FM Tuner advice

[SteveS1]

I'd second trying a Quad FM3 - I was so surprised by it that my "radio" system in the bedroom is FM3 - 33 / 303 (303 with Net Audio upgrade). Not the best for Radio 1 etc but a wonderful listen for R3 & 4. One tuner which I have been really impressed by recently was a NAD 412, not what you'd expect at all, a first class sound - I could tell little difference between it and the Naim (don't recall if it was a NAT 01 or 04??) tuner it was being compared to!
I've not heard a Radford but the Leaks I've listened to have been good - but not streets ahead of Quad.

Could be the reception quality. I replaced a Quad with a NAT 02 and it's quite a lot better (I listen mainly to 2,3,4 and local).

Steve

 

[banpe2006]

by the way, I have the quad fm4 and the leak troughline...the fm4 may not be as good as the 3 ( i dont know), but in comparisons through a pre amp, on the same radio station, the leak is better. not so in the bass, but for realism of instrumentation and vocals....not as user friendly as the quad though.....i also have thedenon and findit grating on the ears....i use it for mw only

 

[DSJR]

Could be the reception quality. I replaced a Quad with a NAT 02 and it's quite a lot better (I listen mainly to 2,3,4 and local).

Steve

Replace the supply and coupling caps on an FM3 with modern ones of higher value

http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Lab/6722/quadfm3doc.html

I made the changes suggested on the link above (using mustard coloured bead style electrolytics on the audio output caps) and was very pleased by how much more subtle the sound was - studio acoustic so readily reproduced by Naim tuners was now clearly audible for example and the bass region was much improved too. I didn't use fancy caps, just some Vishay's from Farnell UK.

OK, not quite a Naim tuner standard, but MUCH closer and for less than £75 all in, including the tuner, I'm not complaining...

Anyone want an Arcam Delta 80?