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Finally Settled On A Tuner To Replace My Yamaha T-1

74.107.93.140

Posted on September 16, 2015 at 14:16:30
eleiko2@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 207
Joined: October 4, 2008
The Yamaha T-70 won on ebay for $29 (list price in 1982: $370). It's in pristine shape, was shipped with the original packaging and manual and invoice (dated December 1982). The specs don't quite match Yamaha's T-85, one of the era's top digital models, but they're close. It got fairly good reviews from the gang at fmtunerinfo.com.

Anybody here have one or heard it?

 

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Congratulations, posted on September 16, 2015 at 15:05:53
1973shovel
Audiophile

Posts: 10110
Location: Greenville SC
Joined: February 25, 2007



It looks to be a very good tuner, and you got it for a great price! I like the look of it quite a bit. It's not nearly as "busy" looking as my two Yamaha T-80, and I appreciate the clean looks.

Did yours come with a PAL to F adapter?

Enjoy your new toy!

 

RE: Congratulations, posted on September 17, 2015 at 02:47:37
eleiko2@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 207
Joined: October 4, 2008
No PAL or F adapter (not even sure what they are) or remote. Still, like you said, the price was more than reasonable considering the clean look (inside and out) of this unit. The seller said he used it lightly - it was part of a second system in his house. Your T-80 was its successor, followed by the now legendary T-85.

 

Antenna connection, posted on September 17, 2015 at 05:54:07
1973shovel
Audiophile

Posts: 10110
Location: Greenville SC
Joined: February 25, 2007



A quote from the Tuner Information Center: "The T-70's 75 ohm coax jack requires a PAL to F adapter, such as Radio Shack part #278-261" (link below)





The adapter (shown above) converts the F connector used on 75 ohm coax (such as RG-6) in the US to the PAL (European) type connector on the back of your T-70.

I take it you're currently using the 300 ohm balanced connectors (to the right of the PAL jack) to connect your antenna?




 

RE: Antenna connection, posted on September 17, 2015 at 09:11:06
eleiko2@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 207
Joined: October 4, 2008
Correct. The T-type 300 ohm antenna works okay in my basement system, though I suspect I'd get much better reception hooked up to an outside antenna. Which type antenna do you have?

 

RE: "Which type antenna do you have?", posted on September 17, 2015 at 15:52:28
1973shovel
Audiophile

Posts: 10110
Location: Greenville SC
Joined: February 25, 2007
I have a rooftop mounted, rotational, FM only Yagi. It's down at the moment, while some work was being done. Now that the weather's cooling off, I need to get it back up there. Meanwhile, I'm using a smaller (fewer elements) FM Yagi, mounted in my attic, and pointed at my favorite station. I'm using RG-6 quad shield cable, if memory serves me.

There's no need to suspect whether or not you'd get better performance from an outdoor antenna. So much of audio is subjective, but a quality FM antenna is pure science. The better the antenna, the stronger the signal you feed to your tuner. And the higher you mount the antenna, the further you can pick up a signal. Every one foot increase in antenna height equals one extra mile of reception.

Even if you keep your T antenna, get it as high up in your house (or outside your house) as possible.

Enjoy your new tuner.

 

RE: "Which type antenna do you have?", posted on September 18, 2015 at 03:16:39
eleiko2@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 207
Joined: October 4, 2008
Thanks for the tips. I'll try some of your suggestions.

 

Assuming you controll the aesthetics in the basement you might try a rhombic antenna on its ceiling., posted on September 19, 2015 at 14:45:59
Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002
IF all your desired stations are pretty much in the same direction this is a serious but cheap antenna, if you don't price your time.

'FM fool' can tell you where on the map the relevant transmitters are.

In the article there's a spread version with a wider acceptance angle. The article assumes you will use 300 ohm ribbon like your T antenna and thus you are building a double rhombic with twice the gain.

You can in any case play with the plan shape and thus widen or narrow the acceptance angle. aka beam-width if you were using it as a transmitter antenna.

IF you build one, even for the basement ceiling, please report here.

:-)




Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

RE: Assuming you controll the aesthetics in the basement you might try a rhombic antenna on its ceiling., posted on September 19, 2015 at 15:49:41
eleiko2@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 207
Joined: October 4, 2008
Can't say I understand what you're talking about, but I appreciate the advice just the same. Thanks.

 

??? , posted on September 19, 2015 at 16:26:18
Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002
have you read the article in FAQs here at AA? I am betting not.

i) if you make the decisions about what you can put up / install in the basement? WAF? Thought that was pretty clear!

ii) FM Fool is a US web site giving sufficient information, for you to understand your FM reception issues, for most of your desired stations.

ii a) To aim an antenna the size of a rhombic or a Yagi - which you do need to do - it would help to know what to aim at, no?

iii) Tuners - which you are very keen on - are of themselves the second most important part of a radio reception system.

iv) FM just is directional, no tuner made can eliminate multi-path effects. But a directional antenna with real gain can, and what's more will keep distortion and noise low.



Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

Timbo is talking about..., posted on September 19, 2015 at 19:21:22
J. S. Bach
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Posts: 9570
Location: Chester, SC
Joined: November 28, 2001
Contributor
  Since:
June 29, 2004


Later Gator,
Dave
Find more about Weather in Chester, SC

 

RE: ??? , posted on September 20, 2015 at 03:11:41
eleiko2@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 207
Joined: October 4, 2008
My situation is relatively simple in that I listen to just one station, a local classical station putting out 50,000 watts. And it comes through okay.

 

RE: Timbo is talking about..., posted on January 5, 2016 at 13:16:44
Posts: 4
Joined: December 30, 2015
Your clock needs to be set ahead 2 mins. to be correct.

 

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