Direct TV. . . . My friend loved it but I couldnt listen very long even for background music. Sounded compressed or something especially after the addition of local channels. I think that cut into their bandwidth.

That is exactly what I meant. I have also had digital cable and it sounded the same on the music channels.

Compressed analog is one thing, but compressed digital is pretty much unlistenable.

[Tullman]

Originally posted by Don C
" I want to know more about this. . . Probally FM of the future. . . I think I will start looking into it"
The more I listen, the more I like it. I figured out that I was listening to the satellite radio through the TV set, when I fixed that by hooking the Dish Network 811 straight to the pre-amp, it started to sound better. It is still not quite CD quality, but it is OK.
No Commercials! And they seem to have a good selection, I can listen to several of the stations without getting annoyed. That never happens when I listen to regular radio. I probably would not pay for this, but since it is free with dish network, I am glad to have it.

I have my sattelite reciever hooked up directly to my preamp with good cable. Still I prefer my FM radio. I like to use the reciever through the stereo for movies or music programs/concerts on the tv.

No commercials, now there is one very good argument for sattelite radio, but I counter that with, FM is free. It gives me excercise to get up and tune in a different station.:D

[Vinyl Rules!]

1. Primary tuner is McIntosh MR74, completely refurbished & rebuilt by McIntosh Labs. A truly superb sounding tuner, though I'm told the MR77 is slightly better sounding and is McIntosh's best-sounding SS tuner.

2. Have a Pioneer F-91 Elite that I used before I acquired the MR74. Good sounding, but not quite as good as the MR74 - It does not have that wonderful midrange the MR74 has. Bought it over whatever the top-of-the-line Magnum Dynalab tuner was at the time as it was much more sensitive and selective than the Magnum.

3. Have two Sony ST-S730ES tuners. Really good, in fact almost as good as the MR74 (but not quite). The FM Tuner Group says there is unit-to-unit variability with these, so I guess I got lucky with mine.

4. Have three Sony ST-J75 tuners. A real "sleeper" of a tuner, superb performance, and I paid $18, $24, and $36 respectively for the three I have. Don't think you can find a better performing and better sounding tuner for under $36. :cool:

[timoteus]

In order of manufacture:

My skull and a coat hanger
Kenwood KT-8007
Kenwood KT-9900
Kenwood Model 600T

Hi Trawlerman!

[Trawlerman]

Hello there Timoteus. Long time no see :)

I got the bug for vintage tuners now. There's just no cure for it ya know. Once it bites it never lets go!

[timoteus]

Where have you been hiding? Out at sea?

I think tuners are great fun. Sort of like a cross between ham radio and being an audiophile. You get to be a gearhead and still listen to music. Plus I have always liked the spontaneity of FM. There's nothing quite like a DJ stringing together the perfect set, you don't know where you're going but you get to go along for the ride. I'm not talking corporate radio of course.

[highyonder]

Kenwood KT-8007 - My latest acquisition. What a classy looking tuner and a great performer to boot

Onkyo T-9 - nice sound and a real signal magnet

Onkyo T-4 - I like it even better than my T-9

Harman Kardon T-403 - not quite as good as my other tuners at grabbing a signal but it has a very nice sound and great looks

I think I'm going to try and pick up a Kenwood 7500 next. I've been following the DX info on the fmtunerinfo site and I'd like to see what kind of difference those mods will make.

[Reel 2 Reel]

I know it goes against the grain of the thread...but with the sorry state of commercial music today..my tuner hasn't seen service since ...oh ...about 1995....even the one in my receiver dosn't do service either....

My radio comes from the 'Musicmatch Jukebox Artist on demand'...I get to listen to what I want to listen to...and as for hearing new artists I have found more there than any radio station I have ever heard in the past....I will pay $5.95/mo.for that service...

But gettin back to the heart of the thread...I have had a Sansui TU-217 ..came with my first system...but like the idiot that I reely am...I sold it ...then to buy a 'Kenwood KT-51b'...just because the digital readout and quartz systhizied tuning was new then...little did I know...it was just a gimmik...and they got my almighty dollar...

The KT-51b is identical in every way to the Basic T-1..right down to the specs...go figure...

[highyonder]

Hey Gary, I know what you mean by the sorry state of commercial radio. Get an MP3 output cable for your PC sound card and hook it up to your favorite system. Then pull down the live stream from KEXP.ORG out of Seattle. They've got a really eclectic mix and they are listener supported. In addition they keep the last 2 weeks of material archived so you can go through their library and find what suits you. (The Saturday morning reggae is outstanding). See what you think.

[botrytis]

What about WXRT from Chicago? One of the largest independent radio stations still inexsistance!!

You want to talk eclectic - they will play Johnny Cash, then go to Frank Zappa and then play Dizzy Gillespie right after. What album radio was all about!!!

http://www.wxrt.com

Dave

[Reel 2 Reel]

there is a station here in mid-michigan that is all request..cant remember the call letters...but its called "the Castle"...at 92.5FM...they are like thay too...but its a low power station and its kinda down by botrytis..in cheasning....

I get to listen to it once and a while at work....not too often though...the kids that work with me want to listen to that god-awful 'New Rock' garbage....so I get 'Ear Raped' on a daily basis...

I'll stick with my MP3s and the MMJB!!

If I wanted to get raped...it would be by her!!!.....

[seasia]

My collection in 3 systems, switch them around every few weeks for fun.

Sansui TU-717
Sansui TU-417
Sansui TU-217
Sansui TU-D99X
Sansui TU-S33
Yamaha T-1
Yamaha T-80
Technics ST-8080
Technics ST-8077
NAD 4020
Pioneer F-99X (very impressive sound)
Kenwood KT-880D
Hitachi FT-4000

Plus a few good receivers with decent FM section. Half of my analog tuners are little off alignment but still sound good.:)

[couch-flyer]

I have

2 - Sanaui TU-717
1 - Sansui TU-417
1 - Yamaha TX-340

Cheers,

[RuSsMaN]

Tunas I have, currently looking for good homes:

Technics 8080 DB
Proton 440
Kenwood KT 3500
Luxman T1

Handful of Knight, Sherwood, and Eico Tube tunas.

Recently sold, Sansui TU-717, Yammie T-1 and 950TX (?), Kenwood KT-7500 and 7300, Heathkit Solid State jobbie....

Cheers,
Russ

[jdarmo]

Tuners...I collect tuners! My collection

Kenwood KT 5300 (2)
Kenwood KT 5500 (2)
Kenwood KT 6500
Kenwood KT 7500
Kenwood L07-T
Kenwood KT 8005
Kenwood KT 6005
Kenwood KT 880D
Kenwood KT 75
Pioneer TX 6500 (2)
Pioneer TX 7100
Pioneer TX 9800
NAD 4330
SAE II T-7
MAC MR-78
Onkyo T-4030
Onkyo T-4090
Onkyo T-4150
Onkyo T-9090II
Onkyo T-9
Onkyo T-4
Onkyo T-8090
JVC JT-V11
JVC T-30
Lafayette T-3030
Technics TU-8600
Yamaha T-560
Yamaha T-700
Yamaha T-760
Yamaha T-1000
B&K TS 108
H/K 815
H/K Citation 18

[Yamaha B-2]

Currently listening to my Yamaha CT-1010. A really great tuner that is not only quite sensitive and selective, it also has excellent sound and looks.

Also have a high quality but boring Denon 750S, which simply works as it is supposed to and sounds good, but doesn't do anything for me. Recently bought a Denon TU-1500RD. Their current model. Is remote capable and displays the alpha-numeric info from the stations. It is actually the best sounding tuner I've owned. Including a couple of McIntosh's. But, I've gone vintage all the way....need a new model Denon tuner?

We are lucky around here in that we can get stations from Philadelphia and NYC regions.

Here are a couple of good websites for anyone interested in tuners.
http://www.fmtunerinfo.com/index.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FMtuners/

[Danamc]

I have to admit it's a sickness. And even worse I hate to admit how many of these vintage tuners I currently have. Most sit in a tuner rack powered by a Kenwood 700M amp with a Kenwood 700C preamp, into AR-2AX speakers. I'll have to post a photo one of these days. Here goes:

McIntosh MR-80
Accuphase T-100 (two) (One mod'd by APS)
Kenwood 600T (mod'd by Stereo Surgeons)
Kenwood Kt-917 (2) (one mod'd by Stereo Surgeons)
Kenwood KT-8300
Marantz 150 (mod'd by Stereo Surgeons)
Sansui TU-9900
Sansui TU-919 (2)
Audiolab 8000T
Philips AH-6731 (Mod'd by AVLS)
Tandberg 3001A
Yamaha CT-7000 (mod'd by Stereo Surgeons)
Mistubishi DA-F20 (mod'd by Stereo Surgeons)
Meridian 504
Sansui TU-X1 (mod'd by Stereo Surgeons)

[yrly]

If you are big into tuners try and get yourself an Olson RA-250 stereo receiver. It looks nothing fancy, does about 50wpc, but darn thing has the best FM tuner I ever used, and I have some 35 receivers, as well as countless tuners to choose from. Standalone or otherwise nothing touches the performance of this thing for quality distance FM reception. As you can see I live near Buffalo NY (actually the Olson is pretty close to the city area), I could get stations from as far away as Baltimore in stereo using standard indoor antennas. NYC, Vermont, West Virginia, Ohio, virtually every Toronto station, during the war in Iraq I remember going up and down the dial getting information from stations all over the northeast. Why it does so good I could not even begin to guess, it looks pretty simply on the inside, but for FM its performance is amazing. Actually its AM performance is pretty darn good too. If one added something other than the ferrite bar I wonder what it would be capable of.

