What's the absolute most sensitive radio tuner in a HU?

[[email protected]]

Hi guys, simple question here. What is, or who makes, the absolute
most sensitive radio I could get? I know nobody cares about this
subject anymore, but I do. :) I'm on the road in the boonies a lot on
weekends, and love my sports and sports talk, especially this time of
year. Plus, my town is about 90 miles from an FM station I really
like... I can get it occasionally, but it's still too inconsistent to
count on.

I was thinking of the Pioneer which of course has the Supertuner IIID,
or a Blaupunkt with the Digiceiver. But I see enough negative comments
on both of those that I'm confused. Multipath and other more typically
urban problems aren't much of a problem -- I need raw sensitivity.

Also, I have a BMW with diversity antenna... Does that affect which
radio would be the best choice? I wonder if anyone has ever tastefully
added an external antenna for better reception? (Although I'd rather
not do that except as a last resort.)

Thanks for any replies... I've searched a lot, but if anything I'm more
unsure than ever. But I'd like to do something soon, because yesterday
I really wanted to hear a certain game and wasn't able to get anything!

[MZ]

On Mon, 17 Oct 2005 wrote:
> Hi guys, simple question here. What is, or who makes, the absolute
> most sensitive radio I could get? I know nobody cares about this
> subject anymore, but I do. :) I'm on the road in the boonies a lot on
> weekends, and love my sports and sports talk, especially this time of
> year. Plus, my town is about 90 miles from an FM station I really
> like... I can get it occasionally, but it's still too inconsistent to
> count on.
>
> I was thinking of the Pioneer which of course has the Supertuner IIID,
> or a Blaupunkt with the Digiceiver. But I see enough negative comments
> on both of those that I'm confused. Multipath and other more typically
> urban problems aren't much of a problem -- I need raw sensitivity.
>
> Also, I have a BMW with diversity antenna... Does that affect which
> radio would be the best choice? I wonder if anyone has ever tastefully
> added an external antenna for better reception? (Although I'd rather
> not do that except as a last resort.)
>
> Thanks for any replies... I've searched a lot, but if anything I'm more
> unsure than ever. But I'd like to do something soon, because yesterday
> I really wanted to hear a certain game and wasn't able to get anything!

Despite the bad reviews you'll often find, I suggest you try a signal
amplifier. When I had a Nakamichi HU, I had to daisy chain two of them
just to get a signal, even if I was only 20 mi outside the city. But it
worked.

[Matt Ion]

MZ wrote:

> On Mon, 17 Oct 2005 wrote:
>
>>Hi guys, simple question here. What is, or who makes, the absolute
>>most sensitive radio I could get? I know nobody cares about this
>>subject anymore, but I do. :) I'm on the road in the boonies a lot on
>>weekends, and love my sports and sports talk, especially this time of
>>year. Plus, my town is about 90 miles from an FM station I really
>>like... I can get it occasionally, but it's still too inconsistent to
>>count on.
>>
>>I was thinking of the Pioneer which of course has the Supertuner IIID,
>>or a Blaupunkt with the Digiceiver. But I see enough negative comments
>>on both of those that I'm confused. Multipath and other more typically
>>urban problems aren't much of a problem -- I need raw sensitivity.

I dunno about the newer Supertuner IIID, but when I was installing about
15 years ago, I put in several original Supertuner III decks (the "III"
was a new and cool thing back then!) and could easily and clearly pull
in Seattle stations from 100 miles away (in Vancouver, BC), and was
picking up local stations like they were next door without even plugging
in the antenna, despite being below a hill that was between the shop and
most of the local transmitters. VERY impressive performance!

>>Also, I have a BMW with diversity antenna... Does that affect which
>>radio would be the best choice? I wonder if anyone has ever tastefully
>>added an external antenna for better reception? (Although I'd rather
>>not do that except as a last resort.)

Will depend on the design of the diversity system, but most of them I've
seen, the stock radio has two inputs and the diversity selection is done
by the radio. I don't think I've ever seen an aftermarket deck with
diversity inputs, so you end up having to select and plug in only one
antenna.

