Onkyo TX-NR818 "official" owner's thread discussion - Page 13

Hi guys.

I just got my 818 in silver, and I am upgrading from the Pioneer SC-LX72, I dont know the exact model in the USA, but thats not important.

The 818 vs the Pioneer Its that good, the sound from the center is a lot more clear and fluid and the sound from music is A LOT MORE DYNAMIC. I am hearing things with the 818 that I never heard with the pioneer. (more detail)

Anyway, is it me or is setting the subwoofer to 75db a touch to low? do you guys set it a bit higher to like 80 or 85?

Also it has set my Monitor Audio RX6 at 40hz and my RXFX at 100hz, would you recommend changing this to 80Hz for THX ? or would you leave them at 40hz, I did a full 8 position xt32.

Also should I update the firmware, is there something I am missing, it keeps asking me to update it.

Sorry for the dumb questions, this is only my second amp and 1st one with xt32.

Thanks so much, and glad I upgraded my pioneer.

Sorry forgot to mention, my subwoofer is a SVS PC-13Ultra with sledge amp, I dont know how to use the EQ on the subwoofer so I have not touched it.
Edited by canada16 - 6/9/12 at 4:01am

Ditto. There is a mid bass there that wasn't there before with my Pioneer. It is very noticeable with music. I run my subs about 8db+ hot and now there is a "chest smack" that wasn't there before. While listening to Mad Season at 00, then +3, then +6. I could have kept turning it up, it was so addicting. It sounded so realistic and live, but staid smooth and natural the whole time. I also played Leona Lewis and It sounded amazing. With my old Pioneer, it sounded good but a little gritty and a little harshness at 00 and above. Both receivers are used as preamps, so it wasn't the amp section.

I also feel that the 818 truly does go down to 5hz. With my old Pioneer, it seemed to roll off alot quicker at 10hz and down.

I have notice the 818 as a whole kinda "runs hot". Most movies with my Pioneer, I would watch at -04db MV give or take 2db depending on the movie. The movies I have watched with the 818 were at about -6db to -8db. I watch them a little louder alone but this is with the old lady watching too.

With all the audio setting turned off and no Audyssey, the 818 is nothing but natural and smooth. When Audyssey is on, I feel it is more forward sounding but not in a bad way. It is just more dynamic sounding if that makes any sense.

UNICRON

What Pioneer did you have?

The VSX-1018AH-K.

Ok thanks

Leave the sub level where MultEQ set it. Switch on Dynamic EQ and use Reference Level Offset to adjust for more or less bass.

Depends which setting results in the smoothest response. You would need to measure to find out.

What does "forward sounding" mean?

So just to make sure I understand, if I want to run 9.1, I have to use 9 external amps? Or is there some setup where I can use the 7 internal amps and then a 2 channel external amp for some of the speakers? If I can do the latter, which speakers can it be done for? And what is a recommended 2 channel amp (that is not horribly expensive, else it may just be worth it to wait for the new Onkyo 1xxx).

Page 14: http://63.148.251.135/redirect_service.cfm?type=own_manuals&file=TX-NR818_English.pdf

Brighter.

Yes you can use the 7 internal amps for 9.1... for 9.1 it requires, obviously, a 2 channel amp for the additional speakers..

Surround backs, front wides or front heights can be assigned to the EXT AMP pre amp outputs though a menu in the speaker configuration menu.

Can the 818 process DSD directly? I was just looking at the manual and I did not see any DSD settings. But I might have missed it. I have to say the the 818's online manual is excellent. The ability to click on a specific item and have it take you to the correct page is very nice. The one feature I like about the 4311's manual is the alphabetical glossary in the back of the manual. It is the first manual I have used in quite awhile that has this feature. It makes finding a specific function or feature without having to look through the entire manual quite easy.

It is great to see the very positive reviews from 818 owners. It looks like Onkyo has another fine sounding feature packed AVR at an excellent price point .

Bill

Bill, I did not see it in there either or in the features, on Onkyo's website. So I'm going to say no to DSD.

