Best Sounding FM Tuner?
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
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- fm radio magnum dynalab
BTW, Nice system! I heard the new Avantgarde Trios recently...not a system I knew well, but was a lot of fun to hear it. I see you are driving with your own amps...the Trons? Presume the RELs are in lieu of the massive Avantgarde basshorns?
as you might imagine, there are numerous programmes to enjoy on R3 (and Radio France Musique (!)) . check out Saturday schedule "inside music", where young music makers take the chair for 2 hours and present what is special to them and why ? Plus live concerts at 1pm weekdays, Proms, and all the rest. A Quad FM3 for 100 GBP will make you smile. For truly full sound, I understand there is a resistor change --or similar adjustment-- required which I haven't done.
Hi, thank you! Though its positively humble compared to yours..
Yes driving with the Tron PX25amp.
The RELs were a replacement for my original Avantgarde 225 box subs which literally disintegrated while watching a film. I heard the REL's against the Avantgarde 230 subs and the REL's were night and day better. I have neither the space or budget for the basshorns.
Hardly! Your wonderful speakers filled a room at least 30'-35' deep, 11' high and 45' wide. The sound was effortless in its ability to fill that room. You did not even think about how many speakers could do that because there was no sense of strain, and they just made it seem normal.Hi, thank you! Though its positively humble compared to yours..
Yes driving with the Tron PX25amp.
The RELs were a replacement for my original Avantgarde 225 box subs which literally disintegrated while watching a film. I heard the REL's against the Avantgarde 230 subs and the REL's were night and day better. I have neither the space or budget for the basshorns.
On the overall presentation of sound, it was quite grainless. From a tonal balance perspective, I sensed they had quite remarkable potential. I do not believe they were optimally setup...I really cannot guess how the Emm Labs REference MTRX monos they were using really are...but somehow I always imagined the Avantgarde Trios being driven by well designed, powerful SETs (as in high current, high quality or whatever they should be at the ultimate level). That could be absolutely denigrating to the Emms which could be every bit the equal of an ultra-pure SET, but somehow I did not think that was where Emm was going in their design ethos. By contrast, Thomas Mayer, Lamm, as well as CJ's latest ART series...all seem to me intuitively to be the kind of electronics I wish I head heard on the Trios.
Interestingly, the people at the store listened to my opening comments, and volunteered "the Trios are incredibly difficult to setup well to fully show them off, given how exacting a speaker they are".
Again, that said, they genuinely showed how special they are in that room. I have heard great things about Tron electronics which are not easy to find.
On the Sub side...I have been mulling over the 'final piece' of our own system. (I call each system 'fully evolved' when the final piece goes in. And over the last 30+ years, there have been 4 other systems that got to 'fully evolved' for what they were.) The debate right now includes:
- REL dual stack
- Funk Audio custom dual-opposed behemoth
- Pure Lo panels dual
Good to hear about REL. Did you listen to different RELs before making your choice?
I have a Magnum Dynalab MD108TSE and agree with a previous poster that mentioned the improvements offered by the SE upgrade. it just sounds fantastic - I also had a DAC added to it when I did the upgrade and it sounds great also through the glorious tube stage. It doesn't match my Horizon by any means, but it would certainly do in a pinch (without adding another box). Plus, the oscilloscope is just a wonderful touch.
Hi
I'm a bit concerned we are off topic of this FM tuner thread. I'm not sure whether we should start a fresh thread for REL or Avantgarde, or ride on the back of Todd's excellent thread on his Avantgarde set up.
Can I suggest you PM me or move the question / these questions to this thread?
Todd's AG Trio G3 System -- it's about time | What's Best Audio and Video Forum. The Best High End Audio Forum on the planet! (whatsbestforum.com)
Regards
Chop
Millions of DAB radio listeners to be locked out of stations including Classic FM
Madeleine RossSat, 25 November 2023 at 6:00 am GMT
Aled Jones, a presenter on Classic FM. In January the station will switch to DAB+ - Andrew Crowley
Millions of listeners with digital radios will soon no longer be able to tune in to popular stations including Classic FM.
Major channels are abandoning older Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) radios in favour of new DAB+ technology – forcing listeners to buy a more modern radio.
It comes after many listeners were pushed to switch to digital radio after the Government announced ambitions to turn off the FM signal in 2015.
This will now not happen until at least 2030, but many digital radio models are now becoming obsolete as they can only pick up the DAB signal, and not the superior DAB+.
Classic FM, which has around 4.5 million listeners, is the among the popular stations to announce it will switch over to DAB+.
Nearly 50m adults, or 88pc of those aged over 15, listened to their favourite radio station at least once a week, according to figures from Rajar (Radio Joint Audience Research).
Of those listeners, 42pc listen using a DAB or DAB+ radio, with a further 24pc listening through websites, apps and smart speakers.
One third of DAB radio owners who listen at home do not have DAB+ capacity. Around 10.1m UK households have a DAB+ set either at home or in at least one car, and there are just 4.8m DAB+ sets in homes, according to data from media regulator Ofcom.
The BBC has said it is “committed to continue to serve” those with DAB radios. Yet Classic FM will turn off its DAB signal when it switches to the new service on Jan 2, meaning fans will need a DAB+ compatible radio to keep listening.
The channel, which launched in 1992 as a specialised station for classical music, will still be available on FM radio. Bauer Media channels, including Absolute 80s, Planet Rock and Virgin Anthems, are among those which have also made the switch to DAB+.
