|
Radio Road Which tuner to get and getting the most from it. Thank God, for the radio! |
|
|
|
Radio Road Which tuner to get and getting the most from it. Thank God, for the radio! |
|
In Reply to: How many here post also at "FM Tuners" ? Also, FM tuner info site unfair to tube tuners? posted by Bambi B on July 7, 2006 at 02:29:36:
Two reasons - Nth America does seem to have a very crowded Band II, and now there are so few good stations selectivity might be an issue for many.And, there are a LOT of objectivist measurer types who are real keen on SS and lots of RF wizardry. and nothing wrong with that.
However there are also a majority of people who still choose tuners by listening.
I am fortunate here in Aussie, and my city, that the band is not crowded and that the station I mostly listen to is very powerful and all the ones of interest (rapidly decreasing after the 2nd/fave) are only about 15k away.
So despite all the BIG hills and MPath I can get away with a very simple tube tuner with a much tweaked SS decoder - good commercial styro and pp caps, MF resistors, etc. and 'clean' vane caps. It isn't hissie, it's HF is detailed, extended and clear, and it does concert hall sound very well indeed.
Reads mike types / arrays too, so I'm reliably informed by a recording techie. BSEG Great FM for < than $400 Aussie all up.
I've been a keen user of FM since the 1970's and my old tube rcvr used as a tuner is far and away the best stereo FM I've heard, all ss before that. Rebuilds are probably essential as put by many here.
So, what's that possible downside Timbo??
My experience is that 'some' of these older mono tube FM items - if driven hard - which they tend to need to sound really good - can have a lot of spuriae and RFI, coming out of their IF stage at least, going right up into TV UHF BandV!
Now, IF you have combined your FM and TV cabling system (at the mast in my case) you can get TVI - which looks like textbook 'nearby FM transmitter TVI' - shot silk in tight ripples right across the screen.
Yep, at harmonics of the the received station's Frequency +/- the Int.Freq - which is 10.7 meg usually?
NB this can effect only SOME TV stations you may be getting and not others?!
Should you experience such symptoms, and you have several FM outlets around the house - to several tuners. Do resist the typical and unthinking* recommendation, to run a separate set of coax. A lot of work and clambering about, too!
* Why? Well, if the TV antenna and FM 'tenna are close on the mast, it can jump the air gap, anyway. And if you're using a single TV/FM tenna it can't help.
It would, but only IF you have only one FM tuner in one spot, and a separate mast and FM 'tenna, etc!
The 'best/for the money/time' solution is
- a bandpass filter (below 88 and above 108) in the coax to the tuner, or in the tuners internal 'antenna-in' cable.
Yes, rebuilding the IF stage could also work, but you are not going to do it cheaply if you're NOT an FM/RF techie your own self!
NB there were no audible effects on the 'sound' of the tuner when being driven into 'full / hard limiting', either before or AFTER the filter.
WarmestTimbo in Oz
The Skyptical Mensurer and Audio Scrounger'Still not saluting.'
Read about and view system at:
http://www.theanalogdept.com/tim_bailey.htm
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Follow Ups
- there is a bit of bias at FM tuners, yes! and, just ONE possible downside of old tube tuners - Timbo in Oz 20:05:26 07/07/06 (0)
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
