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Why spend megabucks on a tuner?

I've seen old Marantz and McIntosh tuners sold here on Audiogon for a fortune. My question is: Why?

Most radio stations now have highly compressed dynamics. Most of the few that don't (for my location, anyway) are located on the fringes of reception. And then what happens when you move to a different location, which may have even fewer good listening choices?

At least with a turntable or CD player, I feel that you have a lot more choices. And, it's not location-dependent. With streaming audio becoming a reality for most people, and now HD radio (which I'll admit I haven't heard yet), why is there still such a market for high-end tuners?

Michael
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yioryos
723 posts
 
Jeffb28451
Hi Jeff,this George.I bought the Mcintosh MR78 from YOU .Remember?Reading your post,now I understand why you sold it back then!It was and still is truly in truly mint condition.The cabinet was rough though.I haven't used the tuner yet believe or not!I don't listen to FM at all.It was an investement purchase.LOL
Best regards
George
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sufentanil OP
782 posts
 
I don't deny that there are still great radio stations worth listening to with a good tuner. But my sense is that they are becoming fewer and fewer with each passing year. And I also believe that the antenna and location make far more difference than, say, a CD transport.

That's why I'm questioning really expensive tuners, and it's interesting to get varying opinions on this!

Michael
mrpresident
45 posts
 
Because radio is THE tool, of the devil.
kusina
78 posts
 
Much depends on one's musical preferences and what is available locally in FM broadcasts. I live in the Boston area, which has a number of tunable stations, including university and college stations that are less compressed than some commercial stations. And it is a treat to listen to live broadcasts of the Boston Symphony. An FM tuner is a very important and pleasureable part of my system.
armstrod
613 posts
 
You don't have to live in a big city. Eugene, OR has 4 terrific FM stations, all public and locally owned.

KLCC is owned by Lane Community College, is the NPR station, plays an eclectic mix every weekday with specialty shows all nights and weekends.

KRVM is owned by the Eugene 4J school district, has student DJs every weekday, and specialty shows with adult DJs weeknights and weekends. KRVM was the 13th FM station in the US and the first in the Pacific Northwest. They're celebrating they're 60th anniversary this weekend.

KWAX is owned by the University of Oregon and is all classical, all the time, one of the few left. An incredible joy to listen to.

KWVA is also owned by UO, and is the student station. 24/7 college craziness, and I mean that with all love, as I used to be on their board of directors. :-)

KWAX and KWVA don't compress, and I don't think the other two do either. They all stream, so you can catch them wherever you live. During my Year in New York they were my lifeline.

So I have a modded Yamaha T-1 and a Pioneer TX-8500MkII, because I have great stations to listen to. They aren't megabuck, but neither is the rest of my system. Those who, like me, have great stations and megabuck systems probably have megabuck tuners. Lucky them!

David
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