USNRET Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Soo other than tuners incorporated in receivers and AVRs I have experienced the Onkyo T-9090, a Sony XRD F1HD and a Sansui TU- (something, donated to work). I am looking at new Magnum-Dynalab MD 90 FM Tuner $1250, the MD 90T tube version $1595 and used Rotel - RT-1084 $500 with some cap mods and from radioxtuners. I live in a radio unfriendly environment. FM signals were not receivable until I got the Sony stock and the Sansui modded by radiox. I just seems that a tube version of the Dynalab wouldn't do squat for reception strength and just add another layer of "what tube is making noise" in the chain. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter P. Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Most any tuner is adequate for consumer use. It's the location of the antenna which will make or break your FM enjoyment. Height is EVERYTHING. If you think you're restricted to where and how you can mount an external antenna, my next suggestion would be to stream internet FM feeds from your computer to your stereo. I don't know what's available for Windows computers, but with Apple it's Apple's Airplay. The computer streams the FM feed to the device, which is connected to your stereo- they make adapters which terminate in RCA plugs that connect to your tuner input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted April 15, 2017 Author Share Posted April 15, 2017 I was using a Magnum Dynalab ST 2 FM Antenna mounted on the roof. The salt air environment here ruins a lot of things. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teaman Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 USNRET, do you have any digital inputs on your preamp? If so you could use an iphone or ipod touch through a Pure i20, Arcam, or Cambridge Audio ipod dock with the TuneInRadio App. You get a satellite feed and no interference....and you can call in channels from anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted April 15, 2017 Author Share Posted April 15, 2017 t-dude: I have many streaming options PC, Mac, AppleTv, Nvidia Shield, xBox, PS-3, Roku, Oppo, NAS, Sonos, Tidal, Amazon and Spotify (annual subscriptions).............you get the idea. I want to be able to listen to local FM and the one HD radio broadcaster here. My truck will not reliably pick up FM within 3-10 miles from me and yea I have changed that head unit 3 times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 I use the external antenna on the roof for the Denon X-4000 and I am not happy with the clarity of performance even with the FM HD channels. Some days they are not too bad on the high end but other days the distortion is awful. This is only on the high end with voices hashing. When I say awful I mean voice reproduction on the medium and high end mushing with all the instrumentation crystal clear. THis is only on the FM tuner as everything else is fine including the TV sound. It just sounds like overmodulating. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmusic Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 I currently still have two tuners, the Sony XRD F1 HD and the Scott LT 110 B. I do have an antenna in the attic works just as good as it did when I had it on the roof! Both of these tuners pick up stations great there just isn't alot of good FM stations around any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juniper Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 I have tried the sony unit you mentioned and thought it sounded very dry and flat. i then stumbled an a few websites that all they do is review and test hundreds of tuners. One that they both put in the top 10 was a Yamaha t 85, they were right its incredible. One of the coolest features is it can manipulate the band width. When you listen to a classical station it has the ability to make it fell like you dead center 15 rows back or 100 rows back. I can't recommend this unit enough, the sound is glorious and it pulls in tons of channels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 @USNRET, You, or anyone from this forum, can have a Dynaco FM5 for the actual cost of shipping from 48009, or $25, whichever is lower. It pulls in stations using a Radio Shack Archer rooftop antenna, which is staying in my attic. There are several strong stations in the metro Detroit area, so I can't speak to its ability in fringe areas. I seldom use it, so I would like it to get into the hands of one who will. Full disclosure. The photo is not mine, but mine looks just like it. I purchased it through eBay years ago. If I keep it, I will go through it to check the solder connections. Occasionally, one channel drops, but is restored by a "love tap" to the top of the case. After that glowing endorsement , if anyone wants an essentially free FM5 project, shoot me a PM. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted April 16, 2017 Author Share Posted April 16, 2017 Great offer. I am wanting to stay with ability to get HD as that is the best station out of the few here. Thanks for the offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 You're most welcome. Don't blame you for wanting HD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmusic Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Anyone here had their sony HD tuner upgraded by Radio X? