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FM tuners - Are they OBSOLETE ?

As much as I a have liked tuners in the past - and probably kidded myself that older ''vintage'' tuners sound better (after owning quite a few), I really don't see much use for them except maybe a nostalgic bridge to days past, or bragging rights to pride of ownership with McIntosh gear or whatever.

With the newer technologies giving access to hundreds of stations around the globe, it just seems like THE proposition to discover new music.

I of course know that some high-end tuners sound very good - but let me tell you - a clean 128 digital feed into a DAC (from a digital transport like the Wadia or Cambridge Audio's new ID-100), is pretty impressive...

Sort of make kilo-buck tuners seem futile and very expensive by comparison.

What do you think ?
soniqmike
unsound
7,311 posts
 
Mapman, that's not the only problem with internet radio. Some stations "broadcast" in low rez. There is a chance that the sound quality could possibly be better via FM.
soniqmike OP
140 posts
 
Unsound - completely missing the point again - who cares that some stations broadcast in low rez - there are a zillion out there that broadcast with great quality - and with those zillions of great stations compared with the relatively F-E-W fm stations (some of those have music content that you wouldn't listen to anyway) that come in clear, again, it's no contest and a no-brainer to go digital with the right gear, of course. On top of this if I remember doesn't FM have limited frequencies up to around 13,000 or 15,000hz? I am less sure about this latest thing, but one thing I'm convinced of after using both ''technologies'', there's no going back to FM tuner sound for me. But that doesn't mean FM tuners have no attributes - some like their sound and the way the gear looks - matter of personal taste of course. But for sheer performance and convenience - and the ''exploring the world'' factor, Web wins.
isochronism
2,893 posts
 
A contemporary philosopher (?) said "You can't always get what you want.. and if you try sometime you find you get what you need". Instant gratification is not something to be automatically relied upon, even given our high-tech age. When I move "soon" (fingers crossed), I plan on installing a roof-mount, rotating Channel Master antenna to further enjoy NYC's finest FM broadcasts. :)
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,261 posts
 
I had a Sony hdr-f1hd tuner in addition to my Magnum Dynalab FT101a. Guess what, I kept the Magnum Dynalab and sold the Sony. How anyone can say that the Sony sounds great must have hearing deficiencies. Most of the stations I want to listen to in the Boston/Providence area in hd were low rez content, and the stations did not come in that strong. They sounded like cheap mp-3 player files compared to the wonderful analog sound I got from the Magnum Dynalab.

Why do you think there is such a high turnover rate for the Sony tuner here on the Gon?
isochronism
2,893 posts
 
It only receives in japanese?? Just guessing...
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