[Stephen Hopkins]

A few weeks back my home was hit by a lightning-induced power-surge. A 32" Analong CRT and AE700u projector were hit. The CRT would not power on at all and the AE700u would not accept an HDMI or Component Video signal. Both were deemed BER by the repair shop (surprising on the projector) and my homeowners insurance company cut me a check. I replaced the projector with an AX200u and the CRT with a 37" Vizio LCD. Both are great.


At the time I filed the claim I assumed the 82TXs was not damaged because it was still processing audio over HDMI just fine. When I hooked the projector up Saturday night it turns out the HDMI video processing/switching no longer works. I guess the surge came in through the projector, hit it's HDMI board, traveled along the HDMI cable, and knocked out the 82TXs' HDMI video circuitry (though while leaving the HDMI audio circuitry intact). I've contacted my homeowners insurance to amend my initial claim and will be setting up a repair estimate for the receiver. I assume it will be repairable, but if not, buying new gear is always fun.


So... if the 82TXs is BER, what should I replace it with? I'm assuming around $1k from the insurance company since my deductible has already been met for this incident. I'm not married to Pioneer Elite. I'm powering Swans Diva 6.1 mains, 2.1 surrounds, and C3 center. I need atleast 3 HDMI inputs (BD, HD, and TivoHD).


I'm leaning towards the Onkyo SR805 as a refurb for around $550. The power and HDMI implementation impress me, but I'm somewhat worried about heat as there will only be around 1" above the receiver, but open on all sides. The difference between budget and cost is also nice


The 92TXH would also be within budget and the most logical direct replacement but the SR805 seems to be a much better value. I've read the 92TXH vs. SR805 thread in-depth and it really seems to be a preference with the SR805 being the better value if you don't have any issues.


I'm also considering the Pioneer 1018H. It looks to be a good value, though its street price hasn't come down any since it hasn't been out very long. I could probably get it for around $525-$550 from my local Pioneer dealer. It has everything I need, but does it have the power to drive the Swans well for only HT? Would it be any less powerful than the 82TXs?


Any other suggestions? I'll consider anything under or around $1k but don't want to go above whatever the insurance pays. I'm mainly looking for the best value for pure HT... so far the SR805 seems tough to beat, though with some caveats for reliability/heat-dissipation.

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

anyone?

 

[Rogozhin]

I've used a 605 and an Elite 92, I prefer the Elite 92 but I purchased the 92 for nearly the same price as a new 805 so it wasn't much of a dilema for me.


With only 1" above the receiver I'd make sure you have plenty of airflow from a fan. Can you listen to either of the receivers?

 

[Foxbat121]

The recent deal from Tweeter on 92 makes it no brainer if you can get one. After an hour or two movie watching, my 92 is barely warm on the top. Same can't be said for any Onkyos.

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

The sound quality and power of the 82TXs has always been enough, but I'm not convinced it's the best for the money. Even at the Tweeter price it is still $150 - $200 more than an SR805. Going with the SR805 would also give me the chance to replace my aging BDP1000 with a BDP1400, one of the Funai units, or maybe a UDP5000 if I stretch things. My 82TXs is still working, sans HDMI Video, but doing an A/B comparison in-room would be tough and I don't know of anywhere that carries both.

 

[Foxbat121]

Sounds like you already made up your mind.


Also, consider the warranty coverage. Refurbished units usually do not come with the full warranty as the new units. I don't know what's the policy from Obkyo. I know other manufacturers usually offer 90-day warranty only for refurbs.

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

I went with the SR805, but grabbed a display unit at Circuit City for $529 with full 2 year warranty. Also added $30 Circuit City 3 year warranty. Timing was good because ShopOnkyo had just ran out of refurbs and the 10% off sale ended. Also, eCost just raised the refurb price from $525 back up to $589. eCost did just lower the SR875 refurb price down to $738 which made it tempting, but with all HD sources (BluRay, HD-DVD, and TivoHD) I couldn't justify it. Onkyo refurbs have 1yr warranty and my AMEX would double that to 2yr, so that's not really an issue.


One nit-pick on the SR805 (and all non-Pioneer receivers)... it's about 1/4" wider than my Elite unit and, as such, I can't fit the receiver side-by-side with my stack of sources on the bottom shelf of my AV stand. With the Elite I had all the electronics on the bottom shelf and my center channel in the middle shelf. For now I've moved the electronics to where the center channel was and I'm running a phantom center until I can buy or build a better suited piece of furniture.