Onkyo TX-8140 receiver sounds thin and harsh

rousseau173

New Member
We just picked up a "B-stock" Onkyo TX-8140 receiver on the strength of the great reviews we've seen, but are confused at how thin and harsh it sounds, especially in comparison with how warm our 30-year-old (but now on the fritz) Denon PMA-360 amplifier was and the Harman Kardon HK3700 receiver we'd been using temporarily, borrowed from a friend.

Are we really hearing what we're hearing? Is this all totally subjective? Could it be that this particular "B-stock" receiver is just a bad apple that somehow got damaged? The store we bought it from buys "recertified" returns from Best Buy to resell to the public. We thought we were getting a great deal.

We have a pair of 30-year-old Elac EL 60 speakers that have always served us well, so we don't think it's the speakers. Though the impedance is 4 ohm, and the default setting on the receiver is 6 ohm. Here's the label on the back of the speakers:

uTfuYqX.jpg


Made in West Germany! My wife bought them in Taiwan before I met her. I haven't adjusted the impedance on the Onkyo to 4 ohm yet to try it out. Should I? Would this affect sound quality?

I guess, ultimately, our question is: In a very subjective way, do some brands simply sound warmer to some people's ears than others? Are we simply "Denon or Harman Kardon people"? Or is there something we're doing wrong with the Onkyo?
 
It's definitely possible that the Onkyo has a different sound than you're used to.
I would give it a week or two before making judgements because in my experience, unless whatever it is that I'm changing was particularly bad, most times when I hear something different than I'm used to I don't like it. After a while I either stay with my first conclusion or change my mind as I get used to it. Either way it takes a little while for the newness to wear off and for me to come to a good decision.

As far as the impedance setting I'd leave it at 8ohm or whatever is highest as the lower setting chokes rail voltage and can make it sound worse. The switches are mostly there so the amps can pass certification testing without overheating so unless you're planning on passing a sine wave through it at high power for a long time I would leave it in the highest ohm setting.

Also, may as well start a thread about the Denon. There is a lot of talent here that could probably talk you through repairing it in case you decide you don't like the Onkyo after all.
 
Thanks for the response. We're starting to think that there must be something wrong with the particular unit we got, because we can't imagine Onkyo actually intending to produce a sound quality so starkly inferior to the Denon and Harman Kardon. Now we're pretty set on returning the Onkyo and looking at getting something else.
 
Consider upgrading the film caps in the Tone control and amp section. You'll get the sound you want. Onkyo uses mylar and other caps to satisfy the bean counters like most other mfgs have for over 40-years. You can upgrade all these receivers.
 
We have a pair of 30-year-old Elac EL 60 speakers that have always served us well, so we don't think it's the speakers.

I think it would be worth re-checking to make sure the speakers are connected "in phase" - that is, that the red speaker terminals are connected to the red (I'm guessing) receiver terminals, and black to black, on both left and right. If one side's connections are swapped, then the "out of phase" condition will cause lower frequencies from the two sides to cancel out, with an overall sound that might well be described as thin.

Cheers,

chazix
 
Look for a Marantz SR4023,4021 or 4320 on the used market

So awesome that you suggest this! Without having seen your post, we ordered a new Marantz PM5005 on the strength of the reviews and the aesthetic beauty of it.

We wanted the silver one that's only available in the UK, so we, erm...bought one from the UK. Turned out to be cheaper than the ones available in Canada. Go figure.

New question. Any recommendations for voltage converters?
 
Based on reviews I recently purchased a brand new Onkyo TX 8160 and brought it home expecting nice sound as you did but I had exactly the same response. It went back the next day. Tinny and harsh with no base response whatsoever that I could discern. Sub woofer didn't help any IMHO. I used an old Sansui 771 and a Realistic STA-78 for comparison, both of which have a warm and rich tone. No "new" receivers or amps for me. :)
 
Based on reviews I recently purchased a brand new Onkyo TX 8160 and brought it home expecting nice sound as you did but I had exactly the same response. It went back the next day. Tinny and harsh with no base response whatsoever that I could discern. Sub woofer didn't help any IMHO. I used an old Sansui 771 and a Realistic STA-78 for comparison, both of which have a warm and rich tone. No "new" receivers or amps for me. :)
Interesting. So the Onkyo is just a piece of crap, then?

The brand new Marantz PM5005 we ordered showed up yesterday, and we are totally in love. It sounds amazing, so rich, textured and warm. At least by comparison with the Oknyo TX-8140 that we tried. We're no experts, but we're extremely happy with it.
 
Now, you mention the Marantz PM5005; it has had a number of good reviews on this forum and elsewhere. I may give it a listen soon. :)
 
Interesting. So the Onkyo is just a piece of crap, then?

The brand new Marantz PM5005 we ordered showed up yesterday, and we are totally in love. It sounds amazing, so rich, textured and warm. At least by comparison with the Oknyo TX-8140 that we tried. We're no experts, but we're extremely happy with it.

Now, you mention the Marantz PM5005; it has had a number of good reviews on this forum and elsewhere. I may give it a listen soon.
 
I'm really surprised at you experience. I have an Onkyo TX-8050, and have had other Onkyos in the past and never had any of them sound the way you describe what you heard. I'm going to guess there is something wrong with that particular unit that did not get fixed properly. Someone else mentioned the Marantz 4023. I had one of those and the Onkyos were all much better units.
 
Back
Top Bottom