I like vintage stuff components and you can see from all the photos posted here it is beautiful stuff. I recently bought a beautiful early 1970s Sherwood receiver in mint restored condition. The tuner section was a Sherwood specialty, yet by modern standards it is unlistenable. If you have a good DAC and Roon why would you want a tuner? This old stuff is obsolete.
The same people that advocate tuners are into tubes and vinyl–it’s psychoacoustics. Once again the old components are beautiful and have a high mystique and nostalgia factor. But superior to digital? No.
In the audio world results can be backed up by graphs and measurable performance testing. You assess factors like distortion and dynamic range, whatever you like. Retro components simply don’t measure up to modern digital standards. But if your evaluation criteria depart from science and enter into psychological and aesthetic factors all this old stuff is very attractive. It’s fun to listen to things the way you did in 1978.
You can buy a high quality tuner now for nothing so why not try one out? I suspect you will return to digital quickly.
I recommend the site Audio Science Review for objective reviews on audio equipment.
Adcom is fantastic–I recently had a GFA 545 2 and was amazed at the quality. But it was a little harsh. But at $200 for such a great amp who’s going to criticize it?
I too had ADCOM equipment all over the home; it appears in home videos. I then went with NAD but I did not replace the Tuner-Preamp with a separate tuner which is why I inquired as to what tuner others are using.
I concur. As I stated now several times in the thread, it was an invitation just to discuss what tuner you owned, now own, or planned to buy. If someone wants a thread to find fault with analog, that would be a different topic than the current one was intended.
I have a Magnum Dynalab MD-108T. Sounds great!! I have their ST-2 antennae in my attic and it is connected to my tuner in my living room. Remember over the air is Free!!! Magnum Dynalab makes the best FM tuners in the world without a doubt. I think T stands for triode which means it has a couple of tubes in it. They also have excellent Solid state FM tuners as well.
Magnum Dynalab was what made me begin thinking about tuners. I do not know if I would buy the triode model, but all models appear well designed. They make quite a list of models.
I have been really pleased with my Magnum Dynalab MD-108T. Their customer service is excellent. Jim who I believe is president of the company will usually respond to your email questions within a couple of hours which is great. So many companies these days have really bad customer service / support.
Have been contemplating why we are so drawn to AM/FM, and I do not believe it is nostalgia. My belief is that it is (regardless of fidelity) the only “live” music coming into the home.
My Creek amp has an FM tuner that is part of the optional Ruby 2 dac module. There is an alternate AM/FM module. A nice feature is the seemless integration of controls and display. The reception is so-so, but I do not have a “real” antenna.
Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
55
Really? I think it has to be nostalgia, with all the streaming radio stations available. From all over the world, too. Amazing to be getting FM stations from Europe and Australia here in California. And they’re just as “live”, aren’t they, even if they come in over the Internet? Sure, maybe a good FM tuner and antenna system can beat the quality, but you’re still so limited in selection.
Wonder if there will be a third surge in vinyl when Gen Z hits their sixties…
During the introduction of the Sequerra, I purchased the MR78. The Sequerra is a truly remarkable unit. I wonder if the top of the line Dynalab used it as a benchmark.
Always start my listening day with FM radio on BBC Radio 3. Have Sony D777ES (combined FM/DAB but normally just use FM section). The oldest piece of equipment in my set up but still going strong. Find FM better than most internet streams.
