I don't usually like these types of posts but I'm posting this to help others avoid Onkyo and the potential problems they could have with them.
Short background...
I bought my first Onkyo last year... a TX-SR805 and use it as a pre-amp. It works but has issues... DSP problems, audio/video switching delays, and the amp section gets VERY HOT... too hot to touch the top of the unit. (remember, I don't use the internal amps so nothing is "drawing" power from them)
Why I will never buy Onkyo and you should consider not to also...
I work for one of the 2 largest computer companies in the world and know the "standard" support given by most companies these days. Onkyo's customer service is not acceptible and are not owning up to what should be their responsibilities.
Onkyo is willing to sell you a $1000 receiver that is shipped with problems/issues and then require you to pay the expensive shipping cost ($40-50 in the case of the SR805) to get it to a Regional Service Center... when they already have a Local Service Center but are unwilling to support them.
I called Onkyo support 3 times and tried to get the support people and supervisor to absorb the cost of shipping and/or provide the local service shop ( www.dyna-tronics.com ) with the equipment and software. Dyna-Tronics has been in the business over 50 years, they are no slouches. I spoke with Dyna-Tronics manager and he said Onkyo gives them very little and very poor support. The service centers get 98% the same info that the regular consumer gets on the internet... about 2% more on the "dealer site" Onkyo provides and they use the SAME customer support line... and no special support people, no main contact person, nothing. Thus it is really not much more than you or I get!
I left 4 messages over 2 weeks trying to get a reply from the Onkyo national support manager, Jack Cooper. My last message was telling him I'd call the Onkyo executives if he did not respond. He called back a few hours later.
Jack only stated the "party line" and was completely unwilling to help. He only made excuses like, it requires a jig and the local centers don't have the experience to do the work... really? 50 years not enough? He would not comment on these issues...
I stated...
A) Computers have been easily home for updatable for over 10 years. How come we spend $1k on a receiver and we cannot do the same to fix problems solved by firmware?
B) There are obviously problems with the SR805 since there are 7 or 8 firmware updates in a year.
C) My SR805 has firmware v1.0 and it cannot be updated but newer firmware versions can be... obviously a bug/problem got fixed in later firware versions, yes? I'd expect Onkyo would fix the problem with no cost to the consumer since without that problem the customer would not have needed to ship the unit.
All my logic was ignored he did not give any hint that he or Onkyo cared about their problems or the customer perception... even after I stated that I'd be posting on the forums and telling everyone about the "bad taste" Onkyo is leaving... and that I'd not buy Onkyo ever again and recommend that no one does.
I'll give my cash, and support, to companies that care to give me not only good equipment, but good customer service to match.
my conclusion... DON'T BUY ONKYO
Short background...
I bought my first Onkyo last year... a TX-SR805 and use it as a pre-amp. It works but has issues... DSP problems, audio/video switching delays, and the amp section gets VERY HOT... too hot to touch the top of the unit. (remember, I don't use the internal amps so nothing is "drawing" power from them)
Why I will never buy Onkyo and you should consider not to also...
I work for one of the 2 largest computer companies in the world and know the "standard" support given by most companies these days. Onkyo's customer service is not acceptible and are not owning up to what should be their responsibilities.
Onkyo is willing to sell you a $1000 receiver that is shipped with problems/issues and then require you to pay the expensive shipping cost ($40-50 in the case of the SR805) to get it to a Regional Service Center... when they already have a Local Service Center but are unwilling to support them.
I called Onkyo support 3 times and tried to get the support people and supervisor to absorb the cost of shipping and/or provide the local service shop ( www.dyna-tronics.com ) with the equipment and software. Dyna-Tronics has been in the business over 50 years, they are no slouches. I spoke with Dyna-Tronics manager and he said Onkyo gives them very little and very poor support. The service centers get 98% the same info that the regular consumer gets on the internet... about 2% more on the "dealer site" Onkyo provides and they use the SAME customer support line... and no special support people, no main contact person, nothing. Thus it is really not much more than you or I get!
I left 4 messages over 2 weeks trying to get a reply from the Onkyo national support manager, Jack Cooper. My last message was telling him I'd call the Onkyo executives if he did not respond. He called back a few hours later.
Jack only stated the "party line" and was completely unwilling to help. He only made excuses like, it requires a jig and the local centers don't have the experience to do the work... really? 50 years not enough? He would not comment on these issues...
I stated...
A) Computers have been easily home for updatable for over 10 years. How come we spend $1k on a receiver and we cannot do the same to fix problems solved by firmware?
B) There are obviously problems with the SR805 since there are 7 or 8 firmware updates in a year.
C) My SR805 has firmware v1.0 and it cannot be updated but newer firmware versions can be... obviously a bug/problem got fixed in later firware versions, yes? I'd expect Onkyo would fix the problem with no cost to the consumer since without that problem the customer would not have needed to ship the unit.
All my logic was ignored he did not give any hint that he or Onkyo cared about their problems or the customer perception... even after I stated that I'd be posting on the forums and telling everyone about the "bad taste" Onkyo is leaving... and that I'd not buy Onkyo ever again and recommend that no one does.
I'll give my cash, and support, to companies that care to give me not only good equipment, but good customer service to match.
my conclusion... DON'T BUY ONKYO
