Worth to get a Nat 02 or even 01 now?

Yes!

... in a word VHF is not going away all that soon [except in Norway where the switch off is set for 2017], but the truth is that the mountainous terrain makes it an impractcal medium except in the coastal cities ...

But there are other great tuners as well. I have a new thread showing one of the all time great tuners in this very room, and they can be had for single figure £s Sterling, with the need for a service at about £100.

As has been noted, not necessarily as good as NAT 01, but certainly captivating as a quality tuner to enjoy VHF. Like the NAT 01 you will need a competent aerial to get anything good out of it.

ATB from George

It's one of my regrets not buying a NAT 01 in the past and now I can't find the courage to buy one with the threat of VHF turnoff. I could be wrong, as George suggests.

Yes, absolutely! See my recent exchanges on the 'Is PRaT better with vinyl' thread and you'll see that I believe my NAT01 tuner to be the best source component I've ever had. As I say there though, the only issue is that you don't get absolute choice over what you listen to.

FM radio isn't what it used to be though. It's still great with live concerts but a lot of music is now broadcast in low quality digital format.

Yes, FM is still a good source. Our NAT01 is used and enjoyed every day.

Regards

They do come up for sale on eBay occasionally. I had mine serviced earlier this year at HQ and IIRC servicing both boxes cost just over £400, so you could still get a great bargain. The NAT01 is Naim's best kept secret (along with the Aro, of course!).

FM in UK is in limbo,  it will be around for local services,  but national public radio is in question.  It may be around for a few years but in all probability it will get switched off & IMO probably sometime after 2020 leaving public broadcast radio with DAB/DAB+.

Just to clarify, VHF is a radio frequency designation, VHF, UHF etc.,  & that is not going to change.

Public radio broadcasting at 88-108MHz FM (frequency modulation)  is whats under discussion. 

Mike, my take on this is that it will be way, way after 2020 that FM is "switched off". Penetration of DAB is still comparatively low in the UK, and there are hundreds of millions of "analogue" sets which would have to be disposed of - an environmental nightmare which may prompt legal (EU?) challenges.

In all likelihood, internet radio, not DAB or DAB+, is the future of broadcasting.

I wouldn't worry too much about FM switchoff in the UK.  There are only two reasons to turn it off.  One is that there is a cost for the broadcasters of simulcasting FM and DAB.  Ok I can see that Is an issue.  The other is that the radio spectrum could be used for something "of higher value to the economy".  But there isn't really much else that this band could be used for.  It's a bit like the old BBC1 405 line TV spectrum isn't used for anything much 34 years after that was switched off.

So anyway if you fancy having an FM tuner, I would get on with it. You won't regret it from a sound quality point if view.

best

David

Dear Mike,

2020 is the earliest that VHF will cease [in the UK] as a National broadcasting medium. But that does not mean that we only have five years. It might outlive us all!

ATB from George

My fingers are firmly crossed, George. 

 George,  VHF classifies all radio frequencies from 30MHz to 300MHz & includes both AM & FM (even TV) & encompasses a number of groups & bands for private & public radio systems  Like the earth's day & night cycles, it will never go away or be switched off, it simply cannot be.

Regarding the plan for the changes to national broadcasting of FM (88-108MHz)  the broadcast industry are expecting the national & regional FM broadcasts to be switched off sometime around 2020, maybe later ...... assuming, that is, the politicians (bless'em) do not change the existing plan.

It makes no sense to run two parallel broadcast bands - FM & DAB - & by the end of 2016 DAB area coverage will be as good if not better than the existing FM service. (& NB - I am not saying better SQ)

Its proposed to retain the 88-108 FM band for local radio services as its much cheaper to set up & run an FM station with transmitter than it is with DAB.

Kevin,  re internet radio in the future:  The vast majority of radio listeners are casual workplace/kitchen/background listening that quite frankly dont give a damn & its envisaged most would not bother if anything more than an on/off switch was involved  The walk-around peeps can get stuff on smart phones,  but the big challenge is the automotive sector that makes >20% of the listening audience.  Getting reliable internet into a truck or car is way down the line.

