McIntosh Labs has unveiled its latest product and it’s probably not what you’d have expected it to be from the high-end hi-fi company: an AM/FM tuner.
Well, the MR89 is actually a stereo receiver that features a tuner, and despite the ‘old’ wireless being replaced by the ‘new’ wireless, 50 million adults in the UK were listening to the radio in the first quarter of 2022 according to research conducted by Radio Joint Audience Research. I’m sure you’ll agree that’s a lot of people, though how many of them will be able to afford the MR89 AM/FM Tuner is a whole other matter.
The MR89 features exclusive McIntosh radio frequency (RF) circuitry that is able to receive both strong FM signals from nearby stations, avoiding the overload and distortion that can affect other receivers, and the MR89 can to tune into weaker FM signals “with little to no noise.”
More features come in the ‘High Blend’ option to improve the system’s stereo image. ‘Softmute’ looks to reduce the audio output of lower-quality station inputs while a ‘Highcut’ function reduces high-frequency audio content. The FM Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) shows station and music information, with an adjustable seek function and the ability to store over 20 preset stations for both AM/FM frequencies.
It wouldn’t be a McIntosh product without its power meters (60 dB) glowing on its black-glass front panel, showing the signal level being delivered from the analogue outputs of each channel. The meters also accurately portray the left and right channel audio output from the received station.
Connectivity ranges from balanced to unbalanced outputs, with digital coaxial and optical outputs to connect to a wide range of home audio systems.
Priced at £6800, the MR89 starts shipping in June 2022 in the US and Canada with the rest of the world following shortly afterwards.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
