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Thread: The benefits of a better tuner

  1. #41
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...

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    I'm David.

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    One thing Japanese based audio gear was blessed with in the 70's was superior longer lasting electrolytic capacitors! I don't think Quad skimped on lower quality components but the 33/303, 405 and 34's at least suffered from leaky supply caps after ten years or so of average use. My then eleven year old Radford SC22/STA25 in 1977 had mounds of leaked electrolyte on it's supply caps and nobody at the time wanted to fix it (no internet then for service specialists further afield).

    One thing about many far eastern integrated amps. Behind the lavishly finished front panels often lurked a circuit deliberately hobbled to get THD down with gob-loads of global feedback (I believe it was), plus crossover distortion on what was left and construction laden with criss-cross wires... How you heard the effects was in a flattening and blanding-out of the sound-field and increasing harshness at higher powers. The trouble for me was trying to find the gems in a sea of good looking sonic rubbish. Oh, but when they got it right..... (the Sony V-FETs come immediately to mind but of course there were others at various prices).
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  2. #42
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norwich

    Posts: 1,064
    I'm Mike.

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    It was all a long time ago, but John Peel's late night shows on R2 were selectively put onto Revox R2R. Of the Leak Stereofetic, Revox (not the B one) and Pioneer 8 something I had during this period, it was the Leak which I have fond memories of AND which didn't exhibit birdies, despite a nine element aerial high up on the roof of a 5 storey house in Canterbury.

    As I said, it was early seventies in two different top floor rooms. The Revox was bought to match the amp. and R2R (well, it mattered in those days !) and the Pioneer had its matching amp. later. I then left college, started work and couldn't afford to fanny about with changes in hifi until quadraphonics came in; that buggered everything !

  3. #43
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: North Down /Northern Ireland/ UK

    Posts: 19,484
    I'm Neil.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    I agree, the description of sound quality is far too general and vague. No mention of selectivity and sensitivity, nor of the ability of the tuner not to drift off-tune with time. For example the legendary Marantz 10B was famed not only for SQ but was notorious in its inability to remain on-tune, requiring regular and expensive realignment.

    Not surprisingly the list is incomplete, as well as being of limited use - hardly the best way of choosing which tuner to buy.

    When at home I listen to either Radio 3 or 4 for at least three hours a day, and have done so for the last forty years using several tuners: Quad FM2; Quad FM3; Leak 'Troughline'; Cambridge T55, and B&O 1700. But for the last five years I have been more than happy listening with a tuner ranked at 71 ()
    One of the reason I didn't push forward with my tuner comparisons was my realizing that the Tuner Info guide was pretty much spot on, so I will disagree very strongly re it not being useful.
    Last edited by Spectral Morn; 23-04-2018 at 12:28.
    Regards Neil

  4. #44
    Join Date: Sep 2009

    Location: west mids, UK

    Posts: 3,268
    I'm Phil.

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    i used that long list in past for choosing fm tuners but over recent years i enjoy the bel canto fm 1 which can be used with a battery supply [vbs1 ] or a little supplied psu . extremely transparent sound and no drift ever . really enjoy it a lot
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  5. #45
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,850
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dalek Supreme D L View Post
    One of the reason I didn't push forward with my tuner comparisons was my realizing that the Tuner Info guide was pretty much spot on, so I will disagree very strongly re it not being useful.
    Did you listen to your tuners before agreeing with the Tuner Information site, or abandon your listening tests as you thought it would only duplicate the results?
    Barry

  6. #46
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: North Down /Northern Ireland/ UK

    Posts: 19,484
    I'm Neil.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    Did you listen to your tuners before agreeing with the Tuner Information site, or abandon your listening tests as you thought it would only duplicate the results?
    I did the listening Barry and I agreed with what they stated,why repeat the same thing ? So I didn't bother writing it up.
    Regards Neil

  7. #47
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,850
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dalek Supreme D L View Post
    I did the listening Barry and I agreed with what they stated,why repeat the same thing ? So I didn't bother writing it up.
    Fair enough.
    Barry

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