[House de Kris]

Only got two tuners.

Soundcraftsmen Pro-Tuner Four, it is just OK.

Sansui T-990, the only piece of BPC I own.

[whell]

Originally posted by Tullman
That is exactly what I meant. I have also had digital cable and it sounded the same on the music channels.

Compressed analog is one thing, but compressed digital is pretty much unlistenable.

Used to have digital cable. IIRC, there was a setting on the electronic menu of the digital cable box that switched compression on/off. Made a big improvement in the music channel sound quality. Still, we dumped cable completely and now pull in both TV & FM signals off a rotor rooftop antenna.

[whell]

Tuners I've had & used:

Yamaha CT 810 - not bad, but not great. Warm sounding, decent sensitivity, good selectivity. Signal locking feature worked well, but was overall underwhelmed by the sound. Sold about a year and a halp ago.

Yamaha T-85 - I liked the sensitivity of this tuner ALOT. I could pull in distant stations in clean stereo with a run of the mill dipole. Warm sound, not a great soundstage on my system. Sold about 6 months ago.

Kenwood 6007 - Great little tuner, I miss it a bit. Great warm sound, good sensitivity, fair selectivity. Sold to a forum member.

Marantz 115 - aligned by PunkerX. I like this tuner alot. Not my most sensitive, but sounds great, good soundstage, nice highs and convincing lows. Currently pulling duty in my 2 channel system until I get my Pioneer back.

Pioneer TX-9500 - My specimen is certainly not mint, but one of the nicest sounding tuners I've ever owned, bar none. Huge soundstage, great mids, highs and substantial lows. A couple of issues with this that I think PunkerX is in the process of cleaning up.

FWIW - the tuner section of my Sansui 9090 is bloody awesome for a receiver.

[Punker X]

Originally posted by whell
Tuners I've had & used:

Marantz 115 - aligned by PunkerX. I like this tuner alot. Not my most sensitive, but sounds great, good soundstage, nice highs and convincing lows. Currently pulling duty in my 2 channel system until I get my Pioneer back.

Pioneer TX-9500 - My specimen is certainly not mint, but one of the nicest sounding tuners I've ever owned, bar none. Huge soundstage, great mids, highs and substantial lows. A couple of issues with this that I think PunkerX is in the process of cleaning up.



Forgot you had that 115, the 9500 is done and sounding and performing great. That HK had a surprizingly good sounding tuner in it also.

X

[rew15951]

Let me see, a kenwood kt 7500, kt 7300, and a kt 5300 or is it a 5600 ? to many tuners, RETRO-STEREO want to sell me one of those pioneer tuners? I know this is like a ford man asking a chevy man to sell his truck !

[Vinyl Rules!]

Originally posted by whell
Tuners I've had & used:

Marantz 115 - aligned by PunkerX. I like this tuner alot. Not my most sensitive, but sounds great, good soundstage, nice highs and convincing lows. Currently pulling duty in my 2 channel system until I get my Pioneer back.



FWIW, the Marantz 125 is, IMHO, a much undervalued tuner regarding it's sound quality. It's the same internally as the Marantz 150 - It just doesn't have the sexy scope. When we were selling them at the store I worked at, retail was $ 329.95 and we sold them for $299 and I wasn't aware of anything from anyone in the price range that could come close to the Marantz 125 in sound quality. We sold a large variety of tuners: Accuphase, Adcom, "Charlie the Tuner," Crown, Kenwood, Kyocera, Marantz, Mitsubishi, PS Audio, Perreaux, Quad, Sequerra, Setton (there's a name most of you probably never heard of!), Sony, and Technics tuners.

This may seem like an unbelievable number of tuners, but our store was in Chapel Hill and at the time our local customers could pick from the NPR stations in Chapel Hill and Winston-Salem (Wake Forest University), and the Student FM Stations, at Duke, NCSU, Shaw University, St. Augustine College, and UNC. All of these stations broadcast many live performances and there was no compression used, so we were in what I consider "tuner heaven" because of the quality of the broadcasts: According to our Manufacturer Reps, we sold more tuners than many stores in markets like New York City, Washington/Baltimore, and Atlanta: It was not uncommon for us to sell 7 to 10 tuners weekly, so all of us had much experience with many good tuner brands.

For the money the Marantz 125 and the Mitsubishi DA-F20 were untouchable at their price points, but we sold more of the Marantzs because Mitsubishi was relatively new and our customers were reluctant to purchase product new to the marketplace.

We got to take home and try out anything we wanted to, and I have to admit I am a confirmed "tunerholic:" I now attend TA (Tunerholics Anonymous) meetings and I have to stand up and say, "Hi, my name is Vinyl Rules! and I like to listen to live FM broadcasts!"

From a listening perspective, I look for natural reproduction of the midrange and good depth and 3-D reproduction. The tuners we sold that excelled at this were, in alphabetical order:

1. Accuphase T-100
2. Accuphase T-101
3. "Charlie the Tuner"
4. Kenwood KT-8007
5. Marantz 125/150
6. Mitsubishi DA-F20
7. Quad FM-4
8. Sequerra Model No. 1 Broadcast Monitor
9. Sony ST-5000F/ST-5000FW
10. Sony ST-5950SD
11. Technics ST-9030

I got to listen to all of these at home, could buy all but the Accuphase, Quad and Sequerra at "accomodation" prices (50% of retail), and I bought the Marantz 125 as I was a student working my way through school. If I could have bought anything, I would have bought the Accuphase T-100, but it was out of my price range.

My interest in tuners continues to this day. I'm fortunate to live in an area where I receive independent FM college stations and public radio stations, many of which still do live broadcasts from their studios, and my tuner of choice is the McIntosh MR-74: I've tried many newer tuners and the only ones that come close to the MR74 in sound quality are the Pioneer F-91, the Sony ST-J75 and the Sony ST-S730ES. I'm told the McIntosh MR77 is slightly better sounding than the MR74 but I've not tried one and I need the extra selectivity of the MR74 in my location.

[Note: I have never listened to a Tandberg 3001A and people I know and whose opinion I respect say this one may be the best tuner ever made, after the presets have been updated and fixed.]

So there you have my biased, but long-term FM listening opinion. :cool:

[gyusher]

I too like FM radio. . . I am listening to my Dynaco mono tube tuner now (1960) it sounds better than any tuner I have at very low volume (6AM) here is your list that I agree with but I added to it. . .


1. Accuphase T-100
2. Accuphase T-101
Kenwood KT-917
3. "Charlie the Tuner"
4. Kenwood KT-8007
Kenwood KT-8300
Onkyo T-9090
Sony ST-4950
5. Marantz 125/150
6. Mitsubishi DA-F20
Optonica ST-3535
7. Quad FM-4
8. Sequerra Model No. 1 Broadcast Monitor
9. Sony ST-5000F/ST-5000FW
10. Sony ST-5950SD
11. Technics ST-9030

With the exception of the Sequerra I have experience with all the models you listed plus the ones I added. I would rate them this way for only sound quality as the order might change for sensitivity and selectability(?)

[seasia]

Hi again, like some of us admited - yes this is sickness. In my quest for good FM tuners, I just can't resist buying the good deals. Here's my latest addition:

Technics ST-G5. Could be a sleeper, a slim line digital all black tuner with digital signal strenght readout. Great reception and very clean. Less noise on weaker stations than most tuners I own. Anyone got any info on this unit?

SAE T102. Paid $20 at swap meet, very dirty cabinet and stained faceplate but sounds excellent for the price. Sexy looking IMO.

Philips AH7961 receiver. Can't find (or can afford) the AH673 but this will do. It even has the vertical arranged meters and sounds quite good.

Thanks for looking.

[Lazarus Short]

Realistic TM-1001 a really good tuner, made by Hitachi I'm told
MCS 3701 pretty, but it does not deliver the goods
MCS 38XX don't have the model number to hand, no idea how
good it is, but I'm not optimistic

I do most/almost all of my AM/FM listening with my Proton 300/301 combo, which uses a digital tuner, but sounds good nevertheless.

Laz

[torqueman2002]

Sansui TU-717, sweet
Mitsubishi DA-F20 (being repaired if possible and upgraded by Don Scott), 2-DA-F10s, DA-C20
Advent 300 (Silver Face) good daily driver for the shop
Sony ST-3950SD - drifts, needs looking after (traded in a Dynaco FM-3 on it in Jul '77; wish I still had my Dynaco system! (PAT-4, Dynaco 70 Mark IV, AR-3As))

Mike in Michigan

[SherwoodPower]

I have a Technics ST-Z45 Tuner (1981)

http://www.vintagetechnics.com/tuners/stz45.htm
Respecting VintageTechnics (image was removed, link placed)

[jblmar]

Been useing the marantz 2130 since 1978. Still sounds great. Here in the New York City area is a great jazz station, WBGO. They never compress or over modulate the signal. The 2130 sounds almost as good as CD's. And this is through a marantz 300DC/3650 combo along with JBL 4671's. (2225H, 2425J, 3110A, 2370 in a 4507 cabinet).

