What is the best way for me to recieve the radio stations I listen to?

[topbloke55]

Currently I get my digital radio via a Sony Freeview box, the good one, which is fine for occacional background listening. However, the usage has increased recently so I want to invest in a decent tuner.

My current system is: Tag Mclaren AV32R Dual Processor and 100x5r amp, Linn Ninka speakers, full details can be seen in my signature.

My budget it up to £1000 and DAB is the main functionality with presets, that is all I need as the kit is stored in a closed cabinet so not worried about looks or display viewing etc and control will be done by my Pronto.

Which Tuner can I get for the money or maybe a little more if there is a killer just above that price?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Given current quality of DAB, the Denon TU-1800DAB (£300) should be more than adequate.

 

[roger06]

DAB is evil - don't buy one !

 

[chebby]

There is a very good chance that digital radio via your Sony Freeview box is actually better than what you will get even with a decent DAB tuner and aerial (especially if you are connecting the Freeview source using it's digital optical audio - toslink - output to an external DAC or to the digital audio iinput on your AV32R.)

If the toslink/optical input on your AV32R is otherwise already taken up with something else, then try a good budget DAC (with optical) before investing a lot of money in DAB.

You will save a small fortune, save having to place another antenna on the roof, and get better quality sound.

The same DAC will enable you to plug in your laptop for internet radio too.

Something like the Musical Fidelity V-Dac (RRP £180 but available for £129 in some places) is small and discreet and has optical, USB and Coax digital and could be easily tucked away out of sight unlike a big tuner.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Would have been my advice, but the OP specifically said he wanted the preset functionality of a DAB tuner.

 

[topbloke55]

Hey guys, thanks for your feedback.

I have concluded that actually I asked the wrong question and had headed down a technology route looking for the solution rather than exploring what my actual requirements were. Also having read more about the quality of DAB, certainly not Hifi!

So lets try again, we listen to BBC Radio 2 & 4 mainly, Radio 6 my wife listens to in the daytime along with 2 & 4 plus she listens to Chill on a Roberts Revival in the kitchen but only as background and the quality of the Roberts radio is really good so no complaints there.

Access wise I am lucky enough to have quality aerial feeds for FM, DAB, Freeview & Freesat into the hifi unit so am not restricted by that.

My aim is to get the highest quality radio possible, so I was miss leading myself by thinking DAB was the answer.

I already have my Sony feeding digitally into the AV32R so probably already getting the best signal for Radio 6? and Chill can remain on the Roberts radio in the kitchen.

So, it looks like what I need is a high quality FM tuner for Radio 2 & 4, do I?

Andrew, if I remember correctly you are a Tag man and I may be able to secure a Tag T32R tuner with DAB, would this give me the FM performance I am looking for and Radio 6 may be ok on DAB, or just keep the Sony to feed Radio 6 if it is that bad on DAB? Or should I go for an alternative?

Thanks in advance for your comments and help, really helpful.

PS. updated thread title to reflect my actualy question. Now I have seen the light.

 

[chebby]

Well I was missing FM after I got rid of my previous set-up (Arcam Solo-Mini withs it's DAB and FM tuners built in) and I convinced myself that Freeview radio (via digital optical into DAC) was 'good enough'.

Yes, it was better than DAB especially with BBC. Even via BBC internet radio I was getting good results.

But after a while I was missing the sheer quality and 'funk' of music on FM and even things like the effects and atmosphere of drama were somewhat flattened by Freeview radio. What suffered most was all the live BBC sessions.

So I invested a whole £10 in a nice, used Denon TU-260L FM tuner from ebay. Connected up with a £41 Chord Crimson DIN - RCA cable to my Nait 5i and a one year old professionally installed FM roof aerial (good 'line of sight' reception from Rowridge transmitter here).

Fantastic! FM has real authority and depth and swing and has turned my system into the biggest, bestest Radio set I have had in a long time.

The moment the government/BBC announce any significant delay or suspension of the 2015 FM 'switch-off' then I will be pouncing on the nearest Naim FM tuner like a starving leopard!

I still use BBC iPlayer radio for stuff I have missed and Freeview radio for BBC R7 and daytime World Service but everything else is FM now.