>>
>>Thanks for any replies... I've searched a lot, but if anything I'm more
>>unsure than ever. But I'd like to do something soon, because yesterday
>>I really wanted to hear a certain game and wasn't able to get anything!
>
>
> Despite the bad reviews you'll often find, I suggest you try a signal
> amplifier. When I had a Nakamichi HU, I had to daisy chain two of them
> just to get a signal, even if I was only 20 mi outside the city. But it
> worked.


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[Chad Wahls]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi guys, simple question here. What is, or who makes, the absolute
> most sensitive radio I could get? I know nobody cares about this
> subject anymore, but I do. :) I'm on the road in the boonies a lot on
> weekends, and love my sports and sports talk, especially this time of
> year. Plus, my town is about 90 miles from an FM station I really
> like... I can get it occasionally, but it's still too inconsistent to
> count on.
>
> I was thinking of the Pioneer which of course has the Supertuner IIID,
> or a Blaupunkt with the Digiceiver. But I see enough negative comments
> on both of those that I'm confused. Multipath and other more typically
> urban problems aren't much of a problem -- I need raw sensitivity.
>
> Also, I have a BMW with diversity antenna... Does that affect which
> radio would be the best choice? I wonder if anyone has ever tastefully
> added an external antenna for better reception? (Although I'd rather
> not do that except as a last resort.)
>
> Thanks for any replies... I've searched a lot, but if anything I'm more
> unsure than ever. But I'd like to do something soon, because yesterday
> I really wanted to hear a certain game and wasn't able to get anything!
>

9 times out of 10 it's not about the radio, it's the antenna system. You
can have the greatest, most selective tuner but if the antenna sucks you
have nothing to select from. YOu can use a preamp, remember preamps amplify
ANYTHING. Noise levels, RFI problems, multipath will also increase.

Chad

[GregS]

In article >, "Chad Wahls" > wrote:
>
> wrote in message
oups.com...
>> Hi guys, simple question here. What is, or who makes, the absolute
>> most sensitive radio I could get? I know nobody cares about this
>> subject anymore, but I do. :) I'm on the road in the boonies a lot on
>> weekends, and love my sports and sports talk, especially this time of
>> year. Plus, my town is about 90 miles from an FM station I really
>> like... I can get it occasionally, but it's still too inconsistent to
>> count on.
>>
>> I was thinking of the Pioneer which of course has the Supertuner IIID,
>> or a Blaupunkt with the Digiceiver. But I see enough negative comments
>> on both of those that I'm confused. Multipath and other more typically
>> urban problems aren't much of a problem -- I need raw sensitivity.
>>
>> Also, I have a BMW with diversity antenna... Does that affect which
>> radio would be the best choice? I wonder if anyone has ever tastefully
>> added an external antenna for better reception? (Although I'd rather
>> not do that except as a last resort.)
>>
>> Thanks for any replies... I've searched a lot, but if anything I'm more
>> unsure than ever. But I'd like to do something soon, because yesterday
>> I really wanted to hear a certain game and wasn't able to get anything!
>>
>
>9 times out of 10 it's not about the radio, it's the antenna system. You
>can have the greatest, most selective tuner but if the antenna sucks you
>have nothing to select from. YOu can use a preamp, remember preamps amplify
>ANYTHING. Noise levels, RFI problems, multipath will also increase.
>
>Chad
>
>

Yes, a better antenna is a rod about 29 inches
long. The other specs are often just as important.
Saw a diversity radio a while back. You would think all quality sets
would all have it. I think the younger set is mostly interested in playback
and not radio. Sure sounds like a candidate for satellite radio!!!
On a diversity system, two amplifiers would be required. Ultimately, the
amplifier signal to noise ration is the limiting factor for signal reception
along with the antenna. There must be an amplifier saying its the best?
There should be a web site designed to test headunits, just like there
are digital camera test sites. Crutchfield list sensitivity specs
but they are probably just manufacturers givin specs.

greg

[[email protected]]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

Matt, that is some great info -- exactly what I was hoping for. And
the Seattle/BC area is fairly mountainous, so that's even more
impressive. I live on the plains where reception conditions should be
ideal.

