MR89

The McIntosh MR89 is an AM/FM tuner for receiving radio broadcasts from stations across the traditional broadcast bands. It continues McIntosh’s long history of tuner design, which includes the MR78 from the 1970s, regarded by many as one of the finest tuners made.

Its dedicated McIntosh radio frequency circuitry is designed to handle strong FM signals from nearby stations without overload and distortion, while also receiving weaker, more distant signals with little to no noise. An integrated signal quality monitor displays signal, multipath and noise levels from the incoming RF signal, helping to identify a suitable position for an AM or FM antenna. The supplied RAA2 AM antenna has a 20-foot (6m) cable for flexible placement. Your McIntosh dealer can advise on the appropriate FM antenna for your location and the position of your preferred stations.

Connections include a pair of balanced analogue outputs, a pair of unbalanced analogue outputs, and one digital coaxial and one optical output. The MR89 can be used with a preamplifier, integrated amplifier or another control device, with the connected system controlling the volume.

McIntosh has revised the tuner’s sensitivity, signal-to-noise ratio, harmonic distortion, channel selectivity and stereo separation. Stereo Blending includes a new High Blend setting, which applies more blending to the high-frequency part of the audio range when receiving lower-quality FM stereo broadcasts. Softmute reduces the audio output from low-quality stations and during between-station static or noise, while Highcut reduces high-frequency audio content. Several aggressiveness settings are available for Stereo Blending, High Blend, Softmute and Highcut, allowing these functions to be adjusted for station quality and listening preferences.

AM and FM stations are selected with the tuning knob. The FM Radio Broadcast Data System, or RBDS, can display the station name, music genre, artist name and song title when that information is transmitted by the station. RBDS information can be adjusted or switched off. Seek tuning is available from the front panel or supplied remote control, and its sensitivity can be adjusted through the setup menus. Up to 20 AM and FM station presets can be stored.

Two 60dB output meters show the signal level delivered by the left and right analogue outputs. Although volume is controlled by the connected preamplifier, integrated amplifier or other control device, the meters show the left and right channel audio output generated by the received station. Depending on the programme, they also indicate the degree of stereo separation.

FM reception covers 87.5MHz – 108.0MHz in Europe, 88.1MHz – 107.9MHz in the USA, and 76.0MHz – 108.0MHz in Japan. AM reception covers 531kHz – 1701kHz in Europe, 530kHz – 1700kHz in the USA, and 531kHz – 1629kHz in Japan. These frequency ranges are also used in many other parts of the world.

The McIntosh MR89 has a black glass front panel, analogue meters, control knobs and brushed aluminium end caps, all housed in a polished stainless-steel chassis. It can be combined with McIntosh amplifiers, turntables, CD players, home theatre processors, room correction devices, speakers and other source components to form a complete home audio system.