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The Onkyo TX-8xx Series

I have an Onkyo TX-85 receiver that is very similar in appearance. Great unit. Lots of bass and a great tuner as well~
 
I have had a TX-820 for decades. Still sounds great. I found an e-copy of the Service Manual, but can’t find the User Manual. Can someone suggest a free source? Thanks.
 
Here's a simple list I built to compare the various models:

Model Year Watts Pre/Main Video Phono IN R1 MM/MC
TX-890 125 yes yes 1 yes MM, MC
TX-870 105 yes yes 1 yes MM
TX-866 80 yes yes 1 yes MM
TX-108 100 no yes 1 no MM, MC
TX-88 88 80 no yes 1 no MM
TX-860 70 no yes 1 yes
TX-844 60 no yes 1 yes
TX-85 80
TX-906 91-92 80
TX-9031 70
TX-840 60
TX-9021 60
TX-903 92-93 60
TX-904 91-92 60
TX-905 93-94 60
TX-930 93-94 60
TX-902 91-92 50
TX-901 92-93 45
TX-9011 45
TX-910 93-94 45
TX-900 91-92 40​

If you all give me additions or corrections to make, I'll be happy to update and repost the results.
 
Late to the Onkyo bandwagon :)

I have a TX 8020 that I love, has their WRAT high current design which yields good headroom; 50W@8 ohms but 160W@4 ohms.

Results in a dynamic, musical sound with solid mid-range, nice imaging. I run a Grace F-8 on a Denon VL12 deck and it's not a liability.

Was a super bargain at $129 on Amazon. Just hope the new owners continue to chase quality at affordable prices.
 
PatrickTubes said:
Late to the Onkyo bandwagon :)

I have a TX 8020 that I love, has their WRAT high current design which yields good headroom; 50W@8 ohms but 160W@4 ohms.

Results in a dynamic, musical sound with solid mid-range, nice imaging. I run a Grace F-8 on a Denon VL12 deck and it's not a liability.

Was a super bargain at $129 on Amazon. Just hope the new owners continue to chase quality at affordable prices.
Click to expand...

160 into 4 ohm is only 1 channel driven at 1% thd, not quite a power house.
 
PatrickTubes said:
Never said it was. It’s just a very musical amp at that price point, punches way above its weight class.
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Cant agree with you more and it’s very difficult to explain the experience with just the numbers. The Onkyo tx series has, in my experience, just what you are saying, a little more headroom than expected and a very musical output compared with comparable receivers.
 
I’m able to push both of my Onkyo tx-890 harder w/o Audible distortion or break up.
And the other tx (it’s on the back porch and I am not sure what model but it’s 60 watts & only $10 used so I don’t care) harder than I have with other Japanese receivers. Definitely some nice mid level hi-fi flying under the radar.
 
I have decided that I am going to try to collect the entire TX-8XX series. I've already got the hardest one out of the way (got an 890 for $80 + shipping) so the rest, outside of maybe the 870, shouldn't be too hard to find reasonably. Recently got an 860 too so that's one more down. Going to try to go for $20 or less (minus shipping if needed) each. Really, really like these things and there are certainly worse ways to spend money.
 
Been using a TX-844 Goodwill find at my work bench with a set of Nova 6's. Beats the tar out of the JVC RX-317 it replaced. Perhaps it's time to spin it into a main system for a while.
 
20201025_151508.jpg
I have a TX-8210 which I bought in new in about '96, when my Sony STR-V35 when into protection and two trips for service
didn't solve the issue :( Was in constant service as my Number 1 (and only) until the bug bit a coupla years ago. She is
actually in the console, waiting to get back into rotation, only issue is those awful speaker connectors will not accept the
large gauge Monster Cable I am using at this moment.

From Day 1 she drove my Bose 901 Series II's with aplomb, never a burp or a hiccup; will say the digital tuner isn't nearly as
good as my more vintage pieces with analog tuning, but never thought I would miss the remote as much as I have. And now having put an Onkyo CD changer into the line up, the "one remote" function seems much much more desirable.

Not a TX-8xx, but she looks just like the images posted initially. In '96 she was the bottom-of-the-range for stereo-only receivers, though I did not know that at the time, as she was several steps above the features of the Sony.
 
