It looks really nice, but considering the state of radio these days............ (1 Viewer)

[LanceJ]

......I'm not sure it's worth buying.

Specifically, this Marantz ST-17 Reference Series AM/FM Stereo Tuner

I was poking around CSW's new website and came across this $600 tuner. Hate to sound so pessimistic but right now I personally wouldn't bother buying such a nice tuner. Because where I live we have only two stations (in my opinion of course) that actually play music that 1) appeals to THIS city's listeners and 2) actually sound good.

Back in the day, I used to plan on buying a good separate tuner and put up a nice outdoor antenna for it so I could feed it a strong/clean signal. But those plans are on hold for now. :frowning:

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

I agree, there’s hardly anything worthwhile on FM to justify a high end tuner anymore. And if one does get the urge for a first-class tuner, there’s no shortage of vintage high-end models from Onkyo, Yamaha, Pioneer, etc. on e-Bay that you can get for half the price of this one.

Yeah, been there. Got a top-of-the-line Yamaha TX-950 tuner about 8 years ago, complete with antenna in the attic. It has more buttons and gee-whiz features than you can shake a stick at it. You can bet I’m very proud of it, but I can’t tell you the last time I used to it.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Brian L]

Thats for sure!

And please don't think this is a thread crap, but if you are interested in hearing good music over the air, check out XM or Sirius. The sound quality varies from mediocre MP3 to good MP3, so its not going to challenge SACD or DVD-A in terms of SQ, but man, the variety and quality of music is astounding. And no commercials on the music channels.

Since dropping XM in the car, FM just does not exist anymore.

BGL

 

[Garrett Lundy]

Agree on the satellite radio recomendation! My GF got a one year agreement to Dishnetwork. Of course I loathe 98/100 things on TV these days, but lo-and-behold! Free sirius over the TV!

Now my satellite reciever doesn't stray from SIRIUS 'Pure jazz', and I can get even more enjoyment from my Paradigm/SVS set-up

A satellite radio head-unit for my car is going to be a definate Christmas purchase this year

Yeah..... FM sucks dog nuts in comparison.

 

[LanceJ]

Yep!!!

I can sort of relate to the excitement over satellite radio (and this is partly what motivated this thread): where i work they have a satellite music system with about 30 different channels and listening to it has been so much fun! The other day the manager put on the 70s rock channel & I got to hear tracks I haven't heard in years (and not the same massively overplayed stuff like "Stairway To Heaven" or "More Than A Feeling"). Yesterday was 80s New Wave--more fun stuff to hear (not all synthesizers sound bad ). But again, not the same crap the "retro" stations play over & over & over. Then they had what I guess you'd call the "mixed up" rock channel: rock from the 60s/70s/80s/90s, so you never knew what was coming up next--KEWL.

Wowee, it's just plain fun to hear music this way! And that is pretty much what over-the-air radio really used to be like. And, when there was a good DJ at the helm they could really add to the fun & make the listeners feel involved. Then the big corporations started taking over in 1996 and......you know the rest. :frowning: :frowning: :frowning:

 

[Kwang Suh]

Yup. I gotta get satellite radio up here.

 

[JoeESP]

Fortunatly here in Phila. we have a very good real jazz station. WRTI 90.1. My old Acuphase T101 analog tuner sounds very good and is good enough to pick up Howard U. in DC when WRTI goes off the air.

 

[EricRWem]

I haven't liked mainstream radio since the early 90's. I wouldn't spend two cents on it now.