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What are the Best FM tuners?

This is an often asked question. This is my current list of favorites:
A. Good out of the box, judging sound quality only, not in order of preference because each has merits:

1. Very rare Accuphase T-103
2. 1 out of 10 Tandberg TPT 3001As
3. Onkyo T-909
4. Bogen TP-100
5. Akai AT-S7
6. JVC FX-1100B
7. NEC T-710
8. Onix Audio BWD-1
9. Kenwood KT-990D
10.Crown FM-2
11.Marantz ST-17
12.Sim Audio "Moon"

B. Modified tuners, both RF and audio performance, in order of preference:

1. Kenwood KT-727
2. Kenwood KT-3200D
3. NEC T-6E
4. SAE 8000
5. Accuphase T-101
6. Sony ST-S550ES
7. Onkyo T-4500
8. Tandberg TPT-3011A
9. McIntosh MR-74
10.Luxman T-110
11.Onkyo T-909
12.MD-102, early version

Sure, there are others -- and you may have your own opinions -- but these have proven to be excellent choices over the past 20 years.
bdscott
musicslug
430 posts
 
you might want to narrow your question... some tuners sound better (the more sought-after vintage tube models like the marantz 10B, mcintosh mr-71, scott 350B/C. some are better at pulling in distant stations (pioneer F93 - but it doesn't sound that great...). some have great bass (mcintosh mr 7083). others that are often put on 'best' lists are meridien 604, accuphase 109 ($$$$!), rotel rht10, creek T43. also, if you go with a tube/vintage model, getting it aligned is ESSENTIAL.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
ralphdude
10 posts
 
My 2 Cents worth....Fisher FMR-1 Broadcast, Fisherdoc restored of course. Also, McIntosh Mr-78.
sdcampbell
2,136 posts
 
No list of the best FM tuners should be without the Sequerra. At the time it was introduced, it was arguably the best FM tuner in the world -- and it is still in the very top rank.
umn
65 posts
 
One really has to be specific in what "best" means.
Some tuners are better in pulling in distant stations ("Dx'ing) Some are better sounding (but are not great in pulling in distant stations.) Some are better for popular and rock stations (where the radio stations often juice the sound). Others are better for classical stations (with an unmodified sound.)
I live 30 miles from New York City on a hill and leave my tuner set on a classical WQXR. For my application, a vintage tube Scott 350 is great. Many of the tuners on your list would not sound nearly as good.
bdscott OP
22 posts
 
One error; the Kenwood KT-3200D should read KT-3300D. Please note my last sentence. "Sure there are others...."
For instance, I have had a few Fisher KM-60s and R-200s, with several capacitor, resistor, and tube-type changes in the audio output sections, sound like the announcer was sitting in the room. Some MR-71s sound great also.
My point was not to declare what is the best in the world, just ones I think were outstanding. Your opinions are worth something too.
Regards,
Don
Don
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