pbda
Super Member
Astonishing Sony XDR-F1HD Tuner
As a committed vintage (and radio) enthusiast, I never thought that I would write a post like this, but I'll overcome my astonishment to report the following...
A good friend of mine, who is very much into audio, recently suggested that I demo a Sony XDR-F1HD (HD, as in "hybrid digital") tuner. This is a tiny, black plastic box with a digital display. He said that its reception and sound blew away his (very expensive) vintage tuners. The Sony is available for less than $100.
I received the tuner from Amazon yesterday. I hooked it up to my system, and I am very, very impressed. Both the sensitivity and selectivity of this unit are phenomenal. I was A-B'ing it with the tuner section of my Yamaha CR-2040 receiver (which has been worked over by Merrylander, and which has an excellent FM section), and the difference was clear. The Sony consistently pulled in stations with far less noise, and was able to clearly tune stations that the Yamaha couldn't even find (both in analog and HD modes). Weak station next to strong station? No problem. In initial listening I feel that its sound is at least as good as - and possibly better than - the analog tuners in my receivers.
I'm stunned that something so small and cheap can be so good. I have been always a committed luddite when it comes to stereo equipment, but I have to say that this little unit has caused me to rethink what modern technology is capable of producing.
As a committed vintage (and radio) enthusiast, I never thought that I would write a post like this, but I'll overcome my astonishment to report the following...
A good friend of mine, who is very much into audio, recently suggested that I demo a Sony XDR-F1HD (HD, as in "hybrid digital") tuner. This is a tiny, black plastic box with a digital display. He said that its reception and sound blew away his (very expensive) vintage tuners. The Sony is available for less than $100.
I received the tuner from Amazon yesterday. I hooked it up to my system, and I am very, very impressed. Both the sensitivity and selectivity of this unit are phenomenal. I was A-B'ing it with the tuner section of my Yamaha CR-2040 receiver (which has been worked over by Merrylander, and which has an excellent FM section), and the difference was clear. The Sony consistently pulled in stations with far less noise, and was able to clearly tune stations that the Yamaha couldn't even find (both in analog and HD modes). Weak station next to strong station? No problem. In initial listening I feel that its sound is at least as good as - and possibly better than - the analog tuners in my receivers.
I'm stunned that something so small and cheap can be so good. I have been always a committed luddite when it comes to stereo equipment, but I have to say that this little unit has caused me to rethink what modern technology is capable of producing.