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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.
ykk
6 responses Add your response
audiodar
1 posts
 
Hi,
The hft 92 is a mono tuner. The rca connections on the back are one for mono and one for mpx stereo. Are you running both rca's (L+R) to your preamp? I have an eico hft 90 tuner with an eico mx 99 stereo decoder. (1) rca cord goes from the mpx out on the tuner to the mpx in on the mx 99 decoder and then a stereo pair of rca cords go from the mx 99 to my preamp - fabulous! Is your hft 92a tuner the one with the silver face plate or the brass faceplate?
regards, Daryl
ykk OP
124 posts
 
I think MR 65 has stereo with the MPX thing, but I do not know if it is truly stereo or "bi-mono". Anyone knows? I like "warm and euphonic" sound, so I will look for 65 or 67.
jvr
105 posts
 
i have not heard the 65 to 67. i can comment on someone who has and they say the 67 is significantly better. i do know that my 67 is amazing. i have heard live broadcasts of the local symphony.....holly smokes! my unit is stock w/o ever being worked on. if you enjoy listening to the radio....it is worth the money. as for ebay. check out the feed back of the seller. i think you would do better on audiogon. anyway....good luck

jim
nanderson
291 posts
 
MR-65 may be your cup of tea if you like a somewhat softer and more euphonic sound. Regardless Mac knew what is was doing in the 60s with tuners.
ykk OP
124 posts
 
Nanderson, am I right in assuming that MR65 is not on your recommended list at all, and that even with recap and retube, MR65 is not like 67 and 71?
nanderson
291 posts
 
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?)
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