McIntosh MR7082 Vintage AM/FM Tuner - Slim Version

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General:
This is a fantastic sounding modern "almost vintage" solid state tuner from McIntosh, and a perfect match if you've got other Mc gear from the 1990's or earlier.

McIntosh made two versions of the MR7082, narrow and wide/modern, as this model was produced right on the cusp of McIntosh expanding the width of all their components in 1992. Meaning this MR7082 will match the look of your early 1990's and earlier gear best.

I routinely take our tuners to my home lab for testing as we enjoy some of the best FM in this area being so close to NYC. It's always interesting to see how tuners differ in functionality, speed, and overall sound quality.

First I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of using another tuner that searches and finds the next station so quickly. Quickly meaning it finds the station, locks in FM/FM stereo, and sweet sounding FM is played near instantly.

Presets, and really every front control of this tuner is also super fast and a joy to use. When I brought this back to test a newly restored MR78 (listing soon!), I was actually hesitant to give it up.

Plus MR7082's we test seem to pull in stations that no other tuner has found, except for the groundbreaking MR78/MR77's.

Overall FM sound quality is stellar. The local Jazz stations and modern R&B sound so wide, musical, and just sweet. Not the FM I remember growing up that's for sure, but then again my tuner didn't cost as much as my car like this did!

Even AM sounds great which is really saying something. I routinely listen to the legendary 1010 WINS Newsradio in the morning before heading into the shop.

We performed a light service by replacing the memory batteries with the correct type replacements, and making sure all functions are working as they should.

The front glass faceplate is super clean but the top cover does have some scratches on top and sides, not visible from the front.

Digital display is nice and bright and all controls are responsive.

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:
Single Owner

Connections:
RCA Outputs. Coax and spring terminals for antennas. Captive power cord.

General Sound:
Smooth, uncolored, undistorted natural and clean

Cosmetic Condition:
7/10 = Good. One or two minor scratches. Well Maintained.. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab.

Included:
Just the unit and captive power cord.

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Reviews:
Click Here

Specs:
Please see our last photo or the manual link below for full specs.

Dimensions:
5-7/16" H x 16-1/8" W x 13" D

Weight:
15 lbs.

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 a strong local station and monitor for drift over a 2-3 hour period.