Onkyo A-9010 EU and UK version

[stefduh]

Hi,

The Onkyo A-9010, recent 5star winner whathifi, came out in an UK and EU version. Is there a diffrence in sound? Does the UK-version use diffrent brand and or quality elco's in the power-stage?

Regards

 

[iMark]

It's got a different plug. 🙂

 

[matthewpiano]

The UK version doesn't have the built-in DAC. Instead some of the circuitry has been upgraded, including the capacitors.

 

[Al ears]

It's got a different plug. 🙂

Both say that they have audiophile grade caps, so doubt much difference apart from dac.

 

[peterpiper]

the 9010uk is great little amp, not heard the non uk version, but it sounds better than its bigger brother the 9030, the 9010uk has a higher wattage transformer than the 9030 but appears to have a lower wattage output, why is this?

 

[Tibor]

I had the Onkyo A 9010 Europe versoin, I sold it. It is a very dinamic and clear sounding amp, but if you like warm sound with precise and deep soundstage this amp is not for you. I replaced it with an Arcam Diva A 65+, which has far better soundstage an has more warmth.

I suppose the 9010 UK version is not so bright, the english hifi listeners like warm sound.

 

[stefduh]

That's what I think too Tibor; they made, tuned the 9010Uk version for UK and people. Because there is too much choice from amps and speakers in the UK, Onkyo had to find that spot at the market there, beside the more warmer sound preference. That's why you don't have that DAC in it. Re-tuning cost them money !! *biggrin*

I need a few photo's insite that UK-version to see the caps!! I know my caps from the Eu-version now *new_russian* I buyed online a knew 9010eu and first opened the amp *preved* *dash1* It's easy to retune it to my flavour *dance4* I think *wacko* (caps enough anywhere).

Oke, send me all your pictures from the caps power-stage (detail) of the onkyo A9010UK-ver. *yahoo*

 

[stefduh]

To PeterPiper :

The transformer of the A-9010 is more low-cost. So faster made transformers and cheaper materials gives less efficiency. It will be more hot that transformer. It needs more input wattage to have the same output wattage icw the A-9030 transformer.

 

[peterpiper]

To PeterPiper :

The transformer of the A-9010 is more low-cost. So faster made transformers and cheaper materials gives less efficiency. It will be more hot that transformer. It needs more input wattage to have the same output wattage icw the A-9030 transformer.

thanks, kind of makes sense, but that surely cant be the rule, my rotel has only 40w rms as quoted output even less than the 9010 at 44w, yet, the transformer in the ra10 has even more power consumption than both of the onkyo amps , yet rotel make point of using heavy high qaulity toroids, so there seems more to it,

 

[stefduh]

To PeterPiper :

The transformer of the A-9010 is more low-cost. So faster made transformers and cheaper materials gives less efficiency. It will be more hot that transformer. It needs more input wattage to have the same output wattage icw the A-9030 transformer.

thanks, kind of makes sense, but that surely cant be the rule, my rotel has only 40w rms as quoted output even less than the 9010 at 44w, yet, the transformer in the ra10 has even more power consumption than both of the onkyo amps , yet rotel make point of using heavy high qaulity toroids, so there seems more to it,

In case of the rotel RA-10 (220W) they chose for a bigger and better, more expensive power supply unit. That gives the amp more dynamic (power) mainly in the basses at the high power levels (basses take around 80% of the power). Also in 4ohm loads you have the full dynamic and power in the basses. Oversized power supplies are ofcourse a substantial additional cost. Do you hear the diffrence icw A9010 if you're play music with less then 40w+40w / 8ohm load ? Hardly ! Playing in 4ohm at 70w+70w you certainly hear and feel the bassdiffrences. Do you often need to play harder then 40+40w, that's a personal question, then buy an amp wit bigger power supply or an (budget) amp from 80+80w at 8ohm.

So imo Onkyo took a hit with this A-9010 for £155 (199euro) and it looks timeless (silver) and sober.

Ps. The transformer (input wattage) is not an indication to the amps rms output power. For example you can also make a 80w+80w 8ohm load amp from the rotel RA-10 power supply unit. (For techies, the voltage level of the secondary is a measure of amp output power).