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  #21  
Old 01-24-2013, 10:47 PM
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jdandy jdandy is offline
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Originally Posted by radio times View Post
As a fellow radio devotee I'm really pleased for you Dan.
radio times.......Thank you. I have been a radio aficionado since I built my first crystal radio when I was 10 years old, using the wire mesh screen on my bedroom window as my AM antenna and listened on cheap metal and ceramic headphones. That was over 50 years ago. In my mind I can still see that little radio assembled on a small wood board. I have had the radio bug for a long time.
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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A

Last edited by jdandy; 01-25-2013 at 12:54 AM.
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  #22  
Old 01-25-2013, 02:23 AM
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jimtranr jimtranr is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdandy View Post
I have been a radio aficionado since I built my first crystal radio when I was 10 years old, using the wire mesh screen on my bedroom window as my AM antenna and listened on cheap metal and ceramic headphones. That was over 50 years ago. In my mind I can still see that little radio assembled on a small wood board. I have had the radio bug for a long time.
Well, Dan, that brings back memories, as I, too, put my first crystal radio together from a kit at about the same age--and, yep, listened with cheap headphones--except in my case that was more than 60 years ago. My antenna was a long length of copper wire I was able to affix to our back fence.

Very interested in your review of the Signal Sleuth. Enough so that it's going on my want list.
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Bedroom: Aurender N150, TEAC UD-505 (AKM version), EMIA Cu Elmaformer passive line stage, conrad-johnson MF2500, Paradigm Studio 20 v5. Shunyata Delta D6, Altaira CG hub. Shunyata Alpha XC, Delta NR v2, Alpha USB, Alpha and Venom CGC/SGC. Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnect & speaker cables. Stillpoints footers, Butcher Block Acoustics maple platforms. Stillpoints and GIK acoustic panels.

Home Office:Windows 11 PC/JRiver 31, TEAC UD-501, Luminous Audio Technology Axiom II Walker Mod passive, conrad-johnson Sonographe SA-250, Paradigm SE-1. Shunyata Hydra (Original Version), Venom 10 NR. Wireworld Eclipse 7 interconnects. Blue Jeans speaker cable.

Living-Dining Room: Windows 11 Laptop/JRiver 29, Oppo BD-83, TEAC UD-501 DAC, SOTA Sapphire TT, Graham Slee Era Gold V, Ortofon 2M Black, McIntosh MR-77, c-j Sonographe SC-25, c-j MF2500, Paradigm SE-3. Wireworld 8 IC, Blue Jeans SC. Shunyata Hydra 8 v.2, Shunyata Delta NR, Venom NR. GIK 244 bass & scatter-plate panels.
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  #23  
Old 01-25-2013, 02:47 PM
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jdandy jdandy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimtranr View Post
Well, Dan, that brings back memories, as I, too, put my first crystal radio together from a kit at about the same age--and, yep, listened with cheap headphones--except in my case that was more than 60 years ago. My antenna was a long length of copper wire I was able to affix to our back fence.

Very interested in your review of the Signal Sleuth. Enough so that it's going on my want list.
Jim......You win.

I see you have the McIntosh MR77 tuner. It is a well respected FM tuner with high sensitivity. McIntosh sold over 5000 of them between 1970 to 1978. I also have a MR74 that I enjoy very much.

I don't know how many stations broadcast in the Corvallis area, but I feel certain the Magnum Dynalab MD-205 will help to improve the quality of your listening experience.
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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A
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  #24  
Old 01-25-2013, 04:50 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdandy View Post
I see you have the McIntosh MR77 tuner. It is a well respected FM tuner with high sensitivity. McIntosh sold over 5000 of them between 1970 to 1978. I also have a MR74 that I enjoy very much.

I don't know how many stations broadcast in the Corvallis area, but I feel certain the Magnum Dynalab MD-205 will help to improve the quality of your listening experience.
Actually, there are three Mc MR's: a 77 in the main system, one in the bedroom system, and a 74 in the home office system.

