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I recently installed a $299 Onkyo 9010 integrated amp into my sister's low-fi system, and her system now sounds excellent. The improvements are a more full bodied sound with good dynamics and clarity. Since I changed the speaker wiring, the speaker connections, and the speaker locations in addition to the new Onkyo amp, it is not totally clear that the new amp was completely responsible. A Gramophone magazine review is linked below.
The rest of her system is the old Polk RM3000 sub-sat speaker combination, and an automatic JVC turntable with a Grado F-3+ cartridge. I made sure the stylus was clean by using magic eraser and a stylus brush damp with isopropyl alcohol.
The system is definitely good enough for me to hear the differences in recording quality. The sound of the Readers Digest "The Romantic Rachmaninov" was full bodied, involving, and clear. The sound of the "Bud Powell Trio" on the Fantasy Debut label was flat, dull, and with a very distorted and harsh piano. I understand that the Debut label was started by Charles Mingus and his wife, but someone let the tape recorder go into the red during this recording.
Anyway, I just wanted to alert people starting out that this very reasonable Onkyo integrated amp may be an excellent choice for phono or digital sources. I really enjoyed sitting and listening to good recordings.
Follow Ups:
No offence meant, but what I really don't like is that most of the newer amps and receivers don't feature proper tape-loops with monitor function anymore (although on some one can at least abuse the zone 2 funtionality for that purpose...) - because I really like classic tape-loops not only for recorders with confidence monitoring, but also for generally being universal & defeatable insert-loops for all kinds of "processors" (including equalisers and various other "filters").
Whereas I regard a DAC section in an integrated amp (or stereo receiver, unless equipped with a digital tuner) as a more questionable feature, because there's still more of a development going on in that sector (and be it only the addition of yet more new inputs (USB, HDMI...) and also because there's no lack of separate, external DACs in various price classes and not least because most digital sources will already sport an integrated DAC section anyway.
Greetings from Munich!
Manfred / lini
In fact, the UK version of the 9010 doesn't have the digital converter.
The real advantage of this integrated amp is the excellent sound for the very low price. For individuals just starting out in two channel stereo with phono capability or for those less fortunate, this integrated amp provides them with sound that could really capture their interest. That interest may be enough for a long time or may lead to further upgrades.
I remember when I started taking guitar lessons with a Harmony guitar that had very poor tone and very little resonance. If a friend had not given me a 1937 Martin guitar, I may have lost interest in continuing.
So, the main reason I posted was to let people know about a well reviewed, excellent sounding, amp at very little cost for people that are investigating the phono sound for the first time.
ah: No worries, your intention was easy to see. Hence my "no offence meant, but", which was meant in the sense of "sorry, if this is a bit of a digression, but".
And yup, seems quite odd that the UK version doesn't sport the DAC section - while the German version does, just like the US version...
Greetings from Munich!
Manfred / lini
Maybe this is it.
"If people don't want to come, nothing will stop them" - Sol Hurok
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