Magnum or Fanfare Tuner. Which Sounds the Best?

I have a FT101A Magnum Dynalab I scored here a while back for $400. Just like new, and sounds great. I haven't heard the Fanfare but most folks who've posted about them are happy as well. I don't think you'll go too far wrong either way. The 101A sounds better than a bunch of well-regarded vintage solid state tuners I've owned.

beemer

These may well be so similar sounding that cosmetics would be the sole deciding factor. Marv Southcott of Fanfare was in on the earlier Dynalab designs before jumping ship & founding Fanfare. I bought my FT101 from him right off the floor at a Chicago CES long ago.

you should try the Creek t43 some time. It's easily as good as the above, and retails for a paultry $700...used around $400 or less. Best tuner I ever heard for under several $K. Good luck

One thing you do want to keep in mind that no matter how good the tuner may be, the antenna can make or break it. If memory servers, its been awhile, there are $20,000 bows to go with the 6 figur priced violins or bass'. In fact, a lesser tuner with the better antenna may outperform the better tuner with a lesser antena. Its a generalization, but.... I own the Fanfare ft-1a and it is a nice tuner. But nobody in the area broadcasts well and I'm just using the whip fm-2g since I'm in an apartment, so I don't know its maximum potential. But my instincts sent me towards it instead of the magnums.

Having heard both the MD90 and MD100, I purchased the Fanfare. They all sounded very similar. The Fanfare had a better low end than the Magnums. The tuning quality seemed all the same.

Ultimately, it was the appearance and remote that got my business. I didn't have to pay extra to have a silver face on or silver cabling in the Fanfare FT-1A. It was an extra $100 for a silver faceplate on the Magnum. And you can put any color acetate you'd like to color the display. In the Fanfare manual, it says they are considering manufacturing different faceplates to match the most popular hi end mftr's equipment. I have no idea how this is going. The silver faceplate with black screws matches the Pass equipment wonderfully.

The price was also more "right" on the Fanfare. Either brands should make any FM person happy. I think that either piece is going to surpass the quality that is being broadcast over the airwaves.

BTW, if anyone needs blue acetate for a Fanfare to make it match the Pass X series preamps, let me know. I have plenty of extra. Best Regards, Aaron