Onkyo 9555 integrated or 8050

[Klipschtastic]

Hello again everyone. I recently posted a thread concerning my Rf3 speakers and toning down the highs a bit. Now I am looking to purchase a reciever and I want the bang for the buck I can get as far as sound quality goes. Right now i am looking at the Onkyo tx 8050 on accessories for less. I am slightly sucked in because of the new internet streaming features like pandora but I am also intigued by the possibily of gaining better sound quality with an integrated amp like the Onkyo 9555.

The 8050 is $229 right now and is 4 ohm rated at 160x2 watts dynamic power, and 80x2 rms. No loudness control and it weighs 19 lbs.

The 9555 integrated is $379 and is rated at 85x2 and 230x2 dynamic into 2ohms. it has a loudness control and weighs 29 lbs.

I could use my old denon as a tuner for now.

I like Onkyo just fine and i have new Onkyo cd player to match. That may be a little ocd on my part trying to brand match though.

Do you think I would realize an significant sound difference in the integrated 9555? What constitutes the extra 10 pounds in weight?

Thanks

Jon

[willland]

I like Onkyo just fine and i have new Onkyo cd player to match. That may be a little ocd on my part trying to brand match though.

No it's not.[*-)] What is wrong with brand matching?[]

Bill

[willland]

The 9555 integrated is $379 and is rated at 85x2 and 230x2 dynamic into 2ohms. it has a loudness control and weighs 29 lbs.

Do you think I would realize an significant sound difference in the integrated 9555? What constitutes the extra 10 pounds in weight?

I have heard and read that the Onkyo A-9555 is a great sounding integrated that has a "tube-like" (I know only tubes sound like tubes) sound. It should mate pretty darn good with your RF-3's

I think the extra 10 pounds is in power supply and more steel/aluminum in the construction instead of plastic. My Onkyo Integra A-9711(mid 90's) integrated tips the scale at 32.8 pounds and has some pretty impressive guts for "only" 80w/ch.

Bill

[jdm56]

Go for the A9555. No comparison between it and the receiver. I had the 9555 and drove a pair of La Scala II's with it. Trust me - you'll love it.

And nothing wrong with a little OCD! []

[Schu]

does anyone have any word on when Onkyo will release the M5000R two channel amp in the USA?

[jrod]

LOVE my 9555. Have run every main speaker in my system on it and with some tweaking each sounded great. Tons of power. Drove all w/ ease.

I actually got mine from A4L, as well. They were great to deal with. Very fast shipping, 9555 arrived in perfect condition.

Let us know what you decide.

[Klipschtastic]

Well sorry to dissappoint. I really did take your advice to heart and was leaning toward the 9555. Maybe I should've made this post earlier than I did. My stepdad went ahead and ordered the 8050 last friday and it arrived last night. This may have been out of his intended budget but I was prepared to offer the difference. I was kind of on the fence however, and still not conviced i would hear a difference between it and the 9555. I hooked it up and played it last night (yeah i thought I was waiting till Christmas too). I really don't think I can tell difference between it and my old denon.

The feature set is really nice though and the pure direct mode seems to add some clarity and detail even if it lacks a bit of bass with my RF3s.

If my stereo bug is still in full flare up a few months from now or maybe around tax return time I may grab a 9555 and sell the loser between the 8050 vs 9555.

It may be that my speakers are so efficient or I just don't have a good ear but i have yet to hear difference between receivers.

So far I've used an old cheap sony from 1987 rated at 35wpc, an onkyo 609 AVR and a Denon DRA 300 from 1981.

The biggest difference I have noticed between any of them is with the eq settings and music optimizer functions on the 609.

It may be placebo but I do think I noticed better seperation on some lower bass guitar notes when cranking AC/DC instead of a less descript boominess I used to get.

I know a lot of folks says there is no advantage to a 2channel receiver but i just like the simplicity and actually have knobs for bass and treble. I think the 8050 is a great receiver for the $230 accessories for less sells it for(refurb). For that price the feature set is amazing. I can control my ipod with the remote and the song titles display on the receiver. Like I said before though I was torn on this point. One of the problems with some of the new AVRs is quantity over quality. I still like the idea of a nice heavily built integrated unit.

All in all its pretty sweet for its functionality. Its nice to have a remote control again for one. Plus the volume increases more gradually which is nice and I still have plenty of headroom. With such effecient speakers most of the older receivers had the klipsches blaring by 1/3 turn. I'm still intrigued by the 9555 though and really want to try one out in the not too distant future.

[jdm56]

Cool! Congrats on the new receiver. I like Onkyo! It is really amazing how much performance a little money can get you these days.