Price Paid:  $220.00 from J & R . com

Summary:
Onkyo TX-8522 6-month Report card.

This is my first 100 watts per channel receiver. I purchased this seeking a high power stereo that has the capability of playing two pairs of speakers simultaneously and includes the pre-amp section necessary to plug in my Sony PS 4300 turntable. I read up on NAD, Denon, Yamaha, Harmon-Kardon, JVC and Sony. My main motivator for choosing Onkyo was value and quality. Price and features included in this unit was my value indicator. Quality was more of a leap of faith because I only know one person that owned an Onkyo, but I have never heard or read anything negative, in that regard.

So far, This receiver is EVERYTHING I had hoped for and more. It is clean, clear, useful power with a user-friendly control panel. My three main uses are CD Player, MP3 player, and audio for my Samsung 50" plasma HDTV. I plugged in the the thin FM wire antenna that came with the receiver, recentlly, and was blown away by the tuning section of this receiver. I am fairly rural and this tuner pulled in clear signals that are over 70 miles away.

The last detail I would like to mention is receiver's ability to handle the bi-wiring of my modest Premier Acoustic PA-6F towers. So far, the amplifier section seems to be taking this speaker wiring configuration in stride, without so much as a whimper.

Bottom line: I give this stereo receiver an A+ for price, power, and sound quality.

Strengths:
Clean, clear sound
Value - priced

Weaknesses:
Tough to get two speaker wire ends onto one post if you have normal sized fingers, but where there is a will, there's a way. (you will be rewarded for your effort)

Similar Products Used:
I have an 80 watt JVC combo receiver-DVD player in another room that has performed flawlessly for 3 years or so and I turn this baby WAY up, often.