What weighs thirty-four pounds and has “vintage” written all over it? This guy! The Onkyo TX-4500 MKII is a classic late 70s / early 80s receiver. Onkyo receivers tend to be less well-known and sought after compared to Pioneer or Marantz ones, but they’re absolutely worth owning.
This particular unit fell into our hands about a month ago, so of course we had to do a full breakdown of its features and performance. Whether you’re a fan of vintage audio or you also love to drool over HiFi gear, please join us as we rediscover this legendary Onkyo receiver.
Honestly, perhaps the best feature of the Onkyo TX-4500 Mark 2 is its aesthetics. That timeless mix of wood and silver marks it a true gem of vintage audio. Eye candy to anyone who enjoys vintage equipment, this receiver is a wonderful playground of gleaming silver knobs and buttons. Not to mention how it looks in a dim room when it’s all lit up.
But it’s more than a pretty face. The Onkyo TX-4500MKII has an elegant tuner section with a quartz-locked tuner that uses quartz oscillator-controlled circuitry. While the signal sensitivity isn’t as powerful as other tuners on higher-end receivers, it gets the job done. It also features a “Human Touch Sensor.” This is a special sensor circuit that senses when you touch the tuning knob, which makes it release the quartz lock. Then, once you tune into a different station and let go of the knob, it re-engages the quartz lock.
In terms of performance, it’s rated at a quite respectable 60 watts per channel. It offers an excellent soundstage and is admirably dynamic. Great detail and separation as well. The phono section doesn’t slouch either, with a neutral sound that’s a tad on the warm side. Vintage is best, and the proof is in the sound, right?
The Mark 2 is the upgrade over the TX-4500 Mark 1, though there is some variation in opinion on which one is best. The main differences?
Well, the MKII’s tuner dial face runs along the full length of the front panel, while the signal and tuning meters reside underneath it. On the MKI, those signal and tuning meters are on the same level as the dial face. This gives the MKII a larger-than-life feel while the MKI feels more compact.
The backs of the receivers hold some differences as well. The MKII’s speaker connectors are of higher quality. The MKII doesn’t have any pre-out jacks, while the MKI does.
In terms of power, the MKII has 5 more watts per channel than the MKI, with the Mark II rated at 60 watts per channel into 8 ohms and the Mark I rated at 55 watts (according to their service manuals). Though a quick search online reveals that the general opinion favors the MKI in terms of sound and build quality. But after hearing the MKII, we’re more than satisfied with its performance.
Both are incredible classic receivers, and although that simulated wood grain vinyl over the metal case isn’t as great as the real thing, it still looks spectacular against their silver faces.
The front panel makes your fingers ache to touch the wonderful mix of knobs and push buttons. Starting at the far left is the Power button written in bright red ink to make it a tasteful focal point. Then the headphone jack. The series of knobs is next, starting with the Speaker Selector, where, thanks to having outputs for three speaker pairs, you can choose not only the standard A, B, and A+B, but also C and A+C.
Then you have the Bass and Treble tone controls, which are a joy to click from number to number; there’s no midrange knob, so depending on the song and your speakers, it’s difficult to keep the bass separate from the mid. Next to those, of course, is the Balance.
The smooth push buttons are next, starting with the Low and High Filters, the Mono and Stereo Modes, and the On and Off Loudness. Then the Volume knob, which turns and glides beautifully with tight control. More push buttons on the right side feature FM Muting Lock, De-emphasis, and three Tape Monitors for the three Tape outputs. Finally, the Selector knob for fun clicking between AM, FM, and the two Phonos.
Then, stretching out along the top is the full-length glass panel that covers the dial face, the needle meters, and the mode indicators. The dial face is large, making it easy to read both in a bright room and in the dark – thanks to the backlit tuner. The tuning knob is large as well and speaks of quality.
The rear panel is a real treat for anyone with a considerable number of sources. It boasts not one but two Phono stages and not one, not two, but three Tape inputs. How cool would it be to hook up a couple of turntables, a cassette deck or two, and an eight-track player? No Aux inputs though, in case that’s something you require. It has your standard AM and FM antenna hookups.
In the middle is a Sensor sensitivity switch, which adjusts the action of the tuning knob sensor; you can switch it between Low, Normal, and High. Next to it is the FM 4-Channel output.
On the far right is a set of three speaker outputs, which is a neat surprise. Underneath those are three AC plugs, one switched and two unswitched. Switched means that the power is controlled by the receiver, while unswitched means that the component will continue to receive power even if the receiver is turned off.
Onkyo may not be the ultimate king of audio, but its vintage equipment is nothing to scoff at. Founded in 1946, Onkyo quickly grew into a competitive player in the realm of hi-fi components and speakers. If you’re willing to look beyond Pioneer and Sansui, then you’ll see just how brightly vintage Onkyo gear shines - both literally and figuratively.
Thanks for reading! This particular Onkyo TX-4500 MKII is now up for sale. It has been fully serviced and restored by our tech, including re-capping and LED lighting upgrades. In fact, you can watch us replace those lights in our YouTube video here. And if you’re interested in owning this piece of eye candy, feel free to check it out on our website here.
Have a great day!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_rVl3-mrYw
https://spencertified.com/collections/stereo-receiver-amplifiers/products/onkyo-tx-4500-quartz-locked-stereo-receiver-1979-80
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