AM/FM Tuner?

pro_crip · 4255

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Offline pro_crip

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on: April 25, 2010, 08:25:06 AM
Have the good folks over here ever consider an am/fm tuner kit? Is such a thing even plausible in kit form or am I better off getting an old FM3 off the 'bay? Thanks a bunch


Rich F.
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Richard J Feldman
Professional Gimp,connoisseur of Bourbon and Vinyl, metalhead

Crack, Extended FPIII, Eros, Paramount 300B's (in the midst of construction)

Tune down, smoke up


Online Doc B.

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Reply #1 on: April 25, 2010, 10:50:08 AM
Because of the shift to internet streaming I don't think we could justify the R&D. We even listen to our local FM stations via streaming these days, unless we are in the car. For casual music listening give Pandora a try, it's very cool.

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
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Offline Dr. Toobz

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Reply #2 on: April 30, 2010, 05:17:12 AM
FM is so compressed and nasty sounding these days I can hardly stand it! A Bottlehead tuner would be nice, but let's face it - analog radio is eventually going the way of the dodo, much like analog TV broadcasts. It's of matter of when, not if. I think a Bottlehead DAC and Pandora/Squeezebox/internet radio receiver would make a killer radio setup, and one that won't be soon obsolete.



Offline paba

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Reply #3 on: May 01, 2010, 05:08:51 PM

A tuner kit would not be feasible, but a modification kit for a current production tuner that can be purchased off amazon or audioadvisor would be.
Example $400 marantz St7001 plus say $200-300 mod kit from Bottlehead... of course only mods that would not automatically trigger an alignment... I'm thinking mods to power supply, output stage and MPX filters,shielding, signal caps etc..

you folks are not lucky. In my city, I have two college stations and two government owned stations and 1 indy station that don't over process the signal and don't transmit Mp3 off a hard disk, some even play vinyl during certain shows. Between these i can get all the Jazz, world music, recorded concerts of all music styles, and many other music styles. All analog FM.
Plus with my yagi out on the roof I can get Vermont Public Radio (80 miles away) which has very high quality content and signal as well.

FM is still my main source. Once I hear something I like then I go buy it.

I own several tuners with representation from every decade and technology

60's tube mono  (+modern MPX DIY kit)
70's air cap and analog
80's varactor and digital

and to complete the collection, still waiting for a good sounding digitized IF and DSP based tuner that I can afford, since the latest Accuphase is out of reach for me.

cheers
/paba



Offline Martin G

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Reply #4 on: May 02, 2010, 04:37:00 AM
60's tube mono  (+modern MPX DIY kit)
70's air cap and analog
80's varactor and digital


Paba,

Where'd you find a kit for MPX?  I've got a Fisher 100R that could use an MPX.

Martin.



Offline paba

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Reply #5 on: May 02, 2010, 08:00:45 AM
Hi,

you may know the best sounding MPX single chip solution was the Sanyo LA3450 (second source Sony CXA1064) these are very hard to find today. A few here and there and of course you can steal from a tuner from that period. Another good sounding MPX is National LM4500A (second source TCA4500A). Much easier to find.

There is a DIY MPX kit (PCB or PCB with MPX mounted) here: http://www.fmmpx.com

cheers
/paba