FM Tuner Recommendation

[kitjv]

I am looking for a quality FM tuner in the $1,000 or less price range. Having HD & satellite radio capabilities are important since I live in an area with limited FM stations. I am amenable to either SS or tubes. Which brands/models would be on your short list? Thank you kindly.

 

[Swerd]

I am looking for a quality FM tuner in the $1,000 or less price range. Having HD & satellite radio capabilities are important since I live in an area with limited FM stations. I am amenable to either SS or tubes. Which brands/models would be on your short list? Thank you kindly.

I've heard a system with a Sangean HDT-1 tuner - cost was under $200. Search google to see who is selling them.

Its a separate tuner that receives standard analog FM and digital FM, the so-called HD radio. It did a very good job at pulling in weaker FM analog signals. HD radio offers a lot more variety of content than is now broadcast by analog FM, and HD radio is a bit better sounding than standard analog FM. Note that I live in the Washington, DC area where there are abundant FM stations. Apparently, digital (HD) radio is easier for a tuner to receiver clearly from distant stations than analog FM is.

But overall I did not think the sound quality of HD radio was good enough to run out and buy one for myself. In my opinion, the problem is in the format, not the receiver. HD radio signals are somewhat compressed, but not as much as the satellite radio signals are. It's not what I want in a good hifi system. It is probably fine for car radios.

They guy who has this tuner replaced a much more expensive standard FM tuner that once cost him over $800. I wouldn't spend more than $200 on a new tuner now. Invest some of that money in a good antenna mounted on a rooftop tower. But if you live much more than 50-60 miles away from FM broadcasters, you won't be able to receive enough signals to make it worth your money.

 

[TLS Guy]

I am looking for a quality FM tuner in the $1,000 or less price range. Having HD & satellite radio capabilities are important since I live in an area with limited FM stations. I am amenable to either SS or tubes. Which brands/models would be on your short list? Thank you kindly.

I don't know of a unit that has FM, the Ibiquity HD digital broadcast system, and satellite.

Now to get the HD signal you have to have good FM or AM reception as the digital channels are piggy backed onto those carriers.

Good FM reception starts with a well built and designed roof FM antenna. You should get 40 to 50 miles of range may be more depending on terrain.

These are the best. I have used them for years.

http://www.winegard.com/offair/fm.htm

Now Sangean seem to have the stand alone FM/AM/HD market at the moment.

I heard one of these last week. The owner was using the dipole that came with it. There were multi path issues with the FM that would have been cleared up with a good roof aerial I suspect. The HD does not stand for high definition by the way, with the Ibiquity system. A lossy compression algorithm is used and the broadcaster is in charge of the streaming bit rate. I thought the highs were on the brittle side. I was listening to the MPR classical channel out St. Paul. This was the unit.

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=305150&i=671HDT1X&c=4&tp=207

For good FM reception you won't go wrong with an older FM tuner. I use a Quad FM4. It is superb. There happens to be one for sale on eBay right now. They don't come up all that often.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Quad-FM4-Tuner-Excellent-Condition_W0QQitemZ160205027409QQihZ006QQcategoryZ3282QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[hotwheel2000]

Reviews for HD Radio Tuner

Anyone have reviews and experience on an HD Radio Tuner? I recently bought the Onkyo 805 and would like to try to add an HD radio tuner. Any recommendations?

 

[TLS Guy]

Anyone have reviews and experience on an HD Radio Tuner? I recently bought the Onkyo 805 and would like to try to add an HD radio tuner. Any recommendations?

Look at the post above!

 

[bandphan]

http://www.ada.net/products/av/duo_tuner.php


heres a all modular multi

 

[yettitheman]

I don't know of a unit that has FM, the Ibiquity HD digital broadcast system, and satellite.

Now to get the HD signal you have to have good FM or AM reception as the digital channels are piggy backed onto those carriers.

Good FM reception starts with a well built and designed roof FM antenna. You should get 40 to 50 miles of range may be more depending on terrain.

These are the best. I have used them for years.

http://www.winegard.com/offair/fm.htm

Now Sangean seem to have the stand alone FM/AM/HD market at the moment.

I heard one of these last week. The owner was using the dipole that came with it. There were multi path issues with the FM that would have been cleared up with a good roof aerial I suspect. The HD does not stand for high definition by the way, with the Ibiquity system. A lossy compression algorithm is used and the broadcaster is in charge of the streaming bit rate. I thought the highs were on the brittle side. I was listening to the MPR classical channel out St. Paul. This was the unit.

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=305150&i=671HDT1X&c=4&tp=207

For good FM reception you won't go wrong with an older FM tuner. I use a Quad FM4. It is superb. There happens to be one for sale on eBay right now. They don't come up all that often.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Quad-FM4-Tuner-Excellent-Condition_W0QQitemZ160205027409QQihZ006QQcategoryZ3282QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It's amazing what a good antenna will do to ANY tuner

 

[dilznoofus]

If you want a real tuner, you either want a Marantz 10-B or a Magnum Dynalab..... and lo!

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ddmisctunr&1207029237&demo&3&4&

NIB MD-90 solid state tuner for $1095.

edit: There is a Day Sequerra for sale on the 'gon as well, but it's quite a bit over budget.