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What is it that makes an fm tuner special?

Jim Audiomisc said:
Can't comment on non-BBC FM. However BBC FM tries to match the performance envelope of the FM stereo system.

In practice that means they apply some complex level compression.
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Same here in Sweden. I tried to go around it by listening on the web transmission, but it was the same compression.
 
One can put together a nice vintage budget system for very little nowadays if you’re canny. I reckon I could put together a decent simple amp, cd player and speakers for about below £130 or so. Recent quality second hand buys I’ve made or seen include the Creek T40 tuner for £20, a Rotel 965BX for £35, a pair of mint JPW Mini Monitors for £10 and an A60 for £50. Wish I was starting off again.
 
My favourite Tuner is a vintage A@R Cambridge T21 that I got for £15 in the local paper years ago.The best £15 I have ever spent its got a rooftop ariel and pulls in a good signal as the transmitter is only 5 miles away.
I have listened to the Naim 101 before years ago and thought it was superb on Radio 3 but my T21 gets pretty close.
Its one of my most used sources and always hugely enjoyable.Just listen to Radio 3 and classic FM.
Also have a Creek 3040 but the T21 easily beats it.
 
I am tempted to try the T21 and see how it does against the T40. I have an external aerial but need to explore the potential of our loft aerial which has an fm aerial integrated.just a bit complicated in these new homes where there are cables and returns everywhere.
 
I now have a Creek T50/Classic RDS am/fm tuner and it gives me 95% of the sound quality of my previous Naim NAT 01/NA PST, no drift at all, with a sensibility that allows me to use a flat tape antena and all this for less than 1/5th of the price of the Naim.
All I can say is if you find one, just jump on it !
 
Del monaco said:
I am tempted to try the T21 and see how it does against the T40. I have an external aerial but need to explore the potential of our loft aerial which has an fm aerial integrated.just a bit complicated in these new homes where there are cables and returns everywhere.
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Steve,

You should give a T21 a try their pretty cheap on EBay £70 -£100 and often come up.

As I say my previous tuner was a Creek 3040 and sometimes it used to drift.The T21 really sounds like a Naim tuner to my ears having heard the 101 - 01 in the past.No better complement ...Its a superb tuner for the money.

You know its good as studio voices have no simbilance in them.
 
Miss Ariel said:
Steve,

You should give a T21 a try their pretty cheap on EBay £70 -£100 and often come up.

As I say my previous tuner was a Creek 3040 and sometimes it used to drift.The T21 really sounds like a Naim tuner to my ears having heard the 101 - 01 in the past.No better complement ...Its a superb tuner for the money.

You know its good as studio voices have no simbilance in them.
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Think I may look at one and compare. I’ve seen them for as little as £40 so not a big outlay.
 
My best tuners are the ReVox A76 and the Beomaster 5000, no contest. Next comes the sweet FM4 and FM3.
The Troughline is still on the workbench!
 
chartz said:
My best tuners are the ReVox A76
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Ah! Nice memory. Had the matching amp and A77 R2R in my early 70s student days. having come from a Leak Stereofetic and matching amp. it was just another piece of hifi kit then but the info. and comparisons of forums weren't around and magazines were beyond a student's means (not sure about that one though ! :))
 
TLS said:
My FM tuner is special because it has been on for around 190,000 hours since new and nothing broke, not even a lightbulb burned. Cost of ownership = 0,08 cents a day!
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There are many ways that they can be special. They do tend to last.
 
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It was one of the things that attracted me to the Arcam SR250 - dab/fm reception. It rendered the Creek tuner I'd bought obsolete (bugger), but I always remember the Peel Sessions with fondness while listening to anything on FM.
 
I just have a Creek 3140 before that an Arcam 7. Superb for the money both - massively so. I had a simple dipole on the roof with a good signal - until the b****dy aerial blew down a few months ago. We're just in a bungalow, among other short buildings, but it does blow here, even the house is called the 'Four Winds'. If you can get local FM you get free sports commentary that otherwise costs a subscription, but BBC is worth having generally. The aerial work cost more than the tuner!
 
gavreid said:
I just have a Creek 3140 before that an Arcam 7. Superb for the money both - massively so. I had a simple dipole on the roof with a good signal - until the b****dy aerial blew down a few months ago. We're just in a bungalow, among other short buildings, but it does blow here, even the house is called the 'Four Winds'. If you can get local FM you get free sports commentary that otherwise costs a subscription, but BBC is worth having generally. The aerial work cost more than the tuner!
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The T40 I have is the update of the 3140 with very little change bar some subtle cosmetic changes. I’m very impressed with it.
 
Del monaco said:
The T40 I have is the update of the 3140 with very little change bar some subtle cosmetic changes. I’m very impressed with it.
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Very impressive - I can't remember the detail any more but I think they built the front end themselves so it's not a generic chip...
 
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