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Tuners?

At the monthly meeting of the Pacific Northwest Audio Society I bid (and won) a Denon FM Tuner (TU-850) for $40. I haven't powered it up yet, so I'm not entirely sure that it works. Has anyone here have
any knowledge about this model?

Thanks in advance,
TerryO
 
TerryO said:
At the monthly meeting of the Pacific Northwest Audio Society I bid (and won) a Denon FM Tuner (TU-850) for $40. I haven't powered it up yet, so I'm not entirely sure that it works. Has anyone here have
any knowledge about this model?

Thanks in advance,
TerryO
Click to expand...
Go to fmtunerinfo.com for a run down. They gives this tuner good marks in general except for having weak bass.
 
Got the LED lighting that Mike did for me on the MR77 squared away. I busted the intensity switch on the top when I forced it into the cabinet I bought for it in Korea.

Raj got it working for me.

Tuna Lights.jpg
 
Current tuners:
McIntosh MR 7082
Luxman T-03
Luxman T-12
Pioneer TX-9100
Sansui AU-888
Sanyo Plus T-55
Nikko Gamma V (best of the bunch)

Past tuners:
Kenwood L-07TII
Denon TU-550
NAD 4300
Proton AT-670
Magnum Dynalab Etude
Magnum Dynalab FT-11
Cyrus Tuner
 
Only one a NAD 4300 that I've had since new. Never had any problems and works well with just an indoor ant.(Magnum Dynalab SR-100)
But I've been looking for a good tube tuner mainly out of curiosities sake.
 
Best tuner I ever heard, price no object, was my Van Alstine Super Tuner Two, built in a Dyna FM-5 chassis replacing everything in the signal chain after the original Dyna FM front end. People who weren't even audiophile types would hear it and ask what was playing and then their eyebrows would go up when I told them "I don't know, this is FM." Van Alstine claimed this was the only tuner they had tested that could pass a 1 kHz square wave undistorted from antenna in to audio out. I wouldn't be surprised. I foolishly sold it and bought one of those Magnum Dynalab units with meters all over the front of it. It was OK but the aVA beat it easily for sound quality.

These tuners are still out there but don't show up on the used market much. At this point you're rolling the dice on a very old front end (as you are with the other vintage pieces mentioned).

Too bad, the state of FM.... Changing times I suppose. I've never even seen a tuner at a show, except maybe in a vintage-oriented setting.
 
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Last weekend a buddy gave me a Rega Radio R. I hooked it up to my system yesterday, and the sound was impressive.
I was really very cold about it initially cuz FM sound has not been my thing for years. So, I tuned in the local classical station, with no antenna attached, and let it play while I repaired a friends electric guitar. After an hour when the Rega had warmed up, I couldn't believe how good the music sounded that was coming out of it. The Rega has nice bass, and a warmish, but nicely detailed sound and produces a decent sound-stage. And it's extremely quiet; zero background noise at the quiet parts. And it played a strong stereo signal all afternoon with no antenna, and the station is not very local.

It's nothing like a reference CDP, but it's very listenable; and a pleasant method of being introduced to new music.
Years ago I had a Mac MX113, but it was so long ago, I guess I forgot how good FM can sound with the right gear.
Anyway, I listened all afternoon, and it'll be my goto working music now.
I'm happily surprised.

Dave
 
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david1111 said:
Last weekend a buddy gave me a Rega Radio R. I hooked it up to my system yesterday, and the sound was impressive.
I was really very cold about it initially cuz FM sound has not been my thing for years. So, I tuned in the local classical station, with no antenna attached, and let it play while I repaired a friends electric guitar. After an hour when the Rega had warmed up, I couldn't believe how good the music sounded that was coming out of it. The Rega has nice bass, and a warmish, but nicely detailed sound and produces a decent sound-stage. And it's extremely quiet; zero background noise at the quiet parts. And it played a strong stereo signal all afternoon with no antenna, and the station is not very local.

It's nothing like a reference CDP, but it's very listenable; and a pleasant method of being introduced to new music.
Years ago I had a Mac MX113, but it was so long ago, I guess I forgot how good FM can sound with the right gear.
Anyway, I listened all afternoon, and it'll be my goto working music now.
I'm happily surprised.

Dave
Click to expand...
i've not heard that particular tuna, but i do know that a quality tuna w/a quality station broadcasting music you like, will easily rival the sonics of of any digital or analog sources. and. i am not surprised you think the rega tuna sounds good. the present british tuna i own include a roksan caspian, creek 3140, onix bwd1/soap-2, and tag-mclaren t20; all sound at least excellent. as did the audiolab t8000 i used to own, with which the t20 shares most parts.

happy listening!

doug s.
ps - hook up an antenna - you may be surprised that the sound will get even better. even if it seems not to need an antenna now, a good antenna is one of the most critical components needed to extract the best sound of any tuna.
 
@doug s.
Thanks for the helpful info Doug. I'll pick up an antenna when I'm out today.
And that's good to hear regarding Brit tunas in general. Makes sense really; the Brits do things with sound in certain components, that really focuses on the requirement/use of the item. Like some speakers, and some of the affordable amps. I have an inexpensive Arcam Delta 90.2 integrated that has an expensive amp sound.
Cheerio!

Dave
 
WattWarrior said:
Adcom GFT 555ii, McIntosh MR87. IMO, the Adcom sounds much better than the McIntosh..
Click to expand...
s/s mcintosh tuna are one of the most over-rated tuna extant, when it comes to sonics, imo. i've owned ~100 different tuna over the past 25 years, and i can count on one had those i wouldn't want to listen to. a mint mr74 (supposedly mac's best sounding s/s offering) and a refurb'd aligned mr77 (supposedly better sounding than the famed mr78) both make this short-list.

ymmv,

doug s.
 
Did not realize that I've not posted my list of tuners. While I'll never catch up to doug s., I've had a few. Currently down to the Sony ST-J75 and the Yamaha T-2 that is out for a recap & alignment (should never have sold the 1st one). These two will be my "keepers" (assuming the T-2 corresponds to the one I should not have sold). If I were not 'downsizing' into retirement, would have kept the Accuphase T-106 as my other keeper. Had an Accuphase T-1100 in my sights, but the deal fell thru. Still saving for one.
I'm sure I've missed a tuner or two and have not included the 15, or so, receivers that have gone thru my systems over the years (of which the Sony ST-6200F was the class of the field).

R&A = recapped & aligned (by a “known good” tuner tech).

Accuphase
T-100
T-101 R&A (?)
T-106 R&A (Warren Bendler)

Denon
TU-750S

Luxman
T-117
TP-117

McIntosh
MX-113 R&A (Terry DeWick)
MX-114 R&A (Terry DeWick)
MX-117 R&A (Terry DeWick)
MR-65B
MR-71 R&A (?)
MR-78 R&A (Richard Modaferri)
MR-80 R&A (Terry DeWick)
MR-7083

Scott LT-110B

Sony
ST-5000FW R&A (Mike Williams)
ST-5130
ST-A6B R&A (Bob Fitzgerald)
ST-J75 R&A (Warren Bendler)
ST-J88B
ST-S550ES
ST-S730ES
ST-SA50ES
XDR-F1HD

Yamaha
CT-810
CT-1010
CT-7000 x2 R&A (Ken Bernacky before he fell off the deep end & merrylander)
T-2 R&A (Mark Wilson)
T-85 R&A (Warren Bendler)
TX-950
TX-1000
 
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Hi all. Been with the same old Yamaha T-1020 that loses its memory if not powered on everyday. Still use it to listen to "Breakfast with the Beatles" just about every Sunday morning.
 
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