Wow ! That's a big one......

[DSJR]

When I lived and worked in the West End, West Herts and Luton area we had no problem - RON SMITH every time..

Now we're in Suffolk on the coast, we're "on the fringe" of almost everything. The ancient simple FM aerial we have on the chimney-stack suffices and gives a good enough signal to the Quads, as well as the T55 and Delta 80. This latter tuner sounded clear by spatially flat into the AVI's 20K load (the CD player and Cambridge don't, so please don't blame the preamp) but into the Croft's 100K or thereabouts it sounds very much better, although my current system hates compression in the source.......

[Barry]

Such a comparative review would be well worth doing, but alas I don't have a Quad (otherwise I would have loved to do it) and shipping kit about the country...especially with vintage kit is asking for it a bit IMHO (even when well packed). Find someone local to you Nick with the Quad/Leak tuners....maybe another AOS member fancies having ago....I am sure someone here has the other two tuners. Consider this a commissioned review idea, so who would like to step up to the plate and have ago....? Ummmmmmm BARRY could it be you sir

Regards D S D L

Hi Neil,

To answer your first question, the version I bought is the Troughline Stereo, which is an exact replacement for the one I used to have. The replacement is in much better cosmetic condition, with the lettering of the legends intact and comes with a (teak?) wooden sleeve; my previous one had a blue-grey metal sleeve.

I fully intend to do a comparison with the Quad FM3, but I will need to take a little time to sort out the interconnects and the like. My first priority will be to see if the internal stereo decoder (which uses germanium transistors!) can be improved. To that end I may knock up a decoder using the National Semiconductors chip. But I am trying to run before I can walk here.

I did intend to do a wider comparison of 'classic' tuners (a sort of 'Flight of Tuners 2'), in fact I recently put a bid on eBay for a Radford FMT-2, but it went for silly money (well silly to my mind for a solid state design). So, yes, I would be willing to write such a piece, and if Nick is willing to loan me his Sugden then I could include that. From memory the Sugden was always well regarded.

If you would like me to undertake the comparision and report on my findings, then please bear in mind that it will take some time for two reasons: first I have already commited myself to writing a couple of lengthy pieces for you; and second the very nature of doing such a comparison means I would need to spend a few days with each tuner. So if you can wait, then I would be interested and willing to do this.

Regards
Barry

[Barry]

Barry,
I'm sure you'll find a Troughline to be an improvement on your Quad (though, there is something about those Quads!). It's good that you're able to latch on to a decent transmitter, because the Leaks need a strong signal.

Hi Chris

I was given a Troughline Stereo about 15 years ago. Based on a brief listen against the Quad, the Leak seemed to be warmer and more open. I didn't spend any time assessing the sensitivity or selectivity at the time, as I almost immediately loaned it to a friend to use. It was then later loaned to another friend and then was lost, for reasons which I briefly mentioned in a post in your thread on tuners. Because of that, I have been on the lookout for a sample in good condition, or at least in better condition than my original, and at a reasonable price ever since.

I am however very fond of my Quad - it has served me very well and provided enormous enjoyment. Like you, there is music playing in the house during most of the waking hours. The tuner is used for up to three or four hours a day, every day, for about ten months in the year. It has done this for thirty years, with only one major and one minor fault occuring in all that time: six years ago a transistor had to be replaced in the stereo decoder section, and about three months ago the bulb that illuminates the tuning scale went; a quick bit of e-commerce with Maplin had the scale illuminated again two days later. For that reason, I would give the Quad an honourable retirement; most likely I will partner it with the 33/303 I use with the TV in the spare room.

Regards
Barry

[Spectral Morn]

Hi Neil,

To answer your first question, the version I bought is the Troughline Stereo, which is an exact replacement for the one I used to have. The replacement is in much better cosmetic condition, with the lettering of the legends intact and comes with a (teak?) wooden sleeve; my previous one had a blue-grey metal sleeve.

I fully intend to do a comparison with the Quad FM3, but I will need to take a little time to sort out the interconnects and the like. My first priority will be to see if the internal stereo decoder (which uses germanium transistors!) can be improved. To that end I may knock up a decoder using the National Semiconductors chip. But I am trying to run before I can walk here.

I did intend to do a wider comparison of 'classic' tuners (a sort of 'Flight of Tuners 2'), in fact I recently put a bid on eBay for a Radford FMT-2, but it went for silly money (well silly to my mind for a solid state design). So, yes, I would be willing to write such a piece, and if Nick is willing to loan me his Sugden then I could include that. From memory the Sugden was always well regarded.

If you would like me to undertake the comparision and report on my findings, then please bear in mind that it will take some time for two reasons: first I have already commited myself to writing a couple of lengthy pieces for you; and second the very nature of doing such a comparison means I would need to spend a few days with each tuner. So if you can wait, then I would be interested and willing to do this.

