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Fisher 101R - using MPX 65 with it?

sancho22

sancho22

AK Subscriber
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I was able to get a 101R mono tuner. It is in OK shape with some scratches on the face plate (nothing too bad) and a cracked glass. It has diffrent knobs than I seen on a few other 101R - mine is brown with brass caps.

I also got an MPX 65 in the package. It seesm to me that this unit needs to be hooked in the chassis not to be used sepaartely like the HH Scott 335. Any exprience suggestion on how to use the MPX65?
 
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You'll find an MPX out RCA jack on the chassis, near the two EF86 outputs.

You connect a single RCA cable from there to the input of your MPX65 unit (probably labeled "MPX in" or something similar).

Then, you hook a stereo RCA cable from the L and R outputs of the MPX65 to any high input (aux, tuner) on your amplifier.

Just to let you know that it is possible that your two units won't perform too well as they need a recap, resistors check and maybe retubing (in case some tubes are weak).

Even then, it is possible that you'll need an alignment on the two units (MPX65 and 101R).

For the record, I own a 101R, freshly recapped, retubed and aligned. It goes through an Heathkit AC-11 multiplex adapter.

Lovely sound BTW.
 
Oops,

Is this the kind of unit (MPX65) you received?

-209531605223802950.jpg


If it is the case, it is a module going on various Fisher tuners and receivers. It has no RCA in and outs. You'll have to build some going from a schematic.

There is one (Fisher 400 schematic) on page 8:
http://akdatabase.com/AKview/albums/userpics/10004/Fisher 400 Service Manual 20001-29999.pdf
 
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Nope, no block-off. Some of the pre-MPX Fisher tuners had a spot to add whichever adapter came to be with the adoption of an FM stereo standard.

To the OP - I'd seriously consider selling the MPX-65 and buying a Fisher MPX-100 or Scott 355.
 
Yes, cause it would be a pain to connect B+, heaters and MPX in and outs on this little module.
 
Thanks both!
The picture shows exactly the module I have. I am thinking getting a Scott 335 or Fisher 100 as soon as I find one. The tuner+ the 65 was an impulse buy as it was fairly close.
The best thing was the seller. A really nice older gentleman. We had a great chat. Priceless!
 
I think you'll find that the MPX-65 onboard module will bring an attractive price on eBay. Not enough to cover the purchase of a working MPX-100 (at least at eBay prices), but not too far away.
 
The 101R might have two outputs. It'll be mono but can go to two integrated amp inputs . . . that is, until you replace it. I have a 101R I find hard to replace. The sound is just so ripe.
 
Absolutely, the Fisher sounds wonderful... Now used in my living room as my main tuner... temporarily. Awaiting april 1st as we're moving, my Scott's tuner and amps are already packed in boxes.

Ditto for the Fisher's tuner (FM200-B) and amp. The Eico is also sleeping in its box...

Reduced gear here for the next weeks.:pity:

Only the 101R through an Heathkit AA-32 (living room) and Eico HFT-90 through a Knight KA-55 (office).

No turntables and no vinyls neither...
 
Well it is very useful to see what other tube gear you guys have for my own hunt.
I have a few Scott and Fisher pieces on the list. I got the tube bug and can not stop...
 
Good mono is surprisingly good. shockingly good. The 101R is good mono. Mono through stereo speakers is also good. Lots of tuners were made where the mono side of the tuner was deliberately weakened to make stereo seem better. Deemphasis is the term, I believe. Mono deemphasis.
Goo luck finding a Stereo tuner. But, I still have a hard time believing that it'll be far superior to a 101R.
 
audiodon said:
Good mono is surprisingly good. shockingly good. The 101R is good mono. Mono through stereo speakers is also good. Lots of tuners were made where the mono side of the tuner was deliberately weakened to make stereo seem better. Deemphasis is the term, I believe. Mono deemphasis.
Goo luck finding a Stereo tuner. But, I still have a hard time believing that it'll be far superior to a 101R.
Click to expand...

It is the (supposed) case for my FM-200B. The engineers cheated to make the mono side less enjoyable than the stereo counterpart as I read somewhere.

In fact, the 101R in mono sounds better than the FM200-B in mono.
 
I bought Sancho's 101-R a couple years ago. It came with the MPX-65. I swapped it in an 800-C that had a flaky mpx. Works surprisingly well. I've hooked up the 101-R to a Sherwood m3axmpx unit. Then into my TX-100 Solid State Amp. As it has separate AM and FM output's I had to use Tuner and Aux. But no problem. The tuner needed some tweaking of the IF Strip, which I did after consulting with Dave G. It really should go in and get a pro alignment, but I can see why Saul Marantz used this model in his lineup shortly before Marantz came out with their model 10 and 10b Tuners. And they made an Aluminum Faceplate kit for it too. It's got a very lush, full sound to it, and the AM section is every bit as good as my TA-600 (or the otherway around).

Link to the Marantz PD-101-R story.

http://www.classic-audio.com/marantz/mfisher.html
 
That is one of the great Fisher stories. But I'm wondering why it came with an MPX-65? The 101-R has no facilities to install an MPX sub-chassis, so I'm wondering what the thought was -- unless it was just included in the deal as an extra piece?

Dave
 
Running it external perhaps? Thats what I intend to do with my MPX-65 whenever I get around to doing that. I have powered it from a bench supply and given it an eye tube to drive, and they do work OK as an external unit with correct input and output connections. Mine will probably live it's life with my TA-600.
 
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