AM Section
Most AM sections of tuners are not worth a passing word. This is not true of the DT-5, which measured three to four times as sensitive as typical nonchalant AM sections of tuners and receivers (100 vs. 300 microvolts per meter) and four times as good as the factory specifications. Daytime reception was clear on non-typical signals, but at night is where the DT-5 shined. There was no frequency on which i did not receive a solid, non-fadingsignal. This was true even on the new expanded AM band from 1610 kHz to 1710 kHz. So if you tire of FM, there could be loss of listening alternatives at reduced fidelity, but still far above the quality of audio at your bank's drive-up-window. I have noticed that talk radio is reaching a burnout in the USA, and AM stations are reviving music formats. Also, there are several high-powered Canadian stations, easily heard at night, that have great '40's and jazz & blues formats.
FM Sound Quality
The first thing I noticed was exceptional stereo separation; there was always a definite dimensionality. Often when reception conditions permit, I use oldie-formatted WDRC (102.9), Hartford, CT, as a stereo test signal because it has unusually good stereo separation. Vocals or instrumental accompaniment on separate channels were clearly distinguished. Whipping the balance control on my preamp from one side to the other often left karaoke opportunities galore. Indeed "Do You, Do You Want to Dance?" danced from channel to channel.
However, all is not pristine sound-wise with the DT-5. There is noticeable transistor grit. Fortunately, most of this disappears when a long burn-in time (about two weeks), and then long-term listening becomes quite palatable. | Tonal balance was correct: Highs that were not overly bright or dull, midrange was true, allowing natural sound from voices, and bass extension and wallop was only slightly shy. Audio quality appeared equal through both the balanced and the unbalanced outputs, except - of course - the balanced output level is much higher. The balanced outputs were connected via high-quality matching transformers and through the same modified comparison with the normal unbalanced RCA audio. To make things sweeter, the firm plans both r.f. and audio upgrades as options for this tuner.
RDS
RDS is short for Radio Data System, which displays mostly program information broadcast by some stations: Call letter, program type, usually the incorrect time, and other scrolled information. It worked well in the DT-5 and was displayed on weaker stations more often than when I compared and older RDS tuner I had on hand, and Onkyo T-4310R. There are three modes to display this information, which can only be selected using the remote. Most other functions can be duplicated on the front panel except direct frequency entry of a desired station. Additional RDS information can be found at www.rds.org.uk.
Conclusion
I cannot belittle Magnum Dynalab for departing from its |
analog tradition of manufacturing FM tuners nor ought I debate this subject, because it is my direct experience since 1984 that both analog and digital tuners can be good and bad. The quality of sound from the RCA jacks is far more dependent on good design rather than the primary process.
Then the question arises, "What do I get for $1000?" You can get a tuner with an abundance of ancillary features, great professional appearance, unusually good AM, and sound quality sufficient for the non-serious listener. The ultimate in sound quality does not come at $1000, but this is why Magnum Dynalab makes a %5,800 tuner called the MD-108.
 |