After reading through this thread over the last two days, I am SOOOOO tempted to order this receiver. I had an 809 last year but could not get the sub to blend well. Whether it was my room or the actual sub, I still don't know. After a few months of tweaking, I gave up and sold the sub and receiver. I now have a Yamaha RX-A1010 and HSU VTF-3. I'm quite happy with the sound, but I'm not one to leave well enough alone. I change receivers at least every 12-18 months. I really like the way my Emotiva 6.2/6.3/erd-1 sounded connected to the Onkyo 809. Sound was what I liked: full, rich, and dynamic. Sub just couldn't blend well for me (Elemental Designs A2-300)

Next Friday is my birthday and the wife keeps asking me what I want. I was leaning towards a Nikon D5100 with two lens kit at Costco for $900, but I think I want a new receiver more. I can always sell the Yamaha A1010 for most of the funds I'd need to replace my Nikon D90 that I have now. My son will get the D90-lucky 15 year old spoiled brat, LOL. Decisions, decisions. Oh how I love this hobby!!!!
Edited by joeyvaz - 6/9/12 at 1:35pm

Wierd, i never heard about Nikon D9000 before you showed up. A level up from D800?

One thing I cannot get to work: previous models of the 800-series supported tone and balance controls over Zone 2. I don't see them on the 818.

D

D90, not 9000, I must have kept my finger on the zero too long on my Iphone. LOL. D90 is about 4 or 5 years old now. One of, if the not THE, first Digital SLR that recorded HD video.

When i got mne for under 1000, deal was good till the end of this month. You have to go through the link earlier in this thread

There is a new deal:

http://www.electronics-expo.com/onkyo-tx-nr818-7-2-channel-network-a-v-receiver?siteID=izWMWx.IVSU-937yxdjDIwv0A8YqCScfRQ

Use coupon code: Bountii

It's just $30 more than the last deal

Ok thanks for the clarifications. D90 is a good old workhorse:)

I am glad I found this thread. I have a HK AVR 635 with Klipsch RB-25, RC-25, and RS-25. Along with a SV Sub (2x12). I have been told my setup is far dorm ideal. I just tried a Denon 2312CI for three weeks and could never get it to sound right for me. Center channel always seeme muffled. With the HK the dialogue is crisp and clean and can watch DVD and broadcast movies at low volumes and still make out dialogue withou any type of compression. Typically watch between -30 and -20db. All channels are within a db of each other using Radio Shack SPL meter. I am just thinking the 2312CI was not enough of a jump so I am now considering this Onkyo. What say you experts with this Onkyo vs a old HK AVR 635 and a Denon 2312CI.

I got mine hooked up after several hours of playing with a dusty tangle of old cables.

I had an issue with no picture, I got the Onkyo logo for a few seconds - then nothing. I jiggled the HDMI cable in the back of the TV and that fixed that. It's doing a firmware update now.

So - I edited this post, as I was asking for help on the no menus issue, but that's figured out now - so here I go into the setup mode next!
Edited by stevess - 6/9/12 at 3:57pm

There are pluses and minuses to nearly everything. If for whatever reason you don't like what it does there's nothing to prevent you from not using it. I have had my 608 for over two years and only this past week did I use its version of Audyssey and to be quite honest, I like the results and wish I had put it to use sooner.

I am expecting to enjoy the XT32 even more when my 818 arrives next week.

Cant help for it, but reading all this very positive words from 818, i want to send back the Pioneer LX85(SC57), and order the 818. I am crazy if i do that?.

Cant realy make my mind

If you're satisfied with what you have, I would say keep it. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, but if you think about it, what's the color of money?

Enjoy what you've got and when you no longer do, treat yourself to something else.

Thanks for your reply

Your absolut right about the grass:p. I have had Onkyo several years and was very happy with the sound, so then i got the Pioneer, its like something is missing...cant realy explain it, it sounds good but. To choose amp is actually much more complicated than choose a car for me

I don't know what kind of design changes Onkyo worked into the 818,but I can say without question it runs around 30 degrees cooler than my charcoal grill 807.
That can only add time to these units,a major plus.

You can get an HDMI switch and send it out of the 2nd HDMI out ,still using it also for your 2nd video source. Do what I did and just put a retired reciever outside. It is so much easier, dvd players are cheap enough, I have 10 extrs sitting here.