Buying new receiver - options? Onkyo 3007, 818, Pioneer SC-61?

Some others to look at is the Cambridge 551R, Anthem MRX 300 anthem has one of the best room corrections, you can get a Sherwood Newcaslte R-972 for $599 but they seem to have a few glitches.

Dude, the 805 was a high end receiver, I don't know how you got it up to +10db without blowing your ears out, especially with your Infinity's.

If you really want an upgrade, keep the 805, and add an external amp for the front 2/3. Something like this should take the strain off the 805.

http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/amplifiers/products/xpa3

Hi Shocked,

You've already ordered it, so take delivery, hook it up, run Audyssey , and give it a listen. No point in second guessing yourself . If you like it, keep it. If not, return it and move on.

I have the 818, and it is an improvement over my previous 707. I think it sounds great, but there are still compromises (like no HD radio)... it doesn't do exactly what I want, but that's more related to the other equipment I have (720p tv and 1080p projector). The 2 HDMI outs don't do exactly what I want, but it's still more than I could do before, and it's nothing replacing my TV wouldn't fix... mostly... but that's more about having 2 displays with different resolutions. For the $ i spent, it'd be less expensive to get a new 60" 1080p capable tv than it would be to get a different AVR. Not counting having to take apart, wait for the replacement, re-wire everything...

I'm still in the return window as well, but I'll be keeping it. The next level up, to me, is not worth the extra $$, or the hassle at this point, and it really does put out great sound. IMO.

Personally, I'll never give A4L another dime. Horrible experience. Never, never again. Even if they gave me the apology they owe me, and the $ back I'm out by dealing with them, they'll never replace the wasted time and aggravation , not to mention... ok, I'll let it go there, and not mention it ... yes, I know many, if not most people who have ordered from them have no problems, but that wasn't what I got. eh... hindsight.. I wouldn't even consider them as a reputable, trustworthy option (again). fool me once... again, IMO.

I am using an external amp. Emotiva UPA 5, not because I thought it was needed, but because I already had it. I've never hooked my speakers up directly through the 818, but I really doubt I'd hear any difference unless I was REALLY pushing it. I suspect you'd be fine without external amplification. I wanted it, so I bought it, but never really thought I needed it, even with my 707, YMMV.
Sorry for the rambling post. Hope it's of some help.
Joseph

well, if you return it, what other AVR's offer the features the 818 has, in the same price range? None that I found. The next step up for me would've been a Denon 4311 (at least 1300, but getting hard to find). For me, Audyssey XT32 , and dual HDMI outs were must-haves.

Personally, I'd rather wait for a deal on a new product, with a full warranty, than save a few bucks on a refurb. YMMV. For the difference in price, I could replace my 4-5 year old 42" 720p plasma with a 60" 1080p model, and still have a few bucks left . The dual HDMI outputs not being truly independent is a trade off I can live with. Not having SubEQ, I can live with that, as well, for all the things my 818 does right. My subs are identical, and equidistant from my main listening position, so that isn't a huge deal, TO ME.

You're always going to have to make trade-offs in this hobby. I'd suggest trying it out, at least. What do you have to lose? and if you don't like it, you CAN return it. I think you'll be quite happy with it. You'll never know if you don't at least give it a shot.

And yes, having to listen at +10 on your 805... something was definitely wrong. That should be ear-splittingly loud.

Joseph

So your Onkyo has failed, but you're considering getting another Onkyo? Good luck. My Onkyo 3008 failed after two years, and I've just replaced it with a Pioneer SC-1522 (comparable to SC-65). So far so good.