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Fisher KM-60 or 200-B?

Yggdrasill

Yggdrasill

AK Subscriber
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I'd like to try an inexpensive stereo tube tuner and am wondering if anyone has an opinion of these two. I've heard good things about both, but I don't know how they compare. They seem to sell for less than comparable Scott gear. Sherwood has some nice, inexpensive tuners but they're harder to come across (in my limited experience).
 
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I would second the FM-200-B, I like mine a lot and have read on the net it's the consumer version of the FM-1000.
 
The KM-60 is considered to be a real "sleeper" among Fisher tuners. The 200B is one of the totl models, and the 60 is significantly less expensive.

However, the 60 is a superb performer at a great price. If you want to stick your toe in the water with a tube MPX tuner, the KM-60 is a terrific starting point.
 
I have the FM-200B. Beautiful tuner. Mine needs a lot of work and it will not be cheap. Apparently it is a fairly complex tuner and this is not unusual. I think the Sherwood would be a better starting point if you want something simple that is plug and play. I am surprised they are hard to come by in your area, I thought Sherwood sold boatloads of them everywhere.

I have read that the Dynaco tube tuners are simple and reliable. They seem to be plentiful and cheap.
 
The FM100B is the one between the KM-60 and FM-200B, and is a really great 'tween pick.

The pricing on the KM-60 and FM-200B is not comparable, the 200B is normally 2-3X more.

I have all 3 here, and know them well. The KM-60 is certainly a 'best buy" once properly aligned, but almost none "as found" are, being as it was a kit. So the next factory built one up the line the was the FM-100B...
 
I am going to buck the trend here- the KM-60 is the better choice for you.

You can buy an extremely clean one for under $150, and MOST examples were built properly- this is NOT an Eico or Heathkit tuner- the KM-60 (along with the Citation III) was SERIOUS scratch back in the day and was not the choice for the in-experienced kit builder.

In the roughly two dozen examples I have personally seen- 80% of them were put together better then factory wired Fisher tuners.

I actually own one KM-60 that is a piece of audio art- it is always going to be stock since it was put together so well by someone back in the 60's that I cannot bear to change a thing- obviously that one is not being used! To boot- it is in mint condition cosmetically.

The FM-200-B- is an amazing tuner, but is extremely complex for a tube unit, most techs CANNOT align them properly or get the microtune circuit to work properly, a clean example is going to cost four to five times what a clean KM-60 is going to cost, and some of the major features of the tuner ie- the relay switched stereo/mono is not really necessary in today's FM world- and believe me you can absolutely live without the microtune feature, or the front mounted volume control.

Having owned and restored almost all of the golden age Fisher tuners (even the early solid state models such as the TFM-200/300/1000), I feel the best value out of all of them- is the KM-60.

They are cheap to buy, restore and re-tube (no nuvistors to deal with, and the most expensive tube is going to be the 6DJ8 in the front end), and the combo of the eye tube and the meter also make it one of the best looking tuners Fisher ever made.

You can buy, restore and align, and fully re-tube a KM-60 for the cost of clean un-restored FM-200-B- and you will be rewarded with an amazing sounding and sensitive tuner that will get you 90% of the way towards what a FM-200-B can get you and at a fraction of the price.

Having compared restored examples of these two tuners, I will say the law of diminishing returns REALLY applies with these two.
 
Fisherdude said:
The KM-60 is considered to be a real "sleeper" among Fisher tuners. The 200B is one of the totl models, and the 60 is significantly less expensive.

However, the 60 is a superb performer at a great price. If you want to stick your toe in the water with a tube MPX tuner, the KM-60 is a terrific starting point.
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el-37 said:
I am going to buck the trend here- the KM-60 is the better choice for you...

You can buy, restore and align, and fully re-tube a KM-60 for the cost of clean un-restored FM-200-B- and you will be rewarded with an amazing sounding and sensitive tuner that will get you 90% of the way towards what a FM-200-B can get you and at a fraction of the price.

Having compared restored examples of these two tuners, I will say the law of diminishing returns REALLY applies with these two.
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Oh, you're not bucking the trend at all! Terrific post, and good to see you again!

Clay
 
el-37 said:
In the roughly two dozen examples I have personally seen- 80% of them were put together better then factory wired Fisher tuners.
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Pretty much agree with all you said. My point was not about assembly, but alignment. I've seen 3 KM-60 here, and all 3 were considerably off alignment as received. One was obviously never played, it was so far off it was in the weeds. The guy put it away in the original box with all manuals, and that's how I got it 35 years later. After a complete instrument alignment, it played extremely well. If the assembler started playing with the IF cans and had no test gear, he could get it to bad place.
I think the kit builder "home alignment" had a lot of limitations, so always recommend alignment with good test gear for any KM-60 that's never had it. So if you have the test gear and can do the alignment, it's a really good value.

