Onkyo T-403 (c. 1990–91)

The Onkyo T-403 is a quartz-PLL frequency synthesis tuner from the early 1990s. The record shows it was the European version of the T-4030, which appeared in the Onkyo 1990/91 catalog. Past that link, documentation is thin. The T-403 doesn't seem to have been widely reviewed or written about in the period press.

The spec sheet shows a straightforward FM/MW/LW tuner typical of its era. It covered FM from 87.5-108 MHz, MW from 522-1611 kHz, and LW from 153-281 kHz, the full European broadcast set. FM stereo distortion was rated at 0.12%, with signal-to-noise figures of 78 dB mono and 73 dB stereo. It had two IF bandwidth positions (200 kHz and 400 kHz), so you could trade selectivity against distortion on strong or weak signals. AM suppression was 60 dB. Output was available both fixed (0.5 V) and variable. The source lists the variable range as 0-2 mV, which looks like a transcription error, so treat that figure with caution.

The tuner drew 20 watts from a 120 V AC, 60 Hz supply, which suggests a North American-market variant existed alongside the European version. It measured 430 x 90 x 387 mm and weighed 5.3 kg. Antenna inputs were provided for both 300-ohm and 75-ohm feeds.

One period reference does exist. Audio (October 1991, p.180) ran a tuner roundup that included the model, but the surviving OCR of that page is too degraded to pull out any assessment of its performance.

Known specifications:

FM: 87.5–108 MHz; MW: 522–1611 kHz; LW: 153–281 kHz
Quartz-PLL frequency synthesis tuning
FM stereo distortion: 0.12%
S/N: 78 dB mono, 73 dB stereo
Two IF bandwidths: 200 kHz / 400 kHz
Fixed output: 0.5 V; variable output also provided
Antenna: 300Ω / 75Ω
20 W power consumption; 430 x 90 x 387 mm; 5.3 kg

No original price, production years, or owner reception data have survived in the sources consulted. If you own a T-403 and can fill in any of those blanks, the archive would welcome the word.