Onkyo TX-SR606 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black)
by Onkyo
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List Price: Our Price: $179.99 You Save: $319.01 (64%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Speakers See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Onkyo TX-SR606 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black)
Customer Review: Many Features! Greatest Value For The Money.
Summary: 5 Stars
Have been a loyal Onkyo customer since the early 1980's. Have always been impressed with the features that Onkyo products provide. Looking for a AVR receiver to replace my Onkyo SR-TX555 Dolby 5.1 unit because I was needing for more processing capabilities for the newer digital audio formats associated with Blu-ray. Was also looking at HDMI input output.
Although initially looking at Onkyo 606 and 706, I also looked at other brands for sanity check. After reading many reviews on several brands and models, from a features to price comparison, everything pointed to Onkyo. I decided on the 606 over the 706 mainly because I just could not see the $200 difference in price between the 2 units. Also, nearly everywhere I looked, the 606 was getting the best consumer reviews.
Now to give you my customer review on the 606. After 1 week of use, the unit DELIVERS AS ADVERTISED and sounds incredible, although with as many features as this unit offers, I am still learning exactly what all this unit will do. The initial speaker setup is pretty straight forward and works as advertised. No problems with the microphone for me. My system consists of DirecTV HD DVR, Samsung DLP HDTV, Sony Blu-Ray DVD and most recently a Wii. The HDMI connectivity for the DVR and Blu-Ray to the Onkyo and then 1 HDMI cable to the TV is very clean. The Wii is via Component Video to the Onkyo and then the Onkyo sends the video to the TV through the HDMI out. Input/Output setup and digital input assignments on the Onkyo is a snap with its On-Screen Setup Menus.
One problem that was bothering me was that I was having difficulty getting my Blu-Ray Movies to play with what I thought was the proper Digital Audio. While selecting DTS HD Master Audio (7.1) on the DVD menu, the Onkyo would not show anything but PCM input coming to it. Another reviewer commented on this same issue implying that it was a problem with the receiver. While thinking this was a setup issue on the Onkyo, I finally figured out the problem was with the setup of the SONY BLU-RAY player and not the Onkyo. After changing a setting on the Sony unit, my Onkyo now plays DTS HD Master Audio in all 7 channels as expected and displays TRUE HD on the Onkyo display.
Many users comment on the HEAT that this receiver puts out. I cannot say that this unit puts off any more or any less heat than the TX555 receiver it replaced. I cannot say that heat is a problem for me, as I am used to receivers being somewhat warm to the touch.
Compared to any other brand receiver in its price range and the features that the 606 gives, I have no regrets for my selection of this unit. More than enough power for my moderate sized home theater room. Maybe an even more amazing point is that this new Onkyo 606 provides me with all the latest technology and even 15 more watts per channel than the TX555 that it replaced and cost $200 less today than what I paid for the TX555 ten years ago.
EXCELLENT VALUE FOR THE DOLLAR !! GREAT PERFORMANCE !!
Customer Review: This is the receiver you want!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is it.
I mean, come one! It's got 4 HDMI inputs, it upscales all inputs ( component, svideo, and even composite inputs) so you can use a single HDMI output, and it has the Audyssey eq system - all for under $500 (at the time of this writing)
The first 3 features are relatively self explanatory to you home theater gurus but the Audyssey system requires some additional explanation and praise.
This was one of the selling points for me. Even though I knew very little about it, it sounded cool. Basically you place the supplied microphone at various points in your room and hit a button on the receiver. It sends out some weird-sounding twirps over each speaker, one at atime, and then completely adjusts your speaker levels and EQ settings automatically. I found the result to be striking to say the least.
I recently re-did my entire home theater which involved replacing everything in my system except the chairs. Blu-ray, 1080i projector, in-wall speakers, and a whomping subwoofer were all purchased. To tie it all together I purchased this Onkyo TX-SR606.
When I first hooked this unit up to my new speaker setup (with no adjustments yet made) I was already impressed with the sound. My discerning ears noticed a few things that I might adjust, like perhaps the center channel needed to be turned up and the subwoofer turned down a bit. However, I did not worry about that at all. Instead, I just plugged in this magic little mic and pushed the "enter" button. The unit prompted me to move the microphone around a room a few times. About 15 minutes later it was done.
The difference in sound was immediately noticeable. My subwoofer was less muddy, the mids and highs became noticeably clearer, and I even found I could crank the system up more without distortion.
Of course your results may vary, but my results were absolutely striking.
A final note, the entire Onkyo TX line is great but note that THIS model (the sr606) is probably the minimum model that you will want. I would stay away from the cheaper ones in this line. Not only do they lack video upconversion (which is typical for cheaper receivers and might not be a big deal for you), but they do not pass any sound on the HDMI inputs through. Yikes, you will need to run separate cables for the sound! This doesn't make any sense and contradicts the whole purpose of HDMI.
This (the sr606) does NOT have the above issues. This is the one you want!
I never even tried the remote for this Onkyo. I use a Logitech Harmony 880 universal remote to control the entire system (and you should too!)
Customer Review: Great starter or step up from HTIB system
Summary: 5 Stars
After spending about a month searching reviews on the web and recommendations on home theater forums (not to mention the reviews here), I decided that the Onkyo 606 had all the features I wanted, at a price point I could afford; and was well-reviewed and recommended.
I've had this product for a little more than a month and I love it. Better yet, so does my wife.
