Hello,
IMPRESSIONS
I just received my Mk VI tuner. Am I impressed!
Maybe my other tuners are garbage (probably) but
this tuner sounds great! It has many of the
sonic qualities of my Fisher 400 receiver tuner --
dynamic bass and terrific midrange without the
400's negatives -- distortion and rolled off highs.
It easily bests my other solid state tuners: Sansui TU717,
Yamaha T-7, T-2, Marantz 2110. Stereo imaging is
wide.
RF-wise the tuner is quite sensitive but does
have a slight problem with mixing products in my strong
signal area. Selectivity is good, not great (but
good enough). I can separate a STRONG station at
100.7 from a weak one at 101.1. If anyone on the
list is in Austin, that would be KASE in Austin and
KONO in San Antonio. My Yamaha T-2 may have better
performance in the mixing product area.
The build quality is quite impressive. All aluminum
cabinet and interior, neat, carefully bundled wiring.
All machined knobs. It looks to be rather easy to
service -- at least from an access point of view.
The tuning feel is remarkably smooth with no MECHANICAL
play although there is a bit of backlash from the
tuning belt arrangement. The tuning belt seems to have
survived the years well and is pliant with no signs of
deterioration, hardening, or cracking.
Electrical condition-wise the tuner has had work done
to it. The Brightness potentiometer was replaced and
a new knob substituted. It was tastefully done but
needs to be corrected. The nixies are nice and bright.
The scope appears to only have just a hint of slight
burn at the center. Not a hole, really, but *maybe* a
slight dimming of the trace. Everything appears to
work. The digital readout is accurate. The muting
works properly, the output level switches work. The
automatic switching from tuning display to audio
display by touching the tuning knob works.
Cosmetics-wise the panel has only the slightest scuff
on a small section of the top edge -- 1/4", maybe.
Hardly noticable. The lettering is perfect on both
the front and back panel.
QUESTIONS:
Does anyone have service information that could be
supplied/sold to me so that I can determine if the
brightness control repair was done correctly?
A schematic would do.
Would anyone have a spare (yeah, right) knob for the
brightness control they would like to sell? To make
a correct looking knob, however, would not appear to
be too difficult.
Would anyone have an owner's manual for scanning
or copying or, maybe, to sell?
I would be happy to answer any questions about this
tuner.
Best regards,
Paul Bigelow
