Sherbourn T-100 Tuner

[AudibleSolutions]

Owen began this elsewhere so....................

The T-100 is a cheap looking, surprisingly functional product. In many ways it reminds me of the old Advent gear where no money was spent on industrial design but a lot of thought went into the product design. The Sherbourn T-100 is an AM-FM tuner that comes in two parts. The Tuner is meant to be mounted remotely, say in an attic or wherever reception is best. The T-100 comes with a breakout box that is connected to the T-100 by a straight through RJ-45 cable. The T-100 comes with a wall wart for a power supply, a IR remote control, an IR sensor that is a TTL circuit, and a T Fm antenna and what looks like hand wound coil of wire for an AM antenna. There is also a RCA to stereo 1/8 mini stereo female adapter so you can tune the unit while in the attic to determine best placement for the antennas.

There is a LCD screen on the T-100 with 4 sets of buttons. Menu, enter ( also power ) up and down. You turn the unit on by pressing the enter button for 3 seconds. Then you enter the menu and use the up and down arrows to navigate through the menu. Setup of the T-100 is very easy and requires no special skills save the time to adjust the antennas for best AM/FM performance.

What makes the T-100 special is its surprisingly good performance. The AM section works and the FM section is surprisingly sensitive. Even here in Roslyn, 30 miles from NY there a very crowded RF environment. The T-100 picked up stations that my Crestron C2N-TFM connected to an exterior RG-59 copper wire did not. Nor did my older Sansui TU517 analog tuner pull in anywhere near the stations the T-100 did. I threw the T-antenna over my window treatments and was astounded to discover FM stations at 88.1 and 88.7 that I never knew existed. I was able to pull in 660,770,880 and 1050 AM stations, something I've never been able to do.

The Sherbourn T-100 is also a bidirectional Tuner whose serial signals are sent with audio and power from the break out box to the T-100. On the break out box are balanced and unbalanced line level connections, a dc power connector, a 1/8 mini jack for the IR receiver and a RJ-45. The connections are from pin1 to pin 8 RS-232 TX$, RS232RX$, +12v, GND, R+ out, R-out, L+out and L-out. The serial protocol is ASCII and includes examples. While there are better written protocols this one includes example strings so sending it one-way information is not hard. However, even systems that do not require bidirectional feedback or serial connections can control the tuner via IR. There is a 50 foot limitation on the distance the TTL IR sensor can be located from the unit. However, you can run an IR emitter from an IR connecting block to the supplied IR receiver and very long distances.

There are up to 32 presets that can be stored in the unit. AM and FM presets can be stored in any preset. So preset 1 can be AM 660 while preset 2 can be FM 102.7. You can also direct enter a station via the IR remote by pressing the direct button and a numeric keypad. The remote contains a toggle AM/FM, power and Stereo/mono buttons. Via the serial protocol you can discretely turn the unit on, select AM or FM and Stereo or mono modes. There are tune up/down buttons on the remote and discrete seek and tune codes in the serial protocol. Best of all, those of you who are Crestron dealers can use the macro I wrote for them. If you are an AMX macro you could easily adapt that macro for use in a Netlinx system.

At 150 US MSRP the Sherbourn T-100 is not expensive, performs better than one would imagine and provides are lot of flexibility in where it will be installed. While it is an ugly duckling in terms of its industrial design it is a stellar RF performer. It should be remote located for best RF performance and a duplex outlet should be provided to power it wherever it's installed. You can power it via the break out box but I'd not trust sending 12v very far on CAT5 cable. It's a better idea to have an outlet for the wall wart wherever it will be installed. While it will not work miracles it will do what few tuners irrespective of price will do: pull in AM stations without static. As the T-100 is so reasonably priced it is certainly worth the investment to see if it will work on your jobs. It may not pull in every AM station but with proper antenna orientation it ought to pull in the one or two most important stations.

Alan

[tomciara]

Can the average man purchase one for demo or must one fill out laborious forms and first become a "dealer"?

[AudibleSolutions]

Give them a call. Ron Fone is every bit a gentleman and realtively easy to get along with. As he runs a business I am sure they'd like credit checks as I am certian you are a great credit risk. If you have any problems I'll have one sent to you on my account.

Alan

[PAAI]

Nice review Alan. Thanks!