I get a 24/7 listener-supported classical station and a community college station (lots of jazz) from Eugene (~40 miles away) and a 24/7 listener-supported jazz station from Gresham (~70, courtesy of a rotored Winegard yagi in the main system). I'd see the MD-205 as particularly useful for the latter, as well as for stations in the Portland area, almost the same distance away.
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Bedroom: Aurender N150, TEAC UD-505 (AKM version), EMIA Cu Elmaformer passive line stage, conrad-johnson MF2500, Paradigm Studio 20 v5. Shunyata Delta D6, Altaira CG hub. Shunyata Alpha XC, Delta NR v2, Alpha USB, Alpha and Venom CGC/SGC. Wireworld Eclipse 8 interconnect & speaker cables. Stillpoints footers, Butcher Block Acoustics maple platforms. Stillpoints and GIK acoustic panels.

Home Office:Windows 11 PC/JRiver 31, TEAC UD-501, Luminous Audio Technology Axiom II Walker Mod passive, conrad-johnson Sonographe SA-250, Paradigm SE-1. Shunyata Hydra (Original Version), Venom 10 NR. Wireworld Eclipse 7 interconnects. Blue Jeans speaker cable.

Living-Dining Room: Windows 11 Laptop/JRiver 29, Oppo BD-83, TEAC UD-501 DAC, SOTA Sapphire TT, Graham Slee Era Gold V, Ortofon 2M Black, McIntosh MR-77, c-j Sonographe SC-25, c-j MF2500, Paradigm SE-3. Wireworld 8 IC, Blue Jeans SC. Shunyata Hydra 8 v.2, Shunyata Delta NR, Venom NR. GIK 244 bass & scatter-plate panels.
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  #25  
Old 04-23-2013, 01:48 PM
AM123 AM123 is offline
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I do not mean to bash Dan but I have wanted to post this for while. After buying a MEN220 based on his rave review, he sold it, I bought mine too and I sold mine as well as it made things veiled.

I purchased the MR88 (just as Dan did) and due to this review of the Magnum Dynalab MD-205 used with his MR88, I too purchased the MD-205 to use with my MR88.

The bright blue light on the front, I called and had Magnum Dynalab put in a dimmer blue light which helped considerably.

Just like Dan I got it home and he said he was underwhelmed with its performance. I too had the same issue. It did nothing except allow me to tune into stations and untune in stations like a second dial. Although the thing that baffles me is that he says he was able to get it to work and that it improved reception on the MR88.

I met with the President of Magnum Dynalab and I said, "Hi Larry I just purchased the MD-205". He said, "Oh yeah, what tuner are you using". I told him it was the MR88 and he said it will not work with the MR88 at all. I told him about the reviews written here and he said, "under no circumstances will it affect the signal at all" He said that the MR88 pulls in stations digitally and the MR88 cannot benefit from the MD-205 at all. He then went into a reason why which was beyond my scope.

I also have a MR78 (which I am selling) and a MR2072 (which I am selling) and the MD-205 works great with those units. The benefits are instant.

I just want to point out for anyone with an MR88 thinking of buying a MD-205 based on the comments in this thread. Don't bother and save your money. You can call Larry at Magnum Dynalab and he can give you a better description of why it won't work.

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  #26  
Old 04-26-2013, 12:04 PM
The Sandman The Sandman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AM123 View Post
I do not mean to bash Dan but I have wanted to post this for while. After buying a MEN220 based on his rave review, he sold it, I bought mine too and I sold mine as well as it made things veiled.

I purchased the MR88 (just as Dan did) and due to this review of the Magnum Dynalab MD-205 used with his MR88, I too purchased the MD-205 to use with my MR88.

The bright blue light on the front, I called and had Magnum Dynalab put in a dimmer blue light which helped considerably.

Just like Dan I got it home and he said he was underwhelmed with its performance. I too had the same issue. It did nothing except allow me to tune into stations and untune in stations like a second dial. Although the thing that baffles me is that he says he was able to get it to work and that it improved reception on the MR88.

I met with the President of Magnum Dynalab and I said, "Hi Larry I just purchased the MD-205". He said, "Oh yeah, what tuner are you using". I told him it was the MR88 and he said it will not work with the MR88 at all. I told him about the reviews written here and he said, "under no circumstances will it affect the signal at all" He said that the MR88 pulls in stations digitally and the MR88 cannot benefit from the MD-205 at all. He then went into a reason why which was beyond my scope.

I also have a MR78 (which I am selling) and a MR2072 (which I am selling) and the MD-205 works great with those units. The benefits are instant.

