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If you're looking to purchase this receive, you'll probably be buying it used or as a refurbished unit from Onkyo as they're not making them anymore. All the lights were on, but no sound. I also noted that the amplifier was not heating up. In short, not good. At this point I'm considering trashing the unit, but will probably end up shipping it yet again to the repair center for a quote. I've always been happy with the sound, as many others here have noted. My second review here (I submitted one when I first bought it) is based on my experience with it over a four year period. I checked all the internal fuses as that's the extent of my ability and they were good.
However, I cannot keep it working. Two years into it's use, it quit. It was repaired at an authorized service center for $90 and the diagnosis was, "cold solder joint repaired." Fast forward two more years and it's quit again exhibiting the same symptoms as before. I'll add an addendum to this when I get the news.
There are a few downsides that are worth mentioning that one should be aware of if you are shopping for any new stereo receiver these days, and are not exclusive to the Onkyo. I would highly recommend this receiver from Onkyo for years of quality listening pleasure. The Onkyo receiver of this model I own is a rebuilt, so I got it a little cheaper elsewhere on line. Still the most vital addition that is so often ignored in any component system nowadays). I have to admit I really like this receiver and its sound and quality. Not even the cheapest ones. My old receiver could pick up distant stations from all around, while this system is good for only the strongest local stations.
And it was enough power to take down a wall of your house with. Being a self confessed stereo enthusiast that readily admits that as far as I'm concerned, they've never built a receiver that produces REAL power since the mid 80s, it comes a little hard for me to defect and give my blessings to a new fangled stereo receiver. (If you are serious about customizing your music forget the bass and treble controls and buy an equalizer. They just would relentlessly blow one channel and you were left with sound coming from only one speaker. Whatever the logic is in taking this kind of control over your music away from you, its there and somewhat of a familiar encounter I have experienced in testing and examining various receivers in stores these days. Finally, some people have mentioned in other reviews this units lack of a loudness control. Its very easy to set up, easy to program, and basically can be plugged in and wired permanently in minutes. The tuner in this unit is no where near as sensitive as the receivers offered up during the 70s and 80s.
The sound is rich, the volume more than enough you would ever need, and the tuner section and overall tone quality is excellent. Nowadays with the new definition of watts per channel being defined by the same tech people that make tinker toys, it was hard for me to gain any real satisfaction when my old Marantz finally up and joined "club mud" for I couldn't find parts for it anymore. The best anyone can expect now is to have a receiver that delivers good overall stereo separation, ease of use, and probably most importantly, that its quality built and will last for years. In defense of Onkyo in thinking that they are just trying to be politically correct in giving the loudness switch a new cool name, they claim that their STC boosts not only the bass (which is all a loudness button did on old receivers in order to compensate for the human ears inability to hear low notes clearly at lower volumes,)but also boosts the high end a smidgen too in order to give the listener an all 'round more even distribution at low volumes. It does have one, only Onkyo has given it the new space age title of "selective tone control".
The biggest difference in new receivers these days over the heyday of stereos is the tuners. Also, tone controls in the old receivers really did boost your treble, midrange, and bass considerably decibel wise. Pretty much to a degree you hardly ever used them, or used them sparingly. Back in the heyday of receivers when they used to weigh in at 60 pounds or more, 100 watts RMS really meant 100 watts. Enough that at low and regular listening levels you will almost always leave it on.In short, (finally huh) neither this Onkyo or any other new fangled receiver this day and age is worth the salt of their heavier and far more powerful ancestors that are now long gone.
Whether this control does what it says or not, let it suffice to say that the STC simulates an old time loudness control on an acceptable level in my opinion. This Onkyo model fits the bill in all those repects very nicely. One thing I will admit about the old heavy weights is that they were infamous for something blowing out or breaking down in them. This very rarely happens these days in a time of very quality built audio systems.
It is 4 years old now and I have not had a minutes trouble or problem with it. They never just up and went silent. In this day of satellite radio and folks listening to CDs, quality tuners in stereo receivers is something that has seen better days. In newer receivers I have noted that the same tone controls, (minus the midrange, hardly any new receivers give you a midrange control anymore) do not augment the music all that noticeably either high or low even when turned up all the way.
Especially losing one channel. Its not a classic, but its not bad at all for this generation.
digital imputs) could be criticized, but make sure you'll need all the plugs in that Sony ES $1,600 receiver before you buy it :). This no-thrills receiver truly delivers on the reliability side. I just wanted an inexpensive receiver for the present, and only need a 2 way amplifier. Its sounds greatly (don't buy anything below 100 true watts, even if it's only for a dorm, you'll regret it later if you get floor-standing speakers).The display doesn't have all the "lights" other brands boast (but that's the way I like it, pure simple sound, without gadgets and "Surrounds" that only add distortion. Its connectivity for newer technologies (ie. Consequently, this machine fulfilled all my dreams. It never broke so far.Onkyo is not a very well known brand in Latin America, unlike Sony, Pioneer etc, but honestly, I would buy it again.
We purchased this receiver recently and we are very pleased with its performance. The price was great and the receiver met all of our needs, including a phono input/output. Very pleased.
For the average person who does not have golden ears this receiver has plenty of power with no noise or coloration added to the sound processed through it. Onkyo receiver has plenty of power to drive my Advent floor standing speaker. I play a lot of LP Disk on a Daul Turntable and the premap on the Onkyo add no coloration or noise. Money well spent. I recomend this receiver.
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