Ron

[bolly]

Just starting with the tuners,

Kenwood KT-7550
Kenwood KT-3500
Technic's ST-G6T
Yamaha T-500
Adcom GTP-500II
Marantz 2100

[gyusher]

1. Accuphase T-100
2. Accuphase T-101
Kenwood KT-917
3. "Charlie the Tuner"
4. Kenwood KT-8007
Kenwood KT-8300
Onkyo T-9090
Sony ST-4950
5. Marantz 125/150
6. Mitsubishi DA-F20
Optonica ST-3535
7. Quad FM-4
8. Sequerra Model No. 1 Broadcast Monitor
9. Sony ST-5000F/ST-5000FW
10. Sony ST-5950SD
11. Technics ST-9030



Remember this list? Well since then I have added to my experiences and I believe I found the nicest sounding stock tuner I have ever heard. Does everything just right. Sansui TU-717 that I bought last week.

Now teamed with my KA-9100 I cant believe the sound. I still look forward to getting up to listen. . . I am now a TU-717 believer big time. I have to put her at the top of this list. And I am looking for more.

[stereofisher]

Be online two years without a hitch! Eric :D

[Yamaha B-2]

Not beig a fan of FM radio quality I currently have only one tuner. It's a tiny Akai I paid $10 for. However I'm not averse to being converted into a tuner fan, so if somebody wants to sell me a very nice tuner for a very nice price I'm game. :D
Mike

Mike - Have you done anything about this? Check here http://www.fmtunerinfo.com/index.html for some good info and make your selection. Am sure you know where to hunt after than. Don't forget the better receivers. They generally have excellent tuners (Sony STR-Vx or -xx00SD and Yamaha CR-x40 series).

Without a good antenna you will be disapointed. The little indoor stuff doesn't really work that well. Get the rat-shack FM specific yagi for $24 and stick it in your attic or on your roof. A rotation control allows you to 'point' the antenna towards the stations you want to listen to. A single run of coax (not pieces klugded together) from RS costs another $20 for 100+ feet. Then listen. Think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[grumpy]

1. Accuphase T-100
2. Accuphase T-101
Kenwood KT-917
3. "Charlie the Tuner"
4. Kenwood KT-8007
Kenwood KT-8300
Onkyo T-9090
Sony ST-4950
5. Marantz 125/150
6. Mitsubishi DA-F20
Optonica ST-3535
7. Quad FM-4
8. Sequerra Model No. 1 Broadcast Monitor
9. Sony ST-5000F/ST-5000FW
10. Sony ST-5950SD
11. Technics ST-9030



Remember this list? Well since then I have added to my experiences and I believe I found the nicest sounding stock tuner I have ever heard. Does everything just right. Sansui TU-717 that I bought last week.

Now teamed with my KA-9100 I cant believe the sound. I still look forward to getting up to listen. . . I am now a TU-717 believer big time. I have to put her at the top of this list. And I am looking for more.

I would have to think that both Accuphase and the Sequerra had huge problems cuz no 717 I ever heard came ever remotely close to sound quality or station pulling of all three. Not even in the same class, Hell school for that matter. My 2 cents..

[gyusher]

actually I stated in an earlier post that I was not familiar with the Accuphase stuff and couldnt comment on those. I should have been more clear. I added what I was familiar with to Bully's list. The only two I was not familiar with were the two Accuphase tuners. . . However I look forward to hearing them. . . .

[Thumpy]

Some of my tuners, in no particular order:
Nikko FAM-800 - never seen another. Nothing fancy, 4 FM gangs
Realistic TM-1001
Sansui TU-888 - rare, or so I understand. In this case, "rare" does not = "$$$"
Sansui TU-S7
Akai AT-V04
Mitsubishi DA-C20 - actually a tuner/preamp combo
Mitsubishi DA-F20
Pioneer F-9
Sherwood S 3000 III - with A3MX internal MPX unit
Eico ST96 - with MX99 external MPX unit
Arkay FM6

A total of nineteen tunas :eek:

Since Army asked in an earlier post in this thread, one of my setups is all Mitsubishi - DA-A15DC power, DA-P20 pre, DA-F20 tuna, DA-M10 meters, DP-EC7 TT, and DT-40S cassette, all in a DR-720 cabinet.

[waylyn5945]

A Kenwood KT-7500 that I'm in the process of modding. :yes:

[Danamc]

I can vouch for the excellent sound quailty of the Accuphase T100 tuner. I have two, one mod'd by Ed Hanlon at APS. Stereo separation and sensitivity to die for :yes: . Even the AM section has a frequency response that is very flat and wide when compared to other tuners of the time :lmao: . One of best tuners I've heard. The others include the Tandberg 3001A, Philips AH-6731, and the Sansui TU-9900.

I have to agree with Grumpy, the Sansui 719 is not in the same class as the T-100, although when mod'd will sound very nice, but just doesn't have the stage depth and frequency response that other vintage tuners may have.

[Danamc]

Expecting to get back in the next week a Marantz 150 tuner that I sent down to Stereo Surgeons in CT for cap upgrade and aligment. I'd originally sent it to Ed Hanlon at APS for an alignment, but the tuner bearings were so dirty that he didn't want to touch it :no: . Ken at Stereo Surgeons is a miracle worker IMHO. :banana:

Also picked up a Mitsu DA-F20 off EPAY that I'm dying to hear. This Mitzu has a discrete wide detector, as well as a discrete audio stage. :scratch2:

I'll let you know how they compare to the Tandberg 3001A, Philips AH-6731, and Sansui 9900.

[gyusher]

I have to agree with Grumpy, the Sansui 719 is not in the same class as the T-100, .


I have owned the 719 and I agree with you. However the 717 I have now seriously out classes the 719 that I had. Both work great but this 717 sounds as good as any tuner that I have heard or owned. I cant speak to the Accuphase however from what I have read and heard in this and other forums I know I would love to have one.

There are many brands that I havnt heard and I am sure there are many that are excellent. the best tuner I have owned were Kenwood KT-917s. I used one foe almost 20 years while I had another one still new in the unopened box sitting in the closet untill a few months ago when I finally decided to sell it still in the factory sealed box.

The other major league tuners I have owned were several KT-8300s, along with many also rans that sounded good but not near the 917 KW or the KT-8300s. I cannot explain why but this Sansui TU-717 for sound kills the Kenwoods I have had. Sensitivity is another matter. . . I have owned many that out perform it in that area but none for sound quality.

[Danamc]

Interesting to note that three nice Sansui TU-717s are up on EPAY. It IS rated at number 14 in the tuner shootout at the Tuner Information Center Website. Pretty good company :thmbsp:

[gyusher]

Interesting to note that three nice Sansui TU-717s are up on EPAY. It IS rated at number 14 in the tuner shootout at the Tuner Information Center Website. Pretty good company :thmbsp:


When I started looking for one it was rated 6th. . . I keep a list of their top 25 and keep it next to the computer when searching eBay and other sites where I might run up on a good sounding tuner.

People might laugh but I have personally seen 20 dollar tuners go through the roof just because of these rankings.

Case in point Kenwood KT-5020. . . try to find one now for under 100 bucks, not so long ago they were 25-50 bucks. . . .

[hotgas]

Humm ... after 30 years and this folk still wants $300 for it. I guess the dollar depreciation and component wear-our rates run in exactly opposite directions :) In that case my Marantz 2238B should have been worth $300, too!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3282&item=5727639922&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

[styler]

I Have To Show Off

[waylyn5945]

I don't remember seeing it here and one just sold on ebay for $219.49 - a Sanyo Plus T55. :yes:

[gyusher]

Pretty bugger. . . besides sounding great

[Yamaha B-2]

Luxman T-117 arrived and have been listening to and A/B'ing with the Yamaha CT-1010. The Luxman really is a clear cut above. Faster and smoother, but the biggest difference (and by a substantial margin) is the soundstage. Huge soundstage. Better than CD and approaching vinyl. My hat is off to the engineers at Luxman on the T-117. Guess that is why it is listed as the #1 digital tuner on the FM tuner info center and scored so well on the "shoot-out". It deserves it place. Now I am forced to get a TX-1000 to A/B.

Now. Does anyone out there have a remote that will work with the T-117 or know what universal remote might work? Thanks.

[Danamc]

The Luxman T-117 is an outstanding digital tuner in many respects :yes: . However it isn't the top digital tuner in Jim's ratings. Actually the Audiolab 8000T is a digital tuner and is rated at #5. The Luxman is rated at #13, no small shakes by any means, but not in the "C" class of top tuners, according to Jim at TIC. And, if I'm not mistaken, the top tuner in Jim's ratings is the digital Accuphase T-109V.

The T-117 is one of my favorite digital tuners :) , but is a touch light in the bass versus the Audiolab 8000T. I've not had the pleasure of listening to the Accuphase.

[Yamaha B-2]

Yep, you're right. Guess I looked at older entries on the tuner info website prior to their review of the Accuphase and Audiolab. In the Luxman's defense, I could own about 25 of them for what I would pay for a Accuphase 109 (doesn't mean I won't prefer the 109, though - just send me the cash).

But, the more I listen to/play with the Luxman the better it sounds. Its 3-dimensional soundstage is just amazing. And same with its sensitivity. I am picking up stations in Philadelphia that I didn't know of. I thought my CT-1010 was good. But, the T-117 is just so much better.

Now I need the remote.

[Vinyl Rules!]

