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View Full Version : FM Tuner Advice Please. URGENT.



DaveK
28-07-2009, 17:23
Hi Guys,
I have got the opportunity to get my hands on a Denon AM-FM Stereo Tuner Model TU-580RD for £30 delivered. Denon kit generally has a good name - does anyone have any advice on whether this is a good tuner (I live in an area with CRAP signal reception) and is a good buy?
Thanks for any comments.
Cheers.

Dave Cawley
28-07-2009, 17:30
Denon make good expensive equipment and correspondingly low cost equipment.

Assuming it's this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Denon-TU-580RD-AM-FM-Srereo-Tuner-RDS-Inc-Remote-_W0QQitemZ130321050122 then I would say it would not be good in a poor signal area. You would have to spend shed loads more.

Do you have a loft or outside antenna for it?

Regards

Dave

DaveK
28-07-2009, 17:36
Denon make good expensive equipment and correspondingly low cost equipment.

Assuming it's this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Denon-TU-580RD-AM-FM-Srereo-Tuner-RDS-Inc-Remote-_W0QQitemZ130321050122 then I would say it would not be good in a poor signal area. You would have to spend shed loads more.

Do you have a loft or outside antenna for it?

Regards

Dave
Hi Dave,
Yes it is the eBay item - "spend shed loads more" on what?
I don't have any aerial for it at the moment BUT .....
I live in a bungalow and access to my (relatively low) chimney is easy and FM aerials are not that expensive (unless one for a poor signal area is something special and expensive??)
Thanks,

Dave Cawley
28-07-2009, 17:54
How does your car radio perform on FM outside your house?

Dave

DaveK
28-07-2009, 18:14
How does your car radio perform on FM outside your house?

Dave

CRAP
Dave.

Dave Cawley
28-07-2009, 18:16
If that is your best effort, I can't help.

Dave

DaveK
28-07-2009, 18:39
If that is your best effort, I can't help.

Dave

Sorry Dave,
Didn't realise you needed details. What else can I say? R1 is OK ish, R2 a bit crackly, (white noise), R3 not too bad, R4 also OK ish, Classic FM un-listenable to. The poor reception seems to be quite local - as I drive up the avenue away from the house it gets better and Classic FM becomes OK ish within 100m. Half a mile away, at the bottom of the hill, all FM is unlistenable to for a couple of hundred yards and then improves. When we first moved into the house (newly built), FM reception was fine but as they built more houses higher up the hill, between us and the transmitter, the reception got worse until, when they built right on the brow of the hill, the reception went crap.
Hope this is enough detail to enable you to reach a conclusion.
Cheers,

Dave Cawley
28-07-2009, 18:46
Mmmmmmmmm quite bad then?

I would try a 3 element Yagi in the loft and borrow a tuner. Then Denon won't be up to it. It's a mater of cost, so borrow one first, any one, just try it and report back.

Dave

DaveK
28-07-2009, 18:55
Thanks Dave,
Understood and much appreciated - will do, I have a Marantz SR4001 (I think, it's in the loft and can't be arsed to confirm) AV amp with FM receiver built in which I intend to incorporate into my system shortly, when finished redecorating and refurnishing lounge. Never coupled up an aerial to it before because of previous unsatisfactory experiences with FM receivers. I just hoped the Denon might be a little better in a poor reception area.
Thanks again and sorry for earlier confusion.
Cheers,

Dave Cawley
28-07-2009, 19:00
OK, but that was a low cost Denon. You will need a good antenna what ever you do. If it works in the loft fine, if not it's a roof job.

Dave

DaveK
28-07-2009, 19:13
Hi Dave,
Thanks for that. Based on past experience I am resigned to a roof aerial - would you still recommend a 3 element Yagi?
BTW, how long do you spend grooming your 6 Maine Coones? - we have 3 Persian/Exotics and trying to keep them lug free is almost a full time job. :)
Cheers,

DSJR
28-07-2009, 19:40
Get a pussy of the best kind - an SHDT (short haired domestic tabby) :)

How's your freeview? I suspect that one of the better freeview receivers may be pretty good on the FM channels. I'm not sure if FreeSat has radio channels either. Thirdly, what about streaming radio via a reasonable laptop and a Beresford DAC?

Dave Cawley
28-07-2009, 21:31
Yes a 3 element Yagi is fine on the roof too.

We estimate 2 person hours a day looking after 6 Maine Coons, but what could be better? Would like to add a Persian though...

http://www.dartmouth.tv/cats/images/crystal/march-2004.jpg

Regards

Dave

DaveK
28-07-2009, 22:12
Hi Dave,
Nice cat pic. I'm sure that I have seen other pics of some of your cats posted on AoS before.
If you are serious about getting a Persian I can thoroughly recommend Country Girl Persians in Shropshire BUT .... and it might be a big 'but', not counting the distance you are apart !! ;) I'll come to that in a minute.
Our daughter and us, between us, have had 3 Persians from this lady, Karen Nursey, over the last couple of years or so, 1 tabby, 1 red and 1 blue tabby, all male. We have had many many cats over the years and I can honestly say we have never had (or seen) any more beautiful to look at and more beautiful natured cats ever and that goes for all three.:)
Now the 'BUT': -
Due to the recession her breeding business collapsed late last year and she has, for the moment, withdrawn from breeding and concentrated on her other hobby, body building, (honest !!). She is a lovely lady and breeds lovely cats. The last time we e-mailed her she was offering her 'surplus' adult cats and just keeping her core requirements for if and when she returns to breeding and she had a number of adult cats available, all with Championship history going back many many generations.
Hope this might be of interest to you.:)
Cheers.

Dave Cawley
29-07-2009, 06:45
Hi Dave

I would like to add a Persian, but seven would be too many. We have taken in full pedigree rescues (yes really) and six is OK in the house, seven is not, a shame!

You can see my cats by clicking here (http://www.dartmouthpussycat.com/).

http://www.dartmouth.tv/cats/images/teddy/IMG_4857.jpg

Regards

Dave

DSJR
29-07-2009, 16:21
Wonderful!!!! :)

I had some good advice once - if you want to REALLY relax, just look at a cat when it's asleep or just "chilling" and use that as a reference for relaxation. That pic above says it all and brings back some very happy memories of the two we had - best friends they were........................

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q8/DSJR_photos/OllieSep2006cropped.jpg

Gone a year now and missed every day.