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

Having just discovered this thread I would like to make a few comments. First I read most of the answers skipping only a few. I have enjoyed FM music for years. I have what I feel near SOTA digital system which I totally enjoy but currently play no vinyl. My tuner is MD106t and I live in a rual area. The MD106t is one of the better sounding tuners available (yes I have heard all the vintage tuners) and on a strong station the MD106t is just as involving as my near SOTA digital system. I have heard the MD108 in my system and it took the FM broadcast to another level beyond my digital CD playback system. The MD 109 is a step up from the MD108. Why does the FM sound better? Who knows! My suggestion for those who doubt is to get your hands on a MD108 or 109 along with a good antenna and find out just how good FM can be.

I own two 1970's vintage Luxman tuners: the T-530 and its European counterpart, the T-02 and they have become my preferred source components. Outstanding musicality and sound reproduction, unbeaten convenience and a tremendous variety of musical genres for the price of a "song". Add a $6 dipole antennae taped to a wooden dowel and we easily draw in great sounding FM stations 100 + miles away. Not that the Jungson WG-1 CD player and Spacedeck/arm Benz H2 vinyl rig pale in comparison, but there is something about the tuners' sonic signatures that are very compelling, very enjoyable.

Don't forget that radio stations play only the very best sources, too.

I've purchased CD's that our classical radio station played and found the one "cut" they played was way above the quality of the rest of the "cuts". I have come to the conclusion that for best sound, just buy the CD's that the radio station plays and just play those cuts!

Has anyone actually seen what most stations have as sources, it is usually not very good or for that matter porrly maintained.

There is absoutely no way a tuner can play as true to the source (LP) as a good front end at home can. There are simply too many variables involved in the chain from station to tuner. You might like the sound from your tuner more than your front end but that would either mean you find the distortion coming from the FM pleasing or your front end is compromised by poor set up.

>>02-02-11: Spatialking
Don't forget that radio stations play only the very best sources, too.<<

That is plain and simple BS.