Time to downgrade Onkyo receivers to Junk status?

[Cos]

I have the 30.5 Integra Receiver & the Integra 80.3 Pre/Pro.

1. 30.5 can get hot, but it also has a built in fan to prevent damage (band aid? maybe, but never had a problem and the fan has never come on yet)
2. 80.3 over a year, does get warm, but much less than my Halo amps, and never a problem in a BDI Stand with decent airflow

At the end of the day, only time will tell if they are built poorly, but I am not concerned at this point, because electronics usually tend to fail within the first year. On a side note I always take my old gear which I can't sell (i.e. old computer gear) to my local recycle center.

 

[Adam]

On a side note I always take my old gear which I can't sell (i.e. old computer gear) to my local recycle center.

If it's still useable, you could also donate it. Someone else gets some use out of it, and you get a potential tax break.

 

[Natrix]

My Onkyo 809 HDMI out just gave up the ghost. Never again will I purchase a piece of equipment from this manufacturer. What a piece of $hit. I've had this unit just over 2 years and have used external amplification for the front 3 channels for most of it's life. It's packed full of features for the asking price, but I guess you get what you pay for. I just ordered a Denon 3312 from accessories4less. Can't get here soon enough. Adios Onkyo!!!

 

[Adam]

My Onkyo 809 HDMI out just gave up the ghost. Never again will I purchase a piece of equipment from this manufacturer.

I think your mentality is reasonable, but just a question - did you contact Onkyo about it?

 

[Natrix]

I think your mentality is reasonable, but just a question - did you contact Onkyo about it?

I'm pretty sure the seller on ebay I bought it from back at the end of 2011 is not an authorized seller. I will try and contact Onkyo and see what happens.

 

[ahblaza]

I'm pretty sure the seller on ebay I bought it from back at the end of 2011 is not an authorized seller. I will try and contact Onkyo and see what happens.

I think that was your first mistake, just saying.
Cheers Jeff

 

[lsiberian]

I'm not sure either. The problem is it is serious. Europe is the largest consumer market due to population. They also have onerous taxes like VAT, which drives up the price of consumer goods, and encourages purchases at the low end of the market.

That produces a problem, as they are drowning in broken electronics as are we, but there problem is magnitudes worse. The dirty truth is that very little of a TV, receiver or mobile devices can be recycled. They are also full of toxins. These goods end up getting dumped in the third world, but its still our planet.

The EEC came up with a plan to add about a $700 dollar charge to things like TVs up front as a disposal charge. That was just before the recession hit and when it did this idea was dropped.

However there is now a lot of discussion about how to deal with it. The UK government in the usual ignorance of all such bodies has a fix it campaign. However they don't realize the cost of fixing versus new, the impossibility of fixing a lot of modern gear and obsolescence.

I do think the issue has to be addressed. Mobile devices present a difficult problem. However regulations to require modular construction of other gear such as receivers should in my view be considered. A good deal of the pollution potential is in the power supplies. So making all the stages modular by plug in replacement at the back would be a big step forward. It would not only help service, but solve excess replacement of whole units with the need for upgrade.

In the meantime I think it responsible for us on these forums to really push back against purchases at the bottom end. I for one am going to take a tougher line on it. It is frankly now irresponsible to buy electronics that has a significant chance of going to the recycling center after the warranty just runs out.

For the budget minded, buying better older equipment would be a more responsible route. So if we bought better gear, it would have value on the used market and not go to the recycling center, when we want and can afford newer codecs, HDMI and streaming etc.

Junk low end units need vigorous do not purchase recommendations here, and especially those low end subs.

It would definitely be possible to standardize numerous components. Thankfully parts have shrunk a lot, but we've got to find a way to recycle the electronics safely at some point.

 

[Sealman]

http://www.avsforum.com/g/a/2281028/sealmaniacs-ht/

Here is a pic of my HT. In the middle rack on the right sits my Integra DTR 40.3 receiver.
With the setup as you see it I regularly had to aim a small fan at the Integra so it did not go into auto protect when watching movies.
Since my rack obviously does not have enough airflow for the Integra while listening at -10 to -15 I would suggest that is a design flaw.

This brings me to the actual topic of this thread.
I purchased an Emotiva XPA5 G2 just to stop the constant use of a fan and to lessen the heat from the space heater called Integra. Well for 899.00 it worked, sort of. The 40.3 STILL gets really hot just from the HDMI board though it doesn't go into auto protect anymore. It is still a room heater though not as bad as it was before.

BTW I placed the XPA5 on the right sub which seems to be holding it just fine.
Fast forward 6 months and i replaced the Integra with a X4000. Presto, no more heat issues at all. In fact the X4000 is probably the coolest running receiver I have ever had which includes Marantz 7001, Onkyo 604 & 674, Integra 40.3 , Sony STR1011, Pioneer xxx .

Amps I used to own, HK PA5800, Rotel RB981 X2, Marantz MA500, Behringer ???, AB Systems Precedent Series 900, HSU Research 250watt sub amp, numerous plate amps all of which died in less than 3-4 years of use.
Amps I currently own Rotel RB993, Emptiva XPA5, HSU Research 250 watt sub amp.

 

[mychaelp]

I may need to be counted in on this thread. My Onkyo, just 2 years old now goes into "music optimization" mode every time I turn it off, so I have to turn it on and disable each time. Although to be honest I cannot hear a difference with it on. Maybe it isn't doing anything at all?
A bit worried now about the HDMI issues others have reported. Not sure I'd buy one again, but at the time at $200 it was a good deal to replace my old Sony which the sub-out died.

