# Is buying an Onkyo 709 risky? refurbished or not?



## bastien_ (Jul 27, 2012)

Hi,
I am looking to upgrade my receiver to one that has HDMI.
I have been looking at the Yamaha 671 for a while, and now that the 673 is out the price on the 671 is within my budget of $400-500.
While doing some research I read about the onkyo 709 which on A4L is available for about $450.
On paper the Onkyo seems like a no brainer, it’s got a ton of features at a really low price but it seems like a lot of folks have had issues with the HDMI connections. 
On amazon, about 30% of the reviews give it 3 stars or less and folks seem pretty unhappy. It seems like a lot for a product that is packed with features that should please everyone.

So is buying an Onkyo product risky?
If I buy a refurbished 709 on A4L should I assume it was one that had the HDMI issues and was fixed? If it was fixed should I assume the issue was fixed 100% or is it likely to occur again?
I love all the features offered by the Onkyo 709 but I am wondering if the Yamaha 671 would be a better/safer purchase.
A4L also has some Denon products that seem pretty good although I hadn’t really considered them.

Thanks for your comments and insights.


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## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

First, welcome to HTS!!  I'm sure that some people will disagree with me, but I am a HUGE fan of B-stock/refurbished electronics. You get them at a reduced price AND they have been fixed and tested by the manufacturer. You get a warranty, albeit not as long as usual.

I worked as an installer and in the repair department for a home electronics company; I buy B-stock items when I can as I trust them, and I get to save money. That's my 2¢


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## bastien_ (Jul 27, 2012)

Hi there!
thanks for the quick reply!

i am generally comfortable with refurbs, i have bought some and have always been satisfied. it's a great way to save some $$ on electronics imo.

In this case my worry is specific to the Onkyo x09 because it seems they have had a lot more issue than should be expected from a reputable manufacturer and i am wondering if they have clearly identified what causes the HDMI and white noise issues and if they can fix them completely the first time around.

Does anyone know what percentage of their production was affected?
Should i assume that refurb onkyos were some of the recalled units?

Is it "safe" to buy an Onkyo x09 product or should i stick with a Yamaha one even if the specs are lower?

thanks!


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Welcome to HTS! :wave:

All of the affected units should have been pulled at this point, so I do not think you have to worry about getting a unit that is on the "recall" list. There is a rather lengthy post here at HTS about the recall, so if you have time, I would suggest giving it a read. There is a link in that thread that, should you choose to go with the 709, you can enter your serial # to see if it is affected for your own piece of mind.

I also believe refurbs are a great way to go - and, IIRC, you can always purchase an extended warranty for @$70 which ups the warranty to 3 years........


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
A hale and hearty welcome to HTS. As for the Recall, it affected A-Stock x09 Series AVR's built in the last months of the production run. (November, December, and January 2012) It was never an issue with Refurbished or B-Stock x09's like those being sold from AC4L.

A significant number of Members here have purchased A and B Stock x09 Series and to the best of my recollection, the folks most affected were people like Jeff (Needspeed) who purchased affected Onkyo's from Amazon before the Inventory was not cleared out of these units. Amazingly, Jeff scored a trifecta of affected AVR's that fell under the Recall. However, once he finally got a non Recall x09 AVR, last I checked he was quite happy.

And upon looking at the Amazon Reviews for the 709, 54 of the 75 Reviews are 4 Stars and higher. And 2/8 1 Star Reviews are from people who do not even own an x09. And finally, an additional Review says the AVR "burst into flames" which is something I have read since the x05 Series and have yet to see one honestly documented case of this being factual. 

I will also say that a depressing number of owners of all AVR's do not follow the guidelines in respect to Air Clearance and the lack of ventilation most certainly exacerbates things like HDMI Boards. That being said, brands like Denon and Yamaha do seem to be the least problematic of all the brands out there.

Something like the Denon AVR-2311/2312CI would be an great alternative choice provided you are using relatively efficient Speakers as this AVR does not offer Preamp Outputs. The Denon AVR-33xx Series is the entry point for Preamp Outputs. Also, the Marantz SR6005/6 would be another really good alternative and even offers Preamp Outputs. These AVR's are also available B-Stock from AC4L.

If you are reticent to purchase an Onkyo, there is no real reason to do so as there are many other choices.
While my personal experience using Onkyo AVR's continuously for over 5 years has been quite positive with 3 out of the 4 still going strong, others have not been so fortunate. Moreover, Onkyo is the Number 1 Selling Brand in the US, and many Countries in Europe and Asia. As a corollary, there are going to be more failures. However, it seems you might always have concerns in the back of your mind about the AVR failing and there are too many alternatives to warrant going through that.
Cheers,
JJ


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## bastien_ (Jul 27, 2012)

thank you both for your replies.

to clarify the Onkyo is the product i would like to purchase, it has a lot more features than what i thought i could offer but with all the negative press i wanted to get more opinions. 

Jungle Jack i read your comments on the recall thread and saw that you were considering not recommending Onkyo anymore which also gave me pause.
From what i am reading it seems the recall was managed successfully and the HDMI issues are no longer something to be worried about so i will probably give it a shot and purchase the extended warranty just in case.

thanks for the feedback.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

bastien_ said:


> thank you both for your replies.
> 
> to clarify the Onkyo is the product i would like to purchase, it has a lot more features than what i thought i could offer but with all the negative press i wanted to get more opinions.
> 
> ...


I think if you choose Onkyo you will be very happy. I was once in your position and followed the advice given here. My 809 has been flawless and problem free. My 809 is on everyday and at times pushed very hard and it's never flinched or failed me.


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