Any recommendation for a modern FM tuner

Before going out and spending $1K, or more, I'd suggest finding even a modest tuner from the 70's, some to be found for as little as $80-$100. Contact Don Scott (e-mail if you want his e-mail) for suggestions. Then, have Don do a few mods. I'm guessing that for about $400 or less, all told, including shipping to and from Don, you can have the performance you seek and use the $600+ for something else.

I had an modest old Sony 3950 stuck on a shelf. Had Don do $150 of mods (plus $50 shipping), including new caps and an IEC to enable use of an after market power cord and it sounds as good or better than the newer Dynalabs I've heard. Start with a tuner even better and get even better results.

Ryan, some of the information you provide in your always pointed and lengthy, albeit often contradictory (including tuner recommendations), posts is useful. You clearly envision yourself as the very authority on all things FM, what with your propensity to label poster's comments as “categorically incorrect”, products as “garbage”, certain mods as a “ripoff”, approaches to tuner improvements as “stupid”, and chiding one poster’s assessment of a tuner by asking him just how many high-end tuners he’s auditioned while passing judgment on another yourself by employing the tired “or so I’ve heard” evidence. But since you are the FM God, I suppose we should all defer to your omnipotence and assume that length of post equals legitimacy.

And, as to your use of the “so I’ve heard/so I’ve been told” qualifier with respect to Don Scott. I do not know Don personally, but I know that he has performed quite a number of mods for a great many folks and I have yet to hear from anyone who was dissatisfied. To my knowledge, Don does not post in this forum so your “I INVITE DON TO REFUTE THIS PUBLICLY” challenge is cowardly, at best. If you want him to your answer YOUR claims, why don’t YOU contact him yourself and ask? By your own admission you are making claims based on “what you’ve been told” – spurious indeed. If you want to make these near libelous claims, how about providing some actual proof and not mere innuendo? YOU have the responsibility to back up what YOU have said. Don has no obligation to answer your heretofore unfounded accusations.

I don’t know if you have a personal thing going with Don, or not. Your reference in other threads to “we” at the FM Tuner Board implies that this may very well be the case. In any event, I suggest that you refrain from such professional competency assassination unless you are prepared to provide the proof necessary to finish what your mouth has started.

Oh, and this is my considered response, offered at your invitation.