The Luxman T-117 is an outstanding digital tuner in many respects :yes: . However it isn't the top digital tuner in Jim's ratings. Actually the Audiolab 8000T is a digital tuner and is rated at #5. The Luxman is rated at #13, no small shakes by any means, but not in the "C" class of top tuners, according to Jim at TIC. And, if I'm not mistaken, the top tuner in Jim's ratings is the digital Accuphase T-109V.

The T-117 is one of my favorite digital tuners :) , but is a touch light in the bass versus the Audiolab 8000T. I've not had the pleasure of listening to the Accuphase.

I have subscribed to virtually all of the UK audio publications for years and while the Audiolab 8000T garnered rave reviews in the UK (and in the US) for its stellar performance, it was also garnering a reputation as a notoriously unreliable tuner. I'd want to find someone who could fix and support one before I bought one. :yes:

[asynchronousman]

I have the following tuners.

Sansui TU-717
Sansui T-E550
Kenwood KT-7300
Marantz 2020

There are a lot of big tuners I'd like to have Sansui TU-X1,
Philips 6731 etc .... but I'm very interested in several lesser costly tuners

One is the Sansui TU-S77AMX. It has all four of the AM stereo circuits. Not many tuners covered all the bases but that one did.

This (or it's receiver version) would be worth it. Otherwise I like meat AND potatoes, therefore receivers are what I want. I like sedans or wagons because I need to carry three passengers and my crap too, in comfort. This Toyota Prius is huge inside though, a bit bigger that an '80s midsize sedan (but fairly timid compared to an engine needing an overhaul yet can whip Hondas and Mitsus etc [not buzzy cause I 'tuned' the exhaust but because it's a worn out POS :yes: ]).

I KNOW it's old, but I keep it up all I can and since the majority of them cost me little, I use and ENJOY them every day.

[Yamaha B-2]

Now on eBay. Should be fun to watch.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3282&item=5728288595&rd=1

[seasia]

New addition to my collection. Sanyo Plus T-35, digital tuning off a tab and drift a bit every few minutes but really smooth sounding and very much balanced tone.

Pioneer TX-9500II, advertised as all working condition but actually MPX decoder and stereo not functioning. Ebay seller misleading ad now cost me more to have it fixed. Seller refused to resolve problem.

Yamaha TX-500U, works great for $10 at thrift shop. Pretty sensitive but musically alright

[rhinofly]

Kenwood 600t (aps modded and updated)
Sansui tu-717
Luxman t-02
Pioneer f-99x
Mcintosh mx-113

All are outstanding performers But the kenwood is in a class by itself.

[mr marantz]

Sansui TU-717
Marantz 105B
Marantz 115B
Marantz 2110

[siamac]

My PIONEER Tuners:

TX-9100
TX-9500II
TX-8500II
TX-8500II
TX-D1000
TX-D1000
TX-7800
TX-7800
TX-606
F-90
F-99X
F-99X

:scratch2:

[BeerCan]

Pioneer TX-8500II
Dynaco FM3
Sansui TU-505 (just got today)
Fisher FM-2300

[hpsenicka]

Kenwood KT-8300 (fantastic, but likely due for a recapping and an alignment)

Kenwood KT-6500 (recapped & modded by Bob Fitzgerald of "fmtunerinfo" fame)

Pioneer TX-800 (good looking, but needs a fair bit of work)

[doucanoe]

Let's see if I can be the last one AGAIN to post in one of these "list your stuff" threads.

I love my tuners, we have reasonable programing here. Provided your into Classical and Jazz. (just lost one more classical station though)

Sherwood S-2000 (2)
Sherwood S-3000II
Marantz 105
Kenwood KT 5500
PSE Studio 3 ( if you ever came across one buy it! )

Adios
RC

[Andyman]

Only one here, an Onkyo T-9 I picked up last year in case I wound up going with separates. I just hooked it up tonight and it sounds very nice. It's a bit of a warhore as it was one of the pieces I salvaged from the garage fire. It actually was on the shelves that were on fire, albeit 4' lower, and got tossed outside by the firemen. Looked a bit like that Marantz ad. Pulled the top tonight and it's as clean as a whistle inside :thmbsp:

I'm a bit gun-shy about tuners as I think the medium is in real danger. Between satellite/digital radio and the corporatization of the airwaves, it's getting damn tough to find something worthwhile to tune in. Luckily, I can pull in two local NPRs and Canada's CBC2 here, but I'd still like a more variety.

BTW, I can appreciate the WXRT in Chicago comment. I lived there from 1982-84 and my dial was permanently parked there. And they're still going strong today!

[hpsenicka]

at the risk of opening a new can of worms...

I don't think we will see the death of FM radio in the near future... too much hardware out there... it has momentum.

Just look at the longevity of other legacy broadcast formats.... namely AM radio and TV.

I'm sure this has been beat to death eleswhere, so I won't go in to any details (look at www.fmtunerinfo.com discussion forums if you are curious), but I am confident that I will get a lot more enjoyment from my tuner.

The best content is typically coming from college stations and public broadcasters.... I won't miss the larger commercial outfits shifting their focus into newer technologies.

[WhiteSE]

My tuner,,,MR-71...

http://audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=31829&stc=1

[Urizen]

KT-8005 & KT-80

Video killed the radio star?

:yes:

[cfoster]

Tuners:
Fisher R 200
Luxman T 100
Marantz Legacy series (can't remember the number) In storage
Serwood (Digital and again the number escapes me) In Storage

Tuner/Preamp:
McIntosh MX 113
HK PT 2300
Hafler 945

[juncers]

Technics ST-9038
Pioneer F-90
Yamaha CT-800
Sony ST-5950
Yamaha T-1020
Sony ST-3950
Yamaha CR-1000
Technics SA-5460
Sony STR-11L

BBC Radio 3 usually broadcasts with superb fidelity ( especially live broadcasts), so I've become a real tuner fan and collector since moving to England.

Ray

[OvenMaster]

I ain't gonna worry about FM dying. I saw something online (no, I don't remember where) that even by 2008 we're only gonna have like 4 million IBOC-capable tuners sold in total. Individual stations and owners need to pick up the tab for the digital transmission capability, just like HDTV terrestrial broadcasters do now. That's $100,000 per station. There are supposedly already stations in my area using IBOC and I don't notice any interference with my tin ears. But I have yet to be able to find one single IBOC-capable tuner in any store here. I also clicked on the manufacturer links that iBiquity (the IBOC company) supplies and could not find one single IBOC home tuner available. Same goes for HDTV terrestrial channel set-top converters. Not a one to be found, yet regular NTSC TV sets still get sold on a daily basis.

This is one issue I am NOT losing any sleep over. The installed tuner base in cars, homes and businesses is massive even compared to television sets. The average house has what, 2+ radios per person? I have 4 people in my family and can count 13 analog radios, including in the cars. No way can I afford to replace all of them, never mind even considering pay-per-month XM or Sirius. And let us not forget the environmental nightmare of literally hundreds of millions of "useless" analog tuners, receivers, ghetto blasters, clock radios, portables, car radios, Wal-Mart systems and Walkmans needing to be disposed of! March 2005 Monitoring Times, page 14, had an article all about the state of FM. Kenwood, a maker or IBOC equipment, even admitted that there will still be a large number of analog tuners sold through 2014!

Face it: this is just one company's way of generating license fees and royalties for their own profit, in addition to generating new income for equipment makers. If the music is the same as before, all we consumers end up doing is being forced to dump perfectly good equipment in order to hear the same stuff as before. Take HDTV: I seriously doubt the programs will be any better after a switchover. The only result is that we had to pay for new TV sets. But at least we'll be able to see stars' nose hairs with greater clarity. BFD.

Just like HDTV: I'll believe it when I see it. Let the first adopters shell out the bucks. I refuse to pay for research and development and possible failure. Anyone out there remember DiVX?

Thought so.

Tom

[240 Volts]

Currently my only "seperate" tuners are a Trio (Kenwood) KT-815 and a Quad FM4. Both owned from new and both immaculate.

All my other sources of FM listening are receivers (see sig for details).

[Filmboydoug]

Primary is a Nikko Gamma V, backup is a NT-890.

[wizard_len]

I guess I'm the odd one out here. I only have two: a Pioneer Elite F-91 and an Onkyo TX-9090II. I have a couple of receivers...does that count?

[bully]

Heck yeah! Separates are tops, but receivers can be fine, too. Still and all, post about your tuners.

[oldschool]

Sansui TU-9900
Sansui TU-517
Pioneer TX-6500II
Kenwood KT-5300

Pioneer TX-9100 (en route!) :banana:

[fungcs]

My tuner list :

Marantz 112
Sansui TU-217
Sansui T-80
Sansui T-7
Kenwood KT-5500
JVC JT-V77 (any info?)
SABA Telewatt RDS-2030 (any info?)
Pioneer TX-710

[maxsnafu]

I have the following:

McIntosh MR78/ MPI 4
Kenwood KT 8300
Marantz 2110
Sansui TU 9900

The Rotor antenna goes up tomorrow! I have been dreaming of this for many years. I finally got a house and antenna, almost 30 years after I bought my TU 9900. Better late than never I say.

Fellah. you're gonna have a ball! Prepare to have the number of stations you can receive increased by a factor of 5 to 10 (!)--depending on the type of
antenna you put up, its heigth and your local terrain.

