Looking for "good" fm tuner

[Jimmy154]

Hi,

I'm stupid, as you could probably see from the subject. I was looking for a tuner on ebay and i realised that I don't know anything about tuners. I was wondering if I could build a tuner? Cause some of them (i'm assuming they were the "good" ones) are very expensive.

What are some "good" tuners? Can any one point me in the right direction with a website?

I have a gainclone and 2-way speakers. So I know a little about those things, but not anything about tuners. If some can please, recommend a tuner for me. My cryteria is that i has to be cheap, but not suck, if that makes any sense.

Also are there any FM tuner pc cards that are good? Are there any at all, even; for pci?

[Bill Fitzpatrick]

Marantz made some excellent tuners in the 70's.

[jwb]

Velleman used to make a tuner kit, although I don't see it on their site anymore. It was model K4500.

[chipco3434]

I bought my son an old analog Denon TU-7. It's simply excellent and it cost $45 in a used record shop.

I would also suggest looking at satelite. If your taste is wide and varied, satelite is an excellent choice. I listen to the classical channels (3), bluegrass, NPR, some rock, and adult comedy. It's ten bucks a month. Some would argue that the "highs" are absent (>16kHz). For me, the benefit outweighs the detriment.

[Jocko Homo]

Most of the easy chips are no longer made, new ones need a micro to control the tuner/PLL. Then you have to source 10.7 MHz filters........etc.

And to listen to what? Most FM now is corporate dreck. Nope, I would not waste my effort on making one to listen to stuff that lousy. Maybe where you are, it may be a tad better than in most other urban markets. Look for a used one, only to be wonder why it sounds so bad..........the tuner or the source.

Jocko

[Damon Hill]

http://www.fmtunerinfo.com/

May be more information than you want to know...

I wouldn't want to tackle a DIY FM tuner without a lot
of research. I don't have the slightest idea of how
to design and build a decent RF front end, which is a
badly neglected subject. Years ago I was very
enthusiastic about it, but there are too many other
things I want to do now.

I did recently build a 'jpole' antenna for the FM band,
so I could have some sort of outdoor antenna; didn't
solve my multipath problems, though.

[dnsey]

How about a Leak Troughline?
Many consider them among the best tuners ever made, and thy're still available fairly cheaply. I've owned a couple, and when they're well-aligned and used with a good antenna they live up to their reputation.
Go for a mark 1 or 2, and use an outboard stereo decoder for best results.

[AndrewT]

Hi,
I used a Sugden t48 for a couple of decades and now retired. It still plays superbly but the manual tuning buttons(no digital tuning here) have worn out. No spares available to repair. Inside, the case is jam packed all the way to the lid, not like your modern tuners.
The later Quads are quite good, I have an FM4 (it is digital). but only 7 presets + manual.
I agree the Leak but not the stereofetic. Again manual tuning only and not at all sensitive. Needs a good aerial.
A lot of the digital tuners cannot compete with analogue in sound quality.
Finally, here in Britain FM sound is as good as it gets if you choose your stations, a live broadcast is unbeatable. Certainly better than DAB and possibly a little better than Nicam. All these signals are transmitted around the country by digital comms so it must be the pre & post processing that ruins the perfomance.
I think I hear a few arguments coming!!
regards Andrew T.

[dnsey]

No argument from me!
The main limiting factor IMHO is the appalling degree of compression used much of the time, which makes me want to 'pop' my ears!
Oh - and the excessive top lift applied by many local radio stations.

[Geek]

Good tuner - find yourself an Akai AT-2400 or AT-2600. They have excellent rejection and sensitive enough to be rated "entry-level DX'er"