MR 80 Restored!

[damacman]

Many interesting tidbits here about the MR87. I had also (mistakenly) assumed it was simply an MR88 without XM and Sirius - neither desirable to me anyway.

Of all the Mc tuners I've owned, the MR71 remains my favorite, followed closely by the MR77. Of course I've not owned an MR78 or MR80. The MR75 sitting next to me is actually a pretty decent sounding tuner as well, but it's outclassed by both other tuners I own in sensitivity and selectivity.

Sounds like an MR87 should be on my radar as well.

[Formerly YB-2]

Believe the MR75, like the MX115, has an ALPS sourced front-end (rather than McIntosh). Like you, I found the SQ of same to be the least involving of the McIntosh tuners I've owned. The MR80 that T. DeWick went thru was the best, but I've always wondered about the MR74, which I've read is the best for SQ.

[damacman]

Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2

Believe the MR75, like the MX115, has an ALPS sourced front-end (rather than McIntosh). Like you, I found the SQ of same to be the least involving of the McIntosh tuners I've owned. The MR80 that T. DeWick went thru was the best, but I've always wondered about the MR74, which I've read is the best for SQ.

I've had a half dozen MR74s over the years. During that time, the MR71 was my main tuner. Looking back I don't think I ever gave an MR74 much listening time ... I was buying, restoring, reselling.

Yes, the MR75 has an Alps front end. However, it's really quite a nice sounding tuner. It's just not particularly good at the tuning aspects ...

[Charles]

Originally Posted by damacman

I've had a half dozen MR74s over the years. During that time, the MR71 was my main tuner. Looking back I don't think I ever gave an MR74 much listening time ... I was buying, restoring, reselling.

Yes, the MR75 has an Alps front end. However, it's really quite a nice sounding tuner. It's just not particularly good at the tuning aspects ...

There's a truly beautiful MR 71 on Ebay for 850 dollars. It looks fully restored. If I were a tuner aficionado (which I am not) I would buy this piece. Also, I don't have an analog input on my preamp (D1100). I have always had a tuner and the D1100 necessitated I buy the MR 87. Now that I have, I'm really glad I did. But this is a beautiful piece for 850 dollars. The 71 is beautiful and I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks. It's taken Mac a long time to return to the classic tuning dial of the MR 71. Mac had such a beautiful tuning dial in their vintage tuners before the 80. Then they abandoned it only to resume it in the 87 about 40 years later. To me a tuning dial makes a tuner.

Dumb question: What is "SQ"?

I am retired and do a lot of late night listening in my man cave which is totally isolated from the sleepers in the house. It's my favorite time to listen and I arise in the morning when I feel like it. Right now I'm enjoying the Saens organ symphony through the 87. It's actually quite good.

[Macuser]

Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2

The MR80 that T. DeWick went thru was the best, but I've always wondered about the MR74, which I've read is the best for SQ.

I've had a 74 and 80 in the same rack for over a year now and switch back and forth between the 2 quite often. To my ears the 80 is the better sounding tuner as well as being the more sensitive.

[damacman]

Originally Posted by Charles

There's a truly beautiful MR 71 on Ebay for 850 dollars. It looks fully restored. If I were a tuner aficionado (which I am not) I would buy this piece. Also, I don't have an analog input on my preamp (D1100). I have always had a tuner and the D1100 necessitated I buy the MR 87. Now that I have, I'm really glad I did. But this is a beautiful piece for 850 dollars. The 71 is beautiful and I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks. It's taken Mac a long time to return to the classic tuning dial of the MR 71. Mac had such a beautiful tuning dial in their vintage tuners before the 80. Then they abandoned it only to resume it in the 87 about 40 years later. To me a tuning dial makes a tuner.

Dumb question: What is "SQ"?

I am retired and do a lot of late night listening in my man cave which is totally isolated from the sleepers in the house. It's my favorite time to listen and I arise in the morning when I feel like it. Right now I'm enjoying the Saens organ symphony through the 87. It's actually quite good.

Charles - shortly ago, I came across a very nice Sansui TU-9900 which I had serviced and aligned. I've really enjoyed my time with it thus far. I also have an equally nice Kenwood KT-8300 sitting on the sidelines at the moment - also the MR75's peer in tuning, but not in SQ - Sound Quality.

You've definitely piqued my interest in the MR87.

[W9TR]

Wow the TU-9900 is a great tuner. Looks awesome too.

The MR 87 has piqued my interest as well. Vintage tuners can get expensive to maintain - at least that’s been my experience. So the MR 87 is a potential winner in my book.

We have two homes - one in Colorado where we are totally surrounded by mountains and all the FM is local. The MR 77 lives there and does yeoman work to this day. Sounds great too.

Our Wisconsin home is 80 miles from the Twin Cities and the DX capability of the MR-80 with rooftop yagi really shines here. Plus MPR and WPR stations have excellent fidelity.

The MR 87 could be a tuner for the ages. I don’t really want another analog tuner since DSP has come so far in solving HD radio and adjacent channel issues.