Regards
Barry

Excellent Barry...sorry to keep asking (picking on you), but I thought you would be up for the task/review....Flock of Tuners 2 sounds good to me. I know I have already commissioned some other items from you, so no rush when you can.

Replacing the decoder does improve things quite a bit. I have a gray metal sleeve for a Trough-Line Stereo, its nice to know about any other bits that were options for these. PM Nick about the Sugden....

I would love to have been able to do this but as you are on the mainland it will be easier (cheaper)than if I were to.


Regards D S D L

[Barry]

Excellent Barry...sorry to keep asking (picking on you), but I thought you would be up for the task/review....Flock of Tuners 2 sounds good to me. I know I have already commissioned some other items from you, so no rush when you can.

Replacing the decoder does improve things quite a bit. I have a gray metal sleeve for a Trough-Line Stereo, its nice to know about any other bits that were options for these. PM Nick about the Sugden....

I would love to have been able to do this but as you are on the mainland it will be easier (cheaper)than if I were to.

Regards D S D L

What are the posal rates to New Skaro?

If you can wait about a month, I may be able to persuade a friend of mine to loan me his Quad FM2 (the valved predecessor to the FM3). He doesn't use it, and although I would be making additional work for myself, it could make for an interesting comparison and a fuller report. Anyway it will give me a chance to fulfil one of my obligations.

Regards
Barry

[Spectral Morn]

What are the postal rates to New Skaro?

If you can wait about a month, I may be able to persuade a friend of mine to loan me his Quad FM2 (the valved predecessor to the FM3). He doesn't use it, and although I would be making additional work for myself, it could make for an interesting comparison and a fuller report. Anyway it will give me a chance to fulfil one of my obligations.

Regards
Barry

Considering the cost of getting Tuners to me and then back safely plus insurance too....this just would be to much of a drain on my zero income state at the minute.

Anyway I have full confidence in your ability to do a great job, and I look forward to your write up when you get round to getting all the elements together.


Regards D S D L

[Barry]

Considering the cost of getting Tuners to me and then back safely plus insurance too....this just would be to much of a drain on my zero income state at the minute.

Regards D S D L

Hi Neil,

I trust you didn't think I was having a 'go' at you. It was meant to be a joke. I am aware of your, hopefully temporary, situation; in retrospect it was probably not that funny.

I should have followed it with the question: 'How do Daleks shake hands with their sink plunger?'

No offense was intended and apologies if any was taken. I really must learn to use appropriate smileys.

Barry

[Spectral Morn]

Hi Neil,

I trust you didn't think I was having a 'go' at you. It was meant to be a joke. I am aware of your, hopefully temporary, situation; in retrospect it was probably not that funny.

I should have followed it with the question: 'How do Daleks shake hands with their sink plunger?'

No offense was intended and apologies if any was taken. I really must learn to use appropriate smileys.

Barry

No offense was caused...I just felt that an explanation was needed for those who dip into the forum irregularly who are not aware of my current situation....and might have wondered what the difficulty was.

Don't worry about it Barry....no harm or problem caused.


Regards D S D L

[DSJR]

Barry, it may be worth Googling on FM3 mods. Depending on the tuner's vintage (there was a fairly major revision to the decoding circuit at around #5000 as I recall), there are some caps that can be usefully changed - three supply ones for larger values and at least five around the decoder and audio output coupling. This makes a subtle but beneficial difference to the sound
. I have to get my FM3 out and remind myself what these caps are - I've just found a couple of spare 3300uF 25V caps you could usefully put in the supply feed under the mains transformer (I had to buy five)

http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTri...uadfm3doc.html

The recommendation of C100 and C104 is a thorny one though. I was urged to retain the original value and just replace these with modern ones, but having done the mod exactly as described, I felt it sounded better (I did as I was told in the end), but the important ones not mentioned are the audio output coupling caps (I'll find the numbers).

Suitably serviced, the FM3 still sounds a touch "dry" but I thought the clarity was better and if it's feeding a high impedance pre as recommended (50K at least), you should get a pretty truthful reproduction (I still find the FM2 too soggy and soft, but I'm told it's the stereo decoder at fault).

[Barry]

No offense was caused...I just felt that an explanation was needed for those who dip into the forum irregularly who are not aware of my current situation....and might have wondered what the difficulty was.

Don't worry about it Barry....no harm or problem caused.

Regards D S D L

Phew! - that's alright then.

Been cleaning up the Troughline today. I gave the wooden case a good polish with some beeswax polish. Sad but true! - anyway the old girl scrubs up well. Will put her through the paces tomorrow.

Barry