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A McIntosh Tuner, Is There One In Your System?

Well, this is obviously an old thread however, I just added a McIntosh MR85 AM FM tuner to my system so I thought I would update it. Until now, I’ve been using my Marantz 2275 FM tuner pre-out into my McIntosh C52 preamp. I’ve always had to adjust and move the antenna every time I move anywhere in the room which is pretty annoying. My local sports teams (Giants, 49ers and Warriors) all broadcast on FM as well as PBS so, I’m not looking for 192 kHz 64 bit hi res, just a freakin uninterrupted static free signal. The transmitting antenna is 977’ tall and I can see it, unobstructed from my listening room and the station I listen to is transmitting at 7,100 watts.
As soon as I plugged in the MR85 into the preamp I got a perfect signal, the antenna wasn’t even connected yet. After I connected the antenna, the entire spectrum came alive and the quality was very good. My only complaint… no meters to watch
 
My, what a great ol' thread here. Unfortunately, most of these folks no longer contribute here and Dan (jdandy) and Gregory have both passed - may they RIP.

I've owned most of them, currently have an MR75, 78, and 7083 - the only one which hasn't been serviced recently. I like them all! The 75 and 7083 simply don't have near the feature set of the 78, but both sound excellent.
 
I still have a beautiful MR78 in my system which admittedly gets very little use due to the lack of listenable programming. Occasionally I'll have it on for the Ann Delesie show on the local PBS station, WDET. That said, I'll never retire or sell the unit.
 
My MX130 has a built-in tuner. However, I rarely use it (the tuner) as part of my primary system. There is nothing decent to listen to locally here in my part of NE Ohio. Cleveland is too far away to get a decent signal. I used to love tuners and owned an MR78 for ten years. The other tuners I still own are being kept mainly for nostalgia reasons.
 
Two of them live here: an MX117 (which incorporates the MR75 tuner), and an MR500 in another system.

Both of them allow FM to sound about as good as possible. And we listen to other sources more often than radio, so no need for a yet higher-performance tuner. (I’ve never owned any Mc pinnacle tuners like the MR78 or MR80. Did have a Sansui TU-X1 for a time and found that to be an amazing beast.)
 
Unfortunately I agree that there is no programming which would benefit from a high quality tuner, however aesthetically, it really fit nicely.
I listen to a great vintage rock station which streams in near CD quality (TheRoots.FM) emulating the great days of ‘70s FM as well as Qobuz for the bulk of my music. I have fiber that averages 800-900 Mbps so I’m also streaming TV however, for network sports, I have gone to over-the-air TV and FM radio broadcast because our radio announcers for baseball and football are so good.
It was pretty interesting, during World Cup soccer with the running clock, I was able to compare over-the-air vs streaming lag time. Although it fluctuates, it averages ~:40 seconds behind OTA (which lags live by about 3-5 seconds).
I just read my post and it reminds me of the progressive insurance Dr Rick, Don’t Be Your Parents add.
 
Nothing worth listening to on FM these days. Nothing. And the quality of many stations has declined as they play to a disappearing audience. The advent of HD has made listening to distant stations all but impossible. To answer your question, I have MX-113, MX-117 and Sony XDR-F1HD. I had the Sony modified to bring the best out in it. It is more sensitive than any McIntosh tuner I have compared it to. However, I don't think the fidelity is as good as the McIntosh equipment on strong, local stations. I've been listening to FM-Stereo for 60 years. There used to be quite good programming provided but the current, popular formats that make stations money are not for me. My son is 31 and he has NEVER listened to terrestrial radio. Everything is streamed off some kind of device or another.

Kind regards,

Steve
 
Jflijohn said:
Unfortunately I agree that there is no programming which would benefit from a high quality tuner. . .
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Well, I disagree with that.

Jazz
KCSM (91.1 from San Mateo) is likely one of the best Jazz stations ever anywhere (note: I have not heard them all). The sound quality is very good - not overly compressed and they are listener sponsored, so no commercials. Their programing is provided by real on-air people (not a repeating AI playlist) who are experts and who provide info / history on the tracks they play. They claim to own the largest library of Jazz recordings much of which (28,000 LPs and about 5,000 CDs) was inherited from KJAZ.

In 1959 a man named Patrick Henry founded KJAZ as an all-Jazz, commercial station in the SF area.

It lasted until 1994. "When San Francisco's legendary jazz radio station KJAZ FM went off the air in August of 1994 the silence was deafening. Operating for 35 years, since August of 1959, KJAZ was hailed as "The greatest jazz station in the world" by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Ahmad Jamal, Carmen McRae, Tony Bennett, Stan Getz, Bill Cosby and Herbie Hancock."

