Onkyo M-282 2-Channel Power Amplifier

I purchased this amplifier about 1 year ago to bi-amp my Polk Monitor 60's along with my Onkyo TX-SR504 which produces 75 watts RMS per channel which I believe to be about 100 watts RMS per channel. This amplifier is QUITE a bit louder then my Onkyo receiver in terms of power and sounding clear. When I'm not watching movies and I'm playing my receiver for music I truly play it very very loud and the Onkyo M-282 seemed to be a good bit louder then my receiver. It will get hot but not more then a receiver after using it for a while and I find the Onkyo to be a superb buy. The price is right and the specs are real and are not over-rated like quite a bit of manufacturers these days. The specs with Onkyo are either exact or a little bit underrated in my opinion and for the price, this amplifier is such a great deal. I have been a fan of Onkyo for quite some time now and this M-282 only redefined my love for the brand!

I bought this 2-channel amplifier to drive a pair of in-ceiling speakers in another room. For my application, this amp is perfection. I'm certainly glad I didn't buy the similarly-priced but much-less-powered unit from Audio Research.

The output power is phenomenal - noticeably stronger than the 150w per channel output spec from my Sony ES reciever. Either Yamaha is being conservative or Sony is misleading. The sound quality is very clear, low noise, and free of distortion even at loud passages. Frankly I'm stunned at the performance for this low a price point.

This unit is beautifully finished, and looks at home with the rest of my components. It's actually smaller than I expected as well. The front of the unit has a hard power switch, and a standby/on indicator that is red on standby (soft power off) and orange when on.

The rear of the unit has a 2-channel RCA input, a 2-channel RCA output (passthrough), one set of speaker connectors (accepts banana-type and wire), a 12v trigger input, and the power cord input. There is an input level adjustment (essentially a volume control) but in my application, I found it best to set this at maximum volume and let my in-wall volume control adjust the level. There is also a switch to control auto-power settings: disabled (power is controlled by the front switch), audio (front switch remains on, unit changes from standby to on when audio signal is detected), and 12v (external 12v trigger). There is quite a long delay from power-on to on, and in my setup, I chose the OFF mode - where I turn the unit on from the front when I want to use it. The supplied power cord is quite hefty and probably overkill.

Note that unlike several other reviews here, my unit did not get very hot - certainly far from the heat generated by my Sony ES receiver. Nor did I experience a 60Hz hum when the unit entered standby.

Finally, although some reviews say this unit has been discontinued, it still appears on the official Onkyo web site, and availability seems good. So I would say it's not discontinued.

In summary, this is the "perfect" 2-channel audio amp - highly recommended without reservation. And an unbelievable value for near-audiophile performance.

I have been using this AMP for the better part of three years. It has never failed, overheated, or given an unsatisfactory performance. It looks sexy and performes like a pro. You will not be dissapointed; I'm not.

Onkyo is a relatively large japanese audio maker.
Onkyo is popular but middle class maker.

Accuphase and Luxman are the best japanese audio makers.

I was looking for a "cheap" amp to drive my 2nd zone "background" music speakers. My price point was around $200 and this unit has a good look to it, so it would fit in next to my more "up scale" B&K separates.

The Good:
It came double boxed and packed well, (always a good sign).
It has a hi-end look to it, (good fit and finish).
The sound is clear and clean, no hum, or hiss (from the speakers, see the bad)
It makes you understand why you spent 10 times as much for your main amp.

The Bad:
The thing is a space heater even when in "stand by" mode the heat is coming from the inexpensive power transformer.
The two tone LED is red when in "stand by" and a cheap orange when "on" I guess green or blue would be better for "on" for me.
I found that when I turned everything "off" to go to bed the transformer has a 60Hz hum to it that can be heard if you are standing a few feet away.

Conclusion:
It seems like a good amp, and if I compare it to the price I paid for my B&K amp it is a good value. Time will tell if the "budget" components will hold up over time. Because of the heat and hum from the transformer I would suggest not using this unit as part of your main music or surround system. I was going to give it 4 stars for looks and features but the heat and hum drag it down to an average 3.