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Re: Tube tuners - leave alone

72.73.11.215

I agree with Jim here.

First of all check out WHEN the tuner sounds bad. If it happens regularly after it has been on for a period of time, then there may be an internal, heat-related problem. If it happens at certain times during the day, it's probably signal related. Typically, FM reception is worse during the day.

Most every tube tuner I've worked on (many dozens) could benefit from an alignment, but many only marginally. I've come across more problems resulting from someone being inside the set and screwing some adjustment up - worst case breaking a tuning slug. Proper way to align a tuner is to use a generator with sweep capability, so you can actually "see" and optimize the IF and demodulator passband shape. I've also come to realize that to get the last "ounce" of performance, you should "tweak" the IF's for minimum HD distortion but this requires an HD meter. Aligning the multiplex section is a whole other issue, and you must have a top-notch generator to do so. I've found the problem with tube multiplex decoders to be lack of stereo separation above 1khz (the only audio tone many generators use). Separation can fall drastically above this.

If you have (access to) a tube tester, I suggest testing all of the tubes both for quality and interelectrode leakage (which can be a problem with 6AU6's, a typical tube in the IF stage).

Charles King
If you


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