Tuner vs Satellite Radio

I have an XM satellite radio adapter in my car, which has a very good audio system (Mercedes/Bose). Satellite radio has plusses and minuses. For the plusses, the big ones are (i) variety of programming, (ii) lack of interference (multipath, etc.) and (iii) commercial-free channels. On the other hand, anyone who claims that satellite radio is CD quality is smoking something. It's highly compressed low-bit data--perfectly pleasant to listen to for background--sort of like MP3-- but not for serious listening. For sure you should get a good tuner if you have quality stations in your area. For a small additional amount of money, you can now get XM satellite receivers for home use, too (there's a Sony and a Delphi, each of which can be used with home audio), so you can use that for the additional variety.

The one thing I didn't catch in reading the posts that you might want to consider is getting a big yagi style antennae (if you got the space) and depending on your location you should get lots of radio stations (like all major nearby cities and college stuff in between). Depending on location and weather some people will get many dozens of stations--hence lots of variety. I owned a fanfare ft-1a for awhile. I chose it over the magnums.

I recently rode for six hours in a friends car that has satellite radio and it has some very nice jazz channels which I prefer to my Direct TV musice channel selection and has a better selection overall however, there is something that strikes me about that kind of a format where regular radio beats it and that is, everything is so divided up into catagories that there is no 'middle' station. Where are the true alternative channels?

I would sorely miss the college radio station in my area if all I had was some business's idea of what I should be listening to.

The satellite radio has a lot going for it but is no replacment for 'regular' radio yet.

Thanks for your responses. I live in the NYC area so it sounds like a tuner still makes sense. I'll definitely check out the vintage models as well. What about the antennae? I live in a ranch so, can it go in the attic or does it have to go on the roof? What do you look for in an antennae?

Tony, I have not experimented much at all with antennas but from all I have read, I have know doubt it makes a difference; it boils down to how much do you want wrapped up into an antenna.

I purchased a Fanfare FT-1A tuner a couple years ago and also purchased the Fanfare FM-2G dipole antenna; this antenna may not be the best but it serves my purpose. This antenna costs about $100, if I were to do it again, I would consider the APS-9B for $120, that is, if I could use it fine w/o a rotor.

The advantage to the dipole is it is simple, once it is mounted, you are done. The advantage of the more elaborate antennas is that they can be positioned in a specific direction to lock on to stations. Unless you listen to just one station, you would most likely want a rotor to be able to reposition the antenna.

http://www.antennaperformance.com/

To follow up on my post on vintage tuners, aside from the aforementioned Fanfare FT-1A tuner, which I enjoyed, I have used the Sansui TU-717 and the Yamaha T-2, my current tuner. The Sansui and the Yamaha are from the late 70's.

I have not spent much time comparing these tuners to one another, but I will say I prefer the Yamaha to the Fanfare (except for the Fanfares remote and presets). There are many very good vintage tuners available at affordable prices.

Like cassette decks, some of the best tuners were made in the past when there was a bigger emphasis on them.

All that said, I wouldn't want to deter anyone from purchasing a new unit if they had their heart set on one, there are some nice tuners available.