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  3. 1078097743

Tuner/MD 108 Question

I have just received a new MD 108 - although the Signal strength (indoor, attic-mounted Fanfare antenna)on strong stations is 96 (out of a 100), the blue stereo light doesnt go on and I receive all the stations in mono with rare minutes when it will come on. Is this a defective unit or is there insufficient stereo separation in my receiving area, despite the high signal strenth?
If anybody can answer that before I can reach Magnum Dynalab, that would be great!! I really dont want to pack that huge box and ship it to Canada! Otherwise I have to get the antenna up on the roof.
Denis
springbok10
fmpnd
468 posts
 
Denis, sorry I cannot answer your question directly. However, I had the MD-102 and I strongly urge you to get the S2 roof top antenna if you want to start to get the most out of that incredible tuner! Good luck.

Frank
warnerwh
537 posts
 
I'd call them. If your signal strength is that strong it should be coming as stereo. Sounds like something isn't working properly. The above advice regarding getting an outdoor yagi is a good one. My old Kenwood (modded) sounds almost like cd's. I've noticed most people don't even realize a tuner can sound this good. Of course you need a high quality broadcast. Only two stations here are that good.
springbok10 OP
708 posts
 
I called them - the MD 108 is on its way back to them. Probably a defective capacitor. The service guy said only the second time he's seen this. They're sending me a new one. Is the S2 roof top made by Magnum?
Thanks for your input.
Denis
cylinderking_1
130 posts
 
Denis I am very envious of your md108 for I ownly have a ETUDE. I have lusted over that peice for a long time. But what I will say ditch the indoor and go outdoor yagi, you will be truly amazed what you will be able to pull in. I can pull in stations from 100 miles away with a pretty impresive signal. I found radio shack gave me the biggest bang for the buck on a yagi, put in a sepperate cable and ONLY run it to the tuner. I found a rotor was not nessesary in my application . David
ryanmh1
32 posts
 
Glad to hear they're taking care of it for you. I just worked on an FT-101A that was approximately 3-4 years old (which has the same guts as the current MD-100), and the circuit board was delaminating, with a few traces oxidized and falling off the board. Yikes!

Beyond that, the basic engineering and design was essentially a mid rank car radio. Fortunately, with some careful parts replacement it can be improved over 500% and often more in terms of measurable distortion performance without adversely affecting the tuner in any way. Neat. This tends to occur across the line, based upon what Magnum told me about the design of the other tuners, although the TOTL 108 might be a different IF and decoder design. I didn't ask them about that one.

The roof mount Yagi is definitely the way for pulling stations, and with a few grand into the tuner, you owe it to yourself!
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