[heatwave3]

I'm trying to choose a new AVR to go with my new Sharp LC65SE94U TV. I'm not a real audiophile however I would like to have the following features:

• at least 4HDMI inputs
• upscaling to 1080P for lesser video sources
• Good OSD
• a decent price

Based on my research I think these are probably the best choices for my needs with their respective "ballpark prices".

• Onkyo TX-SR806B $600
• Denon 2809CI $750
• Denon 3808CI $1200
• Pioneer Elite VSX-94TXH $1200
• Yamaha RX-V3800 $1100

For the needs I identified is there any reason why anyone would chose any AVR from this list other than the Onkyo? Are there other choices that meet these criteria that would be a better option over the Onkyo 806?


Am I missing something that warrants the much higher prices on the AVRs I've listed? Thanks for the input.

 

[mbyrnes]

I would bet your HDTV would do a better job scaling the picture than any AVR in your price range. I would focus strictly on sound quality.


I have the previous Onkyo model (805) and absolutely love it. The only AVR line I would possibly look at is the --09 Denons for the sound level control (keeps commercials at the same level, forget the name). All of the AVRs are nice choices. I would possibly look at Marantz as they are picked more often for best SQ.


Onkyo gives a lot for what they charge. I am on my second AVR from them and have been very happy for years. I have also owned Pioneer, Kenwood, Sony, and have a lot of experience with Marantz and Denon (family members own them). I love Marantz and would go that route if I could justify the cost on my budget.


Try to listen to the Onkyo against some of your other choices. Best Buy Magnolia has every one except the Onkyo. Circuit City carries Onkyo. You could try them out at your house and return them if you weren't happy. Good luck.


P.S. Listing the speakers you plan on using and room size etc, would also really help people give you suggestions. Listening taste and Volume needs would also help.

 

[Triaxtremec]

The 806 has so much more power than any other AVR is your list. I own the 805 and the 2808 and love them both but the 806 is definitely your power house receiver. The 2808 is just as clean as the 806 but lacks the power.

 

[AndrewS99]



Quote:
Based on my research I think these are probably the best choices for my needs with their respective "ballpark prices".

Onkyo TX-SR806B $600

Denon 2809CI $750

Denon 3808CI $1200

Pioneer Elite VSX-94TXH $1200

Yamaha RX-V3800 $1100

Better than the Onkyo TX-SR806 would be

Onkyo TX-SR876B

It has a MUCH better deinterlacer/upscaler than any of the other receivers you listed - an HQV Reon.
http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=...s=Receiver&p=f

Quote:
The only AVR line I would possibly look at is the --09 Denons for the sound level control (keeps commercials at the same level, forget the name)

Both Denons you listed as well as the Onkyo TX-SR806 and TX-SR876 have Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Volume which is the sound level control listed above. However, only the Denon 3808 and Onkyo TX-SR876 have Audyssey MultiEQ XT which is the top version of Audyssey's room correction


You should be able to get the Onkyo TX-SR876 for in between the two Denons.

 

[heatwave3]



Quote:
Originally Posted by AndrewS99 /forum/post/15480236


Better than the Onkyo TX-SR806 would be

Onkyo TX-SR876B

It has a MUCH better deinterlacer/upscaler than any of the other receivers you listed - an HQV Reon.
http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=...s=Receiver&p=f



Both Denons you listed as well as the Onkyo TX-SR806 and TX-SR876 have Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Volume which is the sound level control listed above. However, only the Denon 3808 and Onkyo TX-SR876 have Audyssey MultiEQ XT which is the top version of Audyssey's room correction


You should be able to get the Onkyo TX-SR876 for in between the two Denons.

The ballpark price on the Onkyo TX-SR876 is around $1000. Is the upscaler in the 876 really $400 better than the SR806? I assume the Audyssey version in the 806 will maintain volumes during commercials as well as the 876. I would consider the 805 however I really want the 5 HDMIs and the upscaling to 1080p that the 806 offers (not included in 805?).


What other advantages does the 876 have over the 806 that makes it worth $400? Thanks for the input.

 

[AndrewS99]

Go here
http://www.onkyousa.com/prod_class.c...Receiver&m=all


Check 806 and 876 and 805 and you can see the comparisons.


The 876 is worth $400 over the 806 for the Reon HQV chip vs Faroudja in 806, much better amp (on paper anyway) and Audyssey MultiEQ XT vs just MultiEQ in 806.


806 is nice, but you'll know where your $400 went in the 876.

 

[heatwave3]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mbyrnes /forum/post/15479758


I would bet your HDTV would do a better job scaling the picture than any AVR in your price range. I would focus strictly on sound quality.


I have the previous Onkyo model (805) and absolutely love it. The only AVR line I would possibly look at is the --09 Denons for the sound level control (keeps commercials at the same level, forget the name). All of the AVRs are nice choices. I would possibly look at Marantz as they are picked more often for best SQ.


Onkyo gives a lot for what they charge. I am on my second AVR from them and have been very happy for years. I have also owned Pioneer, Kenwood, Sony, and have a lot of experience with Marantz and Denon (family members own them). I love Marantz and would go that route if I could justify the cost on my budget.


