What tuners do you have ?

Well, I am still speculating because for me it is more of a contest of reception sensitivity. That is I am more prone to prefer the more sensitive tuner to one that actually may sound better with a proper antenna.

Keeping that in mind, the Roksan Caspian beats ALL other tuners I have tried. (I have not had a Sony HD). A quick look at it would sell someone. It really does look and feel like solid and expensive like the Sonneteer Orton I matched it with.

So let's just review the Denon TU 800 vs other similar tuners. It sounds very good, and I initially put it in the class with the Rotel and Kenwood. Since I get better reception in the workshop, a separate bld on the same property, I tried the Denon there to see if I could get the reception meter to go over the 3 of 7 total where it sits. Playing with the antennas I could get short bursts of 4 or 5 but then drop back to 3. Funny, it does exactly the same in the shop, but it still sounds very good. I was working and listening to River Walk Jazz, DeeDee Bridgewater, World Cafe etc on the Dyn A-25 speakers. So even with 3 on the meter it sounds as good as any other of my tuners. It is a keeper and will stay right there with that big azz 170 w HK Integrated amp. By comparison, the Magnum Dynalab 101 has great reception, up with the Rotel 990, it sounds much thinner by comparison.
I am guessing that given a proper ariel, it will tie, or at least close with the Rotel 990 bx at the top of the class.

That is very interesting. I did think the Roksan might be tops though as it was 5 times the list price of the Denon when new! I find that the signal level meter will read higher in Super Narrow but that is not surprising. Does the Roksan have as good sensitivity and selectivity of the Denon?

If the Denon really does sound as good as the 990BX, then I think that's another reason for Doug to get one :D

Regards,
Nick

PS: I found a PDF of the Caspian's user manual but no selectivity specs...
 
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That is very interesting. I did think the Roksan might be tops though as it was 5 times the list price of the Denon when new! I find that the signal level meter will read higher in Super Narrow but that is not surprising. Does the Roksan have as good sensitivity and selectivity of the Denon?

If the Denon really does sound as good as the 990BX, then I think that's another reason for Doug to get one :D

Regards,
Nick

PS: I found a PDF of the Caspian's user manual but no selectivity specs...
maybe if i can find a tu800 for <$50 shipped. ;~) having tried a tu850 (excellent) and a tu900 (also excellent), i have gotten my denon fix, unless i stumble across one at a really cheap price.

btw, the roksan caspian was "only" ~$1k when first released; inflation drove it to $2500 before it was finally discontinued. i would be surprised if its reception were as good as the denon...

doug s.
 
I have a couple of classics....

The McIntosh MR78 and the MR80......both are exceptional tuners, but i enjoy the sound of the MR78 more than the MR80.....
The 78 is much stronger in the mid range, but also still has exceptional detail in the top end, the bass is fatter and stronger than the MR80, however the MR80 is pretty good and I would say it's sound is more "sterile" than the MR78 but still a very enjoyable listen....

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Kevzep, wow, that McI gear is beautiful.
I love the big heavy classic tuners but because of shipping go for the slimmer styles.

I would suspect that New Zealand may have high shipping rates? Do you use 220 vots?
 
That is very interesting. I did think the Roksan might be tops though as it was 5 times the list price of the Denon when new! I find that the signal level meter will read higher in Super Narrow but that is not surprising. Does the Roksan have as good sensitivity and selectivity of the Denon?

If the Denon really does sound as good as the 990BX, then I think that's another reason for Doug to get one :D
Regards,
Nick
PS: I found a PDF of the Caspian's user manual but no selectivity specs...

Nick, I think Doug may have enough tuners for now! Awesome collection.
Up here in this little town, selectivity is not a factor.

Speaking of the Rotel, there is a RHT10 up for sale on ebay. They are cool looking with the wood sides but can't be 2.5 times better than the 990bx. Well, if one has the money, go for the looks.

My Rotel 990 like the Rotel1080, and Caspian are all much heavier than the Denon, Kenwood, Magnum Dyn, Sansui which all are very light weight. Maybe there is something to that, but I don't know anything technical about electronic gear. Not heavy like the Sansui 919 or that lovely McKintosh.
 
I've never heard a Rotel 990bx though I have heard many good things about it. I do have the good fortune to own an RHT-10 and it is the best-sounding tuner out of more than a dozen that have passed through my system. That is with strong local signals, mostly headphone listening. In the realm of purely subjective preference, I prefer the looks of some of my other tuners. Currently on hand: Sherwood 3000-III with Bob Fitzgerald SS MPX decoder; Sherwood 3000-V, 2400, 3300; Scott 312 and 312C, Sanyo 55, Harman/Kardon Citation 24, Marantz 6000, Mitsubishi DA-F20, McIntosh MR 65B and MR 71, Hitachi FT-007. Currently being modified: Harman/Kardon Citation III-X, Scott 4312. My inventory is way ahead of my opportunities for evaluation but I'm working on it!
 
Kevzep, wow, that McI gear is beautiful.
I love the big heavy classic tuners but because of shipping go for the slimmer styles.

I would suspect that New Zealand may have high shipping rates? Do you use 220 vots?

I have a cheap option for shipping down here to NZ, the McIntosh's are OK as long as they are in the factory boxes....

Yes we are on 230VAC down here, but I tech my own gear so voltage conversion is not a problem....

Few more pics of the MR78, its been fully restored and aligned just before I got it, its an immaculate example......
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Does ham radio count? I have an Akai AA-A45,Kenwood KR-6030,Sony STR-898,Icom-R75,Kenwood TS-2000 ,Yaesu FT-7800,Yaesu VX-8R,Kenwood TH-K2,Panasonic RF-B65 and a few others that I can't remember
 
As kevzep has shown us, looks are important! Very handsome gear, thanks for posting good pics.
 
