McIntosh MR-78 Stereo Tuner- Modefferi Modified

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General:
Many believe this to be the best tuner EVER made.
In our opinion it's definitely in the top five. 

New glass makes the front of the unit look even better. We can also supply a perfectly fitting McIntosh wood cabinet for the complete vintage look, just contact us for details/availability.

This particular tuner is very special as it has been modified in 2004 by Richard Modefferi himself; the designer/engineer behind the MR78. It has been tested in our lab and it is working well, it will include its original box plus a bezel.

The Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame: McIntosh MR 78 Tuner:
"A young engineering genius used a computer to design a filter and the result was the greatest FM tuner ever built" 
That engineering genius was Richard Modafferi, and if you reverse his initials you get the model prefix for a host of McIntosh Tuners...

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
The front panel glass has been replaced with a new production piece from the McIntosh factory. The new glass propagates light slightly differently than the original glass. Some of the colors may appear muted or a bit more dim compared to original glass. Looks great overall.

SkyFi Technical Notes:
Modified by Richard Modeferri


Brand Background:
McIntosh Laboratory is an American manufacturer of handcrafted high-end audio equipment based in Binghamton, New York. The company was founded in 1949 by Frank McIntosh. The company designs and produces audio amplifiers, stereo tuners and other consumer electronics products.

Ownership:
Second Owner

Connections:
RCA output, 75ohm antenna output, 300ohm antenna output, AC outlet

General Sound:
Smooth, uncolored, undistorted natural and clean

Cosmetic Condition:
8/10 = Very Good. Excellent front faceplate, one minor flaw on chassis side or top. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab.

Included:
Unit and box

Packing:
Original Manufacturers Packing

Specs:
Type: Mono/Stereo Tuner
Tuning Bands: FM
Tuning Scale: Analogue
FM Tuning Range: 88 to 108 MHz
Sensitivity: 2.5uV (FM)
Signal to Noise Ratio: 75dB (FM)
Distortion: 0.2% (FM)
Selectivity: 55dB (FM)
Frequency response: 20Hz to 18kHz (FM)
Output: 2500mV
Dimensions: 16 x 5.5 x 13 inches

Dimensions:
16" x 5.5" x 13"

Weight:
27 lbs.

Approximate Age:
1972

Link to Manual:
Click Here

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Testing Process:
We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot.

On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR. Vintage analog tuners also have moving parts related to the tuning gang and dial string. These parts are inspected for smooth operation.

If the unit passes visual inspection it is bench tested for a handful of key performance parameters using a Sencore SG80 AM/FM Stereo Analyzer. The SG80 allows us to “simulate” an ideal radio station using precision test signals instead of music. This device in conjunction with an oscilloscope allows us to properly evaluate the following parameters:

1) AM Reception (Where Applicable)
2) FM Mono Reception & Tuning Meter Function
3) FM MPX Reception (Stereo)
4) Dial Tracking: How accurately the tuner dial or display indicates the actual frequency of the broadcast being received.
5) Stereo Separation: A properly working stereo tuner will have minimal crosstalk between the left and right channel.
6) Sensitivity & Signal Strength Meter Function: By lowering the output of the SG80 we can simulate weak stations and determine how well the tuner will be able to pull in weak distant stations. This adjustment also helps us verify signal strength meter function.

If the tuner has acceptable performance related to the parameters above we connect the unit for listening tests with a simple dipole antenna. We listen for audio reproduction quality of local stations and evaluate how many stations the tuner can receive while we sweep through the dial.

We are looking to verify that the tuner can decode stereo on strong local broadcasts and pick up a wide variety of local stations at the bottom, middle, and top of the frequency band. At this point we also test convenience features such as muting, filters, built in oscilloscope function, etc.

We finish up with an extended listening test on our long term test rig. We tune in to a strong local station and monitor for drift over a minimum period of 2-3 hours.