Polk Audio SurroundBar 50 Surround System (Single Speaker, Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I got the SurroundBar 50 last week after a few days of research. If you're researching for single speaker surround sound solutions that means you cannot run wires in your room thanks to the landlord or your wife (welcome to my world hehe).
You have couple of options when you're looking for a single speaker solution for your home theater project, and I was down to Yamaha and Polk Audio. Between the two I chose Polk Audio over Yamaha because (A) Yamaha requires a perfect 4 wall room so that sound can bounce back off the walls and create the surround sound effect, which I don't have (cathedral ceiling, staircase in the middle of the house so no back wall and side walls are far apart.) and (B) Yamaha costs way more. Don't get me wrong, Yamaha is awesome from what I read on Amazon and on other sites, but SurroundBar/SurroundBar 50 plus a decent subwoofer cost less than a Yamaha (which has an integrated subwoofer).
To pair with my SurroundBar 50, I bought a Velodyne Minivee 10 subwoofer. It was a bit of an overkill in my situation. But I wanted to spend a bit more and get a great sounding sub in case I wanted to build a better home theater one day. You can pair SurroundBar 50 with any Polk Audio sub out there. PSW111 is a good one for example. I have an Onkyo A/V Receiver and an Onkyo DVD player. The setup was fairly easy. SurroundBar 50 comes with the audio cables ready to be hooked up between the bar and your receiver. Everything is color coded so you can't really go wrong here. I hooked up an RCA audio cable between my receiver and my sub's line level inputs. Total setup = 1 hour or less.
After configuring my receiver to use the new bar and sub, I tested the surround sound with Matrix, Gladiator and Pitch Black DVDs. SurroundBar 50 produces the "enveloping sound" as promised. I still need some adjustments to do later but so far I'm pretty impressed with what I have. The SDA technology Polk Audio offers does a great job. This product will NOT give you a true 5.1 surround sound experience, so if you're an audiophile this is not for you. This product performs really well in creating the 5.1 effect. In Pitch Black you really hear those flying creatures moving around and in Matrix it's a pleasure hearing bullets flying by and ricocheting.
Overall I'm very impressed. I'm just happy I was able to setup a surround sound system under an hour and without running wires going through walls and furniture and carpet etc. Your experience may vary from mine so go to your local electronics store and give this a test. If your wife is like mine who is against speakers and wires around the room then SurroundBar might be the solution for you too. :)


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Onkyo HT-S7100 7.1 Channel Receiver and Speaker Package Review

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(More customer reviews)This is probably one of the best "home theater in a box" setups you'll run across. The receiver is the 606 model which has been very well received by most reviewers. It will accept pretty much any type of input and output it via HDMI so you can cut down on the spaghetti-nest of wires. The speakers are pretty good for this price point. No, it won't put a high-end system to shame, but it will hold its own (and unusually surpass) pretty much anything in this price range.
The sub is better than I expected. Good, solid bass. It's a down-firing setup which is nice if you have pets that like to mess with speakers.
The receiver runs pretty hot, as is typical with Onkyo systems. Make sure there is lots of ventilation (i.e., don't put it into a closed media cabinet).
It also includes stands for the front L/R speakers which is a nice touch, and adds to the overall value. It does not, however, come with a DVD player. But, that's a good thing - you're far better off putting the money into a better quality receiver such as the 606 than getting a system that includes a DVD player with a lesser quality receiver.
The model below this (6100) is very similar. The receiver is virtually the same -- different model number, but the specs are 95% the same. The biggest difference is that the 6100 does not include speaker stands. If there's a big price difference, the 6100 may be a better choice if you don't need stands.
I use this as a home theater/music setup in my basement, and have been very pleased with it. It does not sound as good as the Denon/KEF setup in the LR, but it produces solid quality sound. I have a Wii and a DVD player hooked to it, with the output being a single HDMI cable to a Samsung LCD.
Setup is very straightforward. The most time consuming part is running wires for the back speakers. There are some systems out that have wireless back speakers, but those come with their own set of problems as well (such as interference with wireless routers). Plus, unless you're willing to spend a lot more, wireless speakers in this price range will not perform nearly as well as traditional wired speakers.
Speaking of wires, the only disappointment with this setup was the speaker wires that were included. Very small gauge wire - toss them, and get some decent 16 (or perhaps even 14) gauge wire from monoprice.
If you are looking to keep the cost of a home theater setup to under $800, this system should be on your short list. If you're looking to spend more there are better choices, but this is a great value for the price.
One last thing - the box is heavy!! It comes well-packed, but the total weight is 100+ pounds, so have a hand truck ready!