Dear Mike,

I was using VHF as it used to be in the days when you had a four band radio that probably had five places on the selector ... being, VHF [for you correctly define as 88 to 108 FM], SW, MW, LW and Gram for a record player input. 

While you are correct, I would imagine most ley people would understand what I was driving at. 

Even this purely VHF tuner [FM sort only] give the hint:

ATB from George

George,  yes I know what you're driving at & I too remember those old 4 band radios.  We had a 4 band that did not include FM,  FM did not start in UK until mid 1950's  it had AM LW & two SW bands

-  however I suspect I'm a little older than you,   but even I call it FM.   

Dear Mike,

One of the best radios I ever came across was a Norwegian Radionette "Kurer" that had four bands and a Gram position on the selector. Marin-band was additional to SW, MW, and LW/

I had a place for a 90 volt accumulator! These were recharged ar the local harware store, so that houses with no electric could have high quality radio. That radio was made in the late 1940s, I believe.

I made a 31 meter long single ended antenna in 1973 so as to listen to the BBc World Service broadcast on the 31 metre band on SW!

That is a long history of playing with radio!

Very best wishes from George

Nori,

I would go for a 01 or 02 or 101.Your in for an absolute treat in terms of sound quality.

If you can't stretch to those 2 nd hand prices you get a A @ R Cambridge T 21 for about £60 - £100.

I have an 01 tuner but the T21 is runs the 01 quite close.

Also investigate the Leak Through line that George has posted alot about.

I agree with many of the sentiments posted here. I bought a second hand well looked after NAT01/NAPST over ten years ago. I had both serviced by Naim 4 years back and neither have put a foot wrong. I use the NAT01 almost every day in a system which includes 252/SupercapDR/300DR and I often listen to it in preference to my streamers and particularly with live Radio 3 broadcasts. The usual mantra holds though - if you're going to buy one please don't skimp on the aerial! If you can find a decent one, snap it up before it gets away.

I suspect VHF FM broadcasts on the 88 to 108Mhz band will be with us for many years to come. In East Anglia there are still vast swathes with no DAB unless you have a tall external high gain antenna, and this looks to be the case still after new mini transmitters are installed over the next two years.

The big issue with DAB is that it is congested and the DAB  we use in the UK is inefficient and very long in the tooth now - and here on the eastern counties there are big interference problems with continental multiplexes which I understand is why it is massively delayed or still not possible to fully convert to DAB. I can often pickup VHF FM stations from Belgium and Netherlands - some of them are quite good ..

The drawback with the current DAB multiplex frequencies (irrespective of DAB protocols / codecs and SQ) is that they are not ideal for general and mobile radio - as these frequencies are more line of site and refract less - and so are susceptible to drop outs and black spots in a way the more effective 88 to 108 band isn't. This is really noticeable in the car - at least the BMW DAB decoder has got rid of the squelching mud sound however.

and to the OP - yes definitely worth buying. I notice a fair few NAT01 at the approx. 1000 pound mark

Another cracking tuner was the Audiolab 8000T - before they became TAG. I've seen a couple in the £250-300 range but can't vouch for serviceability - unlike the aforementioned Naim tuners (although I think I'm correct in thinking that the tuner VHF heads and displays are no longer available).

Agree with Simon - definitely worth buying provided you have a good aerial and can cope with the manual tuning.   And on that point I really did want pre-sets so I sought an original NAT O5 (Phillips tuning head) which is really good and alway being used.

have an 01 fully refurbished by Naim Audio NA over 10 yrs ago.

I use it in all olive system with my other source being cds2

Ratio of use:  80:20  tuner:cd

Nuff said

Great tuner- cool minimalist design.

david

Thanks all for your feedback! Another question, regarding Nait integrated, is there any difference sonically in between a CB Nait 1 with "Red" light & "Green" light? 

Not need for presets for me when it's always on Radio 3 and pulling in those wonderful live broadcasts!