FM Tuners

how does the NAD 4125 sound compared to the other tuners you listed? i have a tandberg 3011A... very nice tuner but since i live in manhattan, i cant pull signals (even major broadcasts) without some serious interference!

chuck

FM reception is VERY location dependant. The transmission/reception is "line-of-sight", therefore if the antenea can't see the brodcast tower, you won't get the station. Sean listed tunners esp. the NAD that will work in the rolling hills of electrostaticman's area. His other alternative would be to get a good antenea and mount it HIGH, as high as possible.
Tapashead, you being in NYC and have a lot of signals comming at you every way but loose, can get buy with a less involved rig. A good sounding tunner that can separate out multichannel and be narrowly selective is all you need. From My experience, the T'berg will be fine, esp if you like the sound that it presents.
Happy listening.

I found the Fanfare FT-1A to be the best-receiving FM tuner I have tried from my location near a major metropolitan area (Wash DC). It is not a flat area, there are some hills, but I don't know how "rolling" or comparable to your location in CA. This tuner was very sensitive and worked well for me w/just an indoor antenna.

The NAD above is a very nice tuner for the money. For great reception and very good sound, find an old Onkyo Integra T4017 or if not then the T4015. These are on eBay all the time and go for around $50 to $75. Reception is excellent even with one of those "T" wire antennas a lot of receivers come with. Sound is very close the the NAD. The T4017 has a variable output control, so I guess you could by-pass the preamp if you have separates.

As a former owner of an NAD 4155, I can tell you that both the reception and especially the sound are bettered by my current AudioLab 8000T (out of production, but I think this basic, "A"-rated unit is now being produced in an updated version by AL's successor TAG-McLaren, although I don't know if it's being imported). Of course the Magnum-Dynalabs are highly regarded, but I wanted AM and presets. But with any decent tuner, the issue of reception is most dependent on the antenna used, and particularly its location, with outdoor-mounted being preferred.