I agree with preferring analog (as a system) to Digitally synthesized (as a system) tuning. But it got better in the most ambitious units of the '90's, and "average" doesn't do a good job of carrying the torch for Digital Tuning technology.Tube fetishists won't sanction anything but a hierarchical litany of preferences that are as frozen in Amber as anything could be. So I won't be part of that (already well represented) demographic either.
None of the best Tuners I've owned are Tube. (Sound or RF performance). They include a Pioneer F-28, F-93, TX-9500II, 9800, and an, MR 78, Yamaha T-2 (rip) and three or four others that were supposed to be "upstart" HD references, that were (to me) the MOST disappointing of all. I get the "tube" appeal, but in my experience it's informed by the eccentricities of electric Guitarists and not particularly faithful to the tenets of High Fidelity. It's possible that my not being in the center demographic for the tube Macs shines light on my being underwhelmed by the Far Eastern HD widget on the other side of my age demographic. (I owned one new for $50.00 and gave it to a relative. She never turns it on, btw.) But I do listen critically and there's more rampant subjectivity in FM Tuners than I ever thought possible. It's even whackier than turntables. In my experience, the better either gets the more like the other it sounds. If you like what you have, hang on for dear life. A good solid state tuner will be the most neutral source for that format. The big problem now is content. YMMV.....
None of the best Tuners I've owned are Tube. (Sound or RF performance). They include a Pioneer F-28, F-93, TX-9500II, 9800, and an, MR 78, Yamaha T-2 (rip) and three or four others that were supposed to be "upstart" HD references, that were (to me) the MOST disappointing of all. I get the "tube" appeal, but in my experience it's informed by the eccentricities of electric Guitarists and not particularly faithful to the tenets of High Fidelity. It's possible that my not being in the center demographic for the tube Macs shines light on my being underwhelmed by the Far Eastern HD widget on the other side of my age demographic. (I owned one new for $50.00 and gave it to a relative. She never turns it on, btw.) But I do listen critically and there's more rampant subjectivity in FM Tuners than I ever thought possible. It's even whackier than turntables. In my experience, the better either gets the more like the other it sounds. If you like what you have, hang on for dear life. A good solid state tuner will be the most neutral source for that format. The big problem now is content. YMMV.....