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What are the Best FM tuners?

This is an often asked question. This is my current list of favorites:
A. Good out of the box, judging sound quality only, not in order of preference because each has merits:

1. Very rare Accuphase T-103
2. 1 out of 10 Tandberg TPT 3001As
3. Onkyo T-909
4. Bogen TP-100
5. Akai AT-S7
6. JVC FX-1100B
7. NEC T-710
8. Onix Audio BWD-1
9. Kenwood KT-990D
10.Crown FM-2
11.Marantz ST-17
12.Sim Audio "Moon"

B. Modified tuners, both RF and audio performance, in order of preference:

1. Kenwood KT-727
2. Kenwood KT-3200D
3. NEC T-6E
4. SAE 8000
5. Accuphase T-101
6. Sony ST-S550ES
7. Onkyo T-4500
8. Tandberg TPT-3011A
9. McIntosh MR-74
10.Luxman T-110
11.Onkyo T-909
12.MD-102, early version

Sure, there are others -- and you may have your own opinions -- but these have proven to be excellent choices over the past 20 years.
bdscott
vernneal's avatar
vernneal
438 posts
 
McImtosh MR78
McIntosh MR85
Magnum
cdk84's avatar
cdk84
70 posts
 
The Marantz 10B tuner is my personal favorite. While there have been numerous design innovations since the 1960s --the Schotz front end, for example-- Dick Sequerra's design for Saul Marantz has done something that I've not heard another tuner do.
Often I listen in the dark, when sense cues can take on a 'heightened' feeling, but while listening during the day, I became absorbed in my work while the tuner was on. Several times, while alone I was startled back to awareness by feeling there was someone in the room with me.
The audio cues that lead to that kind of experience are very subtle and complex. The fact that I was startled, literally to the point of having the hair on my neck stand up, attests to the realism of the presentation possible with the Marantz 10B.
Sometimes a component attains highly respected status without cause; in my estimation the Marantz 10B tuner is justifiably worthy of its accolades.
byegolly
140 posts
 
"Sam Tellig in Stereophile raved re the sub $100 Sony."

I respectfully disagree about the Sony. True, for the price it really grabs stations, but the tone/fidelity/sound stage/presence is just not in league with the best (albeit much more expensive) audiophile tuners. IMO. Sam loves to rave. Proof? See his review of the LFD Zero Mk III. Case closed. I have a theory that most Hi-Fi reviewers really want to be writing fiction, and the rest are co-mingling wine reviews with their audio reviews. Just kidding!
cliffyport
1 posts
 
for the price you can't go past the rotel r-t 1080,love it.
danb_ny
1 posts
 
Bogen, really? It seems to be designed as an after-thought add-on for PA systems, how did it end up being a 'contender'?
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