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Onkyo HT-S7100 7.1 Channel Receiver and Speaker Package

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Denon AVR-2309CI 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this receiver to replace an aging Sony STI-910 receiver when I upgraded the home theater system with a Sony PS3 that we use for blu ray movies and games. The first thing you'll appreciate is the automated speaker setup and synchronization system. It makes life pretty easy and eliminates the need to manually calibrate the sound output for your room.
I have a fairly big room and was surprised how accurate it got my speakers tuned. You'll need a good 2 hours to get the receiver setup, synchronized, and mapped to your inputs. One thing that some may find hard to do is the setup of each input. It requires you to map each audio, video, and source with each of the primary functions such as DVD, TV/CBL box, etc. But once you do the first one, it becomes much easier.
The remote control is a bit funky though. Denon decided to save space and created the remote with buttons on both sides. The botton side is primarily used to setup the receiver and select the various equalization modes. The front side is used to control each of the devices. This takes some getting used to and is a bit of a hassle for the price you're paying.
But remote issues aside, the sound is great. I cross shopped the Harmon Kardon 354 series, Pioneer Elite, and new Marantz around the same price range. If you have a PS3, you'd better check out the blogs first. The HK has a lot of issues with the PS3 and even after the latest firmware update, there are still some remaining issues. This kept me away from the HK even though that was my original choice.
The Marantz didn't have as many features as the Denon, even though it was just released. I think the sound of the HK and Marantz is slightly warmer than the Denon, but you'll only really notice this slight difference if you're listening to a lot of classical, jazz or vocal pieces.
For home theater, it really drew out a lot of nuanses that my Sony was simply not reproducing. Even my wife and kids noticed the difference with the first blu ray we popped in. The detail was much more pronounced and the auto speaker calibration really balanced out how my speakers were reproducing the volume and sound accuracy for the room.
For music, the receiver had quite a few equalization modes, but what impressed me was how much better the sound stage was in the direct bypass mode compared to my Sony. It was much clearer and had a deeper sound stage with better separation. It's not quite audiophile specs, but it's much better than many of the other low to mid end consumer components I've listened to.
The HDMI switching worked well with the PS3, Denon upscaling DVD player, and TV/CBL box I had hooked up to it. The Denon 2309ci did a good job of upscaling sources from my normal DVD and component inputs too.
I'd recommend this unit to others as the features, compatibility, sound and picture quality are very good for the price. I would have rated it a full 5 out of 5 if the remote was a more user friendly.
Hope this helped.

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A/V Surround Receiver featuring Dolby Tru HD, dts HD Master Audio and 1080p HD Video enhances your level of video and audio performances.

