Onkyo TX-SR800 for $499. Good Deal? Any others?

[Kyotech]

First time poster and long time reader.

I'm replaceing my Sherwood Newcastle R945 with another A/V receiver and found an Onkyo TX-SR800 for $499 at Circuit City open Box. The receiver seem to get good reviews but I could't find to much here in the disscussion area about it. I'm using the Energy Take 5.2 speakers and a B&W sub.

Is there another A/V receiver in the $500-$600 range that is new I should look at? My original receiver I want to go with was the HK 230 but I couldn't read the labels on the front. My 2nd choices was the Onkyo 601 but for the price I couldn't pass up the TX-SR800

Thoughts?

Thanks Greg

[depressed]

YAMAHA RX-V750 for about $420
YAMAHA RX-V1400 for about $500

[agtpunx40]

for $500? It's usually 600 or so isn't it?

[Woochifer]

YAMAHA RX-V750 for about $420
YAMAHA RX-V1400 for about $500

I would be VERY cautious of price quotes that low, given that the 1400 lists for $800 and the 750 lists for $650. Sounds more like an unauthorized vendor price than a selling price from an authorized retailer. The Yamaha RX-V series is not authorized for any mail order purchases, so if you buy online, just know that you've basically purchased a unit with no factory warranty support.

[Woochifer]

$500 is a good price for the TX-SR800. I would definitely opt for that over the 601. As with any open box special, make sure that you thoroughly check the condition of the unit before walking out with it. An open box model that a customer tried out but decided to return within the 30-day trial period is the ideal scenario. If that unit was a floor demo model, I wouldn't go for it. Circuit City and Best Buy way too much foot traffic with customers punching the buttons on those demos all day for months on end. A lot of wear and tear to watch out for.

[Kyotech]

I did check the unit out the best I could at the stor and all audio outputs seem to work. They still offer a 30 day return so no better place to test it than at home. Fry's had the 801on sale for $799 but just a bit out of my range. The Yama look good but I can't find a store that carries them, or I haven't looked hard enough. I think I will stay with the 800 for a while and see what it does.

[Invader3k]

The 800 is basically a steal at that price. Like the others said, make sure it is in good condition before you take it home, and that it has not been heavily used. Since you get a 30 day guarantee, you should be safe though. Definitely a great receiver for 500 bucks, assuming it works flawlessly.

[Worf101]

I've used both of this units predecessors the 787 and 797. The latter is running my bedroom system and the former a ex-girlfriends.. Solid units both. Easy to use and vesatile. I think 500's a good price.

Da Worfster :cool:

[Kyotech]

Well after reading through the Yamaha 1400 manual I like a lot of its features compared to the Onkyo 800. Such as OSD through the component monitor jacks, composite conversion to component. The Onkyo 800 will do that but only from s-video to component. Plus the Yamaha will be a newer unit hence $200 more.

Any other differences? From I read the Yamaha is just as good if not better than the Onkyo units depending who you ask. I like the looks of the Yamaha 1400 better than the Onkyo 800. Now if the Yamaha 1400 would support some kind of network integration like the Onkyo 801.

Thanks Greg

[Kyotech]

Would you opt for the 1400 over the Onkyo 800? Good Guys has $50 off the 1400 which makes it only $250 more for a newer receiver new in the box. I do like the up conversion to component. The 1400 would fit better in my rack since it's a bit shorter.


$500 is a good price for the TX-SR800. I would definitely opt for that over the 601.

[Woochifer]

Would you opt for the 1400 over the Onkyo 800? Good Guys has $50 off the 1400 which makes it only $250 more for a newer receiver new in the box. I do like the up conversion to component. The 1400 would fit better in my rack since it's a bit shorter.