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I have a Onkyo tx844 since 1990. Bought it new with CD and tape. It worked good for many years and Now I try new speakers: Wharfedale 9.1 Diamond. I have a problem thay when I use them in high level of db it stops working! I am not sure if it is because of the temperature of the amp going too high or any other problem or reason. The Onkyo has A or B speakers output of 4 ohm and A+B of 8 ohm. The wharfedale 9.1 has min 6 ohm and an option of 4 seperate mounte entrance. What may be the best connecting way?
A output only? (Tried and had problems) B output only? The plus + red wire on A and - minus the black wire on B? (Is this what ment by A+B 8 , ohm?). Or A to one entrance in the speaker and B to the other? Or any other way? Thank u 4 help.
 
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Shay Muller said:
I have a Onkyo tx844 since 1990. Bought it new with CD and tape. It worked r many years and Now I try new speakers: Wharfefale 9.1 Diamond. I have a problem thay when I use them in high ldvel of db it stops working! I am not sure if it is because of the tempetature of the amp. Going high or any othet reason. The Onkyo has Aor B speakers output of 4 ohm and A+B of 8 ohm. The wharfedale 9.1 has min 6 ohm and an option of 4 seprrate mount entrance. What may be the best connecting
A only? (Tried and had problems) B only? + red wire on A and - black wire on B? (Is this what ment by A+B 8 , ohm?). Or A to one entrance in the speaker and B to the other? Or any other way? Thank u 4 help.
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Probably drawing too much current. I have tx890 and had the 9.1 Diamonds. Didn’t like them at all, but like yours they made my Tx run hot. Had to use higher levels of power to get a decent amount of volume/sound from them. Compared them with a pair of Klipsh and I was severely disappointed in the Warefefale pair. Plus I lost a tweeter in one. Replaced and went with the Klipsh.
 
desertrat748 said:
Probably drawing too much current. I have tx890 and had the 9.1 Diamonds. Didn’t like them at all, but like yours they made my Tx run hot. Had to use higher levels of power to get a decent amount of volume/sound from them. Compared them with a pair of Klipsh and I was severely disappointed in the Warefefale pair. Plus I lost a tweeter in one. Replaced and went with the Klipsh.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your quick reaction. Did you try the Wharfefale 9.1 in connecting to A+B ?
 
Hi everyone,
I also love this particular Onkyo series, especially the looks. Here in Europe, they were sold under different model numbers, even though the devices were identical. On page two there was Vander-bit from Russia who was saying something about this.
I believe we also had the TX-25 and at some point they started with TX-7200/7220/7230/7240 and they continued like this up until TX-78xx. Afterwards came the TX-9xx series, where they used again the American model numbers. :dunno:
Basically the models have the format 7xxx, the second digit increasing every year. Each generation has four models, 7x00, 7x20, 7x30 and 7x40, the first one being the low-end and the last one the high-end model. I think the first two ones use STKs and the last two proper amplification stages.
I have a TX-7620 in which I replaced the STK and it's been going strong for the last five months. Recently I managed to buy the TX-7640 (TX-850?), but I've been having issues with it. It was stuck on Mute and I didn't have the remote. I opened it and shorted the 0.47F capacitor (placed under the screen, on the circuit board it has two long prongs sticking out) which erased the memory and that got it out of Mute. Later I discovered I can use a universal remote to operate the basic functions. If you have a muted one and no remote, try also using this trick.
But now it barely plays. On the TX-7620 the volume knob is at 9 o'clock and it plays nicely, but on the TX-7640 I have to get it past 12 o'clock to get the same sound. And the left channel keeps cutting out. On low volume is not playing at all, then if I turn it up it plays for a while, then starts hissing and cutting out again. Does anyone know what might be the problem?
 
Pomegranate said:
On the TX-7620 the volume knob is at 9 o'clock and it plays nicely, but on the TX-7640 I have to get it past 12 o'clock to get the same sound. And the left channel keeps cutting out. On low volume is not playing at all, then if I turn it up it plays for a while, then starts hissing and cutting out again. Does anyone know what might be the problem?
Click to expand...

I had a similar problem with my TX-26: at low volumes the right channel would cut in and out unevenly, with some crackling. I picked up a can of Deoxit D5, took off the TX-26's cover and volume knob, sprayed the Deoxit into the volume potentiometer shaft and body, and rotated the shaft vigorously and fully several times while it was still wet. I also did the balance pot just for good measure. It now works like new! Hopefully this might work for you too.

I picked up the TX-26 in the early 90's for US$40 off Craigslist. Best purchase I ever made. Design-wise it looks like a predecessor of the TX-8xx's. Incredibly clean sound with my AR M3's.
 
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