XDR-F1HD replacemet recommendations

Pricing data point on HD tuners

Good luck finding those for $25...what makes you think they're so worthless? Those go for around $150 all day.

The three NIB Sangean tuners at Shopgoodwill went for $110 to $116.
 
Yours are the 1 series, not the 1X series, and worth ~$25 new or not. Scary the uninformed bidders are offering 3-4 times what they are worth already. The 36 and more issues with the HDT-1 is unacceptable. http://ham-radio.com/k6sti/hdt-1.htm

I read the review. The issues they site aren't a big deal in my opinion, but the measured performance is not as good as the XDR-F!HD and bettered by many standard FM tuners. I wouldn't buy one. As to what the guts look like, with modern SMT construction a very small pcb can contain lots of very sophisticated circuitry, so appearance is not necessarily a good guide. Measured performance is everything when it comes to tuners.
As has been asked, what exactly is wrong with your tuner? Unless it got nuked by a powerline hit, ESD or lightning strike, it may be repairable.
 
Hey there KKnight
Am I missing something here?
You're head over heels for the Sony HD tuner.
Yours is dead. You could pay up and have yours fixed or
look on the bay and pay two to three times what they cost new.
It's not like they are as rare as say a nice Marantz 10b.
I have one and while its reception is outstanding, it sounds like the $89 tuner from Amazon that it is.
Good luck in your quest & happy listening.
 
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Just to chime in, I know sometimes repair costs can seem expensive, but this kind of work does require a decent amount of equipment, at least in terms of dollars spent to obtain it. I also know that people who work cheap often know what they are worth. I take my tube guitar amps to a guy locally who does great work. He charges about $65 per hour. That seems like a lot, but he is very good and because of his vast experience, he can work quickly. The price per hour feels high, but the overall cost is never that bad. The big thing is, when you have work done right the first time by an experienced pro, you don't have to take it somewhere else later and have it repaired again. That gets real expensive. Sometimes "cheap" work can be very expensive in the long term. I find it is better to pay the right person one time. If you plan to keep something for a long time, the investment will probably be well worth it.
 
Just to chime in, I know sometimes repair costs can seem expensive, but this kind of work does require a decent amount of equipment, at least in terms of dollars spent to obtain it. I also know that people who work cheap often know what they are worth. I take my tube guitar amps to a guy locally who does great work. He charges about $65 per hour. That seems like a lot, but he is very good and because of his vast experience, he can work quickly. The price per hour feels high, but the overall cost is never that bad. The big thing is, when you have work done right the first time by an experienced pro, you don't have to take it somewhere else later and have it repaired again. That gets real expensive. Sometimes "cheap" work can be very expensive in the long term. I find it is better to pay the right person one time. If you plan to keep something for a long time, the investment will probably be well worth it.
KKnight,

Not to pile on, but Punker X's rates are lower than manufacturer rates for many top-shelf audio brands. Like Punker X said in an earlier post, do you expect him to work for free?

The little Sony HD tuner is an exceptionally sensitive and selective tuner in stock form, but it does not sound very good (in stock form). I've had two modded by Punker X and I am astounded by how good they sound after he has worked his magic on them.

Why did I send him two Sony HD tuners? Well, I cannot afford an Accuphase T-1100 nor the McIntosh MR88. I bought two of the Sony's when they could be had for around $80 on-line, I had one modded, and decided to use it in my primary audio system and I have a spare if necessary.

From the tone of your post complaining about labour service rates I am going to presume you have not had any of your audio components repaired in the last twenty years or so. The number of audio service technicians I personally would trust with repairing/modifying/updating my personal equipment is declining each year. Why? I'm going to guess that many consumers today are happy with an iPod/iPhone/iPad and a decent set of headphones for their music listening, but I myself do not fall within this group. I still own and use (gasp!) cassettes and open reel tape, and I must confess an addiction to vinyl records. AND I own and listen to over 20 or so FM tuners. So I am very aware of service and repair rates from good technicians across the USA.

KKnight, you've already said you like the performance of the Sony. Bottom line (IMHO): The McIntosh MR88 is about the only HD-enabled tuner you can buy new today that approaches the performance of the now-discontinued Sony XDR-F1HD. So, you can spend the big bucks and buy a McIntosh MR88 or send your Sony off to Punker X and get it repaired and/or updated. As always, YMMV.

His rates are reasonable. So get your Sony HD tuner fixed and/or updated and quit your damn whining. :cool:
 
And to get you an HD tuner, you have Day-Sequerra or McIntosh. Anything which will give you reception prowess like you had in analog, is realistically $600 at cheapest to several grand.
 
I sold the little Sony when I realized that I was not using it and I had come
to hate HD for ruining good FM.

The guy who bought it was so happy...especially at the give away price. :D

I however never pass cheap good digital tuners.
 
I have to go along with many of the others on this post in that it would be well worth it to get your Sony fixed. I have both the Sony and the McIntosh MR88. The MR88 sounds better but it does not receive as many clean stations as the Sony.
 
[snip]
I have both the Sony and the McIntosh MR88. The MR88 sounds better but it does not receive as many clean stations as the Sony.

Interesting information. May I ask is your Sony stock or modded?

And may I further inquire who modded it, if it is modded?

Curious minds are, well, curious. :screwy:
 
Interesting information. May I ask is your Sony stock or modded?

And may I further inquire who modded it, if it is modded?

Curious minds are, well, curious. :screwy:

No mine is just the stock version. I bought if back when it was about $70 at Amazon. It has worked well with no issues for years. After reading all of the post I have contacted Mike Williams (Punker X) to get a few mods done to make it even better. I still like my MR88 as well.
 
No mine is just the stock version. I bought if back when it was about $70 at Amazon. It has worked well with no issues for years. After reading all of the post I have contacted Mike Williams (Punker X) to get a few mods done to make it even better. I still like my MR88 as well.

A word of warning: You may end up liking your Punker X modded Sony much more than your truly excellent MR88! :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

You have been warned. :thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp:

Please let us know what you think when you get it back. :yes::yes::yes::yes::yes:
 
A word of warning: You may end up liking your Punker X modded Sony much more than your truly excellent MR88! :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

You have been warned. :thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp:

Please let us know what you think when you get it back. :yes::yes::yes::yes::yes:

yep, my punker x moded f1hd sounds better than my tu-717, nikko gamma I, sherwood s-7200, sansui 9090 & 7000, and carver tx-11 (that I've heard)
 
************* Post deleted... Bad form, contact via PM with offers to buy or sell... **********************
 
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Best bang for my buck Ive had in 47 years of hi-fi and audiophile listening. There was a huge difference in listening soley to the HD signals in my local area, especially classical. Starting about 4 years ago, tried to get Sony to 100% confirm why they stop making them and got nothing but BS and can-of-worms responses.

Mine went poof at Christmas.

Looking for replacement recommendations. Realize I cant get the same quality for $89 like the F1HD, but definitely want HD. This isnt a thread to open up debates about analog vs HD FM listening tastes, or about vintage analog tuners.

:smoke:


Get it fixed. Better, find PUNKER X and give him whatever he asks for to PUNK the SONY.

I've never turned back.

People climb in the windows to get closer to it.

That said, I am also a believer in the Nikko Gamma V!
 
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