The best sounding FM Tuner is.....

strapper, i hope the md109 is a significant step up from the md108, which is handily beaten by a slew of older vintage tunas, costing *way* less - like $500 or less. (as is the sequerra, according to many folks that have actualy compared them to good vintage tunas.) personally, from my experience w/lesser m-d's, & from my experience w/several accuphase tunas, if i had the $$$, i would be spending it on the new accuphase t1000. still way-spendy, but ~half the price of the md109. i know i wouldn't trade my accuphase t100 for an md108, that's for sure! well, mebbe i would, if part of the deal was that i could immediately re-sell it! :>) the write-ups i have read about the latest accuphase t1000 have me drooling - sonics way better than *anything* before it, even the exalted sansut tu-x1, kenwood l-02t, etc. and that's even *before* you use its digital out into an outboard dac - then it gets even *better*. i may have to sell a bunch of my vintage tunas & get one! :>)

ferrari, i feel your pain, re: crap fm - there are only two or three stations in my area that make fm listening worthwhile for me. but, (and this is not meant in a derogatory way at all), i really question your system's resolution or your hearing, if you can actually sit in the sweet spot & listen to xm. while i haven't heard the latest polk xm tuna, several folks who have listened to it have told me that, while it's marginally better than older xm tunas, it is still only useful for background music, not serious listening, even if you use its digital out to an outboard dac. but, hey - it works for you, that's what's important, eh? :>)

ymmv,

doug s.

If I had decent stations around here, would not have gone the XM route as their would be no need to. However that is far from the case here. I find more tham acceptable for my needs, whether or not it is hi-rez or not, is a moot point for me. It gets the music I want to hear, when I want to hear it and sans the commercials and offers excellent taping of the air. I am not concerned in regards to my system or other members system. I find it fits my needs quite nicely and at 63 now, who cares what others think, it is not a remote concern of mine.

My point in offering the XM solution, was simple, if other members have less than stellar FM in their area. The Polk XRT 12 XM is a solid alternative. Beyond that, C'est le Vie.

Doug- you're still the best tuna fan! Geez- it's been years since I rememeber speaking with you - so great that you are still chiming in on these forums- keep the tuna faith!

btw- my only tuna is a slightly modded Accuphase T-101- thinking of a second tuna. My system is high efficiency, and very revealing- looking for a tuna with the most 'full-bodied' sound- any ideas on a few to go after? say, under $1,000... (there is a guy right in my area selling a Tandberg 3001 on eBay right now, but I believe you had so-so things to say about that one...)

I'm currently using a very nice old Amber 7 tuner. Still own a Kenwood KT 917 which I'm not going to replace because FM content in my area doesn't justify it. However, I have to say I am surprised this tuner was not specifically mentioned at all. I have owned an MR 78, an Accuphase T 101, a Mitsubishi DA-F10, a few Pioneers, an old Fisher tube tuner which I can't identify today, NAD 4055, Draco Micro/CPU 100 and dozens of others over the years. Of all of these, I would say the KT 917 was the best all around performer. Are they so rare that none of you have heard one?

hi sutts,

the accuphase t101 is a fantastic tuna, imo. as is the t100. these are both near as good as it gets, especially if you're looking for "full bodied". they may not be the last word in detail, but they are close, imo. another to check out if you're wanting full bodied is the sansui tu9900. again, not the last word in detail but still close. all these will respond well to mods, tho i only owned stock iterations.

my all-around fave is still my modded hk citation 18. it was good enough that i was able to part with a modded accuphase t109. not sure what i will think when i receive my modded sansui tu-x1. ;~)

from what folks who have listened to one have said, the new accuphase t1000 is the one to get, but it won't help you if you're looking to stay under $1k. :>)

for me, at <$1k, i would look for a hk 18, a mitsubishi da-f20, or an aiwa au9700t & get 'em modded, if you're wanting to improve on your t101. but, the results will not be mind-blowing - the t101 is a damned nice tuna, imo. and you're right, i would awoid the tandberg 3001a - extremely overpriced, imo - nice sonics & reception, but you can do better for less. and, quite unreliable & difficult to service. i owned two of 'em & was happy to sell 'em both.

macro, i have not heard a kt917, but the folk at the fmtunerinfo.com site think pretty highly of it. it did fairly well in their shootouts, tho many less expensive tunas did better. (and some more expensive ones dint do as well.) i have owned an immaculate kenwood kt9900 (bronze kt8300) & was extremely underwhelmed - excellent reception, so-so sonics. that, & a refurb'd mac mr77 were the only two tunas i have sampled over the past several years that i wouldn't be happy with, sonically. (and most mac tuna aficionados will tell you that the 77 *and* the 74 are better sounding than the more well-known 78.) but these analog kenwoods' sonics *do* respond phenomenally to mods. i owned a modded kt7550 (bronze-faced kt7500) that sounded *superb*. the fmtunerinfo.com site has quite a bit of info on the 917 as well as a lot of other kenwood tunas - kenwood seems to have made about as many tunas as all the other mfr's combined.

ymmv,

doug s.