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Tuner Shootout Between MAC MR-65B,MR-67 & MR-71

24.184.108.137
Posted on December 8, 2008 at 17:47:20
Jimmyblues


 
Has anyone done a tuner shootout between a McIntosh MR-65B, MR-67 and MR-71? My MR65B's are great sounding tuners, however I wonder if the latter two are better for dx'ing? I would imagine that the MR-71 is given its updates. The fellow at TIC who did the shootout did not include any tube tuners -- probably because he felt that they wouldn't be up the dx'ing capabilities of more modern designs.

However, I have owned many excellent ss FM tuners over the years that were great for dx'ing. However, none of them sounded as good as my old Marantz 10B, or MR-65B's in terms of being able to listen for hours without fatigue.

Some have been close though including a Marantz Model 125, Sequerra FM Studio, Tandberg 3011A, Revox B261 and Naim NAT-01.

 

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If you did a bit deep at TIC and the associated forum at Yahoo, I think you might, posted on December 11, 2008 at 18:46:58
Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002
 have a good handle on the qualities of each.

What antenna are you using?
Warmest

Timbo in Oz
The Skyptical Mensurer and Audio Scrounger

And gladly would he learn and gladly teach - Chaucer. ;-)!

'Still not saluting.'

http://www.theanalogdept.com/tim_bailey.htm

 

RE: Tuner Shootout Between MAC MR-65B,MR-67 & MR-71, posted on December 13, 2008 at 18:56:23
Neff


 
The MR-71 has the reception edge with a 4 section RF and three IF stages whereas the MR-67 is a 3 section RF and two IF stages. The MR-67 is a little wider bandwidth, but with HD FM now superimposed on many FM stations with more to follow, I would go with the more selective MR-71.

Sonics of both are very close per others. Some reports may not be accurate either as the tuner may be out of alignment compared to the other or even as simple as one has better tubes.

 

RE: Tuner Shootout Between MAC MR-65B,MR-67 & MR-71, posted on December 19, 2008 at 08:55:14
Brian Levy
Audiophile

Posts: 2438
Location: Toronto
Joined: June 5, 2000
 Not relevent today unless each tuner has been completely gone through and operating as it did when new:
The MR 67 can be compared to the MR77 while the MR 71 is the equiv of the MR78. The 71 is the dx'er of the Mc tube tuners while the 67 was considered slightly better sounding. The MR65/65B had an interesting following. The 65 and early 65b with the external mpx or the internal added in mpx module was a wideband and could be one of the best sounding tuners besting the 67. The later 65b with the designed in mpx board was considered to be the equal of the 67 or slightly below the 67 in sound while the 67 had better sensitivity. The 65/65B are the Mc sleeper tuners. Now that I think about it, most of the early Mc tube gear is in comparison to the late tube units. Wonder why.

 

The difficulty of choosing vintage tuners, posted on December 20, 2008 at 13:42:34
Bambi B
Audiophile

Posts: 3304
Location: Los Angeles
Joined: March 24, 2005
 Brian Levy,

I like your parallels between various McIntosh tube and solid state tuners. In my auditioning of three tuners to "get settled" once and for all with tuners, I ended up a Revox B160 and then a MacIntosh MR67 for the tube choice and MR77 for solid state. And,these were in contention with the MR71 and MR78 as well as the MR74.

Buying tuners without recent listening experience is difficult and I noticed too many people who described themselves as "collectors"and had ten of the things. I decided this is the result of experimentation- and too expensive. However, I was already a collector of too many things and tuners are for me the most mysterious- I barely understand basic amplification but detection, filtering, MPX, and alignments are magic things and I really don't know what 6AU6s and 6CS6's do for a living.

So, the only alternative is to really study others' opinions, for which I relied heavily on the Tuner Information Center. The reason for the MR67 and MR77 was that every opinion I trusted suggested both the MR67 and MR77 have a more open and dynamic sound as compared to the successor models, though the 71 and 78 have better selectivity and sensitivity and in the case of the MR78, a lot of filter choices.

As it worked out, the MR67 had the best FM sound I'd ever heard- and I'm reasonably sure, including Marantz 10B (though I only ever heard one once). It's been many years also since I heard an MR71 or MR78, so I can't compare them, and I was attracted to the MR77 sound, believing it to probably be more open than the MR78 but I wish now, I'd gotten an MR74 for the solid state choice.

But to get another tuner would make me a collector!


Cheers,

Bambi B

[Scott 330D, McIntosh MR67, MR77, Revox B160, MX110, Marantz 2235, 2275, Fisher 800D - NOT a collection! ]

 

RE: Tuner Shootout Between MAC MR-65B,MR-67 & MR-71, posted on January 22, 2009 at 11:24:28
niklasthedolphin
Audiophile

Posts: 283
Joined: April 1, 2007
 If you find the Tandberg TPT 3011A competing in that company, I believe you ow yourself to listen to the Tandberg TPT 3001A.
That one will beat them all.

I find Day Sequerra Studio Reference and Magnum Dynalab MD-109 the closest competitors to the 3001A.

"dolph"

 

RE: The difficulty of choosing vintage tuners, posted on November 30, 2014 at 12:16:37
Cicerosecundus
Audiophile

Posts: 14
Location: New York
Joined: April 1, 2008
 I have a MR 71 upgraded many times by Richard Modifieri, which is to say, I periodically send my MR 71 to Audio Classics for maintenance and I always spring for Richard's latest upgrade. I at one point had a friend's Marantz 10b, stock, that he had asked me to take care of when he was in a difficult move. I compared the upgraded MR 71 to the stock 10b - I and others preferred the upgraded MR 71. I suspect that a stock MR 71 vs. a stock 10b would not be so clear cut a preference.

 

RE: Tuner Shootout Between MAC MR-65B,MR-67 & MR-71, posted on December 1, 2014 at 12:27:30
6bq5
Audiophile

Posts: 4384
Location: SF Bay
Joined: August 16, 2001
 As with each component in a HiFi system, your tastes/results may vary-
Having said this - I must reiterate Timbo's comments on the importance of the antenna.
The three tuners that you mention are all good, and while I lusted after a 65B for many years, even a 71 - I ended up with a 74, and am quite happy. to fill a need for another unit - I picked up a 77, and I am not quite convinced that it is better than the 74.

Having said this- I am glad that you have sufficient FM to pursue a 'which sounds better' quest with tuners!
Happy Listening
Happy Listening

 

RE: Tuner Shootout Between MAC MR-65B,MR-67 & MR-71, posted on December 2, 2014 at 11:11:33
stellavox
Audiophile

Posts: 413
Joined: June 23, 2004
 Regarding the tuners mentioned. the RF and IF stages determine the gain, bandwidth and phase shift for the incoming VHF signal. The detector stage converts this to a "composite" audio signal. As has been mentioned, these did differ between units. The multiplex stage figures out which part of this composite should go to the left and right channels. With few changes (updates?), most of the Mac multiplex stages were identical. The following audio output sections were also "changed" (they had problems with the multiplex indicator).

Not to mention that parts (like tubes / capacitors) were undoubtedly different (types / manufacturers) between the models.

So they should sound different. One better than the other ???? Certain manufacturing runs of one model?

Yes; and the 10B and last Tandberg (don't forget the Scott 4310) are no "slouches".

Let's appreciate that this ancient technology still can sound GREAT - "Improvements" in broadcast technology not withstanding.

Charles

FWIW - the best I've ever heard are still the REL and the Wonderful Rhode Schwarz

 

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