>From what I've been able to find the last few days, the diversity
system probably doesn't really help all that much, at least on my car,
where the two antennas are relatively small and right next to each
other in the glass. If the antennas were farther apart or had a
different orientation, it would probably mean a little more.

My car has a stubby cell phone antenna on the roof that isn't being
used. I've been toying with the idea of replacing it with an antenna
(like maybe the one on the VW Jetta and Golf) and tapping into it. At
least that would look okay and wouldn't require sticking anything on my
glass or drilling any holes, which I really don't want to do. Plus, I
could easily change it back if it didn't help much.

Any more thoughts on the best tuner and antenna?

[Brandonb]

Here in Iowa (and Minnesota from my experience) the Pioneer Supertuner
III actually seems to pick up signal the best, with a large variety of
cars/antennas. Alpine and Panasonic are livable but not as sensitive,
even on the most sensitive settings.

Brandonb


wrote:
> Thanks for the replies, everyone.
>
> Matt, that is some great info -- exactly what I was hoping for. And
> the Seattle/BC area is fairly mountainous, so that's even more
> impressive. I live on the plains where reception conditions should be
> ideal.
>
>>From what I've been able to find the last few days, the diversity
> system probably doesn't really help all that much, at least on my car,
> where the two antennas are relatively small and right next to each
> other in the glass. If the antennas were farther apart or had a
> different orientation, it would probably mean a little more.
>
> My car has a stubby cell phone antenna on the roof that isn't being
> used. I've been toying with the idea of replacing it with an antenna
> (like maybe the one on the VW Jetta and Golf) and tapping into it. At
> least that would look okay and wouldn't require sticking anything on my
> glass or drilling any holes, which I really don't want to do. Plus, I
> could easily change it back if it didn't help much.
>
> Any more thoughts on the best tuner and antenna?
>

[Kennyg]

Wrote:
> Thanks for the replies, everyone.
>
>
> My car has a stubby cell phone antenna on the roof that isn't being
> used.
>
>


Actually, that antenna is for GPS. It IS wired into your car. What
year 3 series do you own, I'm assuming a 2001+ E46?


--
Kennyg

Thug Life
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[Chad Wahls]

A 29 inch rod ain't gonna do nutin if you don't have a good RF ground
plane.

[[email protected]]

Kenny -- It's a 2000 323i. I think the later e46 models have the shark
fin antenna...

[GregS]

In article . com>, "Chad Wahls" > wrote:
>A 29 inch rod ain't gonna do nutin if you don't have a good RF ground
>plane.
>

Thats whats neat about cars, they have a wonderfull ground plane.
They probably don't sell any, but a 5/8 wave gain antenna would be best.
Thats up above 70 inches long. I heard the really older model Supertuners were
the best for sensitivity.


greg

[Chad Wahls]

They have a great ground plane if the antenna is mounted in the middle of
the car :) Unfortunately this looks bad and corner mounting causes the
antenna system to become far from omnidirectional.

I've had good luck with supertuners too. I lived in a place far far away
from larger urban areas, i had best luck with Pioneer and Alpine.

Here's a neat site for calculating wavelength....

http://www.csgnetwork.com/freqwavelengthcalc.html

chad

"GregS" > wrote in message
...
> In article . com>, "Chad
> Wahls" > wrote:
>>A 29 inch rod ain't gonna do nutin if you don't have a good RF ground
>>plane.
>>
>
> Thats whats neat about cars, they have a wonderfull ground plane.
> They probably don't sell any, but a 5/8 wave gain antenna would be best.
> Thats up above 70 inches long. I heard the really older model Supertuners
> were
> the best for sensitivity.
>
>
> greg

[bob wald]

blaupunkt has great tuner i think.thats why i bought 1. i only got 2
stereos jensen n blaupunkt.....