Tuner - FM over the air - suggestions


OK, so I kinda miss being able to just tune in my local over the air classical music station and let it run all day long... So...

I'm looking for suggestions for a good new over the air tuner, with remote.  I don't want nor need to go super expensive, so let's keep it at under $500, and preferably more like 300 or less but I'm willing to consider.  This is not for a super-critical application, just background music mainly when I want to set and forget and go about my day.

I know there are loads of vintage tuners out there too... but I'm trying to keep it simple.  Perhaps if there's a decent vintage with remote for not too much money, ok... but I'm leaning towards new, based on my recent success with new stuff.  It'll be hooked into my Marantz Ruby amp via RCA in.  

Sangean?  Rotel?  Rolls?  DST?  Teac, perhaps...?  

 

curtdr

@ghdprentice

It’s getting hot all over the SW, though... and Tucson is better off than PHX or Vegas for water, as T gets more rain and still has enough aquifers to last my lifetime, anyway, and it’s substantially cooler than PHX too. I might consider Reno area, Oregon is out (can’t stand the rain nor the culture). Pasadena good... sort of... but it does have grid problems and many other L.A. problems... plus my Pasadena house is crazy valuable and will set me up for life if/when I sell it so if it’s too hot in Tucson (Oro Valley, north of T, is my prospective destination... misnomer though, not really a valley and is actually higher elev than T) for a couple months I’ll be able to rent a cabin up top of Catalina Mtns or just enjoy my Minn lake place. As for the grid, it’s also an issue all over the SW, and I’ll be going big-time solar system if I move to OV, including getting a couple storage batteries in a few years after this next exponential leap in battery tech kicks in, and a car charger in the garage for a plug-in hybrid, get myself substantially independent and selling power back to the grid. Most of the year, Oro Valley has paradisical weather, lots to do (amenities and clubs in the Sun City neighborhood), and easy living. If I miss CA, I’ll have enough $$ to hop on a plane, fly into Burbank or San Diego, and kick it for a few days.

Thus my current line of thinking... and another reason to be reasonably frugal with my stereo hobby -- I’d rather invest an extra 10k into my solar system, like getting the batteries for example, than straight up spending it on high price stereo gear since what I’m getting at "budget audiophile" prices is exciting, excellent and satisfactory... sure, a $20k amp or speakers is nice, but not MORE nice enough for me to go "beyond" (if that) what I’m currently rocking. I'd rather bolster the solar and/or my Vanguard mutual funds stash...

Thus, a modest tuner to go w my Marantz Ruby - Klipsch Heresy IV - Epi system, plus another $3k maybe to experiment with Q Acoustics Concept 50 or the Polk r700... that’ll be all done then. After that, it’s just enjoy it all for many years.

@russ69 

Good tip on the Green Valley station... do you know the station #?  

GV is just south of Tusc, and I'll be, if I move there, north in Oro Valley, but it's not that far so I bet a half-decent tuner, like that Pioneer I've been offered, will pull it in.

having been reading this thread, just hooked up my recently serviced Yamaha T-2 and having a great time...it's simply fun, and I love vintage tuners...

@curtdr I noticed that you're looking for a tuner with a remote control. One such tuner would be the Teac model TR-670. You can always find them used for under $100 on ebay - just make sure the particular one you're looking at has the remote control that goes with it (you might have to message the seller to make 100% sure about this).

Another option may be the Galaxy Audio RM-RDSTNR AM/FM Tuner with Radio Data System.

Galaxy Audio RM-RDSTNR AM/FM Tuner with Radio Data System