The first DAB radio stations in the UK were launched in 1995 by the BBC. DAB+ shows, which offer better sound quality, began in 2016.
One radio producer at a DAB+ station warned that buying a digital radio secondhand could now lead to listeners missing out on their favourite channels.
Listeners will be forced to buy new DAB+ radios
He said: “A lot of people who don’t listen to the radio anymore are selling those on Facebook marketplace or eBay and a lot of people think they’re getting a bargain. That’s because the ones sold in shops now, to comply with legislation, have to have DAB+ as part of what they can tune into.”
The producer said listeners often called in to the station to complain that they could not get their radio to play the right channel. He said: “It’s older people, people trying to be a bit thrifty. It doesn’t happen every day but it’s a fairly regular thing for DAB+ stations.”
Emily Jolley, an audio merchandiser for John Lewis, said: “DAB radios are seeing steady growth – up 4pc since August alone. This is driven by a few key factors, including customers future-proofing as more stations become digital only.”
But although several commercial stations have made the switch, the BBC said it was “committed” to audiences listening through DAB services. Classic FM was approached for comment. In 2021, a government review by the Department for Media, Culture and Sport recommended that FM signals should continue in the UK until at least 2030.
I have a MR7083 also but without the the wood cabinet. I also have a MR75 ,MR78, Magnum Dynalab MD90t, & ReVox B780 receiver that I use for FM radio. All are excellent yet different sonically in their own way.My two McIntosh tuners.
Greetings,
I am not sure if this is a good place to post this. But what the heck: nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I have two tuners that I would like to give away, for free. My better half is encouraging me to “de-clutter” our lives.
One is a Pioneer TX-8500II that I have had since college. It still works pretty well, but I believe a light or two is probably out.
The other is a Sony ST-550ES that I bought off of eBay probably 15 years ago. It works also, but the tuning knob is a little wonky. Sometimes the tuning gets stuck or jumps.
Anyone interested in a free tuner? I live in Minnesota. So if you do too it could be a local pickup. I have boxes for both, so I could ship—but then it becomes no longer really free.
I am not sure if this is a good place to post this. But what the heck: nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I have two tuners that I would like to give away, for free. My better half is encouraging me to “de-clutter” our lives.
One is a Pioneer TX-8500II that I have had since college. It still works pretty well, but I believe a light or two is probably out.
The other is a Sony ST-550ES that I bought off of eBay probably 15 years ago. It works also, but the tuning knob is a little wonky. Sometimes the tuning gets stuck or jumps.
Anyone interested in a free tuner? I live in Minnesota. So if you do too it could be a local pickup. I have boxes for both, so I could ship—but then it becomes no longer really free.
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Hi I am interested by the Pioneer but I live in France. I pay the shipping cost. The rest by pm.
Thank you.
I don’t believe this will work for several reasons.
One reason is that the voltage input for the Pioneer tuner is 120 volts, not 240 volts of the European power grid. Related to this are the differing wallplugs. On the Pioneer is a two-flat-prong US plug not a cylindrical-prong Schuko plug.
Also without truly looking into it, I imagine that shipping costs would be rather prohibitive. I do wonder if France is applying tariffs to US-sent products corresponding to those tariffs that the US is applying to EU products.
Interestingly there are quite a number of audiophiles in the UK who apparently use US plugs into their power conditioners (so I am told by power cord manufacturers based here). And on voltage, it is also not unusual for people to either convert the voltage of the unit (I know I have had that done years ago on 2 different occasions...with CJ and Gryphon equipment...) or to just use voltage converter. Up to Hongkongfoufou on both scores.
Hi Hoodjem,
I have an adapter for the voltage. I have a Pioneer Blu-ray for the US region.
I suppose the shipping cost will be between 100 and 200 dollars.
Normally, I must pay 20% taxes but if you write gift on the packaging, I will not pay taxes.
The used tuner in France is between 150 and 200 EUR but without the original packaging.
Send by airplane is more expensive than by boat.
Thanks for your feedback.
If you can give it in US, no problem.
Best regards and thanks again for your feedback.
Have a great day.
Best regards
The only way to buck or boost voltage is with an isolation transformer. Most suck. I have tried many. You need to spend about $2500 to get a decent trasformer . Something like a Torus Tott. There are some other brands but they are balanced out. I don't know about that route when boosting single phase 120 volt to single phase 230 volt.
No product outside a battery/Inverter is going to change the frequency between 60 and 50 hertz.
Your generally better off getting a device built with the correct power supply for the nation its used.
Or, your spending more for the power supply than the gear. A crappy buck/boost transformer will rob the value of a quality component.
No product outside a battery/Inverter is going to change the frequency between 60 and 50 hertz.
Your generally better off getting a device built with the correct power supply for the nation its used.
Or, your spending more for the power supply than the gear. A crappy buck/boost transformer will rob the value of a quality component.
Why not simply connecting the secondary of another power transformer in series (or anti series to reduce the voltage) with the exact voltage you want to change? The change in mains impedance is negligible if we pick the proper transformer.
I learned this trick from the ExactPower SP15 - that surely was a much more sophisticated device.
I was incorrect. I am sorry to report that I do not have any box for the Pioneer TX-8500 II tuner. I believed that I still had the original box. I went looking for it today in a storage building where I keep all my audio boxes.
It was not there. I must have discarded it years ago in one of many moves from one residence to another residence. Sorry.
As I cannot ship the unit, I guess this will “gift” will have to be local pickup only, if anyone is interested.
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