What happened to the AM/FM tuner???


I want to add an AM/FM tuner component, but apparently no one makes this any more!! Every AM/FM tuner I see for sale is integrated with an amplifier, cd-player, or other thing I don't want/need.

All I want is an AM/FM tuner with RCA line level output - no built in amplifier, no built in cd player, nothing else!!
lupinthe3rd

Showing 1 response by hifibri

You should be able to find something to fit your needs right here on AudioGon.
After years of neglecting FM because I didn’t think it was worth the time or effort I stumbled upon FMtunerinfo.com and my enthusiasm in FM was ignited. I, like Zenblaster live in the Northeast where decent college stations are fairly plentiful. While there are many big corporate stations with over compressed and badly EQ’d signals, WGBH, NPR out of Boston has simply amazing sound quality and program material, classical, including live broadcasts (great sound quality), jazz every night and Celtic and others on Saturdays. This station alone has been worth the price of admission and in fact I rarely change the station. I hear all sorts of music I otherwise wouldn’t.

I have found some very musical tuners like the AM/FM Kenwood KT-5020 and AM/FM Luxman T-117. These get the high frequencies right, a weakness I’ve found with a lot of tuners. Sansui also made some excellent, but pricier AM/FM tuners like the TU-X1, 919, and 9900. There are plenty more by other manufacturers too. Two of the biggest mistakes it to 1) get a great tuner but neglect the antenna, and 2) not get it aligned.

Here’s some sad but appropriate news while we’re on the subject;

CHANGING OF THE GUARD: STEREO TV INVENTOR CARL EILERS - SK

The electronic engineer who helped develop production of high-fidelity stereo sound over the airwaves has died. 83 year old Carl G. Eilers, Friday at his home in River Forest, Illinois, on June 26th of an apparent of a heart attack.

A 50-year employee of Zenith Electronics, Eilers joined Zenith in 1948 as an engineer in the research department working on a subscription television system called Phonevision. In 1977, he became manager of research and development and led the team that in 1961developed FM stereo broadcasting. Eilers was also co-developer of another key industry standard known as MTS or multi-channel television sound for stereo TV. Zenith's MTS system was adopted by the industry in 1984.

Eilers also worked on development of remote controls, laser-disc recording and supplemental audio programming. He also contributed significantly to high-definition television and was granted 21 U.S. patents.

Eilers retired in 1997 but returned as a consultant for the company, which is based in the Chicago suburb of Lincolnshire. He is survived by his wife of Sandra; his son John and a daughter Janet Ames. (Published reports)