My Restek Scalar is the “better” tuner, but currently I more enjoy the NAD 4300:
7 Likes
had one of these for many years. Bought new in 1993?
NAD 402. It was basically on non stop during exam revision evenings and later my mum used it from dawn to dusk in the kitchen for Radio 4.
I’ve always loved the classic semi studio look of NAD gear.
10 Likes
I like the Heathkit gear. My father had a preamp very like the one in your photo, together with a Williamson 10 to 15 watt power amplifier and a 15inch Goodmans speaker in a mono setup in the 1960s. We had no radio tuner, a Garrard AT6 Mk IV was the record playing source. Mum and Dad had a large collection of 78s and two LPs: The Sound of Music soundtrack and Mary Poppins. The whole set of kit was assembled into a plywood and two by one frame wooden case that Dad never painted. It was banished to the cupboard in the hall most of the time and came out for special occasions.
It sparked my interest in electronics, so Dad and I went on to build a Heathkit AR1214 tuner/amplifier in the 1970s. That did have pride of place in the lounge, along with the Garrard deck after it was transferred into plinth kit that came from the classified ads of the Daily Express.
4 Likes
I had a wonderful time back in the day building a Heathkit audio signal generator and an audio level meter from kits, both valve of course. Dad paid for them and in due course after he had finished with them, they spent more and more time with me.
He died 30 years ago and they are in my shed/workshop. I tried to use them about ten years ago and there was a loud hum from the generator. They still need a service!
10 Likes
They’re really useful kit, especially the audio generator with its versatile output attenuator.
Here’s a fuller view of my den
featuring 12 Heathkit items.
13 Likes
That is one fantastic treasure trove.
2 Likes
Blimey.
The picture is skew whiff to avoid the speaker stand. Marantz ST320L bought when I moved from Nytech. I had previously had Leak Delta, Leak Troughline and Edinburgh Wireless. I found that I tended only to listen to Terry Wogan so tuners became less important.
In the past year or so I put R3 on in the background most mornings, only play at higher levels for Last Night of the Proms and Carols from Kings so this is quite adequate.
10 Likes
I’ve had three Creek tuners, loved all of them, but they all drifted and were moved along.
1 Like
NAT01 , used every day on BBC Radio 3 Roof mounted Galaxy 17. Serviced by Naim in 2021.
Also have a NAT05 Presets are useful for other, BBC R4 and local Cambridgeshire, services.
01 sits on the Fraim, 05 below the TV as no space elsewhere.
19 Likes
Good to see the 01 tuned to Radio 3. Mine hardly ever gets moved from that frequency! It’s odd that your tuner unit and NAPST seem to be slightly different hues of Olive.
2 Likes
Same here!
3 Likes
I got this out of the loft especially.
It still works (just) although the remote control or sensor is u/s. Have manually selected DAB, and the presets from years ago are still valid. I have connected it via TosLink to my Azur 810.
6 Likes
Pioneer TX-5500 II. It is now making beautiful music in my stepdaughter’s system. Here a NAT-05 does the job
Claude
12 Likes
Here’s the Arcam Delta 80 tuner that I use in one of the systems (all Arcam). It’s a fully analogue tuner despite the digital display, with lots of individual tuner thumb wheels hidden behind so you can tune in the presets. The sound is excellent, albeit very slightly on the warm side, which is fine by me.
20 Likes
I had one , plus the Delta 90 plus the CD player - all taken in my first burglary - replaced it with Naim , always had a fondness for Arcam though
2 Likes
‘All taken in my first burglary’
What have you managed to take in your subsequent burglaries?
6 Likes
I have the CD player too (albeit an early Arcam Alpha) and it’s all still working and sounding really great.
For anyone wanting a great sounding tuner that won’t be out of place in a big Naim system, but costs the equivalent of just a few pints at the pub, the Delta 80 is a great choice.
3 Likes
@Richard.Dane I had an early Alpha CD at £400 a veritable bargain and actually quite Naim like in its dynamics.
2 Likes