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FM tuners - Are they OBSOLETE ?

As much as I a have liked tuners in the past - and probably kidded myself that older ''vintage'' tuners sound better (after owning quite a few), I really don't see much use for them except maybe a nostalgic bridge to days past, or bragging rights to pride of ownership with McIntosh gear or whatever.

With the newer technologies giving access to hundreds of stations around the globe, it just seems like THE proposition to discover new music.

I of course know that some high-end tuners sound very good - but let me tell you - a clean 128 digital feed into a DAC (from a digital transport like the Wadia or Cambridge Audio's new ID-100), is pretty impressive...

Sort of make kilo-buck tuners seem futile and very expensive by comparison.

What do you think ?
soniqmike
has2be's avatar
has2be
555 posts
 
"Has2be - I do not ''critisize peoples intelligence'', just voicing my opinion respectfully - unlike you may I add. No hard feelings, with a bit of experience you might get the hang of it..."

Soniqmike, the above is just one more contradiction of yours and you within this post. No hard feelings what so ever. I think you are the one who's large opinion seems bruised. Try resting it by sitting on a nice soft pillow.

Cheers
isochronism
2,893 posts
 
Joenies is enjoying "tuning" in Alaska. Cheers my friend, Joe!!! My particular local is very receptive and on the outskirts of NYC. Plenty of choices here. Soniqmike, Has2be, you guys are right in your own way. Myself, I'm old school.... my "DAC" is the cable running from a Macbook Air to a 1958' Fender "champ" Amp.
soniqmike OP
140 posts
 
Has2be - no need for insults please, this is supposed to be fun! Got it ?
has2be's avatar
has2be
555 posts
 
" no need for insults please, this is supposed to be fun! Got it ?"

No ones insulting you sonicmike , that is your perception and a lack of humour and responsability for your own statements ! Got it ! Asking an opinion then arguing the validity of someone else's solicited opinion is argumentative. Not fun or endearing, like the ability to laugh at yourself is. Got it!
bombaywalla's avatar
bombaywalla
1,958 posts
 
they are as obsolete or not depending upon the quality of the programming material where you live - if you are lucky & have a lot of good FM programmes then you could benefit from a FM tuner; otherwise, not.
Technically, it appears that FM tuners have some life left in them as the US FCC has approved IBOC (in-band, on-channel) digital radio broadcasts. These digital radio broadcasts occur at the same FM center freq of the present radio station. So, in effect, the FM station broadcasts good, ol' FM + DAB digital radio. So, the FM tuner should have no issues picking up the FM signal like it always did.
In the UK, the word is that the switch-over to digital/DAB radio is sometime in 2015 but most of the radios in UK autos are still FM tuners. So, this is a detail that will need to be worked out so that owners of present cars do not lose radio reception in 2015.
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