On paper, the two receivers are almost identical -- the rated power output and basic features. The one thing that very well might tip things in the Yamaha's favor is the YPAO parametric room calibration feature. From having used a parametric equalizer for subwoofer tuning, and knowing how effective and difficult to use they are, the YPAO is a very worthwhile function to have available. The Yamaha also does the component video upsampling and can decode DTS 96/24 sources (not very many at the moment). Aside from that, the differences are minimal. Whether or not that's all worth $250 is up to you (and if you have a HDTV). Keep in mind that the 1400 is well over your original budget. If you're happy with the Onkyo, I would just pocket the savings and look to other things like speaker upgrades, getting a parametric equalizer for the subwoofer (even with the YPAO, you might need one anyway because that function cannot address bass problems below 60 Hz), or investing in room treatments. And IMO, the best upgrade most people can make is just setting their system up correctly in the first place -- things like the speaker positioning, matching the levels with a SPL meter, correctly setting the delay timing, picking the right crossover frequency for the subwoofer output, etc. So often, I see people contemplating upgrades to their system before they even figure out how to correctly use everything they already own.

[Kyotech]

Thanks Woochifer. I did pick up the Yamaha tonight and I'm confused on one area of setup. I'm using my Panasonic DVD plaver as a DVD plaver and a CD player and I can't get the inputs set correctly on the 1400. I'm running digital coax for the sound into the DVD digital input jack. Problem is when I select DVD audio is fine when I'm watching a movie. But when I listen to a CD music and switch the 1400 over to CD I get nothing. Because I have to move the audio connecter over to the CD digital input jack. I don't want to listen to CD music on DVD mode because I have to change over the sound settings. And I can't figure out how to tell the receiver to use the same digital audio jack for both DVD and CD modes. Clear as mud???

[F1]

Why do you need to change the sound setting??? Or maybe you need to change the receiver setting to AUTO so it will detect the input signals appropriately. You don't need to change the input. I hope this is what you need.

[poneal]

Unless im mistaken the question you shouldnt have to change to CD. You leave it on DVD for both DVD and CD listening since the cable goes to the DVD on the receiver right?

[Kyotech]

That is correct, but I have to change it to stereo mode instead of what ever mode I was listing to for a movie. My Onkyo 800 had the capability to assign the same input to multiple devices.



Unless im mistaken the question you shouldnt have to change to CD. You leave it on DVD for both DVD and CD listening since the cable goes to the DVD on the receiver right?

[magictooth]

That is correct, but I have to change it to stereo mode instead of what ever mode I was listing to for a movie. My Onkyo 800 had the capability to assign the same input to multiple devices.
Does your DVD player have 2 digital outs? If so, then you can connect one to the DVD in on your receiver and the other to the CD in.

[Paulay]

Hey Man,

I picked up the 800 a few months ago and paid about $1300 Canadian. I think that you are getting a great deal. You will also find that the 800 has more features and power than the 601. (THX, more watts/ch etc.)

[Woochifer]

Thanks Woochifer. I did pick up the Yamaha tonight and I'm confused on one area of setup. I'm using my Panasonic DVD plaver as a DVD plaver and a CD player and I can't get the inputs set correctly on the 1400. I'm running digital coax for the sound into the DVD digital input jack. Problem is when I select DVD audio is fine when I'm watching a movie. But when I listen to a CD music and switch the 1400 over to CD I get nothing. Because I have to move the audio connecter over to the CD digital input jack. I don't want to listen to CD music on DVD mode because I have to change over the sound settings. And I can't figure out how to tell the receiver to use the same digital audio jack for both DVD and CD modes. Clear as mud???

As others have said, the DVD input can handle BOTH DVD and CD audio. Those inputs DO NOT refer to the audio format, but the physical input source. The DVD input is for a DVD PLAYER, the CD input is for a CD PLAYER. Why do you want to switch over to the CD input whenever you got a CD in the DVD player? Switching the DSP setting to stereo mode is no more trouble than switching sources.

[Kyotech]

That is what I'm going to have to do if I keep the 1400. I hooked up both units last night and I thought the Onkyo sounded good, the 1400 sounds so much better. I'm contributing it to the fact that I used the auto setup with the 1400 and not on the Onkyo, I'm no pro on setting up the speakers yet . I like the Onkyo's remote and interface of the receiver much better that the 1400. The input dial is annoying, I like just hitting one button that is labeled DVD versus rotating a dial 4-5 clicks to the DVD position.