Best Long-Distance receiving Tuners

1. Good antenna
2. Magnum Dynalab tuner
3. Magnum Dynalab Signal Sleuth tunable RF preamp

Well, sooner or later you have to make a decision for really long distance or for some good sound.
I tried a few. I have a excellent antenna on the roof with a strong rotor.
The best long distance tuner was the Onkyo T-9990. Unbelievable.

But horrible from sound quality. Compressed and dry.

After that I changed to a Dynalab Eutude with a Signal Sleuth 205. I would say, this combo was very close to the Onkyo, but much better sounding.
Now I use a Dynalab 108 with the SS 205. That's it for me.
Long distances are ok, but not on par with the Onkyo, but the sound quality is unbelievable good.
Definetly the best from both worlds.

I had the Onkyo T-9090 (I don't think they ever made a T-9990) and T-9090 II. The F-93 was superior in long distance ability over the Onkyo all over the FM band. Yet the Onkyo was very good indeed for getting stations. I agree the Onkyo sounds terrible. I would say nearly as bad sounding as any tuner I have every had. Too bad you can not use a good tube tuner (not a watered down version in a receiver) since they sound far more realistic than all the solid states I have ever come across. No wonder so many TAS reviewers use them over solid state.

You can have a good tube tuner: the MD108. Oops except it's not all tubes, just the audio output stages I believe. I have the MD102, one step down from the 108, but it's still marvelous.

Don Scott had a Rotel RHT-10 when I traded emails with him a couple weeks ago. He is asking $800. A Rolls RS79 for $300; A Marantz 112 for $125. Also a couple Marantz ST6000P he modified asking $450. Don's address is: bdscott@nac.net

A great source for antennas and information is: http://www.antennaperformance.com/