Do you feed the same compressed mp3 files using your other components too and get high quality results? How does your tuner match the rest of your system in sound quality?
I am unable to understand how good internal components used in a good tuner can improve on the waste that is being transmitted from the radio stations. Can the tuner actually claim to improve the sound quality beyond what is being used at the source (radio station) ?
I missed this post actually.
Dear Shivam,
Sorry for not being clear earlier.
My comparisson is between a cheap tuner and a dedicated HiFi component.
Other FMs have put it nicely like Omji mentioned. I can honestly vouch that the tuner that I have heard at Omjis place if we had a blind test then person will not be able to tell whether the sound is coming from the tuner.
This level of sound comes not only from the tuner itself but also from the signal reception quality using an antenna. Like the Yagi.
To add further I had taken my modest tuner to Omjis place and tried connecting it to a simple cable and then to the Yagi there was hardly any audible difference.
But on connecting his tuner the improvement was clearly audible. This means my tuner had some inherent limitations in its internal circuitry.
When I baught a tuner I had very realistic expectations from it and hence am happy. I never expected it to sound similar or better than CD quality.
I knew I will have a downgrade in sound. In that context there can be difference in tuner quality depending on its implementation.
I would say it is like cables! The best are ones that do not degrade the sound. Similarly I would say a good tuner is one that does not degrade the sound. It can never make it sound better by laws of physics anyways
Then question is why buys a tuner?
I am sorry to say there are very few reasons to buy one.
Most of them as not related to audiophile sound at all.
Some of them are:
1. Convenience - instead of me changing tracks I just press button and music starts playing
2. Musical exposure - You get to listen to songs which you dont own! That too for free! It is good learning too.
3. Nostalgia & Mood setting - When I listen to the words "Mere pyare fauji bhaiyon" it send me to a different world. I know that there are places beyond the city I live in and we are part of a much bigger listeners audience.
4. "Kida"(worm)/"Passion" - If you have a HiFi system why not get one more component and add it to the system. What is problem in trying it? There is a element of pride in saying I have such and such a tuner. I think that is the passion audiophiles share and there is no specific reason why we do it. My wife is yet to figure it out. In fact I myself am not able to figure out why we buy the stuff we buy related to HiFi.
Does this mean I am recommending others to buy tuners?
NO! If you dont want a tuner please dont buy it and increase tuner prices in the market!
(pun intended)
I have realized each medium give a different experience.
So there is no need to compare different mediums as the outcome is completely different.
I would never compare playing a track on CD with a song on Tuner Vs spinning my favorite records.
The output is "sound waves" but the difference is "emotions" we feel...
So enjoy whatever you like in what ever medium you like without getting into too much technicalities.
If you feel a tuner will help you know the answer already
Sorry for long post but its a topic of interest so think of it like an on coffee chat..
Kind Regards!
Happy listening..