Try to listen to the Onkyo against some of your other choices. Best Buy Magnolia has every one except the Onkyo. Circuit City carries Onkyo. You could try them out at your house and return them if you weren't happy. Good luck.


P.S. Listing the speakers you plan on using and room size etc, would also really help people give you suggestions. Listening taste and Volume needs would also help.

I haven't settled on speakers however I'm really only planning to set the room with 2 front speakers, a center channel and a subwoofer. I haven't considered speakers yet however I would be very open to recommendations. I would prefer smaller unobtrusive front speakers, center speaker size doesn't matter and sub will be hidden.


The room size for this Sharp 65" SE is abit of a problem as the room is 2 stories high, 16ft wide, 25ft long. The HT is along one of the 25ft wall lengths. Recommendations would be most welcome for speakers although rear speakers aren't going to happen as the master BR is close to the 2nd level of this room (wife has said she'll kill me if I put a full surround sound in).


We have a full surround sound theater in the basement with a 65" mitsubishi, Yamaha Rx-V800 AVR, 4-AR 215PS bookshelf speakers, AR 225PS center speaker and a Klipsch KSW12 Sub. I've been very happy with the sound in this system for the past 9 years so that should give you a sense of my audio sophistication.


With these parameters in mind, I'm looking for a convenient AVR to gather picture and sound from multiple sources (Xbox elite, HD cable tuner, BR player and a DVD recorder), primarily through HDMI (therefore 4-5 HDMI inputs is important). I would like the AVR to manage the inputs (OSD) with a single HDMI to the new Sharp. Given the setup I doubt power will be a critical factor.


If the big screen Sharp can manage the video signal well, I would prefer the AVR simply pass the signal through to the TV. I would hope the AVR could upconvert the cable signal which will be a combination of 480p/720p upto 1080P, if possible.


Any additional recommendations for an AVR and speakers with this additional information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Veda]

The Onkyo is the better one in that list but I'll personally choose Marantz since I like their amp module better.

 

[heatwave3]



Quote:
Originally Posted by AndrewS99 /forum/post/15480542


Go here
http://www.onkyousa.com/prod_class.c...Receiver&m=all


Check 806 and 876 and 805 and you can see the comparisons.


The 876 is worth $400 over the 806 for the Reon HQV chip vs Faroudja in 806, much better amp (on paper anyway) and Audyssey MultiEQ XT vs just MultiEQ in 806.


806 is nice, but you'll know where your $400 went in the 876.

What exactly does it mean when the feature listed for the Onkyo 876 says "built in xm radio"? http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=...s=Receiver&p=i


Does this mean I can access my xm radio account through the internet through the 876, or that there's a built-in xm tuner that can be activated with an additional xm account?


I already have 2 xm accounts in 2 vehicles and would prefer to not add a third account. Are there any devices (other than a laptop) on the market that can be used with a receiver (Onkyo 806 or 876) to access a wireless router to stream from an on-line xm account to the reciever to hear free xm off of an established account?

 

[nismo604]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Triaxtremec /forum/post/15479789


The 806 has so much more power than any other AVR is your list. I own the 805 and the 2808 and love them both but the 806 is definitely your power house receiver. The 2808 is just as clean as the 806 but lacks the power.

Hmmm...you should know that Onkyo really gutted the amp section of the 806 vs. 805. The 805 was basically the 875 without Reon, there is a reason why the 805 out weights the 806 50.9 lbs vs. 37.5 lbs. THD ratings are worst too.

 

[quack724]



Quote:
Originally Posted by nismo604 /forum/post/15481932


Hmmm...you should know that Onkyo really gutted the amp section of the 806 vs. 805. The 805 was basically the 875 without Reon, there is a reason why the 805 out weights the 806 50.9 lbs vs. 37.5 lbs. THD ratings are worst too.

Here is the Secrets review with more details about the "gutting"

 

[G_M_C]

The reason NOT to choose Onkyo ? Simple, to them your value as custome stops after paying. Their service is not very good, often times even described as awful. See this thread for instance: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...13565&page=110 ; In that thread we had to figure out how to do firmware updates for ourselves. The firmware had to be updated, simply because several receivers lacked functionality and because there were errors. Onkyo never even responded to requests, other than: " Bring the thing to a service centre" (not easy for my 875 of 54 lbs or so.).


Finally we figured out how to update ourselves: And now the score is

The score now is at least 120 done by us, 0 (zero, zilch, none) done by Onkyo. And even now there remain errors in the firmwaren, but Onkyo already has declared that they wont do anything about it, we think cause it simply is "last years model".


So the reason NOT to buy Onkyo ? Cause you get better service from most other brands, buy one of them. I'll never buy another Onkyo in my life, thats for shure; Even if my 875 works really great. I expect better from the company i buy from, and i dread the day that i run into a real/bigger problem, and i have to contact them again.


PS: This should also be a really good pointer to NEVER buy a blu-ray player form Onkyo. All BD players regularly need updates to make newer disks playable (and possibly adapt BD+ software). The way Onkyo handles firmwareupdates is very awful, so ... you do the math !