I just want to point out for anyone with an MR88 thinking of buying a MD-205 based on the comments in this thread. Don't bother and save your money. You can call Larry at Magnum Dynalab and he can give you a better description of why it won't work.

Interpreting reviews can be a very tricky business indeed.
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  #27  
Old 07-24-2013, 08:48 PM
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jdandy jdandy is offline
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Well gang, I imagine it happens to all of us from time to time. It is time for me to eat some crow. I have spent the afternoon testing the Magnum Dynalab MD 205 Signal Sleuth with my MR88 tuner and have discovered a major flaw in my testing procedure. I read the MD 205 owner's manual again this afternoon and there it was in black and white, "The Sleuth’s POWER switch must be on at all times when you are using your FM tuner and the Sleuth is installed in your FM tuner’s line. If it is not turned on, the signal will not reach your tuner." I missed this on my original read of the manual. All of my testing was done by turning the MD 205 on and off. I had assumed the antenna signal passed through the MD 205 when turned off, but that was incorrect. I actually did receive several stations with the MD 205 turned off so my assumption was supported by that result.

I went through my testing procedure again this afternoon using the switch on the face of the MD 205 that amplifies or bypasses the amplifier while leaving the MD 205 energized. Sure enough, I got entirely different results. In fact, it made absolutely no difference to my MR88's signal strength or the sound quality from the tuner whether the MD 205's amplifier was in the signal path or bypassed. That was true for every station I was able to tune on my MR88. Then I took the MD 205 Signal Sleuth out of the antenna path, connecting the cable from the ST-2 antenna directly to the MR88. All of the stations I was previously able to tune were all still present with the same signal strengths.

I contacted Larry Zurowski of Magnum Dynalab and he told me that most digital tuners have an AGC (automatic gain control) circuit in the antenna input stage and this circuit usually negates the benefits that the MD 205 delivers to analog tuners. I wasn't aware that digital tuners have an AGC circuit in the antenna input stage so hence my confusion.

Member AM123's posts with respect to what Larry told him are accurate. I stand corrected and a bit embarrassed. Had I been using the MD 205 properly during my original auditioning I would have made this same discovery. By turning off the Signal Sleuth instead of using the amplifier bypass switch to compare the tuners signal strength, my entire test was flawed as were the results and my review. In fact, from what I have discovered today the Magnum Dynalab MD 205 makes no improvement in the MR88 tuner's ability to pull in stations any better than it does on its own. I have removed the MD 205 from the studiio system and will give it a try on my MR85 tuner in the living room system.

I apologize for my error in testing and for those who may have purchased the MD 205 to use with their MR88 based on my review. Consequently, I am deleting my Magnum Dynalab review so that it will not misdirect others, but I will leave this post as testimony to my mistake.



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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A

Last edited by jdandy; 07-24-2013 at 10:20 PM.
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  #28  
Old 07-24-2013, 10:51 PM
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Maks Maks is offline
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Dan, good to know! I had been on the fence about acquiring the MD-205 to use with my MR88 and figured AM123 was correct based on his discussion. However, it might be a worthy addition when I build another system around my trusty MR74. I look forward to seeing how much it helps with your MR85.
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  #29  
Old 07-26-2013, 09:08 PM
McIantosh McIantosh is offline
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I purchased an MD 205 a number of years back to try and help pick-up some distant stations of interest. At the time, I had both an externally mounted Magnum Dynalab ST-2 half wave omnidirectional antenna plus a VHF/FM multiple element yagi. Regardless of which antenna I was using, the MD 205 offered negligible improvement in signal strength or ability to capture distant stations over that of my McIntosh MR7084 solo.

At first I chalked this up to a defective MD 205. Magnum Dynalab graciously replaced the unit thinking the same but the replacement unit behaved identically. In the end, I took this as testament to the quality and abilities of McIntosh tuners given Magnum gear is generally acknowledged to be no slouch when it comes to FM reception.
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  #30  
Old 09-05-2015, 07:06 AM
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Weirdcuba Weirdcuba is offline
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Dan / did you ever try the md205 with your mr85? I spent another night with the ft101a last night and it was just great. I'm wondering whether the 205 will give it yet another boost or whether to just break down and get the 107t or 108t (for ~10x the price). I don't really care for the looks of the 109 as much as the 107 or 108.
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