[tomciara]

It would be nice to test one out now. The world series is playing on a station across the bay which is strong during daylight hours but drops its power at dusk and can barely be heard outside of its own studio. Kind of amazing that the series can't even be on a clear channel station.

What's Ron's Fone number?


As he runs a business I am sure they'd like credit checks as I am certian you are a great credit risk.
Alan

Probably having to do with me being too conservative!!

[Greg_C]

Sherbourn's info:

978-663-7385
19-3A Sterling Rd.
N. Billercia, MA 01862
Ask for Ron or Dan McGrath

[AHEM]

At 150 US MSRP the Sherbourn T-100 is not expensive
Alan

What? My price sheet shows MSRP at $335.00. You really are getting the friends and family discount!

[tomciara]

At $150, it is pretty amazing.

At. $335, it is decent. The Integra TUN-3.7 is more of a component style and with an AM/FM card would probably go for about $350. An AM/FM/XM/HD Radio card would make it about $450.

Want to clarify the pricing on the T-100? A Google search showed $335 in one review.

[AudibleSolutions]

I am crazed programming but if I have time I'll check the price. I'd wager you have some of this wrong Tom. The Integra tuner card, whatever its price will not do a good job on AM. At least that has been the history of Integra tuners, which like practically all others have acceptable FM but piss poor AM reception. Moreover, you cannot remote locate the tuner and thus its antenna. In other words, you are focusing on price and not performance and comparing price without functionality to price with functionality. Hell you can purchase 30 different models of receivers for under 150 dollars which doesn't mean the tuner section will provide you with AM reception. Nor would I wager the tuner would be exceptionally sensitive. Sure, their tuner card could be a departure from their past designs but it would sure go against their history. Have you bothered to call Sherbourn,Tom? They are on EST and they do suffer from the decease of being Redsox fans but they other than that they are good people.

Alan

[tomciara]

Alan,

Emailed a couple of weeks ago; no reply.

Called on the phone and spoke to Dan. Mentioned the $150 and you; "I'll have to talk to him" was the reply. I put a plug in for you so your stock is actually on the rise even more than it might have already been.

First price he mentioned was indeed $335; then he said the wholesale had just come down and the MSRP was open. Based on cost, it could sell for under $250 easily.

Alas, I would have loved to have tried to pull in the local ESPN affiliate after dusk and listen to the world series but will have to wait til next year and hope Detroit gets another chance. Maybe against the Metropolitans??? Even if you don't like the Red Sox, you'd have to like Yaz, Roger Clemens, and who was that Williams guy??

I visited Shea as a teenager living in Yonkers for 4 years and near as I can recall there was not much to cheer about back then. I came closest to catching a foul pop at Shea - within inches.

Thanks for your insight there, Alan. Get home and see your family for dinner tonight!

[FRR]

Now, the T-100 tuner in a Weather Radio version would be great.

Alan, do you know the operational temperature range of this tuner. I live and work in areas where mid-January night temps can drop down to -40c (that's also -40F).

[AudibleSolutions]

I originally posted cost pricing in my review and Gary admonished me that this part of IP is open so I edited it out. I have no problem relating cost pricing to you Tom, only not as part of the open forum. I had received early beta and then early production unit. Ron Fone told me what he expected to charge for it and what he anticipated the retail price might be. It is quite possible they altered their pricing without confiding in me. I'd have happily sent you my T-100 for you to have enjoyed the experience of listening to your team lose. I am a bit surprised to hear that they have been slow to respond. I confess to meeting Ron at CEDIA 2 years ago and he signed me up as much as I fought to become a dealer. In short, he just sent me product based upon that meeting and didn't bother to bill me till I complained. If their marketing changed between the time they discussed potential pricing and when they released the product I apologize. I think at 350 dollars it is still a bargain as it does more than the Z-Tuner and has a working AM section which the Z-Tuner does not.

Parasound has a major disadvantage. They did not have the Infamous Kangis or me to advise them about the com protocol and what the unit needed to do. The break out box is the result of Mr. Kangis. So is the new AM antenna. The headphone-RCA adapter is my contribution as was the way the protocol was supposed to work. Tang listened to some of my suggestions and went his own way using Hyper-terminal with much of it. I am not suggesting there are no price competitors to the T-100. I am suggesting that I know of only one competitor and it's from Crestron, costs 900 dollars and is not of much use in non-Crestron systems. I don't think Integra is a solution save with respect to price. If we are going to go down that road there are any number of products that might fit only none of them will provide a working AM solution nor as flexible FM solution.