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Onkyo TX-SR508 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)The sound from my ten year old Onkyo TX-DS474 was now inferior and I had read very good reviews of the Onkyo SR 507, so decided to pre order the brand new SR 508. It arrived from Amazon on April 29th. I used the built in equalizer to set up the speakers, connected the receiver with brand new HDMI v1.4 cables and connected it to my Dish satellite receiver, my Panasonic BluRay DVD player and my Panasonic HDTV. The sound was excellent. Whereas before we had to turn up the volume too loud to follow dialog on some shows, or else it was not clear, with the SR 508 the sound was so much clearer that we could keep the volume much lower.
After about three days I noticed that although I would assign the input as cab/sat, the receiver indicated ipod (now no ipod dock was connected to the receiver) but the sound still came through from the satellite box. Strange but no problem. Then exactly one week after receiving the receiver, in the middle of watching a show, the picture and sound went blank. No pushing of different buttons on the remote would make it work. My first reaction was a bad HDMI cable, so I changed it. Nothing. I switched to the DVD player, but again blank. So then I hooked up the satellite box and the DVD player directly to the TV by separate HDMI cables, turned on the TV speakers, and the TV works again. Obviously the SR 508 suddenly failed and would not even work as a pass through. I am returning the set to Amazon for a replacement. If the replacement works fine for a reasonable amount of time, I will update this review.
I chose Onkyo partially because of its RIHD feature in conjunction with Panasonic. In my experience that only works so-so. Turning on the BluRay DVD player did switch the receiver directly to DVD. But turning it off does not switch back automatically to cab/sat. Turning off the TV also turns off the Onkyo, but not vice versa. You still have to turn on the Onkyo receiver separately.
One unexpected problem with the receiver is that the zone 2 input works only with an analog signal. On my DS-474, I have set up output B to speakers in my screened in porch to be able to listen to CDs or TV there. The B speakers work with digital. Now all my signal inputs for zone 2 are digital, so it appears that the zone 2 feature is useless. Bummer!
I should specify that I am not at all techie, so there may be work arounds that I don't know!
Update#1: The unit failed Thursday evening, I requested a replacement online from Amazon on Friday noon, it arrived at my house on Saturday at about 2pm. I'm sure everyone would agree that that is outstanding customer service from Amazon. I have now (Sunday) installed the replacement unit and again it appears to be working great. Provided it continues to do so, I will add a second update and change my rating to four stars. I remain disappointed that the zone 2 is not digital, hence not 5 stars.
Update #2: Four days after installing the second receiver, it also failed in the same way. However, at the bottom of the "Troubleshooting" page in the user manual, I found the following comment: "The AV receiver contains a microcomputer for signal processing and control functions. In very rare situations, severe interference, noise from an external source, or static electricity may cause it to lock up. In the unlikely event this happens, unplug the power cord from the wall outlet, wait at least five seconds and then plug it in again."
That worked and it has not locked up again in the last ten days. However, I certainly take issue with the "rare circumstances" and "unlikely event" and I can't imagine any special event that may have caused it. My receiver is in a cabinet with the plug behind it, so unplugging is quite inconvenient. This said, the sound from the receiver is really clear so, if this problem does not recur frequently, I will be happy with the purchase. I'm changing my rating from one star to three stars.

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Reciever, Onkyo ,Tx SR508 Stereo

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Onkyo HT-RC260 7.2-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I want to start off by saying that i'm no audiophile and that i don't have super fantastic speakers so this review won't be commenting on the nuances of sound quality of this receiver. But lets face it, if you are only spending $350.00 on a receiver, you are looking for a good receiver, not one that is going to blow you out of the water. That being said...
The Onkyo was delivered in one day (thanks Amazon Prime) and came well packaged. There was a serious dent in one side of the box, but nothing was harmed inside. The receiver is quite heavy (which i hope indicates decent internals). Set up was VERY easy. The 5 HDMI ports on the rear (plus one on the front) are, of course, the easiest to hook equipment up to. The speaker terminals are clearly indicated and there are two subwoofer pre-outs. Additionally, if you don't want to run a true 7.1 set-up, you can run either an extra pair of fronts or bi-wire your front speakers (if you have that option). This was unexpected at this price point.
I have the following hooked up to the receiver. Sony PS3 slim, Xbox 360 (1st generation / component + toslink cables), WD TV (media player), and a comcast (motorala brand) cable box. Everything, other than the xbox 360, is hooked up via HDMI. The optical and coaxial audio inputs are assignable (once you get into the systems menu which is on-screen). I have everything running via a single 35 foot hdmi cable to my ceiling mounted Epson 8100 projector (which is a 1080p 3-lcd unit). I use a harmony remote, so i can't comment too much on the included onkyo one, but i did use it for setting up the receiver and it's fairly comfortable to hold and seems to have a complete set of function buttons on it.
Just a few random notes:
- the display on the receiver is very bright, but the remote has a dimmer button on it which can dim the display until it is almost off.
- the microphone set-up was VERY easy. Just place it in 3 locations and hit a few buttons. It does the rest of the calibration for you.
- the sound (even through my old sony speakers) is better than what my old sony and denon receivers could produce.
- hdmi pass-through is available, as is on board up-scaling and analog to digital up-converting to 1080p out via HDMI (a very nice feature at this price point)
Keep in mind that I'm no expert, but i have set up a number of systems (from cheap home-theaters-in-a-box up to $50,000 custom home theater rooms) and this product really impresses me on its feature set as well as its ease of set up. If anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to ask via amazon.

