The Onkyo TX 8020 is one of the most highly rated stereo receivers, getting praises left and right ever since its debut. Partly due to the level of sonic performance you are getting at a very affordable price which can easily fit almost anyone’s budget. As an entry-level stereo receiver, the Onkyo TX 8020 does have its own limitations.
If you are using the TX 8020 receiver inside a small listening room and driving a pair of efficient bookshelf speakers then it would be all good and jolly. But if you are planning to driver larger speakers such as floor-standers so as to provide more bass output and dig deeper into the low-ends, the Onkyo TX 8020 might not be up for the job. This is where a powered subwoofer comes into play.
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Sonic Characteristics of Onkyo TX 8020 and Your Subwoofer Requirements
As mentioned earlier, the Onkyo TX 8020 has its own limitations and one of them will be the amplifier power output which is at 50 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms (2 channels driven). It can go up to 90 Watts into 6 Ohms with only 1 channel being driven. For a budget stereo receiver, the amplifier power ratings are considered good but it won’t be enough to efficiently drive a pair of floor-standing speakers. You can try going for a pair of floor-standers with very high speaker sensitivity and efficiency, still, we don’t find this to be a good option as such loudspeakers are going to cost you a lot more than the Onkyo TX 8020 stereo receiver itself.
This is why getting an active subwoofer will be a better alternative especially if you just want to enhance the bass performance and have deeper low-frequency reproductions. A powered subwoofer can perform these tasks at a fraction of the price of highly efficient floor-standing speakers. The Onkyo TX 8020 has a dedicated subwoofer output which we can use to connect to an active sub. We now need to find a matching subwoofer to pair up with this Onkyo stereo receiver.
More Details at Amazon – Onkyo TX-8020 Stereo Receiver
The stereo imaging of the Onkyo TX 8020 is pretty amazing for a budget receiver and probably beats all AVRs within the same price range. There is precision and a nice separation, allowing us to pinpoint individual musicians. The clean sound reproduction of the TX 8020 also helped with giving us a clear stereo image. Still, subtleties are not as audible but at this price point, we shouldn’t nitpick too much. Onkyo TX 8020 bass performance is clean as well, it does lack the punch and impact though which is crucial for an entertaining home cinematic experience.
For listeners who watch movies a lot, we suggest going with a ported subwoofer as the bass output is higher and it could go louder. If you listen to more music then a sealed cabinet subwoofer will be a better option. It may not be as exciting when compared to ported subwoofers but it does have better bass accuracy and is agile enough to keep up with the music pacing. There are hybrid subwoofers that you can choose to go for but they usually are quite costly, so you might want to work on your budget first.
The size of the subwoofer you require can be determined by the size of your listening room and/or available space. How deep you need the subwoofer to dig into the bass extension can be a requirement as well. There are compact size subwoofers that could dig below 30Hz or even further, and such subs will cost a lot. Since the Onkyo TX 8020 is an entry-level stereo receiver, we wouldn’t suggest going for an expensive subwoofer. You should only proceed with this if you are planning to upgrade your whole sound system to higher-end models. We recommend you take more time to consider more subwoofer requirements as these will help with your decision-making.
Onkyo TX 8020 Specifications
- Power Outputs: 50 Watts per channel at 8 Ohms with 2 channels driven, 90 Watts into 6 Ohms with 1 channel driven
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
- Inputs: 1 Phono input, 5 Analog inputs, 1 Optical input, 2 Coaxial inputs
- Outputs: Headphone output, 1 Subwoofer output, 1 Analog output
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 435mm x 150mm x 328.5mm (17.1″ × 5.9″ × 12.9″)
- Weight: 7.3kg (16.1lbs)
Best Subwoofers to pair with Onkyo TX 8020
The Sony SACS9 is an affordable and compact size subwoofer, it will pair well with the Onkyo TX 8020 stereo receiver. It is a 10″ ported subwoofer with the bass port located at the back of the cabinet. There is a nice level of punch and has an entertaining bass performance, which is not bad for a subwoofer with a peak power of only 115 Watts. We do find the Sony SACS9 to be more ideal for home theater use though. If you are a Sony fan, you should arrange an audition with the Sony SACS9 ported subwoofer.
More Details at Amazon – Sony SACS9 10″ Active Subwoofer
Klipsch R-12SW may not be as affordable as the Sony SACS9 but it has a bigger bass driver and more amplifier power. Not to mention, the Klipsch R-12SW has received plenty of positive reviews from its satisfied owners and making it a worthy match to your Onkyo TX 8020 stereo receiver. It drives up to 400 Watts of dynamic power to its 12″ front-firing bass driver, enabling the subwoofer to deliver very deep and clean low frequencies. The overall bass performance is clean as well and will fit well with the Onkyo TX 8020.
More Details at Amazon – Klipsch R-12SW Powered Subwoofer
This is another extremely highly rated subwoofer and has an affordable price tag to boot. The Polk Audio PSW10 is a well-received 10″ ported subwoofer with up to 100 Watts of peak power. Its bass port is located at the front of the cabinet. The Polk Audio PSW10 is capable of delivering tight bass response and has a rather high accuracy for a subwoofer at this price range. This makes the PSW10 an ideal match with the Onkyo TX 8020 stereo receiver. If you are looking for an affordable all-rounder sub, you should certainly check out Polk Audio PSW10.
More Details at Amazon – Polk Audio PSW10 Subwoofer – Power Port Technology
When it comes to taut bass delivery and agile low-end response, the sealed cabinet subwoofers typically fare better. The SVS SB-1000 is an excellent sealed subwoofer to go for as firstly it has a modest price tag and will match well with the Onkyo TX 8020. It is also powerful, able to dig deep down to 24Hz bass extension, and has a peak power of 720+ Watts driving its 12″ driver. This is an amazing subwoofer for listeners who mainly use their Onkyo TX 8020 for music playbacks. The overall bass performance of the SB-1000 is precise and articulate too.
More Details at Amazon – SVS SB-1000 12″ Sealed Subwoofer (Premium Black Ash)
The Yamaha HS8S is one of the best studio subwoofers to pair up with the Onkyo TX 8020. It is a subwoofer made for professionals and the HS8S bass response is really accurate for the money. This also makes it an excellent choice for users who mainly listen to music. The overall bass performance is clean and non-exaggerated, the low-end accuracy is simply top-notch. It is an 8″ compact studio subwoofer and yet the Yamaha HS8S is still able to deliver very deep bass reproduction. If precision and agile bass performance are crucial to you then the Yamaha HS8S is worth your time to hear them out.
More Details at Amazon – Yamaha HS8S Subwoofer
If you require versatility and budget is not really an issue, you might want to choose a hybrid subwoofer such as the SVS PB-1000 Pro for your Onkyo TX 8020 stereo receiver. This is a powerful 12″ ported subwoofer with an option to set it to “Sealed” mode which will be better for music playbacks. The SVS PB-1000 Pro will be an exceptional subwoofer choice due to its flexibility and amazing bass performance, capable of delivering subterranean low frequencies with prominence. The only qualms will be its price point, as it is not as friendly as the other subwoofers on this list.
More Details at Amazon – SVS PB-1000 Pro 12″ Ported Subwoofer
To Sum It Up
Sealed subwoofers are still ideal for movie playbacks even though they are not as exciting sounding as the ported subwoofers. This is why you should work out your subwoofer requirements first and find out what you really want. Auditioning the potential subwoofers will be equally important, this is to find out if you like what you are hearing when the chosen sub is partnered with your Onkyo TX 8020. If an active subwoofer fits your requirements and you like its bass performance then probably it will be the one for you.
