I would not be overly concerned about "as is" (afterall we are talking about tuners that are pushing 35-40 years old) unless the tuner is heavily pitted, dented, rusted because you will want to recap it and probably retube it anyway. I would be more concerned about the feedback and honesty of the seller. If you do not recap it you run the very real risk of caps giving out and wiping out other parts of the circuit. IMO: A properly restored with Mullard or Telefunken Gold Pins, MR-67/71 (chrome and handwired masterpieces), Fisher 200B (very nice with 2 Nuvistors (seems like the 300B of ages gone by and Nuvistors are back in vogue by those who care about sound) a key secret to that ever so sweet and voluminous sound) , Marantz 10B (not much needs to be said about this classic and still a standard), Citation IIIx (a bit more sensitive than the MR67/71 series and weighs a ton), and a Scott 350B (a little out of the class of the previously mentioned tuners but still a joy to own) will not have much detail as my former Rotel RHT-10 (the RHT-10 is extremely detailed with just a bit more detail than the Fanfare) BUT, and this is a big BUT, I do not own any of those big marque solid states anymore because the YOU ARE THERE BIG "ROCKY MOUNTAIN RELIEF" SOUND just does not come from the "flat-land fields of Kansas" sound-scape solid-state tuners. Bit of an exaggeration, but just a weee bit (lets face it, if you were an electron wouldn't you rather travel through a Vacuum than through dense sand?)
Tube Tuner: Eico HF92A and Mcintosh MR 65
I have been using Fanfare FT1A for sometimes (with Rogue 99 and 88) and enjoy the CD quality of classical station (and other stations) in Chicago. I have always wanted Mcintosh MR71 (or 67) but the problems are either the price is not right or there are too many "sold as is" MR on Ebay. Somehow, I got an Eico HF92A last week and was surprised to hear its warm and sensitivity, I mean comparing it with my Fanfare FT1A (in some stations, not all), the old Eico HF92A is not that far off. But I think HF92A is mono? So my first question is anyone knows about converting HF92A to stereo? OR did I miss something? The second question is: why the left speaker is producing high pitch sound and the right speaking is producing midrange to bass (when HF92A is played)?
My third thing is regarding MR65. I am about to get this MR65 but like to know if it is comparable SONICALLY to MR67.
I think I will sell my Fanfare soon and get into a tube tuner. Thanks in advance to all your help.
My third thing is regarding MR65. I am about to get this MR65 but like to know if it is comparable SONICALLY to MR67.
I think I will sell my Fanfare soon and get into a tube tuner. Thanks in advance to all your help.