I am swamped--which may seem bizarre to judge by my posts. I programmed all day today, I have a ton of Adagio jobs to prep for and I am busy installing a number of small systems while dealing with my ISF test, systems on the blink and a family that occasionally wants my attention. I do need to talk to Ron, especially as Dan left a message for me to get them a QM-RMC so they can test their tuner with the version of X-Panel I drew for testing. Only problem is that I don't want to part with the few remaining units I have at this time for fear that I'll not be able to replace them in a timely fashion. I may speak to the Infamous Kangis to see if he can drop on off. If I speak to them I'll mention the biblical scholar in Northern California.

Alan

[Theaterworks]

Great review, Alan.

I'll add that we've installed a few of these units, including one in my home. Two of these are controlled by Crestron using a RS-232 driver we wrote. Two others are being controlled via IR using URC.

The tuning is fine, with much better AM tuning than we would have achieved using the tuners built in the HT receiver or DA receiver. FM tuning is great as well. We were interested in this unit for its ability to be located and controlled remotely, ensuring good AM tuning. Improved FM is merely a bonus.

We've tried RS-232 control with 400'+ of Cat 5 with good reliability. IR control, it seems, is limited to 50'. Also, to Alan's point on sending 12v up the Cat 5 for long distances, that 400' run used the breakout box as the power supply connection, again with no problems observed.

[AudibleSolutions]

Tom:

Even without my help a T-100 was already making its way to California which I am sure you will love. If not don't call me. The retail is indeed what our buddy from South Bend has suggested. After all of the additions, the break out box and what not, they had to increase the price. However, I still think its price competitive with others, the Integra tuner card price is misleading in part because you also need to purchase the card cage. However, you will find that no tuner I am aware of save the Crestron C2N-TAMWX will allow you to locate it where reception is best. This will also be the case with the new HD radio tuners.

Alan

[tomciara]

Thanks for the review and recommendations.

I haven't opened the Integra tuner and card combo to try them but perhaps can do so once the T-100 arrives on the blue coast. The card could indeed include the same tuner pack that has been in every Onkyo, Integra, Yamaha, Denon, et al receiver since 1988. Only one thing could save it, and that is it's habitation in the DTR10.5 receiver, for which it is also designed.

Brian from Integra does not indicate whether the tuner card might be an upgrade from the ordinary that we are accustomed to. He may read this thread as I have brought it to his attention. Whether he takes it to his engineers for consideration will be a judgment call on his part, I'd guess.

I was looking for a way to not spend so much time in attics. Now they design components that I should put there. Go figure.

[AudibleSolutions]

Antenna theory is not one of my strong suits but I was always given to understand that the biggest issue with AM was antenna location. You cannot run an AM antenna a long distance and locating it in a rack is about as poor a decision as you can make if you wish to pull in static free stations. I think the boys at Sherbourn had one of those " let the air out of the tires" moments when they came up with the solution of remote locating the tuner where AM performance is best. On the other hand my testing was not done to maximize RF performance so they may have simply put more money or engineering time into their AM section.

If you have pull with the boys at Integra, Tom, you may try to influence their decision not to manufacture a better AM section. Their FM tuner is fine enough but their AM section sucks. So does everyone else's but that's beside the point. I sell Integra too. I am not sure those boys have a clue either. I've just pulled an other 7.5 DVD player form a client for failing. Build them cheap but build them to last longer than 3 months! It's not as if I'm asking them to supply superior video performance. Just make the damned unit work. And try talking to an engineer at Integra. Their tech support in Florida is fine but it's not as if he can influence any design decisions. Go small and go American, even if it's manufactured in the Far East.

Alan

[tomciara]

Alan, I haven't seen the failures in the 7.5 DVD that you have but no doubt you install more of them than I.

You should have the cell # for the Systems Design Specialist, who is of course our tech rep. I have found him to be available and helpful.

He responded to some of the comments here and I will distill them.

His study of the basic specs would seem to indicate little difference between the tuners, this of course in reading specs only. He indicated as you did that the location, in the attic, away from interference, near the antenna, may be offering the greatest improvement in performance. He at no time wanted to take anything away from the Sherbourn piece but only thought aloud that the TUN-3.7 in the attic might have some advantages as well. It also can be controlled with IR and RS232 but doesn't have the look of a classic attic component. :D It is able to get meta data from XM and HD Radio with that card installed.

