Best Sounding FM Tuner?

[LL21]

Thank you! Maybe a Magnum Dynalab (2nd hand) is back on the menu!

 

[LL21]

I believe the powers that be have been saying "we close it down in 5 years" for about the last 30 years... I suspect it will see me out.

BTW, Nice system! I heard the new Avantgarde Trios recently...not a system I knew well, but was a lot of fun to hear it. I see you are driving with your own amps...the Trons? Presume the RELs are in lieu of the massive Avantgarde basshorns?

 

[Paul49720]

Thank you! Maybe a Magnum Dynalab (2nd hand) is back on the menu!

as you might imagine, there are numerous programmes to enjoy on R3 (and Radio France Musique (!)) . check out Saturday schedule "inside music", where young music makers take the chair for 2 hours and present what is special to them and why ? Plus live concerts at 1pm weekdays, Proms, and all the rest. A Quad FM3 for 100 GBP will make you smile. For truly full sound, I understand there is a resistor change --or similar adjustment-- required which I haven't done.

 

[LL21]

thank you! already looking back into my files...

 

[Chop]

BTW, Nice system! I heard the new Avantgarde Trios recently...not a system I knew well, but was a lot of fun to hear it. I see you are driving with your own amps...the Trons? Presume the RELs are in lieu of the massive Avantgarde basshorns?

Hi, thank you! Though its positively humble compared to yours..
Yes driving with the Tron PX25amp.
The RELs were a replacement for my original Avantgarde 225 box subs which literally disintegrated while watching a film. I heard the REL's against the Avantgarde 230 subs and the REL's were night and day better. I have neither the space or budget for the basshorns.

 

[LL21]

Hi, thank you! Though its positively humble compared to yours..
Yes driving with the Tron PX25amp.
The RELs were a replacement for my original Avantgarde 225 box subs which literally disintegrated while watching a film. I heard the REL's against the Avantgarde 230 subs and the REL's were night and day better. I have neither the space or budget for the basshorns.

Hardly! Your wonderful speakers filled a room at least 30'-35' deep, 11' high and 45' wide. The sound was effortless in its ability to fill that room. You did not even think about how many speakers could do that because there was no sense of strain, and they just made it seem normal.

On the overall presentation of sound, it was quite grainless. From a tonal balance perspective, I sensed they had quite remarkable potential. I do not believe they were optimally setup...I really cannot guess how the Emm Labs REference MTRX monos they were using really are...but somehow I always imagined the Avantgarde Trios being driven by well designed, powerful SETs (as in high current, high quality or whatever they should be at the ultimate level). That could be absolutely denigrating to the Emms which could be every bit the equal of an ultra-pure SET, but somehow I did not think that was where Emm was going in their design ethos. By contrast, Thomas Mayer, Lamm, as well as CJ's latest ART series...all seem to me intuitively to be the kind of electronics I wish I head heard on the Trios.

Interestingly, the people at the store listened to my opening comments, and volunteered "the Trios are incredibly difficult to setup well to fully show them off, given how exacting a speaker they are".

Again, that said, they genuinely showed how special they are in that room. I have heard great things about Tron electronics which are not easy to find.

On the Sub side...I have been mulling over the 'final piece' of our own system. (I call each system 'fully evolved' when the final piece goes in. And over the last 30+ years, there have been 4 other systems that got to 'fully evolved' for what they were.) The debate right now includes:
- REL dual stack
- Funk Audio custom dual-opposed behemoth
- Pure Lo panels dual

Good to hear about REL. Did you listen to different RELs before making your choice?

 

[BR549]

I have a Magnum Dynalab MD108TSE and agree with a previous poster that mentioned the improvements offered by the SE upgrade. it just sounds fantastic - I also had a DAC added to it when I did the upgrade and it sounds great also through the glorious tube stage. It doesn't match my Horizon by any means, but it would certainly do in a pinch (without adding another box). Plus, the oscilloscope is just a wonderful touch.

 

[Chop]

Hardly! Your wonderful speakers filled a room at least 30'-35' deep, 11' high and 45' wide. The sound was effortless in its ability to fill that room. You did not even think about how many speakers could do that because there was no sense of strain, and they just made it seem normal.

On the overall presentation of sound, it was quite grainless. From a tonal balance perspective, I sensed they had quite remarkable potential. I do not believe they were optimally setup...I really cannot guess how the Emm Labs REference MTRX monos they were using really are...but somehow I always imagined the Avantgarde Trios being driven by well designed, powerful SETs (as in high current, high quality or whatever they should be at the ultimate level). That could be absolutely denigrating to the Emms which could be every bit the equal of an ultra-pure SET, but somehow I did not think that was where Emm was going in their design ethos. By contrast, Thomas Mayer, Lamm, as well as CJ's latest ART series...all seem to me intuitively to be the kind of electronics I wish I head heard on the Trios.

