Charles.......The Magnum Dynalab SR-100 antenna doesn't seem to be much more than a folded dipole with a base. It's primary advantage will be ease of installation, simple to connect to your tuner, and convenient to twist around for tuning the station you want. $35.00 won't break the bank, so hopefully it will work.

As for the Magnum Dynalab Internet tuners, you will still only be listening to MP3 sound no matter how well the design is of the analog output stage. Over the air analog FM signals deliver far better frequency range and dynamics, particularly when tuned to a station that prides itself on broadcasting a high quality, low compression signal. The FM (frequency modulation) audio spectrum ranges from 20 Hz to 15,000 Hz.

Even with the huge number of stations I'd have access to, I'm not quite sold on an internet tuner. I think the idea behind the suggestion was it's a way to bypass the reception problems inherent in an environment like mine. As for the SR-100, it has gotten at least one very positive review (in Affordable$$Audio) and seems well worth a try. The reviewer lived in a bad FM reception environment as well, which is encouraging (he was using a Mac MR67 tuner, by the way). The conversion to an MD 100 is not off the table, though, pending the results with the SR-100.

I ordered the SR-100 this AM. It should arrive next week. I have a 25ft coax made by RCA (RG-6) I could try with the SR-100, as its form factor gives me a few more placement options.

Charles,
Sounds like a good plan. Using a smaller, non amplified antenna may be your best bet. Are you able to receive these phantom stations on your other receiver?

The Magnum Dynalab tuners are very sensitive, so they make excellent long distance performers. The downside is they are susceptible to overloading by strong nearby stations. You're living in an RF jungle! There may be other tuner options that would work better in your specific circumstance.

One way to tell if you have strong nearby station is a program called FM fool. You enter your address and it gives you a list of stations from strongest to weakest.

Tom

I hadn't heard of FM Fool. It may be worth a try. The SR-100 is still on backorder, so I don't have it yet. A few more days and I will contact the vendor, perhaps. Maybe I'd get an idea of when it might be coming.

There is a Harman-Kardon receiver in the bedroom with a traditional wire dipole attached; I haven't tried that in a while. But I remember getting a station or two better in there than in the living room. Location, location (I actually have a cell phone, and I get more bars in the bedroom than anywhere else in here).

As for the MD-90 itself, the idea of converting it to an MD-100 hasn't gone away; there's even an option for the MD-105, MD's top solid-state tuner. I'm pleased with the sound as is, so any conversions would be more about improved ability to pull in FM signals.

Charles,
Good luck, I hope the new antenna makes a big improvement. As you said, location is everything, so I wouldn't sink a lot of money in an upgrade unless there is a way to try it in your specific location.
Tom

In the meantime, this is the Day-Sequerra, sitting on top of one of my LP shelf racks. I've had it since the mid-90s. As you might imagine, its size precludes much variety of placement, at least in this apartment.

Hi Charles,
I found some info on your current antenna here:
https://sites.google.com/site/mpbarn...sequerratuners
It is a very well designed antenna, but it doesn't really offer any directionality so it won't help with multipath.
The SR 100 will offer some directionality, so it will be better for multipath.

Here's something you can try while waiting for your SR 100. The FM urban can be used effectively when placed horizontally. It may make a difference in your specific situation, or give you some options for placement you didn't have before. It's worth a try and it is free. The worst that can happen is no improvement. If you have a very strong local station, you can rotate the antenna to minimize the interference from that station. Also you can run a long coax cable to it, say 50 feet, with no issues. This may give you more flexibility.
Tom

Tom, I'd thought of that but never tried it, as the one place I could put the DS is occupied by equipment boxes: it's on top of two bookcases in front of a window at the front of the apartment. If I could find or make a space somewhere else for the boxes, I could do it, probably need to remove the antenna's base though. I would also have to reconfigure my system so I could relocate the tuner to the rack nearest that window, which should allow me to use my 25-ft. coax cable.

Of course, I could set this up as a test without having anywhere else for those boxes to go, just to see. . .

I'd give it a whirl, even if only temporary - getting closer to an outside wall can sometimes help a lot.