FM Tuners

[cra]

I recently sold my Denon 4308 AVR and purchased a Rotel RSP 1572 and Emotive XPA2 and XPA3 amps. The 1572 is a preprocessor and does not include an FM tuner. Can anyone make a recomendation for a good FM tuner? I have been looking online at Technical Pro, Sangean, Teac and a few others. They are very low cost and I am worried about quality. Not many reviews. Comments?

 

[bikdav]

Post this question in AV receivers/ pre-pro section or over in general discusion. I bet someone over there would know.

 

[markw]

In all honsety, if you want a good tuner, look at "vintage" analog tuners from the seventies and early eighties. Thee were made when tuners mattered and if you're feeling really froggy, have a good tech do an alignment on it. You'll get better performance than you can get from the finest receivers made today.

then again, if you want somethin g really good and in current production, look at the tuners here. You need not worry about quality.

 

[Rickster71]

Here are a few interesting tuner sites: Tuner Information Center - Shootouts and this: The Audio Ideas FM Tuner Project - Conclusions & Tuner Rankings
As Mark mentioned, vintage is a great way to go....just no remote.

 

[Rickster71]

Here is a link that compares the Sony XDR-F1HD to the Sangean HDT-1X. Sony XDR-F1HD
I picked it up a few years ago for $80 new. In that price range nothing comes close. When it gets the mods shown it's one of the best.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I recently sold my Denon 4308 AVR and purchased a Rotel RSP 1572 and Emotive XPA2 and XPA3 amps. The 1572 is a preprocessor and does not include an FM tuner. Can anyone make a recomendation for a good FM tuner? I have been looking online at Technical Pro, Sangean, Teac and a few others. They are very low cost and I am worried about quality. Not many reviews. Comments?

Try this one
Sony XDR-F1HD

Back in 2008 when The Audio Critic reviewed and measure this it was about $100 and with this heading Sony XDR-F1HD

This is a $100 (that’s no typo) tuner that blows away the classic “super tuners” of McIntosh, Marantz, Sequerra, Accuphase, etc., according to FM experts who know more than I do.

 

[Adam]

Try this one
Sony XDR-F1HD

Look up.

 

[bikdav]

Agreed.

In all honsety, if you want a good tuner, look at "vintage" analog tuners from the seventies and early eighties. Thee were made when tuners mattered and if you're feeling really froggy, have a good tech do an alignment on it. You'll get better performance than you can get from the finest receivers made today.

then again, if you want somethin g really good and in current production, look at the tuners here. You need not worry about quality.

Good point. Beyond a vintage tuner, the internet tuner looks mighty attractive. I listen to quite a bit of radio via the internet.

 

[TLS Guy]

I recently sold my Denon 4308 AVR and purchased a Rotel RSP 1572 and Emotive XPA2 and XPA3 amps. The 1572 is a preprocessor and does not include an FM tuner. Can anyone make a recomendation for a good FM tuner? I have been looking online at Technical Pro, Sangean, Teac and a few others. They are very low cost and I am worried about quality. Not many reviews. Comments?

It is your lucky day.

There is a US b for sale at a really good price. This is one of the best FM tuners, if not the best ever designed.

If you want a good FM tuner snap this up now.

 

[cra]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.

I have decided to pull my old Yamaha CR2020 receiver out of storage and use it as my FM tuner. As FM tuners go it has one of the best ever made (so I am told). It just took a few minutes to get it hooked up to my Rotel RSP 1572 (used Tape Out, remember when receivers had Tape Out!!). The FM works like new and sounds awesome. Rotary knobs were a bit stiff but it works just fine for being in storage for nearly 30 years. And, it doesn't look half bad in my component cabinet. Just for fun, I hooked up my Paradigm Studio 100's to see what they sound like running directly off the Yamaha CR2020 (It puts out a solid 110W per channel; a lot for back then)... The sound is very, very good; clean, smooth, detailed. Wow! I forgot how good this unit sounded. They don't make them like this anymore.

 

[markw]

...and some people think those into vintage are nuts.

 

[mtrycrafts]

... I forgot how good this unit sounded. ....

But of course you forgot. That is the way of a memory.

 

[jcl]

Here is a link that compares the Sony XDR-F1HD to the Sangean HDT-1X. Sony XDR-F1HD
I picked it up a few years ago for $80 new. In that price range nothing comes close. When it gets the mods shown it's one of the best.

I think Sony has discontinued the XDR-F1HD. I ordered a refurb from Sony but it ran very hot and within a week wouldn't power up. I think they are harder to find now, and more expensive if you do. Amazon showed sellers asking $289.