Finding a Great Sounding FM Tuner

Like Guy I am in the UK where were are blessed to enjoy high quality public service FM broadcasting in the shape of the BBC.

Radio 3 is their flagship classical music channel which I switch onto when I get up in the morning and it it usually stays on all day

I have had an FM tuner for many years now starting with Naim and going all the way up to the NAT O1. Later I changed my affiliation to Vitus amplification and Magnum Dynalab ending up with my current MD109,the stock valves of which I have replaced with Phillips 6922 NOS valves from the Tube Depot. Very significant improvement in sound quality.

I have an external roof mounted Ron Smith Galaxie 17 aerial which again has been a great buy. AFAIK it's still in business though now run by his son. I don't need a bigger one but they do some seriously large models.

I don't stream as my FM meets my needs very well but they are available on the net and I can wholeheartedly recommend BBC Radio 3 if you can get it. 

The BBC has forged strong links with other European public service broadcasters and they have an extensive partnership with them to exchange recorded live broadcasts from all over Europe and which are excellent.The presenters are very knowledgeable and professional. Most i think are former musicians in concert orchestras who chose to become broadcasters

As I say I opted for MD but there a a number of other good manufacturers as mentioned above. I did consider Day

Sequerra but there are only a handful of people around the world who know how to service them properly and the Marantz 10B struck me as a dust trap notwithstanding its sound quality.

If you have access to good quality FM broadcasts it really is a no brainer and an external FM aerial really makes a big difference if that option is open to you

I love me an FM tuner. Those who say they are obsoleted by Internet miss the point.

Incidentally, the same people also say that vinyl has been obsoleted by Internet, alongside reel-to-reel and cassette tapes and basically anything that doesn’t stream in via an Aurender / Lumin appliance. Doesn’t that strike you as an ASR type of argument?

But I digress. Back to these lovely beasts that FM tuners are, most Kenwood units punch above their weight and many are found under @jimbennet ’s $250 threshold. It makes sense that the considerable RF expertise Kenwood / Trio accumulated over decades making world-class ham radio rigs would shine upon their tuner’s designs.

As for me, my bucket list includes an FM tuner with integrated oscilloscope. If you happen to know someone who owns a broken one which no one can fix, I am interested :)

Whatever the Kenwood models, I would not consider anything less than top 15 tuners on the Shootout list at fmtunersinfo.com

I own a Tandberg 3001A which I purchesed back in 1983 and use it 3 times a week

one of the the best Tuners I have ever owned just had it recalbritated..

The problem is the quality and condition of the used units and finding the right 

person that can work on them that knows how to really fix them.

I am envious of your Ron Smith Galaxy 17 @barry2013.  I had a good chat with his son, George, and was very keen to get one.  Then I made the mistake of looking up planning regulations.  Then I made the even bigger mistake of asking my local council wether an FM ariel really needed planning permission in the UK if it's just replacing an existing one.

"Yes," said the planning office.  "If it's bigger than 600mm in any direction, you will."

That sadly put paid to my upgrade from a regular folded dipole to a Ron Smith Galaxy 17!  One day ...

Guy.