what's a good fm tuner?

My favorite tuner (of the several on hand) is the Mitsubishi DA-F10. Measures well and sounds fine! Can only be found used - around $200. Alas, only two FM stations in my area worthy of listening to: WUSF 89.7 and WSMR 89.1/103.9. All the rest, commercial dreck!

Magnum Dynalab is probably your best new option. I'd seriously look at used vintage tuners and have it refreshed if needed. 

Sansui, Kenwood and Marantz are probably some of the best tuners every made. I'd look at that link above from the tuner information center and make an educated decision and buy vintage and have it recapped and aligned. 

I had my Sansui Tu 717 ( by no meens their best one  total upgraded and realigned ( paid $300 for the tuner and $400 for the updates). Now this tuner pulls in the NPR station in Seattle from Victoria BC about 80 miles away no problem and the sound is very good very musical and none fatiguing, better then the MD 90 I had prior. 

Another vote for Magnum Dynalb.

I have the entry-level tuner; however, it's fed signals from a seven-element yagi.   For distant signals, I use their Signal Sleuth to increase RF gain. I use Belden RG-6 cable from the yagi to the tuner (or the Signal Sleuth.) 

IMO, the antenna and cable you use are essential considerations. 

Another vote for the Sansui TU-717.  Excellent RF performance and very good audio sound quality.  Much better sound than my old Magnum Dynalab FT-101.

Kenwood did a business of radio before and after doing hifi. They made some of the best FM tuners to come out of Japan. Working on their better stuff was a dream rather than a nightmare. They seemed really serious about advancing the art, quite unlike today where a tuner is a bit of an afterthought.


If you're into DXing FM signals, Kenwood had switchable IF bandwidth to improve rejection from adjacent powerful signals. As many as 5 ganged variable capacitors for tuning. Dual RF gain stages; 5 stage crystal-controlled IF amplifiers and so on. If you want one of the best FM tuners made Kenwood probably is your first choice. I hate to say it as I have serviced a good number of Marantz 10Bs which are the best of the tube tuners but I'd take a top-end Kenwood in heartbeat over a 10b despite the difference in perceived value.