 

[Veda]



Quote:
Originally Posted by quack724 /forum/post/15482173


Here is the Secrets review with more details about the "gutting"

That's actually my biggest fear with this econ crisis. I've been suspicious of newer models being released just to keep sales going but without much substance both feature wise and literally. This has prompted me to go deeper in to my wallet to upgrade as many systems as I can as soon as possible. Btw, to make things worse the 806 was just released at 30% more expensive than the 805 since the crisis. I've practically stopped buying Onkyo when just the beginning of 2008 I was stacking my systems with everything Onkyo including their speakers.

 

[heatwave3]



Quote:
Originally Posted by G_M_C /forum/post/15482375


The reason NOT to choose Onkyo ? Simple, to them your value as custome stops after paying. Their service is not very good, often times even described as awful. See this thread for instance: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...13565&page=110 ; In that thread we had to figure out how to do firmware updates for ourselves. The firmware had to be updated, simply because several receivers lacked functionality and because there were errors. Onkyo never even responded to requests, other than: " Bring the thing to a service centre" (not easy for my 875 of 54 lbs or so.).


Finally we figured out how to update ourselves: And now the score is

The score now is at least 120 done by us, 0 (zero, zilch, none) done by Onkyo. And even now there remain errors in the firmwaren, but Onkyo already has declared that they wont do anything about it, we think cause it simply is "last years model".


So the reason NOT to buy Onkyo ? Cause you get better service from most other brands, buy one of them. I'll never buy another Onkyo in my life, thats for shure; Even if my 875 works really great. I expect better from the company i buy from, and i dread the day that i run into a real/bigger problem, and i have to contact them again.


PS: This should also be a really good pointer to NEVER buy a blu-ray player form Onkyo. All BD players regularly need updates to make newer disks playable (and possibly adapt BD+ software). The way Onkyo handles firmwareupdates is very awful, so ... you do the math !

Very helpful insight on service. Can anyone comment on whether they have had to update the firmware on the Onkyo 876? Is it easier to update the 876 because it has an ethernet connection vs the 806 which does not? Anyone have any insight on the "built in xm radio" in the 876?


Thanks

 

[rickardl]



Quote:
Originally Posted by heatwave3 /forum/post/15482803


Very helpful insight on service. Can anyone comment on whether they have had to update the firmware on the Onkyo 876? Is it easier to update the 876 because it has an ethernet connection vs the 806 which does not? Anyone have any insight on the "built in xm radio" in the 876?


Thanks

As far as I know, there has not been any firmware update for the 876.

If I would wish for one, it would fix a bug in the gamma adjustment, that's all.

It is said to be in progress for the Integra series though.

 

[juggy4805]



Quote:
Originally Posted by heatwave3 /forum/post/15482803


Very helpful insight on service. Can anyone comment on whether they have had to update the firmware on the Onkyo 876? Is it easier to update the 876 because it has an ethernet connection vs the 806 which does not? Anyone have any insight on the "built in xm radio" in the 876?


Thanks

No AVR has a built in sattelite radio that I know of. Regardless you will have to purchase an XM mini tuner. You can control the mini tuner from the onkyo however. The 876 does have a built in HD radio tuner.



I would take many opinions here about receivers with a grain of salt. I saw all the negative press on these Onkyo receivers and was deterred at first also. Then I checked other sites and see that people were happy with there purchases. Also many people only looked at specs and said the 806 was a crappy amp because some features were lower than the 805.

 

[AndrewS99]



Quote:
Very helpful insight on service. Can anyone comment on whether they have had to update the firmware on the Onkyo 876? Is it easier to update the 876 because it has an ethernet connection vs the 806 which does not?

1) 876 does not have an ethernet port. 905/906 do. Firmware is upgradeable on an 806/876 via RS-232 and a PC. Nice thing about Onkyo is that you can, with the aid of a small dongle, flash firmware on a bricked unit. You can't do that on a Denon - and some users have had to send their units back after a bad flash from the latest feature upgrade.


2) You have to pay for service. Onkyos receivers are less expensive than their counterparts at other manufacturers. If you pay more for the same feature set from a company that has "better service" then you are paying for the service.

Quote:
I would take many opinions here about receivers with a grain of salt. I saw all the negative press on these Onkyo receivers and was deterred at first also. Then I checked other sites and see that people were happy with there purchases.

I totally agree with this. If you have a working unit, you're not likely to frequent these forums and post about it. It's usually the people with issues that post. I have had zero issues with my TX-SR805 and just ordered a TX-SR876. The 876, IMHO, is the sweet spot of Onkyo receivers at the moment with a great scaler/deinterlacer, quality amp and Audyssey with all the bells and whistles.

 

[penngray]



Quote:
The 2808 is just as clean as the 806 but lacks the power.

Hmmm....can anyone tell this guy the difference between something like 100W and 140W?

To call any AVR a powerhouse is just tolling the subjective BS line on here. If someone wants POWER they buy external amps period!!!