I like the meters too, and also like the sound. Most of the Fishers stereo MPX units are well built, stable, and require little adjustment. Unlike many other stereo tube MPX units that always seem to come in needing work somewhere.
 
Greetings all. I think this is my first post here since wandering over from AA.

I've had both of these. I think on a strong signal with alignment, the KM-60/61 is easily the better sounding, more musical, of these two Fishers. The KM-60 has a cleaner, simpler over all topology, is not burdened with the insertion of the stereo beacon circuit into the audio chain, and has a better sounding front end. It is the one between these two that can make a rare live broadcast appear "right there" in the listening room.

Virtually all the kit examples I have encountered have been at least as well assembled as the factory models. Many were significantly better assembled than Avery's.

The FM-200 is a little better on weaker, more difficult signals, however, but not by much.

Several caveats about the KM-60. They benefit tremendously from a full realignment through the MPX. Retubing the first front end tube with top quality NOS stock can have a similar impact.

The market attraction of the KM-60 seems to have peaked in recent years. I recall when folks would give them to me as "throw-ins" on other acquisitions, or at most for $5 or $10 (fully tubed with a few Teles).

The other thing to bear in mind is that the receiving qualities of both of these tuners exceed the usual broadcast quality in most commercial US markets. I have used a KM-60 in our main system for over ten years now. It sounds no worse than my old 10B did on most signals. In that respect, it was no step down at all. Such is the decline of commercial FM broadcasting.

If I were the OP, I'd go with the KM-60, spend the difference on the alignment and tubing, and not look back. Do not be put off by the single X7 output; it allows much more rolling flexibility.
 
Well, I was recently outbid on three KM-60s and a 200-b on that auction site. The search continues...
 
Sgmlaw, great to see you here! I hope you stop in more often and spend some time here and in the Tube Audio Forum. I know the members, particularly given a dramatic increase in members with an interest in Fisher receivers, will benefit from your experience.
 
Fisherdude said:
The KM-60 is considered to be a real "sleeper" among Fisher tuners. The 200B is one of the totl models, and the 60 is significantly less expensive.
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I always wondered why Fisher's 60's tuner lineup went 50/60/61/100/200/1000/1. Strange model numbering.
 
Thank you for the kind welcome, Fisherdude.

I don't post on the boards as much as I used to. But to the extent I can help anyone, I'm happy to do so.

However, it looks like there are many who are hard at work keeping the cathodes burning not just for the old Fishers, but for the Scotts, Dynas, Sherwoods, and HKs, too. That's good to see, as these vintage instruments are so delightful sounding. That they are still around in high numbers is strong testimony to their sound engineering and robust construction.

People restoring and maintaining these devices are preserving a slice of another, simpler, time, for future generations to later discover and enjoy. Things just aren't made this way anymore. These things were designed and made here, in America, by our parents and grandparents, many now long gone. Someone got them to us relatively intact over nearly a half century. They still sound terrific. Our efforts might safely shepherd them along to our children and grandchildren a half century from now. Think about that as you wield that hot iron!

I do gently disagree with some of the more recent trends (like dropping down to 220k (or lower) grid leak resistors on some 7591a circuits). But that's only quibbling among gentlemen.
 
I don't know the KM-60 but I have myself a FM-200-B.

I just recapped it and replaced out-of-spec resistors. The tubes tested fine.

It plays wonderful without any alignment. It was in a bad cosmetic shape when acquired and the chassis was kind of rusty.

It pulls stations better than my two SS Sansui's.
 
gugusse said:
I don't know the KM-60 but I have myself a FM-200-B.

I just recapped it and replaced out-of-spec resistors. The tubes tested fine.

It plays wonderful without any alignment. It was in a bad cosmetic shape when acquired and the chassis was kind of rusty.

It pulls stations better than my two SS Sansui's.
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Which SS Sansui do you have that sounded inferior to the Fisher? Sansui I AM familiar with, having owned the 517, 717, and 9900.
 
Yggdrasill said:
Which SS Sansui do you have that sounded inferior to the Fisher? Sansui I AM familiar with, having owned the 517, 717, and 9900.
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Here in Montréal, a TU-888. I could easily compare as one station pulling stereo very well on the Fisher has difficulties on the Sansui (it is often only mono).

At the cottage, TU-5500. The reception there is awful on every tuner anyway...
 
I have 2 Fisher KM-60 tuners and am happy with both of them.

Your decision will depend upon how much you can afford to pay. The 200b's can go for $400.00. The KM-60 can go for $100.00. Another factor is if you can replace caps and know how to align it.

Also, do you live in a geographic location with good signals or a fringe area? If your not going to be able to receive good signals why pay a lot more money.
 
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