Offering home audio enthusiasts a new take on a tried-and-true format, McIntosh has introduced its new MR89 Tuner.
The new tuner from the N.Y.-based AV company incorporates McIntosh‘s latest advancements for radio that includes upgrades to sensitivity, signal-to-noise ratio, harmonic distortion, channel sensitivity, and stereo separation.
McIntosh explains the MR89 Tuner’s advanced signal quality monitor can display detailed signal, multi-path, and noise levels of incoming radio signals to help integrators fine-tune the placement of an AM or FM antenna.
McIntosh includes its RAA2 AM antenna with the tuner, and the MR89 also comes with a choice of unbalanced (RCA) or balanced (XLR) analog outputs, as well as digital coax and digital optical outputs to allow integrators to connect the product to a range of systems that include whole-house AV systems and multipurpose home theaters.
The company points out that its new MR89 Tuner employs its proprietary McIntosh radio frequency (RF) circuitry that is said to receive strong FM signals from stations that are nearby and it stresses this circuitry is capable of avoiding overload or distortion issues that can limit the performance of some tuners.
McIntosh notes the tuner is also capable of receiving weaker FM signals without the distraction of noise.
Some of the other features the MR89 tuner offers include:
- Upgraded stereo blending and McIntosh’s new “High Blend” option
- The inclusion of a Softmute feature that reduces the audio output of lower quality station inputs
- McIntosh offers a Highcut function to reduce high frequency and other distracting audio content
- The MR89 employs FM Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) support to display station and music information
- McIntosh includes an adjustable Seek Function
- The tuner offers the ability to store more than 20 preset AM and FM stations
Additionally, McIntosh says that its new tuner incorporates a pair of 60dB output meters that show the signal strength the M89 is receiving in each channel.
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McIntosh says the meters also provide a good indication of the level of stereo separation the tuner is receiving, and like other McIntosh products, the MR89 utilizes classic McIntosh industrial design elements beyond the meters such as a black-glass front panel and brushed aluminum end caps.
