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What are the best tuners each company has made, and how you started?

I know this will be subjective and biased towards what a person currently owns.........but that said, what are the best model tuners you have owned.  Best, meaning sonics first, but if you want to include reliability and looks...that is understandable. 

My top tuners are:   
Magnum Dynalab 108
Magnum Etude, 101A
Sansui TU-919 & 717
Fanfare (not sure of the model number)
And there were some good ones from Sony, Marantz, Pioneer, Kenwood, & others.  I 
even had a Heathkit for you old timers to remember.  And in thinking about this, I have likely 
owned more tuners than amps, CD players, turntables and most anything else....except speakers.

I have enjoyed much for radio and tuners throughout my life, but really must thank my parents 
for getting me an early Emerson AM/FM table radio that I could pick up great AM rock & roll 
stations on....and welcome the "British Invasion" on WLS, KIOA, KAAY, KOMA and others. 
Between those stations and Ed Sullivan, my interest in music became a permanent part 
of my life.  And even though I was into Rock, the Sullivan show introduced me to Jazz, Classical 
and some of the best comedians of the day.....thanks Ed.


 
whatjd
elliottbnewcombjr
5,486 posts
 
I've had SS receivers, Tube receivers, Tube Separate; SS Separate, and now the amazing

mx110z McIntosh Tube Tuner/Preamp 

https://positive-feedback.com/Issue77/vintage_mcintosh_experience.htm

http://www.berners.ch/McIntosh/en/MX110.htm

They say give it a strong signal, I have dedicated FM antenna in the attic just above, terrific reception. Carver is without a doubt best for weak stations, but the sound of this tuner is simply awesome.

When deciding, I read somewhere that Richard Modafferi, designer of later McIntosh tuners MR77 and MR78 said there was 'nothing he could to to improve the mx110z tuner, it was that good'.



tablejockey
3,916 posts
 
I haven't had the privilege to own the mighty REL  Precedent, but one day? I had the opportunity to hear one just once! It lives up to the hype.
https://pitchperfectaudio.wordpress.com/2010/03/10/setting-a-precedent/

Not known to many outside the tuner fan world, beautiful art deco looks and the inspiration for the Marantz 10B. It possibly has the goods to be called "BEST" of all tuners.

You have to pay the price to own one.
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa5cb0-rel-646c-1-fm-tuner-rel-646c-1-fm-tuner-precedent-all-ori...

Until then my 1965 tubed Mac MR71 has been a daily driver. 

Beware of the GREEN MONSTER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR1WolxmtjY

grinnell
1,102 posts
 
I like this site for comparisons
https://www.fmtunerinfo.com/
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,407 posts
 
I have owned:

Magnum Dynalab  FT101A
Magnum Dynalab MD100
Magnum Dynalab MD102
McIntosh MR85
McIntosh MR88

My favorites which I use daily are the McIntosh MR85 and MR88. They sound excellent and pick up more stations with less noise than all the others.  I also use a Magnum Dynalab ST2 rod antenna, one on each McIntosh tuner. 
lou_setriodes's avatar
lou_setriodes
687 posts
 
+1 for the REL Precedent, it looks so awesome!

grinnell, I have to take the fm tuner info site with a grain of sand sometimes. I use it for validation, but it’s not the end all / be all for tuners, IMHO.

I say, if you like a tuner just get it and check it out. I’ve heard some nice sounding tuners that were ranked lower than others that I thought sounded great!

The B&K TS108 is very highly rated on their site, but ergonomically a nightmare with all the same sized tiny buttons and hard to read graphics. I kept hitting store thinking it was a tuning preset because it’s in the same row as other presets & it kept throwing off my stored stations. 

The PS Audio ST-1 was a real keeper and an excellent tuner, but I bought it as part of a whole PS Audio stack so it became part of the sale. Looking back, maybe I should’ve kept the tuna ;)
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