Need a tuner - looking for your advice.

JimmyNeutron

Super Member
Soooooo, my home theater system downstairs has no am/fm tuner. The pre/pro is a Krell Showcase and does not come with a tuner. My only tuner is a Denon and I am using it in the bedroom for my McIntosh stereo system upstairs. My dilema is that the Krell is steel, and most tuners are black. I want a steel faced tuner to match. I thought about geting a pioneer vintage tuner - to contrast with the high tech of the Krell and the beauty of the vintage - would be a cool combination. I've been looking on ebay for the Pioneer vintage tuners and there are about 5 different models - all silver faced. There is a TX-6500, TX-6700, TX-7800, and a TX-608. Do any of you guys know which one would be a nice, reliable, good sounding tuner? And if you guys might know anyone here that has a nice one for sale I'd rather buy from you here than a total stranger.
 
I would get a tx-8500II or a tx-9500II. The 6500 is probably worth about $15 and the others are not really tops either. If you like tube tuners I just got a pioneer aft-14 that I can highly recommend, sounds really really good but is not too stunning in the looks department.
 
Love the TX-7100, 8100, and 9100. These are all beautifully backlit in blue, and are housed in brushed aluminum chassis with oak (?) side caps. All are great performers, and can be had for under $200 in excellent condition.

I've attached a pic of a TX-8100 I sold a while back...

just my $.02
 
www.fmtunerinfo.com

Check out the info on the fmtunerinfo.com web site for info on these tuners.... there is a bit of a description of each model, as well as photos, and even schematics in some cases.

I found it interesting that none of the Pioneer tuners figured prominently in the shootout comparisons... the best one was the TX-9800 if I recall correctly. I have always been reasonably impressed by the tuner sections of vintage Pioneer receivers I have used, so I am surprised that their tuners don't make a better showing in the shootouts. They are very clean and elegant looking... classic silver-faced styling.

If your selection is based more on performance rather than appearance, perhaps you want to consider other tuners they have reviewed. The Kenwoods seem to do well in the reviews, and they also have that clean silver-faced styling like the Pioneers.
 
tuner

must it be pioneer? must it be silver? i have a world class tuner, but its a modded TU-9900, punker did the work and thought it was one of the absolute best he's ever heard. pricey though, just the mods were 500+ :thmbsp:
 
Ya Wanna Tunah?

I watch the tunahs on eBay and Audiogon anyway, so here's what I noticed that isn't in black and would interest me on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3282&item=5777855676&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3282&item=5779474979&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3282&item=5779720395&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=73382&item=5779464552&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3282&item=5779056224&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3282&item=5779370364&rd=1

But...right now on Audiogon, there's a classic tuner that's been well moded that will kick all their asses (and all but a handful of the absolute best):

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?misctunr&1122864394

I dunno your budget and how closely you want to match the Krell stuff. But if matching the Krell is a big thing and money isn't, you can always blow $4000 for a Trio!
 
Thanks for the input guys. The tuner will get used a lot, but not in critical form - mostly background or just when we're in the room. Because of FM's limited "everything", I do not want to go into a very expensive tuner. What I want is a very decent tuner that looks very nice and will match up (cosmetically) with the Krells silver face.

Beercan: A tube tuner is no-go for me. The maintenance, the warm-up, tube rolling, etc. Naw. Just a good ol' solid state tuner from the past.

Redcaotes7: I like your tuner, and the blue dial would look nice with the blue lights of the Krell. It's one that is high on my list.

Styler: It doesn't have to be a Pioneer, but I would like it to be silver. I'm thinking Pioneer only because of all the good things I hear about their vintage stuff.

Negotiableterms: A Trio is OUT OF THE QUESTION! How Krell could charge $4000.00 for a tuner for their Showcase line is beyond me - even if it is networked. I have a music/video server computer in my upstairs closet that will outperform that Trio. I really don't want to go over $100 - $150 for a vintage tuner. Anything over that and I might as well look for a newer one.

Well, I'm still back to square 1. I'll have some money in a few days to make my first "real" vintage purchase. I'd like to do the purchase on ebay (since I will have funds in my PayPal account), or through anyone here that accepts PayPal. Still open to your sugestions.
 
Hey Retro, that's a nice one. That would look good next to my Krell. Does anyone have any opinions on that tuner for $100.00 before I go and do the Buy It Now? Is it worth that? Should i wait?
 
JimmyNeutron,

New ones -unless you spend *big* bucks- won't be as good as most of those mentionned above...

I would add to the Pioneer/Marantz/Kenwood trio the Sony ST-A6B and Denon TU-850.
Both 1978 vintage, the 7-gang Sony being very easy to find on the german eBay (it's a tuner so shipping fees won't be a problem and all EU Sonys were multivoltage), the 5-gang Denon not as much but a heck of a good thing. Both are build to last three lifetimes and will slash 99% of anything new, digital and affordable.

The Denon is partly silver (it's posted on TVK already), the Sony is green/bronze-difficult-to-describe but once you've seen one (in my opinion) you'll start finding black desperately boring and silver too obvious :)
 
JimmyNeutron said:
Hey Retro, that's a nice one. That would look good next to my Krell. Does anyone have any opinions on that tuner for $100.00 before I go and do the Buy It Now? Is it worth that? Should i wait?

If'n you don't buy that Pioneer TX-8500II in the next 10 minutes, I will.... :yes:



Retro
 
Not if I beat you to it. :) Hurry up JN The natives are getting restless


FWIW I have a 8500II and I like it just fine. Paid more than $100 for it also ;)
 
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I was reading on fmtunerinfo.com about that tuner. I settled on getting the TX-8500II. What a coincidence that this one came up. The only problem is the guy does not seem to accept PayPal, and right now that's the only place I have funds in. I e-mailed the guy to see if he'll accept PayPal. If it's still there when he answers my e-mail I'll get it.
So should I do it? Last chance.......
 
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If you want to get it get it. Worse case scenario I can help you with the paypal-money order thing. as long as you pay the paypal fee ;)
 
The guy e-mailed me back and said he will not accept PayPal. Oh well. Hey BeerCan, what do you meant about helping with PayPal?
 
Jimmy, I think you are about to get a lesson in AK's Community Spirit.

You need to pm BeerCan, to confirm what I am betting is his offer to help you get the very tuner that he would buy,if you hadn't expressed an interest.

Now, get on it, lad! If you wait too long someone may beat you to the tuner.
 
LV,
This was a no-brainer for me. I've had MY finger on the "BIN" button a couple of times and had to use my other hand to pull it back! It doesn't cost anything to transfer money out of your PayPal account and put it in your savings or checking account and then you just go get yourself a money order! I don't get it? :scratch2:
Tell you what, I'm going to a graduation party and should be back by 4 PM CDT and if it's still there when I get back, it will be part of my collection, GUARANTEED!


Retro
 
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RS, I was tempted by that on Friday night, then a 2110 fell into my lap yesterday, so I restrained myself. I'll give you till 5:30 EDT, (4:30 Central, 2:30 Pacific, just like on TV!) so don't be late.
 
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