Any recommendation for a modern FM tuner


While I am considering several classic tuners, I am wondering if any of the modern FM tuners are any good. What modern FM tuners should I consider? Why do people say that the vintage tuners sound better than the modern tuners?
What modern FM tuners are recommended? Thanks
hgeifman
4yanx, Nice job digging up everything I ever posted! =) I certainly don't feel I am any sort of "FM God", but just a guy who is as obsessed with FM as Michael Fremer is obsessed with turntables. I did label a few expensive antennas as rip-off junk once, which is true when you can get a 6 element FM Yagi at Radio Shack for $22.99. I do slam a lot of tuners, but I legitimately believe there are much better for less money. To some, that won't matter, and that's their own prerogative. But point taken: "junk" isn't a fair or accurate word, and I'll temper it a bit more in the future.

As for Mr. Scott, I felt a caution had to be made. Most tuner users do not have the capability to evaluate nor measure a modified product. I'm not trying to be devious by not naming sources, just protecting the privacy they desire. Suffice to say they are very technically competant individuals with full analysis and measurement capabilities with whom I have had significant correspondance. Your suggestion is well taken: While Don may not know of his botched IF modification, he certainly will know what alignment equipment he uses. I'll ask him, and if he has a good generator which he uses, I'll publicly eat the words from my previous post on that subject.

Most importantly, however, Antenna Performance does great mod work: they use a Meguro IF Filter Digimarscope for analyzing 10.7MHZ IF Filters and use a Sound Technology ST-1000A for alignment work. It's not the best, but its good enough for most tuners. NOTE: I have nothing to do with these guys.

Gabbro, Although high blend would normally be the way to deal with poor multipath-ridden reception, I suppose someone might have asked for that, but not on the particular tuner in question. But here's an offer for you: If you want, Email me privately and we can work this out if you'd like: If you can ever go without your tuner for a week or two, ship it to me and I'll do a full spectral analysis of it and provide you with detailed FFT performance graphs for free. You may just make me stuff a sock in it, and at the least, you'll have 20 or so really cool plots to show your friends and to amuse yourself with. I'll even pay the return shipping.

Finally, I like long posts. I'll take length over a "Get a Sonicbliss Magnoblaster. It sounds really neat" any day. Of course, that would keep me out of a lot of trouble. =)

Back to recommendations... Sansui TU-X1 for analog and slightly modified Yamaha TX-1000/2000 or T-85 for digital (or the very similar Rotel RHT-10/RT-990BX) are the top of my audiophile list without having to dip into very scarce Accuphases. Good classic tuner reading: The Sansui TU-X1 product procure: http://www.classicsansui.net/Tuners.htm

Regards,
Searching for a tuner is not easy. What about the Marantz ST-6000 tuner? It is a modern tuner and is priced under $300. The article below says good things about it:

http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/marantz-st6000_e.html

Is the ST-6000 any good in terms of sound quality and its ability to pick up stations? thanks..
Phew! My recommendation to chase the older (1990-ish) NAD Monitor Series tuner (4300?) or receivers (7100, 7400, 7600) for a fine cheap tuner is based on my empirical results that they perform much better than newer ones (like my NAD T751 HT receiver), but certainly not as life-like as my new Magnun Dynalab 100. Can't understand how Ryan slams the MDs. This $1k newbie sounds GREAT!
Subaruguru,

I only slam them on a cost/value basis. If they were selling the MD-102 for $1000 bucks, I wouldn't have nearly as big a problem with it, even though I still wouldn't like it.

Regards,
I have the Meridian 504 and it is SUPERB! It is in the basement driven by a cheap powered Radio Shack Antenna.I can receive signals from thirty miles away with no problems. It is one of the better fm tuners on the market and came in I believe on the top ten tuners of all times in a recent shoot-out of 100 top tuners both tubed and solid state.Now that is an accomplishment! I have not needed any narrow bandwith or other expensive features. This unit is quality vs gadget driven.