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From: wmartin@brl-vgr.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Tuner query, Nad, Hafler
Message-ID: <1596@brl-vgr.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 8-May-84 13:32:28 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-vgr.1596
Posted: Tue May  8 13:32:28 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 12-May-84 08:34:12 EDT
References: <621@ariel.UUCP>
Organization: Ballistics Research Lab
Lines: 37

If you have access to the back issues of The $ensible Sound, an underground
audio magazine, I recommend looking at the tuner reviews written by
Richard A. Modaffieri. He has also done some tuner reviews and articles
in Audio. He designed the McIntosh MR-78, a tuner widely regarded as one of
the best ones ever made. Unfortunately, the list price of an MR-78 (they're
still being made, and list is the only price you'll ever pay for new McIntosh)
is $1699 or so. He liked the NAD tuner, though he deplored its construction
quality. It is optimized for performance on poor antennas, which is what
most of us have. 

Since the writer of the referenced posting mentioned that he could use
high-performance attic-mounted antennas, though not external ones,
several points come to mind. First off, the roof construction: if it
has metallic sheathing of some form (copper, foil backing or vapor barrier
on insulation, or metallic siding) this might be shielding your antenna,
thus negating the advantages of the better antennas you have tried. 
Second, consider an amplifier if the problem is weak signals, but not
if the problem is a high ambient RF noise level swamping the signals.
The amplifier will amplify noise along with signal. There is a tunable
model called the "Magnum FM Sleuth" or something like that -- a tunable
model will be preferred to reduce images and spurious responses. If the
roof is shielding your attic antennas, and this cannot be corrected
without rebuilding the house, a combination of an in-room tunable
antenna unit, like a Beam Box, and an amplifier, or an amplified
omnidirectional antenna in the attic paralleled with the Beam Box
either directly or with a splitter/combiner might be a good approach.
(I have an omni in the attic -- just wood and shingles above and around
it -- paralleled with a Beam Box and it works pretty well. Someday I'll
get a splitter/combiner and see if it helps.)

If a new tuner turns out to be the only solution, try a Carver TX-11.
It is reported to perform better on high-performance antennas than the
NAD. Its special circuits may cut noise and multipath enough to help
your recordings. Maybe you will be able to borrow one from a dealer
on a money-back try-out basis.

Will