Any advice on indoor FM antennas? The Crane??

For me the $100 Crane Antenna was unsatifactory since it was very directional, needed ac power, and did not perform well. The best one I could find is the Magnum Dynalab Silver Ribbon FM Antenna for $35. It does not need AC power and performs well but don't expect it to perform as well as an outdoor antenna. You'll buy it at www.magnumdynalab.com or at www.audioadvisor.com.
Richard

Does your building have a master TV antenna? Most apartments do and I'd suggest that it would be your best bet for good reception. There is usually a jack somewhere in the living room which allows you to connect a TV set to. By the way, I am guessing you are using the dipole which came with the radio. Any decent tuner comes equiped with a dipole. I use the dipole lying on the floor (My radio came with the wire stub when I bought it in 2006, but Boston Acoustics sent the dipole to those of us who had already purchsed the radio free of charge) and it works fine for me. I'm 24 miles north of NYC.

If I were you I would try all three-Master antenna( It may have an FM block), dipole, and Magnum. My guess is that the Master Antenna would be best if there is no FM block and next the Magnum, and last the dipole.
Richard

The Master Antenna is an exterior antenna with cable running to each apartment ending with a connector or connectors in each apartment. If you cannot find any connectors in your apartment you do not have a Master Antenna serving all the apartments. Also you could have connectors in your apartment for cable TV or Satellite TV. In any event if you find any connectors hook up your HD radio and see what happens. Get whatever you need from Radio Shack for the hook-up-it will not be expensive. If you find no connectors then just wait for your Magnum Antenna.
Richard

What antenna are you talkinga about? C Crane makes AM antennas.

I have not tried them but a couple of other brands to look at for omni FM antennas are Fanfare and Antenna Performance.

I think he's talking about the "FM Reflect" antenna from C Crane. I LOVE C Crane, and have made lots of purchases from them. But the pictures on their website showing the Reflect being bent into a variety of shapes, AND STAYING THAT WAY, are pure BS. The antenna is FLOPPY. Bend it for circular polarization, and it flops straight down at the ground as soon as you let go.

The Silver Ribbon is just a glorified rabbit ears and should provide about equivalent reception. Its main advantage is that it looks nicer than your standard rabbit ears where decor matters.

[quote=dnewhous]What antenna are you talkinga about? C Crane makes AM antennas.

I have not tried them but a couple of other brands to look at for omni FM antennas are Fanfare and Antenna Performance.[/QU
I purchased the Crane Twin Coil Ferrite Am Antenna a while back and forgot it was AM and not FM.
Richard

I've been told that antenna is unusable for HD, the two issues being noise created by the amplifier and (not sure if this applies to this particular model) the need to maintain a coaxial cable connection all the way from the anteanna to the tuner.

While I agree with Carnivore that the Silver Ribbon SHOULD provide about the same gain as rabbit ears (and it's indistinguishable with analog fm), in reality, it pulls in quite a few more stations. I didn't believe it myself, until I repeated the test. And then repeated it again. Every time I reverted to rabbit ears, some stations "went away"...or at least their HD signals did. I am at a loss to explain why it performs better (more surface area maybe? The elements are VERY wide) It just does. I've yet to find someone who has made an actual comparison and disputes my findings. I'd actually like to be proven wrong, because I HATE it when things that science tell us SHOULD perform exactly the same DON'T!