Onkyo TX-8050 alert - It's arrived, it's arrived!

Hi recordspot

Love the review! Really wet my appitite for this beauty! . I a thinking of ditching my amp dacmagic & 

MF Vlink, only thing is I can listen to hdtracks 24/192 and it is really very very good. Do you feel that the onkyo will deliver same? Having said that the extra 40 SPF is inviting and at such a great price I may just take a punt and return within 7 days at RS . 

Once again thanks!

Sorry meant 40 watts per channel!

The amp's manual doesn't mention 24/192, so if that's a problem for you then avoid.  Equally, it does everything your three boxes does and more, in less space and looks better.  I had the DACMagic and sent it back a fortnight later as - to my ears - it sounded far too clinical.  Great connectivity, fine build, but other than that, I didn't take to it.  The Onkyo doesn't suffer from this problem.  

Like I said earlier, this isn't just a muscle amp, it's performance belies the price paid and the substance matches the style.  Plenty of purists out there have probably poo-poohed this from day one ("too many functions", "amps like this don't beat stereo amps" and the rest), but that's their loss.  For those of us who don't want to forsake performance, but don't need multiple boxes adorning their living rooms (one amp, one DAC, one tuner, access to internet radio...), this one just does it all.  I'm simply astounded that Onkyo haven't pushed it harder.

I'm surprised that the inability of this (& other devices) to play gaplessly is so readily accepted.

I use a Denon dnp-720 streamer and it doesn't play gapless. No problem at all for me...........

Whether or not gapless play is important to you or not probably depends on the music you listen to.  Would be useless to anyone who listens to a lot of classical music because there are many multi-movement works where movements segue straight into each other.  For example, to have a gap between the 3rd and 4th movements of Beethoven's 5th Symphony would be unacceptable.

Sounds like the Onkyo is a great piece of kit though and I'm delighted you are enjoying it so much RS.

It's not the first product nor will it be the last that doesn't do this.  And for my tastes/needs, that's fine.  In any case, nitpicking (which this is) over what it can't do over the many things it does is churlish.  IMO.  In which case, if it's not the product for someone based on it not playing gaplessly, then chalk it off the shortlist and move on.  

Cheers MP.  Yup, very happy with the choice.  It's nice to back a winner sometimes!

hi, with the amp having its own dac does this mean a bog standard dvd player would be good enough for a transport? thanks.

In short, yip!  

RS, great coherent review.

Enjoy your new purchase, and I hope you have a fruitful New Year.

Cno

Tried out the phono stage briefly today, played Ted Hawkins' "The Venice Beach Tapes" and was pleasantly surprised by what I heard.  Okay, this is with a pair of speakers that are going out the door soon enough and maybe only half an hour listening, but it was good.  No worse than the Sansui AU-717 or the Rotel that preceded it.  Am off to have a listen to some new speakers tomorrow, so will see how that goes.  Taking the Onkyo along as well, so it should be good.

Keep us updated on what speakers you tried and how you got on RS.

No worries, willdo, but here's the shortlist for now:-

Castle Knight 1

KEF Q100

KEF R100

Dali Ikon II (possible)

Wharfedale Jade 1

I'm ideally after front-ported or alternatively sealed-box designs.  True, the KEFs are rear ported, but sizewise they tick the right boxes and it only means pushing them slightly further out in the living room.  Not a major issue.  Not sure if I should audition a few others - a nearby dealer also has Epos and Quad, so they're on the radar but really don't want a long drawn out affair here.

can a hard drive be connected straight to this amp without any fuss?