Dr. Flicker
27-06-2009, 00:48
I have recently stumbled upon the realization that my main source has actually become FM broadcast. I am lucky/blessed to have local FM broadcasters that still believe in quality FM broadcast standards (read no crazy compression, etc) and quality music from quality recorded material....JazzFM, CBC Radio (our public broadcaster version of the BBC) and a couple of great college radio stations and small "ethnic" broadcasters.
Reception is never a problem, as I have a Magnum Dynalab whip located on the roof of my 5 floor building which is basically in line-of-site of the broadcast facilities on both the CN Tower & First Canadian Place located no more than 3 or so of kms away.
I never really considered it an actual "source" to seriously sit down and listen too (more of a background thing)...until I sat and listened to a live to FM broadcast performance from my local jazz station one night. I sat there with my mouth open...I couldn't believe the "presence" of the sound coming from my little Quad tuner. I had no idea just how good FM broadcast sound if all the stars are aligned.
Now, I love my little Quad FM3 to death, and I would never get rid of it (also, I would never recover all the money I spent buying it and then having it serviced)....they just don't come any cuter.
While it does have its fans, and I don't have a problem with what people tend to find its weak point (poor reception), I now have the "tuna bug". And you know how bad that problem can be for us audiophools on a mission.
Anyway, I've got a line on a vintage Revox A720 hidden away in a local pawn shop that I have become obsessed with. The price will be good (probably get it for under $500 CDN cash). The fellow is reputable and I've been going in his shop for at least 20 years...and he tells me it is in perfect nik (yet to be confirmed by me).
I've read all the on-line stuff there is already. That FMtuner site raves about the 760, which the 720 is supposed to be as good sounding, but that's just one guys opinion, which could be totally different than mine.
I was hoping that since this equipment (I assume) is/was more popular in Europe, someone here might be able to give me some first hand advice. I've always loved Revox...I owned their first cd player, and found it to be a great product. But my real love is for their 70's stuff...it's not just Mercedes quality...but 600 Pullman quality.
I really would like to upgrade to a seriously good sounding tuner (sound quality is the priority here...not being able to tune in difficult signals). And I really like the A720 (those nixie-tube number displays are just the coolest thing ever). It's also one of those "pre-tuners", which I won't be using its pre functions (it has outs so I can just use the tuner portion). It also has DUAL headphone jacks.
Hell, even if it isn't a major improvement over the Quad, I'd still like to own this piece of equipment just for posterity's sake, but I'm hoping I can have my cake and eat it too.
Here's some eye candy for you to enjoy....
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/8898/3043177870a220ee4daao.jpg (http://img29.imageshack.us/i/3043177870a220ee4daao.jpg/)
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/1158/329bm4.jpg (http://img411.imageshack.us/i/329bm4.jpg/)
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/3230/3482613006433043c0e5b.jpg (http://img411.imageshack.us/i/3482613006433043c0e5b.jpg/)
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/526/34826125523418f3083cb.jpg (http://img33.imageshack.us/i/34826125523418f3083cb.jpg/)
Reception is never a problem, as I have a Magnum Dynalab whip located on the roof of my 5 floor building which is basically in line-of-site of the broadcast facilities on both the CN Tower & First Canadian Place located no more than 3 or so of kms away.
I never really considered it an actual "source" to seriously sit down and listen too (more of a background thing)...until I sat and listened to a live to FM broadcast performance from my local jazz station one night. I sat there with my mouth open...I couldn't believe the "presence" of the sound coming from my little Quad tuner. I had no idea just how good FM broadcast sound if all the stars are aligned.
Now, I love my little Quad FM3 to death, and I would never get rid of it (also, I would never recover all the money I spent buying it and then having it serviced)....they just don't come any cuter.
While it does have its fans, and I don't have a problem with what people tend to find its weak point (poor reception), I now have the "tuna bug". And you know how bad that problem can be for us audiophools on a mission.
Anyway, I've got a line on a vintage Revox A720 hidden away in a local pawn shop that I have become obsessed with. The price will be good (probably get it for under $500 CDN cash). The fellow is reputable and I've been going in his shop for at least 20 years...and he tells me it is in perfect nik (yet to be confirmed by me).
I've read all the on-line stuff there is already. That FMtuner site raves about the 760, which the 720 is supposed to be as good sounding, but that's just one guys opinion, which could be totally different than mine.
I was hoping that since this equipment (I assume) is/was more popular in Europe, someone here might be able to give me some first hand advice. I've always loved Revox...I owned their first cd player, and found it to be a great product. But my real love is for their 70's stuff...it's not just Mercedes quality...but 600 Pullman quality.
I really would like to upgrade to a seriously good sounding tuner (sound quality is the priority here...not being able to tune in difficult signals). And I really like the A720 (those nixie-tube number displays are just the coolest thing ever). It's also one of those "pre-tuners", which I won't be using its pre functions (it has outs so I can just use the tuner portion). It also has DUAL headphone jacks.
Hell, even if it isn't a major improvement over the Quad, I'd still like to own this piece of equipment just for posterity's sake, but I'm hoping I can have my cake and eat it too.
Here's some eye candy for you to enjoy....
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/8898/3043177870a220ee4daao.jpg (http://img29.imageshack.us/i/3043177870a220ee4daao.jpg/)
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/1158/329bm4.jpg (http://img411.imageshack.us/i/329bm4.jpg/)
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/3230/3482613006433043c0e5b.jpg (http://img411.imageshack.us/i/3482613006433043c0e5b.jpg/)
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/526/34826125523418f3083cb.jpg (http://img33.imageshack.us/i/34826125523418f3083cb.jpg/)