Onkyo

Onkyo A-9110 Stereo Amplifier

Onkyo builds on the success of its A-9010 pre-main amp with the new A-9110 Integrated Stereo Amplifier, a component that refines an original amp design that’s won an excellent critical and commercial reputation for dynamic, musical sound. Lively dynamics, deep bass, and layered detail emerge from warm and expressive tuning. WRAT delivers high-current power stability via large custom capacitors, while low-NFB amps capture the depth and spatiality of analog and hi-res recordings. Five RCA inputs including MM phono stage connect your sources while high-quality speaker-posts reveal Onkyo’s hi-fi heritage and careful attention to detail. The A-9110 invites you into each album, the hours passing comfortably in pure analog sound.

Features

Stable high-current power with wide-range amplifiers

Dynamic changes in music cause impedance to fluctuate. If power can't be delivered when impedance drops, sound quality suffers. Onkyo's solution is WRAT, specifically its high-output EI transformer, huge custom-made main audio capacitors, and carefully selected high-quality parts. High-current stability controls the speaker-drivers for accurate and assured reproduction of dynamic musical passages. Further, the A-9110 features Onkyo's time-proven low-negative-feedback amplifier topology that distinguishes the timbral warmth, fullness, and vibrancy of the recording. This circuitry captures a wide frequency spectrum with uncommonly low distortion.

Sounds clearer at low volumes

When playing music at low volume, the signal normally drops close to the component's noise floor. The signal picks up noise, which is amplified, and the result is muffled sound. To avoid this, the A-9110 features Optimum Gain Volume Circuitry, a volume circuit that requires less than half the usual amount of attenuation. The signal never approaches the noise floor, so you can enjoy clearest sound at low volume.

Phase Matching Bass Boost enriches sound at low volume

Most pre-main amps have a loudness button designed to boost low-mid frequency sound. However, conventional designs are prone to phase-shift, which degrades the clarity of the vocal frequency band. Onkyo's Phase Matching Bass Boost function eliminates phase-shift between low- and mid-range frequency bands above 300 Hz. Bass response is enhanced without compromising vocal clarity, and that's something especially useful when playing music at low volume where bass and high-frequency sounds are more difficult to hear.

Thick and rigid chassis tames resonance

Every hi-fi component generates electromechanical resonance. This translates into signal noise, and that impacts on the sound coming out of your speakers. To combat the negative effects of vibration, the A-9110 features a rigid metal chassis that's 1.3 times thicker than the A-9010 at 1/16" (1.6 mm). Working together with large, wide-spaced insulators, unwanted resonance is virtually eliminated.

Direct Mode brings you closer to the source

Direct Mode bypasses tone and PM Bass circuitries. In combination with a refined amp circuit design, signal-pathlengths have been significantly reduced in comparison to the A-9010 for even more accurate and faithful sound. Enjoy end-to-end analog music reproduction from turntable to speakers, and recapture the atmosphere of the original recording with any connected source.

New fine display shares info clearly

A new display panel boasts fine text resolution, making it easier to read at a distance than single bulbs. It shows active selected input at a glance.

Quality speaker-posts make perfect contact

Speaker cables with your choice of terminal are firmly secured by high-quality speaker binding posts. Each wide-spaced non-magnetic post prevents interference and features a large, easy-to-grip transparent knob.

• 30 W + 30 W (8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.7% THD, 2-ch driven, FTC)
• 50 W + 50 W (4 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.9% THD, 2-ch driven, FTC)
• WRAT (Wide Range Amplification Technology)
• Direct Mode for source-authentic audio reproduction
• Phase Matching Bass Boost
• High-current EI transformer, large custom audio capacitors, and discrete output stage
• MM phono input, 4 x RCA
• New fine display for easy source selection
• Optimum Gain Volume Circuitry for clear low-volume playback

"It's perfect for anyone wanting to upgrade their audio experience without breaking the bank."
Watch full review here