[Thumpy]

JVC JT-V77 (any info?)
I have one. There is virtually NO info about it online, as you probably have noticed.
I can tell you that it has 4 FM gangs and some pretty good components inside, such as the HA11223 FM stereo deMUX chip.

[art2music58]

Two kenwoods,7300 and a 5500 the 5500 is a killer cheap one! Also a quad fm 3 have not heard it yet the evil din to rca but i exspect good things.Randy.

[jblmar]

I have one. There is virtually NO info about it online, as you probably have noticed.
I can tell you that it has 4 FM gangs and some pretty good components inside, such as the HA11223 FM stereo deMUX chip.
Same HA11223 in my Marantz 2130.
Ron

[bob adams]

The goal of IBOC is not the broadcast of music for listeners. Ibiquity and the radio stations of the future could not care less whether or not you have music or local news to listen to. If they could what they really want to do is the use of the FM band in a totally different way. The goal of IBOC is paying customers for digital sideband transmissions of wireless data. Radio stations have always made money off of sideband transmissions but with digital there will be so many more. So if you don't buy a digital receiver it will be no sweat off their backs. They and their buds over in the FCC have stacked the deck in their own favor to make fortunes on the airwaves the citizens supposedly own. The sheeple are being sold a load of crap and being told digital broadcasting is going to be great for the listener. Don't believe it. It's corporate welfare pure and simple.

[warnerwhf]

I've got a Kenwood Kt 5500, modded Kt 7500 and stock Kt 8300 with slight mods to come.

As for IBOC I don't care to have anything to do with it. I hope it doesn't even get off the ground. Who wants to pay a couple of hundred for a tuner to play compressed mp3's? Imo I think they're going to have a hard time selling the public on this. Even if I were joe blow i'd wonder what the point is when I get everything fine already.

[Yamaha B-2]

As for IBOC I don't care to have anything to do with it. I hope it doesn't even get off the ground. Who wants to pay a couple of hundred for a tuner to play compressed mp3's? Imo I think they're going to have a hard time selling the public on this. Even if I were joe blow i'd wonder what the point is when I get everything fine already.Unfortunately, joe blow is ignorant and will only know what the even more ignorant sales guy will tell him when buying. So we will get IBOC. Just another case of the broadcast companies getting what they want (more sideband to sell) while the consumer gets the shaft.

[Peter W.]

We've had threads counting our speakers, telling about our turntables, yada yada.
So, now, how about your tuners? How many do you have?
My favs are the two Onkyo T-9.
Others include:
Yamaha T-80 (two, excellent)
Onkyo T-4090 (sweet)
Technics ST-8080 (excellent)
Denon TU-600 (nice, but not enough time with it yet)
Yamaha CT-800 (haven't got 'round to listening to it)
Audica ST-3120B (a mystery, but very good)

That's 9 tuners, oh there is the old NAD 4020, but it's in a box 'cause it 'wanders' but it was a sweetie.
Hmmm.... reaching back into the closet and back of the bench... Receivers not listed.

Revox A700 tuner/preamp. Nixie-tube digital read-out.
Revox B760 Led Digital
Revox A76 Plain Jane, but very effective
Dynaco FM-5 with the "factory" dolby mod. I got it at the factory when Dyna went under. I am not sure it ever was sold that way.
Dynaco FM-3 (2)
Scott LT-110
Soundcraftsmen... it is at our summer house, so I cannot verify the number, but "Made in USA" with the blue LED display and very thin.

Only the Soundcraftsmen is AM/FM, hence its being relegated to the summer house.

I do keep a small FM-stereo transmitter to make the tuners play what I want in every room of the house rather than having to rely on OTA stuff.

[Brian]

Dyna has a module announced for the FM5. I had the advance sheet in my collection. To the best of my knowledge it was never released and some years ago in discussions with Sound Values they also believed it had never been put out to market. Yours may actually be a donkey (prototype, engineering or production sample). When I disposed of my collection the sheet went with it. I had always wanted to query Frank Van Alstine about it but never did.

[williebird8]

Been reading this forum for a while, and figured it was time to chime in.

My collection of tuners consists of:

Yamaha CT-1010 (newly acquired, amazing)
Yamaha T-7 (fun to play with)
Sansui TU-317 (awesome little tuner)
Technics ST-9030 (Really good DXer)

These pieces all have had duty in my 'cottage' rig.
At the moment the CT-1010 is center stage.

I also run an MD-102 in the BIG rig. (SWEET)

[theodoric]

Just two right now:

McIntosh MR73
Pioneer Elite F-93 (aka "the most complicated tuner ever")

[bolly]

williebird8, did you just grab that CT-1010 off local epay?

[Double D]

:thmbsp: Umm... actually no Bolly, that would be ME that got the 1010 on e-bay, Williebird8 and I share our "inventory" of tuners and other such goodies.
Was good dealing with you, and I wasn't aware that you were on here til after got back.
Cheers !

[hpsenicka]

WillieBird8 & Double D.... welcome to AudioKarma!!

It's great to have 2 new memebers within the GTA!

By the way guys.. I'm curious how you both discovered AK.. and what your audio interests are.

[Double D]

I've known of the "Karma" for quite some time, but time constraints and just enjoying my systems, usually keep me out of the forums.

I used to write for Soundstage.com, and have some ties with Blue Circle in that I assist them with trade shows, etc. Will be at CES06 again YAHOOO!

My primary system can be seen on A-gon on this link:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vevol&1104378624&read&3&4&

Will soon put up some newer pix on here as well, also, there is updated cosmetics on the BC206, and the MD100 tuner has been swapped into an MD102t, it's a real sweetie ! :yes:

Cheers

[williebird8]

Thanks Hpsenicka

Discovered AK while doing research into vintage tuners, specifically the Sansui Tu-317. (which I found MINT on e-bay recently)

My interests are primarily 2 channel (no vinyl however) and of particular interest is in quality FM tuners. Dxing is not as important having a lot of good signals to tune in where I live.

My reference system is mostly static (no gear changing).

My second (office) system is where I like trying out new 'stuff' and is where I listen to my VINTAGE tuners. Unfortunately I think I have caught the vintage TUNA bug.

Glad I found AK, seems that there is a wealth of knowledge shared, and some nice people to correspond with.

[bolly]

welcome to AK double d, you too williebird8! :thmbsp:

[Bogframe]

I have a SAE 8000 with two bad LEDs that I have replacements for, but don't know enough about electronics to put them in. I also have the tuner in my Realistic STA 2000D and my wife's Sony STR 135 DE.

[VPIVinylspinner]

I guess I will post my list. I seem to add about 1 per month as I bought my first one in October. I seem to spend about 75% of my listening time with a tuner as they sound so good and the stations are still quite good in the NYC market.

Yamaha T-85
Kenwood L-07t
Mitsubishi DA-F20 (coming from San Fran now)
Yamaha TX-930
Pioneer TX-7500

[junkaudio]

i collect these:
mcintosh mx110
revox b760
onkyo t-9990
sony st-a7
sony st515
technics st-7300

[rhinofly]

kenwood 600t (aps modded) - excellent, a classic, fantastic ergonomics

sansui 717 - great sound, a classic

luxman t-02 - fantastic and underrated tuner, matches the c-02/m-02 gear. This tuner was the top of the line just before the t-03/t-117. Sound quality is equal to the excellent tu-717. Selectivity is equal to or slightly better than my tu-717. My bet is it is pretty much equal to the t-117 but have not had them side-by-side. If Jim ever gets a good one and does a shootout the price will jump big time. C.A.T tuning.

pioneer f-99x - good tuner but a bit bass shy and not as selective as the tuners above.

luxman tx-101 - this seems to be pretty rare. I just bought a mint one from ebay and have not had the chance to hear it yet. It was made around the same time as the t-02 and also has the C.A.T system. My suspicion is that this is basically a t-02 in different clothing. When it gets here I will open it and the t-02 up and compare the guts. I am betting it is a sleeper. Has not been reviewed by fmtunerinfo but they do have a good picture of one.

[jleon92f]

My ADCOM GFT-2 pulls in the stations really good for my area and using a dipole antenna.
Realistic TM-7
Heathkit AJ-13
Toshiba ST-335MKII

These are a few I like,
Johnny

[markmarc]

I used to live in Cheyenne, WY, which is 100 miles from Denver. The only tuner I ever heard pick up any stations clearly was the Carver TX-11. If distance/poor reception is what you're trying to overcome, it is the best choice I ever experienced.

[Gilbert2]

Bonsoir !

I have those :

My prefered : The mythical Sansui TU-9900

The wonderfull Revox B 780 it's a receiver but same tuner part as the famous B 760

Kenwood KT990D

[Reginald]

Bought it in 1979. I can't count the number of nights where it was the rooms' only illumination while listening to campus radio. There is something about the pungent aroma of herbs that goes with the memory but that's another story...

R.W.T.

[jlindsey86]

Pioneer TX-6700
Pioneer TX-6800
Pioneer F-9

[doug s.]

Bought it in 1979. I can't count the number of nights where it was the rooms' only illumination while listening to campus radio. There is something about the pungent aroma of herbs that goes with the memory but that's another story...

R.W.T.
get that sucker modded - you will be amazed how good it sounds when you get it back. it's pretty mundane sounding in stock form, imo.

doug s.

[Reginald]

What originally started out as curiosity has now developed into a "must try". The tuner is now 27 years old and really could do with the upgrades. Once I'm done paying my savings account back for the KEF's it is headed out for the complete rework. I really am looking forward to hearing how it sounds.