KCSM took up the mantle. Several of the KJAZ on-air personalities went to KCSM and in fact, Pat Henry had is own Saturday afternoon spot on KCSM until the week he died.

KCSM are still doing it right now. FYI, I'm not affiliated with the station(s), just a fan since 1973.

Classical
The Bay Area also has a decent classical station, KDFC, who have a few transmitters around the SF Bay Area and one in the Monterey Bay Area. Also noncommercial with good sound quality. I like their late-night programing best and they do broadcast concerts recorded live by the SF Symphony at Davies hall. Some of the programing, however, gets a bit too much into war horses and movie sound tracks.

Rock
But if you don't care for Jazz or Classical, I would agree that the good vintage (or any) rock stations are gone - that ship sailed decades ago. But the Bay Area does have many collages and universities most of which have their own commercial free stations. I don't really know what's on those but I suspect one could find a lot of good stuff there. I do like to listen to the "Norman Bates Memorial Soundtrack Show" every Saturday morning from 9 AM to noon on KFJC (Foothills Junior Collage at 89.7, Los Altos Hills). It's a fun show. I don't much listen to that station outside those hours so I cannot comment about their other programing.
 
TSmith8605 said:
Well, I disagree with that.

Jazz
KCSM (91.1 from San Mateo) is likely one of the best Jazz stations ever anywhere (note: I have not heard them all). The sound quality is very good - not overly compressed and they are listener sponsored, so no commercials. Their programing is provided by real on-air people (not a repeating AI playlist) who are experts and who provide info / history on the tracks they play. They claim to own the largest library of Jazz recordings much of which (28,000 LPs and about 5,000 CDs) was inherited from KJAZ.

In 1959 a man named Patrick Henry founded KJAZ as an all-Jazz, commercial station in the SF area.

It lasted until 1994. "When San Francisco's legendary jazz radio station KJAZ FM went off the air in August of 1994 the silence was deafening. Operating for 35 years, since August of 1959, KJAZ was hailed as "The greatest jazz station in the world" by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Ahmad Jamal, Carmen McRae, Tony Bennett, Stan Getz, Bill Cosby and Herbie Hancock."

KCSM took up the mantle. Several of the KJAZ on-air personalities went to KCSM and in fact, Pat Henry had is own Saturday afternoon spot on KCSM until the week he died.

KCSM are still doing it right now. FYI, I'm not affiliated with the station(s), just a fan since 1973.

Classical
The Bay Area also has a decent classical station, KDFC, who have a few transmitters around the SF Bay Area and one in the Monterey Bay Area. Also noncommercial with good sound quality. I like their late-night programing best and they do broadcast concerts recorded live by the SF Symphony at Davies hall. Some of the programing, however, gets a bit too much into war horses and movie sound tracks.

Rock
But if you don't care for Jazz or Classical, I would agree that the good vintage (or any) rock stations are gone - that ship sailed decades ago. But the Bay Area does have many collages and universities most of which have their own commercial free stations. I don't really know what's on those but I suspect one could find a lot of good stuff there. I do like to listen to the "Norman Bates Memorial Soundtrack Show" every Saturday morning from 9 AM to noon on KFJC (Foothills Junior Collage at 89.7, Los Altos Hills). It's a fun show. I don't much listen to that station outside those hours so I cannot comment about their other programing.
Click to expand...
So, you are correct but, I'm in the North Bay and I can see Sutro tower from my house and anything emanating from there now has a great signal but any TV or radio broadcasting from Mt San Bruno or San Mateo I have troubles with. This new McIntosh MR85 does however, pick up KCSM when I move my antenna outside and it sounded great. My old Marantz wouldn't get it at all.
 
Jflijohn said:
So, you are correct but, I'm in the North Bay and I can see Sutro tower from my house and anything emanating from there now has a great signal but any TV or radio broadcasting from Mt San Bruno or San Mateo I have troubles with. This new McIntosh MR85 does however, pick up KCSM when I move my antenna outside and it sounded great. My old Marantz wouldn't get it at all.
Click to expand...

KCSM has a second transmitter in Sonoma at 90.7. Maybe that will work for you also. A good antenna is always as important as a good radio.
 
TSmith8605 said:
Well, I disagree with that.

Jazz
KCSM (91.1 from San Mateo) is likely one of the best Jazz stations ever anywhere (note: I have not heard them all). The sound quality is very good - not overly compressed and they are listener sponsored, so no commercials. Their programing is provided by real on-air people (not a repeating AI playlist) who are experts and who provide info / history on the tracks they play. They claim to own the largest library of Jazz recordings much of which (28,000 LPs and about 5,000 CDs) was inherited from KJAZ.

In 1959 a man named Patrick Henry founded KJAZ as an all-Jazz, commercial station in the SF area.

