choosing an Onkyo reciever

[velillen]

Ok well the time has come for speakers and a receiver. Speakers i am getting advice from AVS and it sounds like itll be Boston Acoustics or Polk. Heres the link to that thread if it matters in helping to choose.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=19154005#post19154005

Speaker wise it i am eventually going for a 5.1 setup. For the time being i will just have a 3.0 setup. I dont know why but in all my planning i have leaned towards Onkyo for a receiver. Speakers i have gone back and forth on, settled on polk and posted on AVS only to change my mind. yet for receivers for some reason i've just been thinking which model onkyo.

Lets see stuff to know...hooks ups, PC/PS3/Wii (tv too....) so only two HDMI. Mostly want a "plug n' play" with a few features. Being able to control bass would be nice. Current tv is a Plasma 720p 42". 3d would be nice but not overly required. (do the like 507 support 3d? or only 508?) Thats it really

And that is why i am here. First off i have no problem buying refurb and that is what i will get. The models i am interested in (with prices) are (including shipping)

$215 Onkyo TX-SR507 80 watts channel 5.1
$270 Onkyo TX-SR607 90 watts channel 7.2
$235 Onkyo TX-SR508 7.1
$370 Onkyo TX-SR608 7.2

The 608 seems a bit more than what i'd like to pay but if its really worth it i suppose i could. All i honestly could see over the 608 is a advanced "home" OSD feature. Well that and a bit mroe power to each channel. 508 vs 507 i dont really see much other than 5.1 vs 7.1 and a few things like 1.4 hdmi and official 3d support. That and for the price i'd just got 508 over 507 most likely (unless theres a reason not too)

What do you guys think?

 

[poofyhairguy]

I just bought the 607 last night for myself. At that price its a steal...

 

[slashbinslashbash]

The 50x's don't do HDMI up-conversion. It's got HDMI in and out, but only HDMI inputs can be directed to the HDMI output. It will not convert your analog inputs into digital output over HDMI. So if you want to use your Wii, you're going to have to run a 2nd, analog connection from the receiver to the TV, and then switch inputs on the TV to the analog input instead of the HDMI whenever you play Wii. So you'll have to switch inputs on both the receiver and the TV.

Which, in the grand scheme of things, isn't such a big deal, but it would irritate the crap out of me. Especially when I could have avoided it by going for the 607 or 608. One HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV and you're done. Never switch inputs on your TV again. (Except to watch over-the-air TV with your TV's built-in tuner. Speaking of which, the 608 has HDMI 1.4, which supports an Audio Return Channel back from the TV to the receiver over the same HDMI cable. Awesome feature, too bad most existing TV's don't have it, but it could be nice to have whenever you do upgrade your TV -- assuming you watch over-the-air TV through the TV's tuner rather than through a cable/satellite receiver etc.)

 

[velillen]

hmmm that is good to know about the up-conversion. It would be rather annoying to have to switch both, then again i do plan on getting harmony remote eventually which from my understanding you could program it to just do both switches with the click of one button.

TV wise i have like free OTA tv which i rarely watch. Most of my tv viewing is downloaded 720p w/ 5.1 audio

 

[vi edit]

If you are considering $370 for the 608, then look at a refurb 707 for $30 more.
http://www.accessories4less.com/mak...t2-Plus-100-watts-channel-7.2-Receiver/1.html

Much beefier amp, better Audessey EQ'ing and pre-outs if you want them. The RC-180 is $420 and offers even more options. That's what I have and it's an absolute beast of a receiver. I don't see much value in HDMI 1.4 and the price cutting on the previous gen components is pretty crazy. You can buy some serious hardware for rock bottom prices.

 

[velillen]

hmmm ok one more question. I need to hook my pc up to the onkyo 607 that i have ordered (will be here tuesday). As i am making a "cable" run tomorrow i kind of need help with the cable lol.

My mobo is an older Asus A8N-premium it has spidf output both optical and digital. Now the specs sheet from onkyo on the 607 says the following
Digital Audio IN (OPT/COAX) 2 / 2

So all i really need is either the optical or digital cable (and change a few windows settings im sure) correct? heres kind of where i am having trouble too. i think i have the cables figured out but could use some verification.

Also my tv (panny tc42c2) has digital audio out (optical) which is the red light behind door thing. I could use that and then have the tv audio run through the receiver and out to speakers as well right? Would it work right since my tv receives OTA then would transmit back to the receiver?

So just to set me straight on all this and make sure i get what i really need.

For TV --->Receiver i would need "optical cable" such as this one?
http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-AV20000.../dp/B0001VWHH2

For PC ---> Receiver i could use either one listed above OR
http://www.amazon.com/Monster-SDC-1M.../dp/B00008RW90


Thanks in advance, sorry if that doesnt make sense. Long days of work and drinking=sounding good in head but not making sense to other people. I know a lot of this i will figure out once i start playing with the unit just want ot have the cabling ready to go!

 

[slashbinslashbash]

Yes, you are right in both regards. Either an optical or a coaxial digital cable from the PC to the receiver. And an optical from the TV to the receiver.

Just to complicate things, you could get a video card for your PC that does HDMI out with the audio signal merged in. From everything I've read, it is a total PITA to do so (driver/Windows/HDCP hell) but there are cards out there that do it.

 

[alkemyst]

don't forget monoprice on the cables.

OP I'd stick with the 607 or 608 for the best bang for buck, if 607 is more realistic for your budget you really can't go wrong with it. While only $100 more, percentage-wise the 608 is a huge jump in cost.

When I upgrade I usually try and target recievers around $300, I always have a system people will comment on. However, speakers are really the bread-winner in this department with solid state amps all the top manufacturers pretty much have an even playing field.

I bought my Yamaha HTR5960 back in 2006 for $319 shipped. I haven't needed HDMI yet and it's lack of them was why it was heavily discounted. When I do go LCD/Plasma next year (probably), I can still get by without it for a while if I wanted. My plan is to upgrade my DVD, TV and Reciever at the same time.

 

[Rhoxed]

Just to complicate things, you could get a video card for your PC that does HDMI out with the audio signal merged in. From everything I've read, it is a total PITA to do so (driver/Windows/HDCP hell) but there are cards out there that do it.

Actually its very easy if you have an AMD card, just download the current drivers, hook in the HDMI cable, set default audio device to the vid card and your done.

I have my computer hooked into a 7.1 system 46" plasma for entertainment, also hooked to a 32" 1080P for a monitor (with sound), and headphones. You can have audio play through each device seperately. For instance, i put a movie on the 46" and 7.1, while i play a game on the 32" listening to headphones also.

 

[Auric]

AVR scalers have largely been a gimmick since being included even in cheap tellies out of necessity. In fact, they have sometimes degraded the image rather than passing it through (where no scaling was desired). So, not having one is actually a good thing about the 500 series. As for the related switching, even given analog sources (increasingly rare) which must be switched on the telly, that's been easily handled by cheap macro capable remotes for years. Another over-emphasized borderline-gimmick has been more than 5.1 channels. It was promoted for years just to push upgrades, despite there being a dearth of content. Even now that there is some, it should still be considered the cherry on the icing on the cake of an already good and balanced system.

It's not necessary to spend more than a couple dollars on the S/PDIF cables. The difference would be better spent on the AVR or something else. Other than the amplifier and Audessey differences mentioned by vi edit, the 700 also has DTS Headphone and a phono pre-amp, all of which make it a more compelling upgrade over the 500 to me. But if you don't need 'em then you should be very pleased with the 600.