Onkyo A-9070 review

I took the plunge and received my refurbished A-9070 from "accessories4less" a week ago. I paid $849 plus $18 shipping. Yes, I know I took a chance on a refurb. However, after considerable research, this seemed to fit my requirements, and I wasn't about to shell out $1,200 for a new one.

My system consists of the A-9070, (2) JBL L880s, a Harmon Kardon HD990 CD player, and an AR turntable with an Audio Technica cartridge (sorry I don't know the model). My last amp was a Sansui 1000A which I completely recapped myself. I have some experience with decent gear. Prior to running the Sansui, I had an AMC tube preamp (extensively modified), an AMC CVT-2100 KT88-based power amp, and (5) Dynaco A25s hooked up to a Dynaquad adapter. Am I qualified to review the A-9070? Who knows? There are simply no reviews of the A-9070 out there. Perhaps my notes here will start a trend.

Cosmetically the A-9070 was perfect. It also seems perfectly functional as well. One minor flaw is the pushbutton switch that sets the mode of the phono preamp (MM or MC). It doesn't seem to stick in the MC position. However, since I have a moving magnet cartridge, this is not a burning issue.

Currently, I am using the DAC in the amplifier which is connected optically to my HD990. This seems to work very well except when I am listening to my Russian-manufactured CDs (I'm a Russian jazz fan). These seem to drop out once in a while, which is irritating. However, I have yet to experience this problem with any of my American or European CDs, so I lack sufficient data to fault the DAC. Since the DAC in my HD990 is supposed to be very good, I may go analog to the receiver and save the digital input for PC streaming.

The A-9070 is quite powerful. I don't dare crank it to the levels it is capable of (I would go deaf). After the Sansui, the low distortion levels are noticeable and quite pleasant. I am very impressed with how quiet and precise this amp is, and with the tremendous dynamic range I am enjoying. I am particularly thrilled with the phono preamp. It's quiet and very musical. I haven't heard a better phono preamp. It beats the Cambridge Audio I used to have and sounds better than my former favorite - the 12ax7-based preamp in my former Fisher 7591 based amp (x-202?). Perhaps I would have a similar experience with CDs if I used the analog connectors.

I don't have a lot to compare this to. I thought I could do without hi-fi (my JBLs were connected to my Denon AVR-888). However, I found myself listening less and less to music on the Denon, which sounds dead by comparison. Now I feel I am rediscovering my record and CD collection.

All in all, I am pleased with this choice.

Hello, I recently purchased the A-9070 and indeed it sounds really nice. The only thing I don't like about it is the volume knob doesn't have a heavy feeling when rotating (like the older integrated amps) and the selector knob is too sensitive. I wish it was also heavier and clicked into place when you rotate. Never the less it is worth more than its price. I am using a Jolida Jd-9 stage for my turntable and it has never sounded better on the onkyo.

Your JBL speakers are good but I would recap the crossovers with some audio grade film caps such as obbligato gold premiums. I did this on my JBL 310's and it took them from being $500 speakers to $2000 speakers easily. From listening tests, my JBL's sounded better and more natural than paradigm speakers I demoed at my local shop. It is the best $150 I spent on an audio upgrade. Next task: design / make my own speakers as they are marked up 60%-80% in stores.

I have had difficulty finding good reviews on the A-9070, so I am putting these here for anyone interested:

Area DVD review (in German) here:
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/...advd.de/hardware/2012/onkyo_a9070_c7070.shtml

Crutchfield has some useful commentary:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-4SezpYTvHYK/p_580A9070/Onkyo-A-9070.html#customer-reviews-tab

As does Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-A9070-Stereo-Integrated-Amplifier/dp/B008S8Y2AK

If anyone has any links to any other full length reviews, that would be great.

It turns out that Onkyo A-9070 has a bigger brother A-9000R that is not sold in NA. This German long review also compares these two:
http://www.google.com/translate?lan...vd.de/hardware/2012/onkyo_a9000r_c7000r.shtml

Apparently even though these two are very similar on paper w/ the same output power etc, the 9000R is a stronger performer under load and in bigger rooms.

More A-9000R reviews here:
http://www.testseek.com/home_electr...r-p-f64f3ddc-2650-a9d1-57ee-6e4bb63cc4aa.html

Excellent thread here:
http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/opinions-on-onkyos-a-9070-and-9000r-integrated-amps

I have also recently aquired the a-9070 and i must admit, this and my speakers are the 1st "REAL HI-FI" components i have ever purchased. Or properly experienced for that matter... I couldn't be happier!! Powering my new wharfedale 159s i am amaized at the level of power this amp can supply and in such a poised fasion! Unfortunatly i am not fortunate enough to have a large room to fully take advantage of the full bodied-ness of the wharfedales(4.2m x4.2 3qtr closed space), but i can not beleive the amount of bass this combo provides, i played a flac file of 'turn down for what' and i honestly have no idea how loud it can go, i dont even think ive gone 3/4 volume in fear of the A/C unit falling off the wall! I can hear the ceiling and joists vibrating ever on a modeate volume level. Most of the music ive played has come from the laptop via optical cable and FLAC file format however the best quality audio ive had so far has come via a cd of the eagles best of album and an optical cable, i swear hands down that i can hear instruments and sounds i had never heard before. The quality, clarity and distortonless sounds are incredibly immersive and almost surreal. Im excited for the rega turn table to arrive!! Buy this amp!!

Oztom91 said:

I have also recently aquired the a-9070 and i must admit, this and my speakers are the 1st "REAL HI-FI" components i have ever purchased. Or properly experienced for that matter... I couldn't be happier!! Powering my new wharfedale 159s i am amaized at the level of power this amp can supply and in such a poised fasion! Unfortunatly i am not fortunate enough to have a large room to fully take advantage of the full bodied-ness of the wharfedales(4.2m x4.2 3qtr closed space), but i can not beleive the amount of bass this combo provides, i played a flac file of 'turn down for what' and i honestly have no idea how loud it can go, i dont even think ive gone 3/4 volume in fear of the A/C unit falling off the wall! I can hear the ceiling and joists vibrating ever on a modeate volume level. Most of the music ive played has come from the laptop via optical cable and FLAC file format however the best quality audio ive had so far has come via a cd of the eagles best of album and an optical cable, i swear hands down that i can hear instruments and sounds i had never heard before. The quality, clarity and distortonless sounds are incredibly immersive and almost surreal. Im excited for the rega turn table to arrive!! Buy this amp!!

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Welcome to AK, and to the world of Hi-Fi It is quite unbelievable when you hear music played the first time on proper equipment.

A-9070 combined with Infinity RS-IIIa's opened the door for me, just a great combo there. But when I upgraded to Infinity RS-II's (nominally 3 Ohm, 86 dB sensitivity, 250 wpc), it turned out that A-9070 (clean 140 wpc at 4 Ohm) was not up to to task. So I had to get a separate amp (Emotiva SA-250, pushing clean 400 wpc at 4 Ohm). I am still using A-9070 as the pre-amp and it is working and sounding great.