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(More customer reviews)Per comments in the other review on this tuner, no, the tuner market hasn't disappeared, it's just fragmemented. The trend towards home theater has really hit the stereo component market, pretty much killing the low and middle end sections of it (the high end audio market is still going strong, with plenty of tuners in the $500+ range available).
That's what makes the Teac TR-670 interesting. A low cost component aimed at the universe of music lovers who (a) don't own $5,000 level systems but (b) have a reasonably decent component stereo system and view it primarly as a music, not theater audio source.
The good news beyond price?
Selectivity (the ability of a tuner to pick up a specific station without other nearby channels crowding into it) is darn good for a "cheap" tuner, and that's given the acid test I gave this in a suburb of New York where the FM band is crammed.
Overload rejection and image rejection were also good, another important consideration for a listener like me who lives close to some stations' transmitters (poorly designed tuners run into problems with these stations, with the latter crowding out all the other nearby signals).
Sensitivity (the ability of a tuner to pick up distant, weaker signals) is also surprisingly good; I was happily surprised to actually capture strong signals from some stations in Stamford, CT (a good 100 miles away) that I'd previously never heard!
Like the previous reviewer, I also appreciated all the programming and utility features of this tuner, which are numerous.
First, the tuner allows the use to pre-set 60 stations (30 in both the AM and FM bands), and is also capable of doing auto pre-set tuning, where the tuner scans either the entire AM or FM band, automatically adding the strongest 30 stations on each to the pre-set memory.
It also comes with a remote, which really changes the nature of listening (think about how the addition of the TV remote changed the way we all watch TV, and you'll understand what I mean). Both the tuner itself and the remote allow you to tune a number of ways, including "direct access" (where you punch in the numbers for the station you want, ergo "103.9"), or scanning through the pre-sets, or general scanning. And for those who want to literally curl up on the sofa and fall asleep (or wake up) to the sound of music, the built in clock on the tuner even has timer and sleep functions.
Now, anyones' experience with a particular tuner depends, to a large extent, on the reception conditions in their particular area, as well as their antenna setup (I use an outdoor, three-element FM rooftop antenna, the signals it captures are sent to the tuner through a 75 ohm coaxial cable. Yeah, putting it up was somewhat involved, but for those who really want the best possible signal for an FM radio, this is the way to go).
Or stated another way, the best audio equipment on earth isn't going to get you good FM stereo if you live in the middle of nowhere, hundreds of miles from strong signals (those in that sort of situation really need to look into satellite radio). But for those in urban/suburban and even ex-urban areas, who have component systems and are looking to add or update a tuner, this is a small investment in happiness - for the fun involved in hearing all the new or forgotten music that's still on the airwaves.
One other note: the TEAC cassette deck I purchased back in 1984 is still going strong (yep, I pull out old tapes now and then, the cassette format isn't dead yet), so I have the sense this company builds equipment that stands up. Not that wear and tear is an issue here; outside a few switches, a tuner like this has no moving parts (the things that inevitably wear out), but still, my prior positive experience with TEAC is a significant part of the reason I purchased this tuner.
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Teac TR-670 AM/FM Stereo Tuner with RemoteIdeal for audiophiles who like to build their systems piece by piece, the Teac TR-670 offers precise, high-end AM/FM tuning so you can enjoy your favorite programs static-free. The tuner is equipped with such features as direct-access tuning to the station frequencies or the 60 memory presets, manual or auto tuning for easy programming, and a multifunction fluorescent display that shows the station info clearly. Among the 60 presets are 30 AM and 30 FM channels, which should cover virtually the entire radio dial in all but the busiest markets. Plus, the tuner offers a digital clock with a 90-minute sleep timer function (in 10-minute increments)--a perfect fit for nappers. And should the power go down, the tuner's preset memory backup keeps all the information current so you don't have to reprogram it later.
The tuner offers control from either the unit face or via the included remote control. In addition, at 17.13 by 3.46 by 11.3 inches (W x H x D) and 8.38 pounds, it should fit easily within most component setups. An optional rack mount kit is also available.
What's in the Box TR-670 tuner, remote control, user's manual.
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