Friday, August 15, 2014

53. Onkyo TX-8500 MKI 110 WPC Monster Receiver from 1978

I picked this up a few months ago and flipped it. It wasn't bad, but I have too much gear. It was nice, mellow and clear. The 110 WPC were more than enough. A few years later Onkyo updated the TX-8500 with the release of the TX-8500 MKII. This model was upgraded to a digital tuning dial and 160 watts per channel. Needles to say, the MKII sells for more than the MKI, but if you're looking for the most affordable way to join the 100+ WPC club, I don't think that the TX-8500 MKI can be beat, $200 to $300 bucks. This is a picture of the one I owned for a short time.


1 comment:

  1. I own both MKI and MKII. The MKII has more glitz but it ends there mostly because of a slightly higher quality of build. The difference in sound between the two generations is same league (with proponents for each) but it truly is splitting hairs at it's worst. These vintage Onks are almost never dissed because they achieved an acceptance in the market that saved Onkyo as a corporation......and punch for punch are "premium" in the whole era of "classic receivers". (All it takes is head to head listening to see why and hear why because smooth and aggressive rarely needs to make an apology.)

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