A Tuner In Your System?

[Maks]

Originally Posted by djwhog

What is the best McIntosh Tuner one can get, or should I say find?

PS those last few look nice guys.

I think it depends on what you're looking for, I think Dan can chime in here too. I have both an MR-88 and MR-74, I like both for different reasons. However, as it stands with me only having room for one tuner at the moment, the MR-74 is the one in storage. The MR-88 is by far a better DXer and the addition of the HD content is nice. I also get excellent AM reception with its unique antenna and that's even considering I life in a brick loft. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the MR-88.

[Bill Stevenson]

The answer to this question in part depends on where you live, what you have available for programing and your priorities. If FM broadcast is your priority it is not controversial to say that the best tuner McIntosh has ever made is the MR78. Mine was recently modified and serviced by Richard Modafferi and I am very pleased with it. Two other tuners to consider have already been commended to you: The MR74 which has a wonderful tone complements of the tubes methinks, and the MR88 which has HD for those that have that service available. Frankly, these are all great tuners.

[Maks]

Originally Posted by Bill Stevenson

The answer to this question in part depends on where you live, what you have available for programing and your priorities. If FM broadcast is your priority it is not controversial to say that the best tuner McIntosh has ever made is the MR78. Mine was recently modified and serviced by Richard Modafferi and I am very pleased with it. Two other tuners to consider have already been commended to you: The MR74 which has a wonderful tone complements of the tubes methinks, and the MR88 which has HD for those that have that service available. Frankly, these are all great tuners.

There are no tubes in the MR-74 (other than the magic eye). Generally speaking, the MR-74 and MR-77 are held in higher regard for sound quality over the MR-78.

[cleeds]

This past weekend validated having an FM tuner in my system. (Not that I needed the validation.) More than two feet of snow. Virtually unpassable roads - eight feet of blowing and drifting snow on the street parallel to mine! In conditions like this, it's hard to fault Comcast for its system problems: no TV, no Internet.

This is when it's nice to have a choice of a few relatively good FM stations. Sure, we listened to a lot of LPs and CDs, watched a couple of DVDs and - I'm not gonna fib in this forum - we listened casually to some MP3s. But it was nice to have FM, and to get updated local weather and news reports mixed in with some music and friendly radio personalities.

I grew up in the golden era of FM radio, so having a good tuner is a natural for me. Still, it seems to me that it's something almost every audiophile would enjoy, even if only occasionally.

[jdandy]

cleeds.......I'm with you. A quality FM tuner is a fine source component. I wouldn't think of building a sound system without a tuner. I have to be careful because every quality tuner I see I want to buy, even when I don't need any more tuners. I have been eyeballing two tuners just this past week. I think I might need a tuner intervention.

[Weirdcuba]

Agreed. Strongly. I can't believe Dan said that about multiple tuners. I'm eyeing a second one and wondering where I'll put it! Plus, people just don't realize how good a good tuner can sound. Less good stations and signals to choose from these days, but still good stuff.

[62caddy]

It's so true the magic a fine tuner brings to a good system.

Most weekends I tune into Prairie Home Companion from our local NPR affiliate whose sound quality is superb. I daresay some of the most lifelike sonics I have ever experienced from my systems - came from FM through a McIntosh MX110 or MR 80.

[cleeds]

Originally Posted by 62caddy

... Most weekends I tune into Prairie Home Companion from our local NPR affiliate whose sound quality is superb ...

Agreed! The live PHC broadcasts have excellent fidelity!

[jdandy]

What I find interesting and a bit sad is FM tuners are no longer considered a premium source component by the majority of audio enthusiasts. Tuners are regularly dismissed as nonessential, with some considering a tuner worthless. I suspect most of these people have never experienced listening to a quality signal from a well produced station, not to mention listening to an actual live performance being broadcast over FM. It is excellent. To these individuals I suggest you take the time to discover a quality FM tuner and its sound in a high-end system. You will be impressed with the sound quality. A good tuner is a joy to own and use.

[quinlanmw]

Originally Posted by jdandy

...Tuners are regularly dismissed as nonessential, with some considering a tuner worthless. I suspect most of these people have never experienced listening to a quality signal from a well produced station, not to mention listening to an actual live performance being broadcast over FM...

Dan...I can only speak for myself but I suspect I am not unique. I well remember experiencing a quality signal from a well produced station. I continually bemoan the paucity of quality programming available to me. And it's not like I live in the sticks--my home is in Northern San Diego County, an area with a population in excess of a million people.

I am able to receive plenty of FM stations with strong signals--I just have no desire to listen to them. My tastes are broadly eclectic--I can appreciate music quality across many genres, from jazz to classical to progressive rock and even hip hop. The corporate consolidation of radio broadcasting and its effect on programming has been discussed repeatedly in this forum so I won't rehash it.

I own a McIntosh MR85 as well as a MR74, which I had envisioned as the centerpiece of a vintage McIntosh system. The MR85 is powered up daily in my main system yet I rarely listen to it, only occasionally when I want to hear NPR. The MR74 is stored in a cabinet, collecting dust.

It pains me to say it but both tuners are worthless to me. Yet I cling to them with the faint hope that someday a tuner will again fill the house with that sweet analog sound.