[HBR] what is the BEST receiver

[Bob AH7I]

IMO the best HF receiver for the money, if you already have a computer, is
a quadrature mixer based direct conversion utilizing a CMOS solid state
switch matrix and driven by as stable (in terms of frequency and jitter) a
source as you can find. Put an good passive tuned RF filter in front of
this and a good passive bandpass filter behind it. Add your gain, if
required, after the bandpass filter. Lots of feedback to make it as linear
as you can with the caveat of watching the contributed noise.Follow with a
good (low jitter, enough bits, 2 channel A/D converter. There are some
excellent 24bit 96kHz sound cards in the $200 to $300 range that will do
th trick. Then do the rest in software. Linrad is good and free.

The switch matrix adds no noise and is extremely linear. The passive
filters add no noise, not much loss, and by amplifying after the filters
you have less stuff to mix as a result of any non-linearities in your
amplifier. Lots of bits and low jitter make for minimal noise introduction
in going to digital and once there you don't have to worry abotu noise any
more.

More antenna means more signal at the beginning and less noise(distortion)
adding amplification later.

I'm not a radio engineer or EE, but it just makes sense that minimizing
noise will make a better receiver.

-Bob