How is it ? that a tuner smokes the table ???

I can't imagine paying $9000 to listen to commercial FM radio.

It's important to remember that radio stations use serious processing in their transmission chains. First off, they brick wall filter at 50 Hz and 15Khz. Second, they compand the signal which is basically compressing then expanding the information in order to simplify the transmission of that signal through their STL path between the radio station and their transmit facility tower. Then it is Frequency Modulated (FM) or Amplitude Modulated (AM) for broadcast, and run through 20 to 100 thousand watt transmitters. Both of which are lossy mediums. Let's just say, those signals are dynamically compressed and band pass filtered to a very large degree.

This massive processing may or may not be pleasing in a system. How many times have you listened to a song on the radio, thought it would sound excellent in your system, bought it and then discovered that the vinyl or CD was poor at best by comparison? That would be because of the processing and the transmission characteristics. Processing is used on a very large scale during studio and mastering, but that processing usually pales in comparison to that used in a transmission chain.

Wonderful tuners such as those smooth sounding Magnum Dynalabs are indeed nice, but be careful to not confuse "nice" with "accurate".

I guess that explains it ?

Thanks for the insight !

I can't explain or understand how it's possible, that tuner could sound that good !

but it does.

That's why I bought this up.

Jimpcn...I have heard the MD 109 . No argument over how good it sounds or that it betters the 108 I ended up buying or most if not all tuners for that matter. It should for almost double the price. RF_gumby's response very insightfully and informingly puts it in perspective. Some of my friends think I was nuts to have a 5000 dollar tuner till they hear it that is. I look at it this way, I never have to feed it vynil or CD's so other than a good set of nos tubes I get a lot of milage out of it for that investment.If I had the money I would not hesitate to trade up to the 109. As stated though, really nice , but certainly not as accurate, as vynil when set up properly.

FM, IMHO, is a means for background music. Therefore, my $20 NAD fleabay find suites me just fine. Good ol' fashioned dial, no presets, etc.