LINX THETA / Magnum Dynalab FT11 FM Tuner. An owner writes …

OVERVIEW:

This tuner is fully manual, FM-only, and is a UK-built top-flight performer (Linx reportedly reworked the Magnum Dynalab design to their own custom spec). Please note that although the Theta will work and sound ok with a ribbon aerial, in order to hear the quality of this tuner properly, you are best by far to have an external FM aerial. Reason for sale is having to "rationalise" and umm... be more sensible in my world of tuners(!), so it's time for someone else to enjoy this particular one... .

HOW IT SOUNDS part 1

This is a serious, proper "grown-up" FM tuner: it really makes the most of the high quality FM transmissions available on Radios 2, 3 & 4, plus Classic FM (the four stations to which I listen in particular). Live broadcasts and concerts on Radio 3 are especially vivid (stunning, really!), but the spoken word on Radio 4 is excellent too. With the BBC and UK Government having committed just this year to a minimum of a further 10 years of FM transmission, FM is still far & away the best means of hearing these stations in particular, and beats DAB hands-down in terms of sound quality (and power consumption), to my ears.

HOW IT SOUNDS part 2

In terms of its character and presentation, unlike cheaper tuners which can sometimes sound a bit brash or "2-D" and which can seem to simply throw all the music out-front, I would say the Theta feels like it places the listener halfway, in the middle of the audience (where I used to prefer to sit, back in pre-Covid times when there were concerts with live audiences!), rather than either right on the front row or at the back.

IN CONCLUSION

There is a sense of space and perspective, from back to front, listener to stage, and a strong central image of the performers on stage. It's not at all harsh or difficult to listen to for long periods - it just does its job really well.

End

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