It lasted until 1994. "When San Francisco's legendary jazz radio station KJAZ FM went off the air in August of 1994 the silence was deafening. Operating for 35 years, since August of 1959, KJAZ was hailed as "The greatest jazz station in the world" by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Ahmad Jamal, Carmen McRae, Tony Bennett, Stan Getz, Bill Cosby and Herbie Hancock."

KCSM took up the mantle. Several of the KJAZ on-air personalities went to KCSM and in fact, Pat Henry had is own Saturday afternoon spot on KCSM until the week he died.

KCSM are still doing it right now. FYI, I'm not affiliated with the station(s), just a fan since 1973.

Classical
The Bay Area also has a decent classical station, KDFC, who have a few transmitters around the SF Bay Area and one in the Monterey Bay Area. Also noncommercial with good sound quality. I like their late-night programing best and they do broadcast concerts recorded live by the SF Symphony at Davies hall. Some of the programing, however, gets a bit too much into war horses and movie sound tracks.

Rock
But if you don't care for Jazz or Classical, I would agree that the good vintage (or any) rock stations are gone - that ship sailed decades ago. But the Bay Area does have many collages and universities most of which have their own commercial free stations. I don't really know what's on those but I suspect one could find a lot of good stuff there. I do like to listen to the "Norman Bates Memorial Soundtrack Show" every Saturday morning from 9 AM to noon on KFJC (Foothills Junior Collage at 89.7, Los Altos Hills). It's a fun show. I don't much listen to that station outside those hours so I cannot comment about their other programing.
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Anyone who lives in a large metro area like SF, LA, Chicago, NYC has a great selection. Get 50-75 miles away from any of these areas and things are not so great. I envy you.
 
My oldest has the MR-78 and I have a MR-80 for the Stereo and a MR 7084 for the HT system. Just like all Mac tuners you need a good antennae, because they are so well shielded. I have a 10 element Yagi in the attic for the 80 and the 7084 FM sections using a splitter. I just use a long wire antennae for the AM which is directional giving a figure 8 pattern. I have to wait till the sun goes down and the temps drop sometimes to get AM from San Diego and Dallas Stations 700+ miles away. Which I can access by streaming. But its fun sometimes to listen to the stations via a tuner. I can't see buying a tuner ever again.
 
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I have several yamaha receivers around too. Used to have an MR77 but I bought @Gregory's MR80 earlier this year to help out the estate. The MR77 was in exceptional shape and pulled in stations like a champ. The MR80 required some adjustments due to the digital scrolling issue but it is even better as pulling and holding stations. Now its cosmetically and mechanical perfect as new.

Here is the DC area we have few worthy stations to listen to. WPFW when the have Jazz Sundays and Blues Saturdays with Jazz after 7pm nightly. I would rank this station up there with KCSM that I do stream.
 
jbailey930 said:
I have several yamaha receivers around too. Used to have an MR77 but I bought @Gregory's MR80 earlier this year to help out the estate. The MR77 was in exceptional shape and pulled in stations like a champ. The MR80 required some adjustments due to the digital scrolling issue but it is even better as pulling and holding stations. Now its cosmetically and mechanical perfect as new.

Here is the DC area we have few worthy stations to listen to. WPFW when the have Jazz Sundays and Blues Saturdays with Jazz after 7pm nightly. I would rank this station up there with KCSM that I do stream.
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When I was a kid in the 70s, WPGC was my station! Likely gone through numerous format changes by now if it's still around ...
 
Three here, but now all sadly unused due to my area`s dismal FM stations offerings.
Master bedroom: 1987 purchased new MR-7082.
Living room`s A/V rack: purchased new in 1995, MR-7083.
Mc. total tube system for sunroom`s DQ-10s: purchased in excellent shape used from Audio Classics in early 2000s, MR-67.
 
jlovda said:
Anyone who lives in a large metro area like SF, LA, Chicago, NYC has a great selection. Get 50-75 miles away from any of these areas and things are not so great. I envy you.
Click to expand...

LOL! You MUST be kidding! Have you actually LISTENED to the utter trash broadcast in LA?? It used to be awesome... 30 years ago....

On subject, I moved out of LA California this year. Here In Carson City there are actually some really good radio stations!
I have revived my MAC 4100 as my daily receiver. Not only does it sound good, it beats the pants off my Sangean HD radio tuner when it comes to distant reception. I'm tucked into a mountain depression here, absolutely no TV reception, but I have not watched THAT trash in years anyway. Needed Starlink for internet here. I am really glad I kept the MAC, as I had basically given up completely on FM. Still amazed how well the MAC pulls in stations with a decent antenna. It is beyond doubt, the best receiver I have.
 
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