Remember too that many older tv antennas blocked fm, as it falls between channels 6 and 7
Tuner or Receiver
I'll preface my main point and question by saying that I recently bought a used Yamaha RX 596 Receiver which is around 15 years old. After biwiring my Castle Conway 3 Towers to it, I have been blown away by the sound from this system. Far better than any previous amp I've used with these speakers and probably due to the 85 wpc vs 60 wpc or less and only using a single speaker cable for each.
This leads me to the question about tuners and receivers. Currently I have a Carver TX11a and also a Onkyo T-4310r. Both are quite old but still work fine. But... Has recent tuner technology advanced beyond the the units from the 80's and 90's? Is the sensitivity of the AM and FM sections superior these days and is the selectivity also better? I don't need Digital FM and still listen to analog AM and FM. Just want to know if I would be better off with a new tuner or receiver that would offer better audio quality or better signal capturing ability? The tuner in the RX 596 is OK but also dates to about the same time as the Onkyo tuner. Onkyo seems better too.
This leads me to the question about tuners and receivers. Currently I have a Carver TX11a and also a Onkyo T-4310r. Both are quite old but still work fine. But... Has recent tuner technology advanced beyond the the units from the 80's and 90's? Is the sensitivity of the AM and FM sections superior these days and is the selectivity also better? I don't need Digital FM and still listen to analog AM and FM. Just want to know if I would be better off with a new tuner or receiver that would offer better audio quality or better signal capturing ability? The tuner in the RX 596 is OK but also dates to about the same time as the Onkyo tuner. Onkyo seems better too.
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yogiboy The only problem is good outdoor FM directional antennas are not made anymore!It is very difficult to find good outdoor FM antennas and @jl35 is correct that many TV antennas have traps for FM. They are sometimes removable, but I think the best FM antennas are dedicated to that purpose. There are some directional FM antennas still available. One is here (India-based, but they have a US distributor) and Kathrein is another source. I think both of these are oriented towards the pro market (for translator use), but there are also DIY options, if you are so inclined. |
I listen to both AM and FM. Will likely buy a Terk loop that seems to get good reviews for AM. I have a few TV antennas that will receive FM thanks to buying a few before they vanished off the market. Will likely use a Delhi VIP 302 SR for both VHF TV reception and FM reception. Should be adequate in my area since I live in an urban area with plenty of signals. Also have a couple of monster antennas in the Antennacraft HD 1850 and Antennacraft CS 1100 which I could use if I go to a rural area and require deep fringe reception capability. Traps can be removed for FM use and will still allow for VHF TV reception. I could run the risk of overload to the tuner though thus I will use the small antenna in this location. DSP is found in some portable radios these days. I have a new Sangean portable and Tecsun portable and both use this on AM and FM. Can't really compare this to a non DSP laced radio at this time since I have not owned one for quite some time. |
I am going to install this four element directional for a friend. It will go in the attic. I’m sure it will be better than any of those indoor types! http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/30-2460 |
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