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 On 4/15/2017 at 5:05 PM, USNRET said: Soo other than tuners incorporated in receivers and AVRs I have experienced the Onkyo T-9090, a Sony XRD F1HD and a Sansui TU- (something, donated to work). I am looking at new Magnum-Dynalab MD 90 FM Tuner $1250, the MD 90T tube version $1595 and used Rotel - RT-1084 $500 with some cap mods and from radioxtuners. I live in a radio unfriendly environment. FM signals were not receivable until I got the Sony stock and the Sansui modded by radiox. I just seems that a tube version of the Dynalab wouldn't do squat for reception strength and just add another layer of "what tube is making noise" in the chain. Thoughts? Sorry to be late with this -- doing the tube mod on my M-D tuner didn't increase the range or sensitivity as far as I could tell, but it made the sound less hard, a little more "tubey," which is a good thing IMO, and ever so slightly less veiled and closer to the real thing. I had a Yamaha tuner for many years, which really pulled in stations great, but was flat and hard in sound. That's why I went to M-D [edited:] which had much more bloom and dimensionality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 On 4/17/2017 at 8:53 PM, canyonman said: Anyone here had their sony HD tuner upgraded by Radio X? I did. I had pretty much every option done to mine. Sounded great. I sold it a couple years ago as it wasn't getting used much. The fan option seemed a bit much to me so I just had the taller feet put on. It never had an issue with heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason str Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 My advise would be to make yourself a good DIY antenna and throw it up in the attic or similar area as high as you can get it, lots of plan options on Google/Yahoo to choose from. As long as your tuner is in good working condition this will pull in available stations better than just about anything you could go out and purchase. Labor and parts cost will be minimal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted April 21, 2017 Author Share Posted April 21, 2017 2 minutes ago, jason str said: My advise would be to make yourself a good DIY antenna and throw it up in the attic or similar area as high as you can get it, lots of plan options on Google/Yahoo to choose from. As long as your tuner is in good working condition this will pull in available stations better than just about anything you could go out and purchase. Labor and parts cost will be minimal. Best luck I have had is with a Dynalab ST-2 mounted on the roof. I have tried a couple of the DIY dipoles along the way. With that said it took either the Sony or modded Sansui to receive my daughter's station from about 20 miles away over water (across the bay) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmusic Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 On 4/21/2017 at 10:36 AM, CECAA850 said: I did. I had pretty much every option done to mine. Sounded great. I sold it a couple years ago as it wasn't getting used much. The fan option seemed a bit much to me so I just had the taller feet put on. It never had an issue with heat. Well i talked with Mike at Radio X he isn't doing the mods any more can't find the parts. There is a guy on ebay that does them I just have to decide if I want to do it? I don't listen to a lot of FM but I do like the idea of have a better sounding tuner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr clean Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 http://innovantennas.com/antennas-a-accesories/view/productdetails/virtuemart_product_id/299/virtuemart_category_id/26.html Here you go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 I have an old SAE tuner, owned it since new. never thought to upgrade, reception is more about antennas than the tuner IMHO. regards, T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 On 4/23/2017 at 9:36 AM, canyonman said: Well i talked with Mike at Radio X he isn't doing the mods any more can't find the parts. There is a guy on ebay that does them I just have to decide if I want to do it? I don't listen to a lot of FM but I do like the idea of have a better sounding tuner. I liked Magnum Dynalab's tube modification of my MD-102 tuner to an MD-102T. I think they mostly changed the output stage from SS to tube. The result to my ears was the softer, modestly more realistic musical sound that I expect from tubes. I think the mod cost $600 at the time. Yes, the 102 was a pricey unit, kind of in the middle of MD's price range. Its sound quality now fairly matches the rest of the system. I always liked SAE electronics' good sound. I also had as good results from the Dynalab ST-2 as any other antenna when I had a house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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