Review on Onkyo TX-8255 Stereo Receiver: 🔊 Unavailable from Manufacturer, but Still in Demand by Fernando Ramani

My 25 year old Technics stereo receiver suddenly started shutting down so I decided it was time to replace it. This Onkyo TX-8255 Stereo Receiver is an inexpensive, no-frills, old-school stereo amplifier that delivers 50W RMS per channel into 8-ohm speakers. As a result, it delivers enough power for a home environment. As expected, the sound is absolutely clear. Stereo amplifiers with tuners are VERY sophisticated technology, usually beyond the range of human hearing; Speakers or your ears are the two weakest links. Onkyo runs surprisingly cool. A few hours later I put my hand on the top vent and it was barely warm; My old Technics was so good that one of my cats nodded off to it! It has plenty of basic RCA inputs for your entire system, but no HDMI or optical channels. You can connect six CD/DVD/Tape/Phono/TV/mp3 inputs to one device. And of course you can program your favorite radio stations. It uses banana plug outputs to connect speakers A and B. Volume, bass, treble and balance are controlled by simple front panel buttons. My complaints are minor. It's more than I'd like; about the size of my old Technics. There is only a display panel showing what is going on and no frequency response display. I wish Onkyo would put LEDs in or near the power button and other main controls to make them easier to spot. Because it uses the standard black-on-black design with small print, I have to use a flashlight every time I do something on the front. The full-size remote works well, but it doesn't glow like some remotes. But at this price point, the Onkyo TX-8255 is a solid five-star product.