Interestingly, the people at the store listened to my opening comments, and volunteered "the Trios are incredibly difficult to setup well to fully show them off, given how exacting a speaker they are".

Again, that said, they genuinely showed how special they are in that room. I have heard great things about Tron electronics which are not easy to find.

On the Sub side...I have been mulling over the 'final piece' of our own system. (I call each system 'fully evolved' when the final piece goes in. And over the last 30+ years, there have been 4 other systems that got to 'fully evolved' for what they were.) The debate right now includes:
- REL dual stack
- Funk Audio custom dual-opposed behemoth
- Pure Lo panels dual

Good to hear about REL. Did you listen to different RELs before making your choice?

Hi

I'm a bit concerned we are off topic of this FM tuner thread. I'm not sure whether we should start a fresh thread for REL or Avantgarde, or ride on the back of Todd's excellent thread on his Avantgarde set up.
Can I suggest you PM me or move the question / these questions to this thread?
Todd's AG Trio G3 System -- it's about time | What's Best Audio and Video Forum. The Best High End Audio Forum on the planet! (whatsbestforum.com)

Regards

Chop

 

[LL21]

The Telegraph

Millions of DAB radio listeners to be locked out of stations including Classic FM​

Madeleine Ross
Sat, 25 November 2023 at 6:00 am GMT



Aled Jones, a presenter on Classic FM. In January the station will switch to DAB+ - Andrew Crowley
Millions of listeners with digital radios will soon no longer be able to tune in to popular stations including Classic FM.
Major channels are abandoning older Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) radios in favour of new DAB+ technology – forcing listeners to buy a more modern radio.
It comes after many listeners were pushed to switch to digital radio after the Government announced ambitions to turn off the FM signal in 2015.
This will now not happen until at least 2030, but many digital radio models are now becoming obsolete as they can only pick up the DAB signal, and not the superior DAB+.

Classic FM, which has around 4.5 million listeners, is the among the popular stations to announce it will switch over to DAB+.
Nearly 50m adults, or 88pc of those aged over 15, listened to their favourite radio station at least once a week, according to figures from Rajar (Radio Joint Audience Research).
Of those listeners, 42pc listen using a DAB or DAB+ radio, with a further 24pc listening through websites, apps and smart speakers.
One third of DAB radio owners who listen at home do not have DAB+ capacity. Around 10.1m UK households have a DAB+ set either at home or in at least one car, and there are just 4.8m DAB+ sets in homes, according to data from media regulator Ofcom.
The BBC has said it is “committed to continue to serve” those with DAB radios. Yet Classic FM will turn off its DAB signal when it switches to the new service on Jan 2, meaning fans will need a DAB+ compatible radio to keep listening.
The channel, which launched in 1992 as a specialised station for classical music, will still be available on FM radio. Bauer Media channels, including Absolute 80s, Planet Rock and Virgin Anthems, are among those which have also made the switch to DAB+.
The first DAB radio stations in the UK were launched in 1995 by the BBC. DAB+ shows, which offer better sound quality, began in 2016.
One radio producer at a DAB+ station warned that buying a digital radio secondhand could now lead to listeners missing out on their favourite channels.

Listeners will be forced to buy new DAB+ radios
He said: “A lot of people who don’t listen to the radio anymore are selling those on Facebook marketplace or eBay and a lot of people think they’re getting a bargain. That’s because the ones sold in shops now, to comply with legislation, have to have DAB+ as part of what they can tune into.”
The producer said listeners often called in to the station to complain that they could not get their radio to play the right channel. He said: “It’s older people, people trying to be a bit thrifty. It doesn’t happen every day but it’s a fairly regular thing for DAB+ stations.”
Emily Jolley, an audio merchandiser for John Lewis, said: “DAB radios are seeing steady growth – up 4pc since August alone. This is driven by a few key factors, including customers future-proofing as more stations become digital only.”
But although several commercial stations have made the switch, the BBC said it was “committed” to audiences listening through DAB services. Classic FM was approached for comment. In 2021, a government review by the Department for Media, Culture and Sport recommended that FM signals should continue in the UK until at least 2030.

 

[A-Line]

My two McIntosh tuners.

I have a MR7083 also but without the the wood cabinet. I also have a MR75 ,MR78, Magnum Dynalab MD90t, & ReVox B780 receiver that I use for FM radio. All are excellent yet different sonically in their own way.