 

[theblackangus]

I thought I would share my experience here.
I have a NR3007 which promptly broke with the "HDMI Board" issue literally 3 days after the warranty expired.
I called Onkyo and they said I could send it into XYZ to have fixed and gave me a good price. (Like 120$ or something)
Then when Onkyo sent me the email which said they would pay for it and I would just have to pay for shipping.
Then when I contacted the repair place, they told me they had got a letter from Onkyo and that Onkyo would pay shipping.
So Onkyo actually completely repaired it for free.
While their products do seem to be having issues currently, I do have to say I'm very impressed at how they took care of the customer.
My receiver was not under warranty and they STILL fixed it for me, Kudo's to them.
The good and the bad.

 

[tcarcio]

OK, I have a question. I have the 809 and I have had it for about 1 year now. I am not having any problems with it and I really like it but I constantly hear people say they run hot and I don't doubt them but my 809 doesn't get hot at all. I checked it again yesterday after running it all day and niether the top or the hdmi inputs or outputs were any more then luke warm at the most. Now here is my question. I only use the hdmi main out and not both of the hdmi outputs. I run one cable from the main out to a hdmi switch and then I use the extra outputs from the switch to my displays. Could useing both hdmi outs cause them to overheat? I am just wondering if it is a possibility that this could be part of the problem.

 

[towerguy]

I have an older Onkyo TX-SR804 and have never had any problems with it, heating or otherwise. It is used in our family room in what is a fairly awesome little theater system for those times when we don't want to fire up our dedicated theater. The Onkyo resides in an entertainment center tower that has the glass door removed along with a portion of the rear paneling for increased air flow. It sits on top of a Sony CD player with ample space around and above it. I'm curious if the noted HDMI problems are with newer units or if the heating problem is the result of aforementioned ventilation.

Speaking of HDMI issues, I've had nothing but problems with my Pioneer SC-65 that is used in our dedicated home theater. Two of the HDMI ports have stopped working and it has other issues as well. At times it doesn’t recognize the 3D Blu-Ray player and it no longer recognizes the subwoofers. I’ll try running an update to see if that corrects anything. The Pioneer SC-65 replaced my Pioneer SC-05 because I wanted 3D capability. At this point, I wish I had gone with an Onkyo, HK or Integra.

What say you?

 

[fuzz092888]

OK, I have a question. I have the 809 and I have had it for about 1 year now. I am not having any problems with it and I really like it but I constantly hear people say they run hot and I don't doubt them but my 809 doesn't get hot at all. I checked it again yesterday after running it all day and niether the top or the hdmi inputs or outputs were any more then luke warm at the most. Now here is my question. I only use the hdmi main out and not both of the hdmi outputs. I run one cable from the main out to a hdmi switch and then I use the extra outputs from the switch to my displays. Could useing both hdmi outs cause them to overheat? I am just wondering if it is a possibility that this could be part of the problem.

Probably not. Using more HDMI outputs/inputs at once will definitely help to increase the heat of the HDMI board, but most of them that have a heat issue get hot regardless. The 3009 I used to have would get more than lukewarm just by being on. If your 809 isn't having that issue, then maybe Onkyo found a way to get them to run cooler.

 

[tcarcio]

Probably not. Using more HDMI outputs/inputs at once will definitely help to increase the heat of the HDMI board, but most of them that have a heat issue get hot regardless. The 3009 I used to have would get more than lukewarm just by being on. If your 809 isn't having that issue, then maybe Onkyo found a way to get them to run cooler.

Thanks for the reply, It was just a thought. I know when Onkyo did the recall I called in my serial number and it was not on the list so maybe they did do something.

 

[fuzz092888]

Thanks for the reply, It was just a thought. I know when Onkyo did the recall I called in my serial number and it was not on the list so maybe they did do something.

I just find it curious that most receivers run at least warm, if not hot, above the HDMI board, but Onkyo seems to be the one that we always hear about failing. It's got to have something to do with cheaping out on certain parts due to all the extra features they try to pack into even budget priced receivers.

 

[afterlife2]

Denon shares the same amount of failure rate Fuzz. I'm glad I got my fan when I read all about it and never had problems at all with the Onkyo 707.

 

[tcarcio]

I just find it curious that most receivers run at least warm, if not hot, above the HDMI board, but Onkyo seems to be the one that we always hear about failing. It's got to have something to do with cheaping out on certain parts due to all the extra features they try to pack into even budget priced receivers.

Well that was what the recall notice stated. It said they found that some of the parts they used in some recievers were not up to snuff so they recalled them. I was just glad mine didn't make the list. Here was the thread that was made about the recall.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC8QFjAB&url=http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/home-theater-receivers-processors-amps/56387-onkyo-recall-notice.html&ei=FppmU__tK_KzsQTkxoEQ&usg=AFQjCNHs6Pj8r7w45tXQpIf-EIVg381GIA&bvm=bv.65788261,d.cWc

 

[fuzz092888]

Denon sharres the same amount of failure rate Fuzz. I'm glad I got my fan when I read all about it and never had problems at all with the Onkyo 707.

Do you have any links showing those numbers? For all everyone says, myself included, about failure rates I've never seen any numbers to prove one thing or another. Mcode is the only one I know of who claims to work at a repair place and says that he sees many more Onkyo's than anything else, but again, he's never produced any numbers or proof that I've seen.

 

[afterlife2]

When I was looking at Denon receivers($200-500) I saw alot of HDMI failure whether it was on amazon review, stuff on sale for the any holiday thread(I always check before I post anything) and actual forums on the topic.

 

[anamorphic96]

I just find it curious that most receivers run at least warm, if not hot, above the HDMI board, but Onkyo seems to be the one that we always hear about failing. It's got to have something to do with cheaping out on certain parts due to all the extra features they try to pack into even budget priced receivers.

Like cheap relays. My second Onkyo died just out of warranty. 160.00 to repair. Cheaper for me to buy a new one and get a warranty.