AM/FM Tuner Kit

[Twinhit]

New kind of AM/FM tuner.

Find the best of the best tuners and
design the best of the best tuner as a kit.

This is strictly the tuner, not the integrated systems.

One person likes Marantz
Another likes McIntosh
Another likes Kenwood
Another likes Sansui

etc.

I thought about finding an old tuner and completely gut the electronics and save the face and dial and front panel.

Next build the system to adapt to that front panel face and dial.
I think that would be pretty reasonable if you like the faceplate but don't like the electronic specification.

That's about how old Model A Fords turned into hotrods.


Note: I started this in the Tuner forum but just now discovered the DIY forum
and figure it's best placed here.

 

[terra1]

Have you ever performed a complete tuner alignment?

It's easier to modify an existing chassis with an existing service manual identifying specific adjustment points than throwing parts together and hopefully have the right sensitivity to operate any tuning indicators and meters.

Fmtunerinfo discusses mods for specific brands and models which may be easier than gutting electronics to create a Frankentuner. IMHO.

 

[toxcrusadr]

I agree with terra1. Theoretically it's a great idea, but the devil is in the details.

Since everyone has different tastes on cosmetics and operating characteristics, if you did produce such a kit and try to sell it, about two people in the world would buy it: yourself and the one other person who agrees with you.

 

[Twinhit]

Perhaps I should advise that the kit would be such that it's physical assembly wouldn't be any more difficult than building your own computer.

When you have completed the assembly, you can send it to a radio repair shop for alignment. They have the tools and expertise to finish the job.
Really, all you're doing is playing "assembly line" worker.

The components feature all the best components available, which are carefully chosen.
Instructions would be provided in the schematics, assembly documentation.

Now.. how difficult is that?

 

[toxcrusadr]

IMHO it should work when you crank it up - i.e. pre-aligned - or there should be simple alignment instructions. I don't think I'd want to assemble something that I had to send off immediately to get it working.

 

[wgrr]

Well, as you can deduce from reading the tuner list there is not much to listen to out there in most of the US and possibly the world anymore on FM .

I will put my Scott Stereomaster 312 totally rebuilt and aligned up against any current tuner available today including any McIntosh. Believe me I have tried them all in my house that is over the air unfriendly to the point of limited cellphone use. Wireless headphones don't work in my house

The Scott was hooked up yesterday for the heck of it. It pulled in all the local FM stations including a low powered university channel, WITHOUT an antenna. I am impressed. Time to buy an expensive T wire antenna for this tuner.

Good luck anyway.:yes:

 

[Twinhit]

How about those whole house transmitters?
Listen to your favorite music through your vintage stereo via one of these things.

 

[willysan]

Many years ago I was young, lacked experience, knew nothing about tuner alignment and bought an AM-FM kit. Some months later it went to the trashcan.

 

[chuckworkb]

I think you would be hard pressed to find a neighborhood radio repair shop, today. Maybe 40 years ago, not today.

If you build an FM kit, maybe the FM portion should already be built, and tuned. The builder builds the power supply, and audio section, etc.

 

[ChrisMarantz]

The components feature all the best components available, which are carefully chosen.
Instructions would be provided in the schematics, assembly documentation.

Now.. how difficult is that?

Really, really really difficult. The person doing this would have to be an experienced electronic engineer with lots of experience in designing tuners.

Then there's the circuit board design, custom board fabrication, etc.

Even just designing the mechanical system to connect the dial pointer, variable capacitor and knob requires a lot of engineering.

 

[terra1]

Perhaps I should advise that the kit would be such that it's physical assembly wouldn't be any more difficult than building your own computer.

When you have completed the assembly, you can send it to a radio repair shop for alignment. They have the tools and expertise to finish the job.
Really, all you're doing is playing "assembly line" worker.

The components feature all the best components available, which are carefully chosen.
Instructions would be provided in the schematics, assembly documentation.

Now.. how difficult is that?

I guess it depends on what you mean by "gut" and "best of the best" and what your scope involves.

I thought you meant clearing or replacing entire tuning board(s) of a MOTL or BOTL tuner and make it comparable to a TOTL tuner. Anything from capacitors to tuning capacitors and trimmers. And somehow connect all the wires of the power supply and new boards to work with the face, dial and front plate of some random tuner with muting, deemphasis, output level, pink noise generator, noise cancellor, calibration level, narrow wide bandwith, etc. Frankly, I doubt a reputable tech would touch it.

Bordering on becoming your own manufacturer when there are other manufacturers already who are struggling with marketing of tuners.

If you mean selective replacement of some capacitors and resistors, then that is already done when people choose to recap. Hopefully the schematics and service manuals are available. I already mentioned mods and upgrades you can find at other sites. But they are usually mods of existing brands and models. I suppose one could document those mods and make them available as kits.

If you are trying to emulate the sound quality and character of TOTL Marantz, McIntosh, etc. of your Frankentuner for other specific areas such as bass, midrange, imaging, soundstage, etc, then that will be hit or miss. And a lot of research and development. And even some modding for DXing, sound quality can be sacrificed.

DIY computer building is nothing like building a tuner. Parts in computers are standardized and interchangeable and plug and play. And even there upgrades are based on Brand/Make and Model and technology of the existing motherboard.

I love my Sansui TU-717. But I would most likely maybe to a recap but I doubt I would have ever thought of gutting the electronics and just save the face dial and front plate.

But don't let me discourage you.

Not sure what your vision is.
Maybe it is as simple as you say.

Be sure to take lots of pics.
And document your parts list and your new schematic.

 

[BinaryMike]

I think it would be fun to develop a software-defined FM tuner as an open-source project, so interested programmers could tweak various aspects of performance at will, but somebody would have to design and manufacture the critical RF front-end, ADC, and DSP hardware before the project could go anywhere. This sort of thing is already happening on the ham radio scene.