Looking for a new tunner?

[jras20]

I'm looking for a new digital Tunner, what is the best brand to get? I would like to have one with 2 inputs, and a signal meter, I cant seem to find any tunners with a signal meter on it.

 

[Grrrradio]

A lot of those old analogs have a signal meter on them (particularly Kenwoods), although you said you're in the market for a digital... really sad that these supposedly "better" modern radios lack so many wonderful geek features. If you're willing to buy your new(-to-you) tuner used, an uncle of mine had a Harman-Kardon from circa 1981 with digital tuning and a signal meter... VERY sensitive receiver... pulled in 35 dBu signals from across the state of Minnesota with no problem at all in suburban Minneapolis... might want to check out that brand.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

I suggest you avoid a new tuner. The "best" tuner may well be the McIntosh MR-78 but at $1000 and up used, I opted for the Pioneer TX-9500 II. Got it for $100 on Ebay & changed the IF filters in the Narrow IF portion (there's a wide-narrow switch on the front). While it may not fully measure up to an MR-78, it does offer a LOT more bang for the buck...With an outdoor yagi antenna, it pulls in a 100KW station from Hazard,KY at over 200 miles 365 days a year...a feat that isn't too likely with a "new digital tuner"...

 

[jras20]

I got a 12 element Yagi antenna for FM I would like something with 2 inputs that I can have 2 diffrent antennas going since I can DX from diffrent markets in my area.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

An antenna rotor is pretty well mandatory for DX. Often, a few degrees of changed direction will cause a different station to pop in on the same channel. I'd spend that money on a rotor before another antenna/tuner to accommodate it. Not that I've seen an FM tuner with two antenna inputs.

 

[DJK_31904]

I've got two tuners that have what you want...the Sony ST-SA50ES and Onkyo T-9090II. Both have dual switchable inputs, and both have signal meters. Both are awesome at what they do...and I'll never let them go for that very reason.

 

[KYradioJake]

I have an old Pioneer TX-950 tuner and it is awesome at pulling in stations from far away. The FM sensitivity on it is about 10.3 dBf and all I have hooked up to it is a set of rabbit ears (yeah, I know...pretty stupid) but I can get WPAY-FM 104.1 out of Portsmouth, OH from right here in northern Lexington, KY all the time-and I mean that. The signal ALWAYS comes in like a local...it's amazing ...and just with a puny set of rabbit ears. The transmitter is 97 miles away from where I live and it still comes in like a local station all the time---never even a bit of static. I also get WAMZ 97.5 out of Louisville, WAOL 99.5 out of Ripley, OH, WSGS 101.1 out of Hazard, KY ...and many, many more. Yes, I know this tuner doesn't have a signal meter or 2 FM antenna inputs (one 300 ohm for FM and one for AM) but it's still an awesome tuner. It's never let me down. Check it out on eBay sometime.
Hope this helps, Later

 

[rbrucecarter5]

I'm looking for a new digital Tunner, what is the best brand to get? I would like to have one with 2 inputs, and a signal meter, I cant seem to find any tunners with a signal meter on it.

The FMtunerinfo people are raving about the new Sangean HDT-1. I have not independently verified their claims. Apparently, if you ignore the "HD" aspects of it, it is an excellent DX analog tuner, with very good sensitivity and adaptive selectivity that gives it astonishing adjacent channel selectivity. As a bonus - it also decodes AM stereo, although I'm not sure if you have any stations in your area still using the system. Stations that matter, that is. WBAP is still AM stereo, but why bother for talk radio?

 

[Sgeirk]

I bought a Nikko FM tuner on E-bay some time ago. Easily the most sensitive FM tuner I've ever had.

 

[vibe]

I've seen some great set ups at the thrift stores; a lot of the people who work there don't have a clue as to how valueable some of the old and rare tuners are.