I want to get something out of the way up front: the heat issue that many talk about. Yes, it does get hot in a closed cabinet -- when I've got the unit on, I currently open the cabinet door to get a good air exchange and it has taken care of any potential problem. I have a few inches clearance on each side, and about 6-8 inches above. All of this is just precautionary; and I will say that my DISHNetwork HD DVR runs much hotter. (I plan to install a small, quiet cabinet exhaust fan in the near future so I won't have to leave the cabinet door open.)
I'm very happy with the clear, crisp sound delivered to the speakers (Polk Audio RM6750 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System (Set of Six, Black)), even from TV. My room size is about 13 x 25, and I only need to set the volume about "40" to fill the room with sound.
Currently I've got 1 HDMI in from my DISH receiver, and component inputs from a Wii and DVD player. (Planning on purchasing BluRay soon.) The switching on the 606 allows me to easily switch sources, to deliver a signal to my Sony HDTV via a single HDMI out. All of which is nice. I even have an input setup for my laptop hookup to stream video via S-Video (with stereo audio).
Other reviewers have taken exception to the advertised upscaling to 1080i/720p, but it is good enough to make the non-HD channels look clearer (but still not equivalent to what you get from a 720p or 1080p source signal).
I do occasionally hear a popping (very rarely) from the speakers when watching DISH dvr, but I read in the discussion boards that this is a known issue with the DISH dvr and a firmware upgrade is apparently on the way.
The setup was pretty easy, just took awhile to get all the cables and wires run how I wanted them.
I would recommend this receiver for those who are looking to jump into home theater with both feet; or looking to upgrade from a HTIB (without jumping into the really high end stuff yet). I fall into the latter category. And, I'm definitely satisfied with my purchase.
Customer Review: Quite A Performer!
Summary: 5 Stars
After considerable shopping, reading of reviews, I decided on the Onkyo 606. I have been very pleased with its performance at all levels. As others have mentioned, it has inputs that will accommodate all of your needs that I can think of. Set up was easy, though thin fingers will help with speaker wire installation! Plenty of power to run my system (7.1). I was also influenced by the "hedge against the future" advantage of this unit. The Audyssey speaker calibration was easy to use and very effective in a room with some unique demands. It will calculate distance, volume, and tone of each speaker to create a full surround sound from the listening area. (You take 3 readings - not just one.) If you don't like the sound, you can redo the readings, or manually calibrate to suit your taste. The available Listening Modes are numerous & quite impressive, including some unique to Onkyo receivers (such as Modes for unplugged, rock, studio, classical, to TV shows set in a studio vs. cinema settings and game settings). I find the chart in the manual very helpful in choosing a mode for my listening or viewing choice. Unlike some receivers, the different Listening Modes are noticeably different from one another, giving you more choices for what sounds good to your ear.
Many of the reviews have focused on its video pluses, and there are many, but my primary use is for audio. (Though its upconversion of a DVD to an LG LCD was quite stunning via HDMI.) I have played FM stations, CD's,DIV Audio, and SACD's through this receiver and its range and power render a clear, accurate, balanced surround field. It can read the signal from an SACD via the HDMI cable, eliminating the need for the 5 or 7 analog cables usually required for multi channel devices (though it can take them, too). The 90 wts. per channel is more than enough to drive my Bose 601 floors, Bose 301 surrounds, and Bose 201 surround back speakers with plenty of oomph left for the subwoofer. I did tweak the center speaker a bit and dialog is clear and audible in all Listening modes.
I have had no problems with hum or noise that some have reported. Running hot? All receivers make heat, so allow some top space and exhaust for ventilation. I have about 6-8 inches above and leave a cabinet door open for extended play and have had no problems or heat issues.
This is a good receiver with tons of options and capabilities. For the price, it outperforms the field. I can recommend highly.
Customer Review: Even Better Than I Expected
Summary: 5 Stars
My wife got me this for Christmas. Our Technics receiver blew a channel and it looked like getting it repaired would be more trouble than it was worth. She paid just over $300 for the Onkyo---which I considered a bargain then and amazing now---especially since the price seems to have gone up.
My expectations for this receiver were that it would cover the same bases as the Technics at about the same price we paid for the old receiver, with the addition of up to date capabilities (many of which I don't need). What I found after setting it up is that the Onkyo's ability to reproduce high fidelity music is markedly superior to what I'd been used to with the Technics (which I'd thought pretty good). It's easier to set up and use than my old one too; the remote especially is well designed and boasts many more controls than my old one did. I really really like the remote. In a 360 sq ft room the SR606 has more than enough power for music and movies. My setup is 5.1 but I'm confident 7.1 would be no problem.
Cons (all relatively minor): 1)THe Audyssy auto speaker setup is a neat feature but after trying it three times I finally gave up and configured the speakers manually---which, as others have said, is fairly easy. 2) My old receiver was big, this one is bigger; in this era of shrinking electronics, this receiver bucks the trend, but of course people expect much more out of A/V equipment these days. 3) THe SR606 has no phono input, so I put a phono preamp (Pyle Pro, $25) between the turntable and the amp connected to the CD analog component input, and since my CD player is connected optically the receiver figures out on its own which input is which and plays the right one automatically. The main point is that the Onkyo is smart enough to sort out the signals without programming, which impressed me. Another point is that this receiver has multiple means of connecting components; depending upon the component, either HDMI, optical, coaxial, S-Video, or RCA. Look at that---even when I started listing the cons I ended up with pros.
Games, upscaling, 1080p: I have no idea.
All in all, this is a fantastic receiver, and it made for a great musical Christmas.