Cheers
R

[doug s.]

What originally started out as curiosity has now developed into a "must try". The tuner is now 27 years old and really could do with the upgrades. Once I'm done paying my savings account back for the KEF's it is headed out for the complete rework. I really am looking forward to hearing how it sounds.

Cheers
R
you will be wery pleased w/the results. i owned a modded kt-7550 & it was *way* better sounding than the stock kt-9900 i owned.

good luck,

doug s.

[paulj]

Has anyone heard of Marantz ST30?

[bolly]

bluebook says,

MARANTZ TUNER, ST-300
Description: FINE TUNING METER, ST-MONO FM MUTING,LED FUNCTION INDICATOR
Manufacture Years: 1979 - 1981
MSRP: $236.00
USED: $19.00

not the same model number paulj, but looks like she fits the bill(maybe the silver-faced version?)

[Vinyl Rules!]

Has anyone heard of Marantz ST30?
Most likely the same ST-300 BOLLY notes.

Marantz had a habit at the time of dropping one or two zeros off the model numbers for some of the units they sold outside the USA. They were maddeningly inconsistent in this policy, as the Esotec line, for example, used the same model numbers in all parts of the world.

A perfect example is the Marantz ST-500 tuner: The export version of this tuner was the ST-5. :cool:

[mr marantz]

Most likely the same ST-300 BOLLY notes.

Marantz had a habit at the time of dropping one or two zeros off the model numbers for some of the units they sold outside the USA. They were maddeningly inconsistent in this policy, as the Esotec line, for example, used the same model numbers in all parts of the world.

A perfect example is the Marantz ST-500 tuner: The export version of this tuner was the ST-5. :cool:



Little correction; St-5 had a different apearence then the ST-500 and ST-510.

ST-5 had round knobs and belonged to the Esotec series.

Inside differences i am not awere of

[Vinyl Rules!]

Little correction; St-5 had a different apearence then the ST-500 and ST-510.

ST-5 had round knobs and belonged to the Esotec series.

Inside differences i am not awere of
Interesting info - Thank you. :thmbsp:

We were a big Marantz dealer, but dropped them about the time they came out with the Esotec series.

I rememer the Esotec ST-7 and ST-8 tuners, which were cosmetically updated 2130 tuners.

What's interesting about the ST-5/ST-500 is that it has a selectible IF and I don't ever remember seeing it when our rep was begging us to sell Esotec.

Marantz would not have designed a new RF and IF section just for this ST-5 Esotec - They would have used an already existing design or modified it only slightly.

Do you have any idea of where the RF and IF section of the ST-5 Esotec originated? :cool:

[Paul C]

I recently sold my ancient Onkyo T15 tuner and bought an Onkyo T-4000. I can't find anything on this model at FMtunerinfo. Anybody know where this one stands in the tuner foodchain?

Update, only 2 ceramic filters... :thumbsdn: Kinda low on the foodchain, though the it does work well with the Onkyo P-3200 preamp via the R1 remote.

Will look for something better. :scratch2:

[Whitehall]

Right now, a Sony ST-5000FW and just picked up a Phillips AH673 cheap at GW. Both are first class machines - the Sony is warmer and fatter; the Phillips, clean and silent.

Recently, picked up and sold:

Denon TU-660 - a decent little digital machine

Sanyo Plus T35 - cool looking, nice sound. Why did I sell it????

Onkyo T-4090 - boxed up as a donation for AK. More than decent.

[the-real-mandak]

Yamaha T-760
Yamaha TX-900
Yamaha T-85 (gave it to my brother for x-mas, he was happy)

[jleon92f]

Hi,
My 1st Tuner and I still have it playing it now, hooked up to My Sansui AU-717.
Realistic TM-7 Stereo Tuner. I bought it in the 1960's $ 79.95! Picture from 1969, and Sunday 2006

Plays great!
John..

[smollett5]

I have a:
McIntosh MR67 (tube)
McIntosh7082 (solid state)
Pioneer TX-130 (solid state)
Fisher TFM-300 (hybrid tube/solid state)

I have just acquired an all tube Fisher FM-1000 Multiplex Broadcast Monitor built in 1962. It looks great but works suboptimally, so it now awaits my tech's examination in his shop.

[darth]

My only two are: Pioneer TX-6500II ( Sounds GREAT!!)
Kenwood KT-5300

[carolinabirdman]

Mcintosh, if recievers count, also Fisher FM 90X (mono). Fisher was my first, bought new in 1958 and just can't part with it.

[Yamaha B-2]

Just added a Yamaha CT-7000 and T-2 to my flock. Also had one of my ST-J75 tuners fully refurb'd with a Black Gate recap, etc., by dr*audio. Not sure that it is new, but certainly up-graded.

[wajobu]

Yamaha CT-810, CT-1010 & T-1. Glenn (B-2), the T-1 is a very strong tuner with very solid bass...still have yet to do a side by side with the CT-1010.

[AlleyKat]

Only one, an Adcom GFT 2, modded by Don Scott that I just purchased. Really nice sound and tremendous reception. :music:

[doug s.]

Only one, an Adcom GFT 2, modded by Don Scott that I just purchased. Really nice sound and tremendous reception. :music:
i don't wanna rain on your parade, but i humbly suggest sending it to someone like bob fitzgerald, bill ammons, mike williams, etc, that actually knows how to align a tuna, so you can hear how it's *really* supposed to sound & receive stations... :scratch2:

ymmv,

doug s.

[dnewma04]

Used to have a TX-9100 but it was sold and I just added a Soundstream T-1

[totem]

JUST HAVE 2 TUNAS
TECHNICS ST 8080 SINCE NEW ALWAYS LIKED THE MIDS

PIONEER TX 9500 JUST P.U. MAY BE ONE OF THE CLEANEST ONES AROUND :smoke:

[Tube Radio]

LaFayette LT50/KT500 (tube) used often. Excellent reception.
Heathkit FM-3A (tube) rarely used

[Vitopanch]

Hail,
I have only three at the moment;

Kenwood 8007, Scott LT-112B and Nikko NT-850.
Vito

[jt1stcav]

Was just given to me by a friend who had no need for it. Looks clean and it does power up, but I'll wait until it's been thoroughly tested before using it in my system.

Before that I owned an '83 Carver TX-11 FM stereo tuner (now sold).

[baco99]

hi! i just picked up a Nikko FAM-1200 tuner from a friend. can't find much information on them online. does anyone know of any vintage Nikko resources?

i also picked up a Pioneer SA-9100 int amp. looks the business, but i have yet to hook it up. lots of info on this amp. is it a rare beast?

otherwise i am more of a speaker-builder. i have a pair of custom 2-way ported towers that i use for my primary listening with a Marantz AV-550 preamp and MA-500 monoblocks. i plan to use these components as a home theater setup. a few years, behind, but it's better than the little Aiwa junk we're using now.

[Yamaha B-2]

Perhaps Mike could put a sticky on the 'Tuners' forum with the web-address to the Tuner Information Center and their Yahoo forum. It is the best central location of 'all things tuner'. http://www.fmtunerinfo.com/

[onepixel]

Here is my list of tuners. Still looking for a reasonably priced TU-X1. Which may never happen.

Marantz 125
Pioneer TX-9100
Yamaha CT-810
Sansui TU-555

[baco99]

Here's the Nikko I picked up. Not much info online. Any information people have is appreciated!

Also, can anyone explain the differences in the outputs? I'm using the Fixed, but I'm not sure the effect of the other outputs. Also, don't know what the Vert/Horiz outputs are supposed to go to???

It sounds good, tho!

[dnewma04]

Hi there, take the top off and get a nice high res pic of the innards. That will allow us to give you a brief description of the FM front end and the basic layout.

[radioactive]

Also, can anyone explain the differences in the outputs? I'm using the Fixed, but I'm not sure the effect of the other outputs. Also, don't know what the Vert/Horiz outputs are supposed to go to???



the variable output used to vary the output level of the tuner and is controlled on the front of the tuner with the level control.you can use either one it doesnt matter. the vert/horz outputs are for use with a scope.most of the better tuners had this feature.i too like dave would like to see the inside of it.so if you could take a few pictures i'd appreciate it.

chris

[doug s.]

Here is my list of tuners. Still looking for a reasonably priced TU-X1. Which may never happen.

Marantz 125
Pioneer TX-9100
Yamaha CT-810
Sansui TU-555

what's your definition of *reasonable*? :D there's a dealer in los angeles that has one f/s, as well as a kenwood l-02t, & a slew of slightly lesser but still excellent tuna specimens. it seems he *really* likes the rotel rht-10 he picked up.... :scratch2:

http://www.allegrosound.com/index18.html

i am still awaiting receipt of my modded/conwerted tu-x1 from joseph chow, which tho still unreasonably priced, was below market price for me, even w/mods, cuz it was a japan spec 76-90mhz freq tuna, so it sold for quite a bit less than normal. seems folks were afraid of the tuning band, but since mr chow had conwerted one japan-spec tuna for me awreddy, & said this one would also be do-able, i took the plunge.

but, from what "early adapters" are saying about the accuphase t1000, i may wanna sell my entire tuna *school* to finance one of those... :scratch2:

doug s.