As kevzep has shown us, looks are important! Very handsome gear, thanks for posting good pics.

Yes. Those McIntosh are fine looking.

I see your point that you prefer the looks of your vintage tuners. Undeniably cool. Let's see some pics if you have time. I have not taken the time to get into pics but thanks to Doug, mine is shown off.

Not comparing the modern slim line ones to vintage, but that Rotel RBH 10 is nice, as is the Caspian. It is a whole other style so not competing with each other.
 
Yes. Those McIntosh are fine looking.

I see your point that you prefer the looks of your vintage tuners. Undeniably cool. Let's see some pics if you have time. I have not taken the time to get into pics but thanks to Doug, mine is shown off.

Not comparing the modern slim line ones to vintage, but that Rotel RBH 10 is nice, as is the Caspian. It is a whole other style so not competing with each other.
agreed that looks are important. but so are sonics. i have never understood the fascination w/the s/s mac tuna's regardless of how they might look. my ears simply cannot grok them. i had two mac s/s tunas - a mint mr74 and a decent mr77, which i paid to have completely refurb'd and aligned by a binghampton-recommended tech w/over 30 year's experience. the mr74 and the mr77 are considered to be mac's best sounding s/s efforts, according to the mac guru's. (the mr78 gets the nod for best reception.) well, my experience was that, of the ~100 or so tuna i have bought and listened to in my rig, these two are fighting for last place regarding sonics. no soundstaging, no detail, no dynamics. they make the list of a tiny handful of tuna that would not cut it as a single tuna chez-sedon for serious music listening. as always, ymmv.

regarding looks, i have posted this pic before. for me, the nicest looking analog old-school tuna is the sansui tu-9900. when refurb'd & modded, it has the performance to back it up, as well. i still wonder why i sold mine; i shoulda kept it and sold my modded tu-x1 instead. whatever minor performance edge the tu-x1 might have over the modded tu9900, it is lost in the appearance dept, imo. while the tu-x1 does look nice, it doesn't compare to the tu9900, and the tu-x1 is a huge unwieldy beasty as well...
TU-9900b.jpg


doug s.
 
agreed that looks are important. but so are sonics. i have never understood the fascination w/the s/s mac tuna's regardless of how they might look. my ears simply cannot grok them. i had two mac s/s tunas - a mint mr74 and a decent mr77, which i paid to have completely refurb'd and aligned by a binghampton-recommended tech w/over 30 year's experience. the mr74 and the mr77 are considered to be mac's best sounding s/s efforts, according to the mac guru's. (the mr78 gets the nod for best reception.) well, my experience was that, of the ~100 or so tuna i have bought and listened to in my rig, these two are fighting for last place regarding sonics. no soundstaging, no detail, no dynamics. they make the list of a tiny handful of tuna that would not cut it as a single tuna chez-sedon for serious music listening. as always, ymmv.

regarding looks, i have posted this pic before. for me, the nicest looking analog old-school tuna is the sansui tu-9900. when refurb'd & modded, it has the performance to back it up, as well. i still wonder why i sold mine; i shoulda kept it and sold my modded tu-x1 instead. whatever minor performance edge the tu-x1 might have over the modded tu9900, it is lost in the appearance dept, imo. while the tu-x1 does look nice, it doesn't compare to the tu9900, and the tu-x1 is a huge unwieldy beasty as well...
TU-9900b.jpg


doug s.

I love my TU-9900 but it IS noisy. It was recapped and modded by PunkerX. The background noise just gets to me. I find that my ST-5000F is much quieter.
 
Thanks for bringing up those threads. I enjoyed the "Best Looking Tuner thread". I had not seen the Sherwood thread. They looks really retro, Ozzie and Harriet.

AK doesn't like me to double-post pictures so:

For pics of my Sherwoods and others, please see:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=514792&highlight=show+sherwoods


For some others please see the thread:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sh...highlight=harman+kardon+citation+tuner&page=7

Enjoy!
 
I love my TU-9900 but it IS noisy. It was recapped and modded by PunkerX. The background noise just gets to me. I find that my ST-5000F is much quieter.
something is wrong w/your tuna. regardless of what mike has or hasn't done to it. these are not noisy tunas. i have had two - one stock, one refurb'd/modded. both were excellent; the modded one was better. neither had any noise issues whatsoever. even in a difficult reception area... others whose ears i trust report similar results, and never a noise issue - you are the first.

doug s.
 
Thanks for bringing up those threads. I enjoyed the "Best Looking Tuner thread". I had not seen the Sherwood thread. They looks really retro, Ozzie and Harriet.
i initially thought the sherwoods were fugly. until i owned a few. their retro look grows on you...

doug s.
 
something is wrong w/your tuna. regardless of what mike has or hasn't done to it. these are not noisy tunas. i have had two - one stock, one refurb'd/modded. both were excellent; the modded one was better. neither had any noise issues whatsoever. even in a difficult reception area... others whose ears i trust report similar results, and never a noise issue - you are the first.

doug s.

Disagree, two issues with the TU-9900, both addressed and recognized by it designers. It's MPX section is noisy, hence the addition of the extra low pass filter selected by the front panel. Second is that front-end is susceptible to overload, and address by having an antenna attenuator.

Still a very sensitive, excellent sounding tuner with stunning looks. Maybe not the end all beat all in the DX department.
 
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