desertrat748
Super Member
Where are you purchasing it from? Maybe for foreign market or I should just try and find out?
The Onkyo TX-8xx Series
- Thread starter myu701
- Start date
desertrat748
Super Member
Okay I found it. The 890 and 890m only differ by the infrared remote. It’s in my owners manual but only a few blurbs about it, all pertaining to the ir remote control. I’m thinking that some countries have regulations regarding what frequency can be used for remotes as both seem to have the same features. Take a look at the screenshot from online manual, manualslib.com. Just above the big blue next button.
Thank you! I just bought it here in the US on some sketchy auction site for $61.00 ($78 total after tax/fees).
desertrat748
Super Member
Great choice and excellent price.
desertrat748
Super Member
My tx890 is extremely quiet. Accidentally turned it on at near max volume set to tape 2 input. I was about to use it for a new mc cartridge via a diy preamp and direct CD. Didn’t even realize it was on for 10 seconds. No hiss or any noise whatsoever. I’m usually able to hear something from a amp or receiver. Not this one. Very nice to know.
Disclaimer: This is not the case once a preamp and turntable is in the loop.
Disclaimer: This is not the case once a preamp and turntable is in the loop.
Arthur Smith
Super Member
The only difference is the M had a programmable universal remote. There is no difference in the receiver itself.
Kjackson
New Member
So I am new to AK and also a recent convert to these Onkyo TX-8xx models.
I had loaned a Yamaha RX-770 to a woman I was dating (typical too bright for long term listening Yamaha sound), and she broke it during a move (looks like a relay issue, will know more when I have time) so I lent her my workshop receiver, some Sony STR-DE598 only to realize it has no phono stage to go with the low end Technics direct drive I also gave her. I had to come up with something and so I scooped up a Onkyo TX-800 on Craigslist for $40.
I gave it a good cleaning and pot lubing and hooked it up to the Dynaco A-25s I run in my bedroom.
Wow...I am so impressed by this little 35w per channel receiver. Someone upthread mentioned "warm" and I could not agree more. I found the tuner section to be just fine and easily better than the Sony AV receiver and it gives my Adcom Tuner/pre a run for its money. Hooked it up to my Clements 300si bookshelf speakers (great speakers btw) and got a chance to listen to the phono stage and it is so much better than it has the right to be. I was so upset I had to let it go I found a TX-820 for $40us at the pawn shop around the corner. I am going to swap out my Sony STR-GX6ES for the Onkyo. I am really digging the Onkyo receiver "sound" from this era. Even the woman I gave it to commented on how everything sounded so much better.
Why would someone buy something like a Sony STR-DH190 when you can get one of these for half the price and it will do literally EVERYTHING better than the "modern" equivalent?
I had loaned a Yamaha RX-770 to a woman I was dating (typical too bright for long term listening Yamaha sound), and she broke it during a move (looks like a relay issue, will know more when I have time) so I lent her my workshop receiver, some Sony STR-DE598 only to realize it has no phono stage to go with the low end Technics direct drive I also gave her. I had to come up with something and so I scooped up a Onkyo TX-800 on Craigslist for $40.
I gave it a good cleaning and pot lubing and hooked it up to the Dynaco A-25s I run in my bedroom.
Wow...I am so impressed by this little 35w per channel receiver. Someone upthread mentioned "warm" and I could not agree more. I found the tuner section to be just fine and easily better than the Sony AV receiver and it gives my Adcom Tuner/pre a run for its money. Hooked it up to my Clements 300si bookshelf speakers (great speakers btw) and got a chance to listen to the phono stage and it is so much better than it has the right to be. I was so upset I had to let it go I found a TX-820 for $40us at the pawn shop around the corner. I am going to swap out my Sony STR-GX6ES for the Onkyo. I am really digging the Onkyo receiver "sound" from this era. Even the woman I gave it to commented on how everything sounded so much better.
Why would someone buy something like a Sony STR-DH190 when you can get one of these for half the price and it will do literally EVERYTHING better than the "modern" equivalent?
desertrat748
Super Member
I don’t know what it is with these Onkyo receivers but I do love the overall sound they produce. I have a few tx 8xx receivers and a couple of the later receivers from 2007 or so. I’m very happy with them vs many of the others. Denon receivers are comparable in my opinion.
Kjackson
New Member
They definitely have a distinctive "tone" to them that I find very musical and pleasing to my ears. I was raised on Sony ES level stuff so I became accustomed to their sound...but the Onkyo engineers seemed to have found a fatter sound out of their architecture than the Sony's I had been using for so long.
desertrat748
Super Member
Definitely agree. Most of their phono preamp stages are not bad as compared with some others receivers.
Don’t really compare with separate phono preamps but they do okay in a pinch.
starcopy
Active Member
Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to share this great info. I have three of the Onkyo 8xx / 9xx receivers. Currently not in rotation, but will soon get my attention. Good value certainly. Of my three, the 910 is certainly the most interesting looking when illuminated -- IIRC, that one has a multicolor display.
Reviving an old thread here but I just got a TX860 and am confused by the “dynamic bass expander“ feature. As far as I can tell it’s not doing anything, even when fully cranked. Is the dbe on my unit kaput? Or how does it work/when should I hear a difference?
desertrat748
Super Member
I have it on a 8xx series that I think is lower wattage than the 860 and it has the dynamic expansion feature. I think it is on the 890 too but that model has the slider underneath the expansion button and it has to be slid to the right to adjust the level of expansion you want. Perhaps the 860 has the slider? On whatever model I have, it is outside and I’m not going to go out and look at it, but it does not have a slider to adjust it and you can definitely hear it when it is engaged. Same for the 890, but you have to push the slider over to the right before you hear any expansion of bass. I never use the features but check and see if it is similar on your model. Otherwise, you might have a woofer that is not engaging? Check the wiring? I don’t know you should hear something.
I recently acquired a TX-870. Mine does not have that feature.
Never owned a unit with this feature, and the only description I found, which I don't really understand, said, "The dynamic bass expander is an unusual circuit that boosts the response below about 100 Hz when the program contains energy in that band, but only in proportion to the signal level. At low levels the response is not affected, and the bass is gradually boosted at higher program levels, to a maximum of about 6 dB."
desertrat748
Super Member
Just enjoy the receiver. See how it sounds first. It may need some restoration repair.
It should be have a very clean, distortion free sound even when pushed hard. I had the tx 890 model which was rated at 125w but seemed to have a lot of headroom.