[baco99]

thanks the the feedback! this explains why the "mute" switch on the front of the unit didn't do anything.

i'll try to snap some pics off tonight.

so what's the middle ouput in between the fixed and variable? Mono?

[msdr4d]

My Tuners are:

Pioneer TX-6500
Pioneer TX-7500
Pioneer TX-9500

Looking at starting in on the TX-x800 series soon.

[Aage]

Sony ST-80W
Quad FM 3
Quad AM 3
Sansui TU-555
Sansui TU-505 (two of them, I forget why)
Fisher FM-1000

I guess the newest of them is around 30 years old. Yikes!

[riverrat]

(2) Onkyo T-9
Onkyo T-4
Sansui TU-719
Denon TU-500

One of the T-9's has some "issues", even though it was advertised as "flawless" on eBay. I only have about $30 into it, so I'd be willing to send to a tech to check out and maybe resell, or perhaps give to some financially challenged audiophile.

The Onkyo T-9 seems to still be one of those under the radar gems. I'm lukewarm in its styling but it sounds GREAT, better than my TU-719, but the Sansui may need an alignment.

The Denon is still on its way to me, so I can't comment on that one...

[doug s.]

i had a tu-719, & it *was* a nice tuna. if nothing is wrong w/it, & your t-9 is better, that is certainly worth noting...

doug s.
(2) Onkyo T-9
Onkyo T-4
Sansui TU-719
Denon TU-500

One of the T-9's has some "issues", even though it was advertised as "flawless" on eBay. I only have about $30 into it, so I'd be willing to send to a tech to check out and maybe resell, or perhaps give to some financially challenged audiophile.

The Onkyo T-9 seems to still be one of those under the radar gems. I'm lukewarm in its styling but it sounds GREAT, better than my TU-719, but the Sansui may need an alignment.

The Denon is still on its way to me, so I can't comment on that one...

[Bambi B]

Mates,

Tuners at home December, 2006:

Scott 330D (1958) mono tube, FM/AM
McIntosh MR67 (1964) stereo, tube, FM
McIntosh MX110 (1965) stero, tube tuner/preamp
McIntosh MR77 (1974) stereo, solid state, FM
Revox B160 (1989) stereo, solid state, FM

Additional tuner sources:

Fisher 800D (1965) stereo receiver, tube
Marantz 2235 (1971) stereo receiver, solid state
Marantz 2275 (1974) stereo receiver, solid state

Accessories:

Heathkit AC-11- tube MPX adapter for the Scott

Cheers,

Bambi B

[jcmusic]

Here are my tuners currently,

Marantz 120
Marantz 2100
Scott LT-110B
Scott 310-E
Sansui TU-710 modded.

Jay

[Yamaha B-2]

See that I haven't mentioned the Sony ST-5000FW that Mike (Punker X) did a full BG recap/alignment/balunectomy/power cord change on last year. Simply a terrific tuner with which I couldn't be happier (well.....the dial lighting could be a bit brighter). Do ~50% of my listening with this tuner. Thanks, Mike!! :thmbsp:

Sony ST-5000FW (BG recap, balunectomy, aligned, quality power cord - by Punker X).
Sony ST-J75 (BG recap, balunectomy, aligned, quality power cord - by dr*audio).
Yamaha T-2 (undergoing a BG recap, balunectomy, alignment and IEC install - by M. Wilson at Absolute Sound Labs).
Yamaha CT-7000 (to undergo a BG recap, balunectomy, alignment and new power cord - by ?).
Yamaha CT-1010 (to undergo a BG recap, balunectomy, and new power cord by yours truly - alignment by ?).
McIntosh MR-71 (next one, has to wait until I'm flush :D )

Stock - Denon TU-750S and Yamaha T-80 - would like to get rid of these.

[energyandair]

Mine are:

Nikko Gamma V

Sony 5000 FW

Both sound really good so I've been putting off deciding which one stays and which one goes

David

[the-real-mandak]

Update fall 2006:
Yamaha T-760
Yamaha T-80
Yamaha T-85 (I gave one to my brother for x-mas, but decided that I also needed one myself :) ).
Yamaha TX-900

[Whitehall]

Update for me too:

McIntosh MR71 classic tube tuner!

McIntosh MX113 solid state tuner/preamp, tuner circuits like the MR74

Sony ST-5000FW, solid state recapped and aligned by Dr_ Audio

Sony ST-S7 decent digital

Philips AH673

[Strangeband]

I have two:

Sony ST-4950
Sansui TU-417

[pocketchange]

Mac MR77 w/all tube front end and cheap wrabbet ers...

[Yamaha B-2]

Mac MR77 w/all tube front end and cheap wrabbet ers...How did you get a tube front end into your MR-77? Can you post a picture?

[pocketchange]

Missed .. Everything ELSE IS TUBEs but the MR77!
PreAmp and Amp ='s ALL Tube front end.
I had a MR71 but tired of the generated heat.
PreAmp and Amp's are in a vented closet.

[stereokarter]

Current:
Scott LT110 FM tube tuner
Scott 310D tube (mono) FM tuner
Scott 335 Mpx decoder
Toshiba ST445 AM/FM ss tuner
Kenwood KT8300 ss FM tuner (Randy Young mods.)
Previously owned:
McIntosh MR78 ss FM tuner
Toshiba ST335 AM/F? ss tuner
Scott 310E tube FM tuner
Radio Craftsman tuner (model unknown)

[mg196]

All I have is a simple ONKYO T-4017 and it has done everything I have asked of it. Nothing fancy.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r113/mg196/ONKYOT-4017.jpg

[jeffe]

Yamaha
T-1
T-2 (2)
T-7
T-85
T-1000
T-1020
CT-1010

Sansui
TU-717
TU-719

Pioneer
TX-9500II

DBX
TX-3MkII

Nikko
Gamma 1
NT-850

Kenwood
KT-9900
L-07T
L-07TII

[sump pump]

:smoke: current line-up of Tuners (all stock)

Digital:

Sony SA50-ES
Yamaha TX-930

Analog:

Pioneer TX-9500II
Onkyo T-9
Yamaha T-550

:yes:Tuners are :king:

[skiroe]

Current that are being used:

Kenwood KT-8300 ( Mike Williams overhaul)

Accuphase T-100

Yamaha T-85 (new acquisition & checking out)

Stored: Scott 112B >>> alignment can be done by the user without the usually required scopes, etc. Bought it for that reason couple of years ago although still havnt tried to align it. The first S/S tuner Scott made, I think, after their tube tuners.

Past tuners:

Luxman 5T50

Luxman T-12

Accuphase T-101

Mac MR71, MR74

Hitachi FT920 (sleeper, good sonics for little $)

Contemplating buying MR78 or Kenwood 600T

[skiroe]

P.S. on the Scott 112B. I have the original manual which is like a small coffee table book w/color illustrations ,, instructions on building, and how to align. If I recall this tuner was a kit although I dont know if this particular one was owner or factory built. It might well say somewhere on the unit. it needs to come out and be run for awhile. Last year when I took it out it had condensation inside on the dial area,, yikes.. and this was from being stored in my living space. Had a bit of a moisture problem here. At any rate, it has multipurpose meters and has multipath feature which I always must have in my tuners. Although I have just swerved from that requirement by buying the T-85 which does not have multipath function which was surprising to me. But, then again, there are top tuners that dont have that. I think that function is exceedingly important to optomize tuning in a station.

[doug s.]

curious your opinion of accuphase t101 vs t100.

and, don't bother w/the mr78 - imo the two macs you awreddy owned both outperform it sonically. unless you have exceptionally difficult reception conditions, the mr78 is not worth it. and even if you did, i would look for something else w/excellent reception abilities - almost anything that can compete receptionwise will sound better.

Current that are being used:

Kenwood KT-8300 ( Mike Williams overhaul)

Accuphase T-100

Yamaha T-85 (new acquisition & checking out)

Stored: Scott 112B >>> alignment can be done by the user without the usually required scopes, etc. Bought it for that reason couple of years ago although still havnt tried to align it. The first S/S tuner Scott made, I think, after their tube tuners.

Past tuners:

Luxman 5T50

Luxman T-12

Accuphase T-101

Mac MR71, MR74

Hitachi FT920 (sleeper, good sonics for little $)

Contemplating buying MR78 or Kenwood 600T

[skiroe]

I dont have a lot to say that hasnt already been said re/100 vs. 101. The build quality is better on the 100. I had them both running at one time but not A/B'ed so could not really compare sonics. They both presented with accurate and detailed imaging and I didnt think the 101 was too bright, at least in my system. I may have held on to the 101 but for the slight tranny hum. I am very sensitive to that sort of thing and want dead quiet for the most part from my equipment except of course expect some associated hash from tube units. Although, the tranny should be quiet on those too. Most people would not have been concerned with the tranny hum that the 101 had. You had to really know what you are looking for and listen intently. But, it was there. I cushioned the tranny with rubber gasket to no avail and contemplated sending the tuner out,,but for the most part I was informed that there was not a fix for that aside from changing the tranny out. I think this is an example of 100 vs 101 build quality. I would be curious in knowing how many other people have experienced this w/101. I realize that 78 is not known for really good sonics. I plan on moving to rural area at some point and the 78 (modded & upgraded only) could be a reasonably good dx'er. At least it used to be. But, at its cost,, the 600T might be the way I go. Although filter work required to improve selectivity on this unit.