He does help with product development and interfaces with the engineers, so our feedback here is valuable to all of them. The TUN-3.7 was in fact developed from dealer feedback. He even indicated that a remote mounted solution is not necessarily out of the question if feedback suggested it was viable. I am not sure that the numbers would support it.

As I say, he does not want to take anything away from the T-100 and recommended that we evaluate on a case by case basis what works best for us and for our clients.

I am looking forward to some simple attic crawling and testing. I have a not too expensive yagi in my attic that will provide some FM data for me at least, and the AM will be quite interesting as well.

BTW, on the subject of AM antennas, are we so ingrained with the "plastic loop" mentality that nothing else comes to mind? I believe some owner's manuals from years gone by may illuminate somewhat. Remember when there was a ferrite bar antenna on the backs of receivers? (Fisher Corp: "THIS IS NOT A HANDLE"). Back then, a "long wire" was recommended for better AM reception. How long? Only Avery Fisher really knows, and he is not saying.

[2ndRick]

You will find that no tuner I am aware of save the Crestron C2N-TAMWX will allow you to locate it where reception is best. This will also be the case with the new HD radio tuners.

Alan

HD-Radio tuners from Crestron, Sherbourn, or someone else??

[AudibleSolutions]

I'm sorry if I was not clear. HD tuners will suffer the same issues as their analog counterparts. If they are to be mounted in a rack HD tuners will not have spectacular AM performance either for the same reasons analog AM is poor. To the best of my knowledge only Crestron and Sherbourn have thought outside the box in this respect. This is not to say that Sherbourn will not be copied.

I spent the better part of today proving that the problems on one job I'm programming are the result of the network. The client can care less why as he's only interested in the end result which is push a button and what you expect occurs. I like Sherbourn but ultimately I just want an AM section that pulls in all news, dingbat Limbaugh and the rest of his scummy cadre of lying liars who never tell the truth, and sports-talk/local sports broadcasts ( which are generally the same stations ). If Integra or Denon or Sylvania provide that solution I'm happy. My problem was that until the Sherbourn I had but 2 alternatives. 1. Sell the C2N-TAMWX with the C2N-TFM, a 1600 dollar solution or 2.install a Walkman/boom-box and leave it tuned to the station the client most wants.

My point was that HD Radio will suffer the same problems of reception unless we can locate the tuner where the antenna is best and you have to have short cable lengths for AM or you will introduce noise. If the big boys step up and provide solutions then it benefits us all in the end. AVAD going to sell these, Rick?

Alan

[2ndRick]

We sell a lot of Winegard PR-6010 "turnstiles" and Magnum Dynalab ST-2 antennae for attic use to pull in clean FM radio, but the lowly Terk AM Advantage is our only product for enhancing AM reception.

[2ndRick]

Also, it was my understanding that HD-Radio is modulated on the FM band, so the regular antenna solutions that we have today would be enough...

Unless of course your clients are rabid baseball fans or are into conservative talk radio and need AM.

[Theaterworks]

Unless of course your clients are rabid baseball fans or are into conservative talk radio and need AM.

That's certainly what's driving AM tuner sales/issues in Chicago. And the Bears play by play, which even this non-sport aficianado knows is better than the television's unless Madden is in the house.

[2ndRick]

That's certainly what's driving AM tuner sales/issues in Chicago. And the Bears play by play, which even this non-sport aficianado knows is better than the television's unless Madden is in the house.
Yes, and Cubs play by play w/ the lovable (yet insane) Ron Santo.

[AudibleSolutions]

That's certainly what's driving AM tuner sales/issues in Chicago. And the Bears play by play, which even this non-sport aficianado knows is better than the television's unless Madden is in the house.

Did I read this right? A male Chicagoan who is not a Bears fan? I shall not cast aspersions on one so decent as to spring for a round of drinks without ever sitting at the table, especially when Monsieur Rick is one of the imbibers, but something is amiss. Next I'll hear tell that fans at Wrigley are keeping Home run balls hit by the visiting teams, or that the wind blowing off the lake is mild in the winter.

Alan

[WhiteVan Lifestyle]

What? My price sheet shows MSRP at $335.00. You really are getting the friends and family discount!

I just wanted to back this up. I have the latest price list right in front of me and as sherbourn puts it: SRP is $335.00