So you want to go analog FM.
first consideration , actually shared by 2 main issues. You are going to be dependent obviously on what stations you have available within 100 mi radius (best case scenario with rooftop antenna) and of course your taste in music and if there are even stations that provide an eclectic choice of music (if thats what you want) or how bad you want to listen to truly non commercial independent stations such as college stations/community stations or other semi non commercial stations such as NPR type. Well, NPR are generally always available although depending on their music formats can well be someones cup of tea.
The other important factor and focusing strictly on analog FM this can not be stressed enough ---Its not how good the tuner is (although of course one wants a decent performing tuner) Its how good your antenna is. . and by good is meant that the only ,, the ONLY type of antenna that is going to enable the best possible sound from ANY given tuner is a rooftop rotatable yagi style FM only antenna. Which have pretty much been discontinued by major brands like Winegard. There are substitutes available that combine uhf ,,etc. (not going into that for purposes of this post) Possibly still available from an obscure vendor or 2 online last I heard.
Antennas for tuners were never stressed back in the heyday for purposes of selling the highest priced tuners. Why would a salesperson sell you a 120 dollar entry level Sansui or Onkyo or Pioneer if they can instead sell you a 600 dollar Mac back in the day telling you that it is built in the best possible way with the best parts.. yada yada.. (Ive had 3 Mac tuners and they are good and they perform most noticeably best using a rooftop antenna as ALL the tuners I have had do.
The point is this. a $150 tuner is going to sound better than a $800 tuner when the lower priced 3 or 4 gang tuner is using a rooftop antenna compared to the 5 or even 7 gang tuner that is just using a dipole or Any other indoor antenna set up.. Its just the way it is. The tuner has to get the best possible signal to be able to perform its best. An obviously being up there on the roof pointed in the direction of the tower is going to get it on. To be clear,, I’m talking about using indoor antenna vs using rooftop antenna . So of course the $800 tuner is most always going to sound better using a rooftop than the $150 using the same rooftop set up.
I had used a simple dipole antenna since the 60’s listening to local FM . It was not until the early 2000’s that I installed my first yagi style fm only antenna --a Winegard. The difference in sound quality (not to mention reception ability) was literally mind boggling and mind blowing and became a source for major music listening for me. But of course, I had lived in an area of the country that has long been just blessed with many good FM stations including multiple independent college stations which are often low power but living within 30 miles and using rooftop antenna would provide very good analog sound. rivaling at times vinyl sound or whatever you want to call good analog sound.
