FM tuners - Are they OBSOLETE ?

I found my Tuners in thrift stores in different states. I purchased the Kenwood 8300 for 20.00. I bought an almost mint Mitsubishi DA DF20 for 15.00.This is my favorite looking tuner and at the price with some excellent classical music on FM.You can't beat the amount of music I listen to for so cheap. I would agree to pay top buck would not be worth it. But at thrift store prices and a little luck the return is very enjoyable.

I recently added a used tuner back into my system and though I don't use it as much as I thought I would, I plan to keep it hooked up. So days it is noce to have on while doing dreaded house chores. But I do think their days are numbered with internet radio, panodra, rhapsody etc. Untill I can afford a Sonos or the like I am dialed in...

I guess it comes down to where you live in terms of what's available to listen to. But I seriously doubt the FM band itself is going to disappear anytime soon. It's free and belongs to the public just like AM. So they (the rich and powerful broadcasters) would have a hard time getting rid of it altogether -- just look how much money we (the people ;~) had to spend to keep over-the-air TV free and accessable to all us poooor folk!

What HAS died is pure analog FM. It's gone! No FM stations I'm aware of -- including classical -- use the telephone lines to link from the studio to the transmitter. It's wireless, and it's digital! So heave a big sigh over that one if you must -- but I still love the sound of my vintage McIntosh MR-65B. We have good classical here in Tucson from the U of A, and if I want to pull in Phoenix with all its Jazz and classical stations, I use my trusty Technics ST-9030. With its EIGHT GANG tuning condenser, it'll take me pretty much to the horizon!

Still, as someone pointed out above, it would be very hard today to justify the purchase of a great-sounding tube analog FM tuner based purely on value for dollar -- which is why no one is making them ;--) New high end solid state FM tuners on the other hand, will be around for a long time I think, because they'll all be satellite and broadband capable as well.
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I find lots of stuff to listen on FM. I also love my Yamaha T1 from 1978. Until it quit working, i used it every day. I am taking it to be repaired this week. By the same thought process, vinyl is also obsolete (and cd for that matter).