[riverrat]

:smoke: current line-up of Tuners (all stock)
Digital: Sony SA50-ES , Yamaha TX-930
Analog: Pioneer TX-9500II, Onkyo T-9, Yamaha T-550
:yes:Tuners are :king:

sump, would you care to compare your T-9 with some of the other tuners in your line-up? Mine sounds better than any other tuner I own.

I like the styling of most of my other tuners more, but sound-wise the Onkyo beats them all.

I need to get a decent antenna so I can't really comment on reception capabilities.

[sump pump]

sump, would you care to compare your T-9 with some of the other tuners in your line-up? Mine sounds better than any other tuner I own.

I like the styling of most of my other tuners more, but sound-wise the Onkyo beats them all.

I need to get a decent antenna so I can't really comment on reception capabilities.

Hey riverrat - it's funny you say that about the Onkyo T-9 - sound wise it is one of my favorites. It is straight up clean and very well rounded. It has the "blackest" presentation in terms of background noise - very, very, quiet. It is very level or "flat" - in that it is not colored, or overly warm, YET, very true. It sounds near perfect.

The Pioneer 9500II (which I also love for other reasons) - is a tad brighter and seems a little warmer - but not as true as the Onkyo T-9.

I prefer the sound of my Analog tuners the most, but I will tell you the Sony SA50ES can sound damn close as the Onkyo T-9, it is as dimensionally true as the T-9, just not as quiet.

The one snag with the Onkyo T-9 is that it "rejects" anything with a signal strength less than 4, therefore, I cannot use it effectively with some of the stations I seek to listen to. Mostly, lower powered Public Radio Stations in the Chicago & Milwaukee area :sigh:

For this reason, I have the Yamaha TX-930, which can tune in almost any station in the area, and two area's over - but not with the same quality as the Tuners I mentioned

Actually, I like the looks of the Onkyo T-9; - kind of Industrial - Inevitably, most of my buddies cannot resist turning the huge ass Tuning knob, and give it a whirl when they get a chance :yes:

[Gigapod]

I have three tuners at home right now:
1) Yamaha T-760 (1981).
2) Yamaha T-960II (1982).
3) Luxman T-111L (1988).
The Luxman gets played about 12 hours every day and so far is my favourite all-rounder: looks, sound, sensitivity, SNR, ease of use, layout.

(edit)
Just added two more tuners:
4) Yamaha T-1060 (1982).
5) Luxman T-105 (1984).

I haven't tested them yet so my favourite is still the sleek black Luxman T-111L. The silver Yamaha T-1060 looks quite impressive. The Luxman T-105 matches my LV-105u hybrid tube/mosfet amp.

(edit2)
6) Got a Yamaha TX-540 yesterday, and tested it today.
Surprise, surprise: the T-105 sounds better than its younger brother the T-111L, and better than all the Yamahas, including the TX-540. And it's quite happy with a 50cm long piece of wire as its FM antenna. Go figure!

[doug s.]

Hey riverrat - it's funny you say that about the Onkyo T-9 - sound wise it is one of my favorites. It is straight up clean and very well rounded. It has the "blackest" presentation in terms of background noise - very, very, quiet. It is very level or "flat" - in that it is not colored, or overly warm, YET, very true. It sounds near perfect.

The Pioneer 9500II (which I also love for other reasons) - is a tad brighter and seems a little warmer - but not as true as the Onkyo T-9.

I prefer the sound of my Analog tuners the most, but I will tell you the Sony SA50ES can sound damn close as the Onkyo T-9, it is as dimensionally true as the T-9, just not as quiet.

The one snag with the Onkyo T-9 is that it "rejects" anything with a signal strength less than 4, therefore, I cannot use it effectively with some of the stations I seek to listen to. Mostly, lower powered Public Radio Stations in the Chicago & Milwaukee area :sigh:

For this reason, I have the Yamaha TX-930, which can tune in almost any station in the area, and two area's over - but not with the same quality as the Tuners I mentioned

Actually, I like the looks of the Onkyo T-9; - kind of Industrial - Inevitably, most of my buddies cannot resist turning the huge ass Tuning knob, and give it a whirl when they get a chance :yes:
you may wanna seriously consider sending your t-9 tuna over to mike williams (aka punker x, on this forum), for repair & mods. he's not too far, over in michigan. he does excellent work.

http://radioxtuners.com/

doug s.

[riverrat]

Thanks Doug!

I actually have my Sony STA-6B in the queue with Mike.

I also have a Denon TU-850 on the way to dr*audio (I haven't seen this unit yet- going straight to dr*audio from the seller).

I may, at some point, put some $$ into my T-9. It has some bulbs out, which I hear is common with these units, and it would probably be good to see what it would do with a proper alignment.

Truth be told, I live in a rural area and don't have access to a lot of good FM content- mainly NPR and their various programs. I just like tuners!

But I think I am winding down on tuner acquisition, unless I come across a deal I just cannot pass up.

[doug s.]

Thanks Doug!

I actually have my Sony STA-6B in the queue with Mike.

I also have a Denon TU-850 on the way to dr*audio (I haven't seen this unit yet- going straight to dr*audio from the seller).

I may, at some point, put some $$ into my T-9. It has some bulbs out, which I hear is common with these units, and it would probably be good to see what it would do with a proper alignment.

Truth be told, I live in a rural area and don't have access to a lot of good FM content- mainly NPR and their various programs. I just like tuners!

But I think I am winding down on tuner acquisition, unless I come across a deal I just cannot pass up.
tell me what you think about that sony, when you get it back - i have one w/bob fitzgerald, of the tic, that i am waiting to hear. ;)

i know what you mean when you say you think you are winding down on tuna acquisition. i thought the same, but every time i sell one, i end up buying another two! :D actually, there really aren't many left that i am interested in hearing, that i haven't awreddy heard, so mebbe i really will finally start winding down my tuna hoarding activities. :scratch2:

doug s.

[riverrat]

tell me what you think about that sony, when you get it back - i have one w/bob fitzgerald, of the tic, that i am waiting to hear. ;)
doug s.

Will do. It will probably be awhile, I have not yet gotten the go ahead to send it to him, although I did get in line about 5 weeks ago. Mike said he is running about 6-9 weeks lead time right now.

One thing I DO like about the T-9 is the feature that turns off the quartz lock as soon as you touch the tuning knob. It even has three different sensitivity settings. Gives the best of both worlds- quartz lock, but ability to fine tune a station before the QL turns on.

But the T-9 has relatively primitive, uncool lights for the meters and tuning dial. Childish, I know, to worry about such things. But I just can't help it.

I'm thinking I will try to limit my stable to:

1. Sony STA-6B
2. Denon TU-850
3. Onkyo T-9
4. Sansui TU-719 (may swap out for a TU-717. Would prefer a TU-919 if I could ever find one at a decent price- FAT chance.)
5. Maybe an upper end Kenwood- have the nicest backlit tuning dials I have seen. I have a KT-7500 that I got for $20. It stays on permanently due to finicky lights that only light up once every 30 times I turn it on. I like the look of the Euro KT-9900 a lot.
6. MAYBE an AIWA 9700. Cool looking tuner!

[doug s.]

Will do. It will probably be awhile, I have not yet gotten the go ahead to send it to him, although I did get in line about 5 weeks ago. Mike said he is running about 6-9 weeks lead time right now.

One thing I DO like about the T-9 is the feature that turns off the quartz lock as soon as you touch the tuning knob. It even has three different sensitivity settings. Gives the best of both worlds- quartz lock, but ability to fine tune a station before the QL turns on.

But the T-9 has relatively primitive, uncool lights for the meters and tuning dial. Childish, I know, to worry about such things. But I just can't help it.

I'm thinking I will try to limit my stable to:

1. Sony STA-6B
2. Denon TU-850
3. Onkyo T-9
4. Sansui TU-719 (may swap out for a TU-717. Would prefer a TU-919 if I could ever find one at a decent price- FAT chance.)
5. Maybe an upper end Kenwood- have the nicest backlit tuning dials I have seen. I have a KT-7500 that I got for $20. It stays on permanently due to finicky lights that only light up once every 30 times I turn it on. I like the look of the Euro KT-9900 a lot.
6. MAYBE an AIWA 9700. Cool looking tuner!
i have owned many of the tunas you mention. imo, the denon tu-850 is a wee bit better than the sansui tu719 & tu717, w/the 719 the tiniest bit better than the 717. but, those sansui's are excellent. and, they are all responsive to mods. (don't forget about the mitsubishi da-f20 - an amazing tuna, when in good shape.) the aiwa at9700u is a sleeper; definitely get one, if you can find one. tho not expensive, they are rare. my 9700 is an errgonomic joy, & its sonics & reception are excellent. i am seriously considering getting it modded; it may be my #1 tuna after mods. my present #1 tuna is not yet determined - i need to do careful blind a-b testing between my modded hk citation 18, which i have owned for several years, & my modded sansui's - tu-x1 tu-9900, which i have only recently acquired. sonically equal to those, but not nearly as sensitive, are my sherwoods - s3000lll mono & modded s3000v; my sansui fm8, & my stromberg-carlson sr445. the sc's sensitivity is tryly abysmal; the sherwoods & sansui are actually quite good, for old tube tunas. i owned a kenwood kt-9900; it was beautiful, but it was also only one of a handful of tunas i wouldn't want to keep, due to only so-so sonics. if you wanna mod it, tho, then it's a whole new ball game. i owned a bill ammons mo