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While we may define it as an entry-level A/V receiver, the HT-RC260 gives you performance and features that leave class-competitors gasping in its wake. Six of the latest HDMI 1.4a inputs provide easy connection for all your high-def sources and compatibility with the eye-popping new 3D video format. Another connectivity highlight is a handy Universal Port that allows you to hook up Onkyo peripherals such as a Dock for iPod/iPhone. Meanwhile, if you want to distribute music to another room, the HT-RC260 provides Zone 2 line-outs and speaker outputs. Regardless of their resolution, all video sources can be upscaled to stunning 1080p via HDMI and Faroudja DCDi Cinema . High-quality Burr-Brown DACs work alongside jitter-cleaning technology and three-stage inverted Darlington circuitry to minimize distortion and deliver extremely realistic audio for movies, music, and games. The HT-RC260 also offers compatibility with lossless Dolby and DTS codecs, as well as the expanded surround formats of Audyssey DSX and Dolby Pro Logic IIz. Quality home theater has never been more affordable.

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Yamaha HTR-6180BL 735 Watt 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)After a month, still belive it is everything that was promised. Wanted an HD radio. And so far, every San Fran FM station I can find comes in in HD and has a 2nd HD channel with it!
Agree with other posting at other sites, the remote control is a little confusing, but getting yourself a Harmony RC seems to be the only way to go these days!


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Channels: 7
RMS Output Power (20Hz - 20kHz): 105W x 7
RMS Output Power (1kHz)
Total Power (20Hz - 20kHz): 735W
Dolby TrueHD
Dolby Digital EX/ Dolby Pro Logic IIx (Plus)
DTS-HD Master Audio
DTS-ES Discrete 6.1
DTS 96/24 / DTS Neo:6
Pure Direct
HD Radio Tuner
iPod Compatibility (With Optional YDS-10)
Bluetooth Compatibility (With Optional YBA-10)
Compressed Music Enhancer
Neural Surround
XM HD Surround
SRS (Circle Surround II)
THX Processing
Sirius Satellite Radio Ready
XM Satellite Radio Ready
HDMI (In/Out): (3 / 1) Ver. 1.3
i.Link (IEEE 1394)
Component Video (In/Out): (3 / 1)
A/V Inputs (S-Video) 5 (All S-Video)
Digital Inputs/Outputs [O: Optical, C: Coaxial] (O: 4, C: 2 / O: 1)
Front A/V with Digital Input (S-Video / Optical)
Front Mini Input for Portables
Front USB Input For Flash Memory Drives
LAN Terminal RJ-45

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Onkyo TX-SR607 7.2-Channel A/V Surround Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)My previous receiver was a 9 year old Sherwood. It was a little above a low end unit. It started buzzing and I decided it was time for a replacement. I have 2 nice Wharfdale floor speakers, a nice center, decent rear surrounds and 2 really decent sub woofers.
I read extensive reviews on several brands and decided that I would purchas Onkyo. I went to Fry's looking for the 606 model. They were sold out and just received the 607. I purchased the 607.
I wanted something HDMI based that allowed audio through the HDMI cables. The thing was a snap to set up. Make sure to run an HDMI cable to your TV from the receiver so that you can do on screen programming.
As I said, I have 2 sub woofers and the 607 has two output RCA jacks to enable 2 subs. No more RCA splitters. I fired the thing up and was shocked at the sound quality. The thing sparkles and the lows are clean and deep. I adjusted the individual speaker levels with a Radio Shack db meter on an easy to use Onkyo menu. I did not use the calibration system built into the receiver. A few trips through the menus and you have them mastered. The menu system is REALLY SIMPLE.
Unless you have some REALLY expensive speakers, this is the unit for you. Great sound quality, simple setup and easy menus make this a good choice for the novice or mid range home theater enthusiast.
I highly recommend the unit.

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The TX-SR607 raises the bar once again in the competitive world of mid-range home theater. With HDMI 1.3a inputs for up to six components, it's ready to handle all your high-definition video and audio needs. Whether it's a Blu-ray Disc player, a cable or satellite box, or a gaming console, your video signals will be traveling first class. Lower-resolution analog video signals, meanwhile, can be upscaled to 1080i and fine-tuned by Faroudja DCDi Edge™. HDMI version 1.3a also transports the master-quality HD audio formats, DTS-HD Master Audio™ and Dolby TrueHD. The very latest Dolby technology, Dolby Pro Logic IIz, enhances the spatial sensation

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Yamaha RX-V1065BL 7.2-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I needed to replace a couple of old receivers so I found a great deal on the RX-V1065 and RX-V765 on Amazon. I ended up getting both of them for aboout what 2 V665's would have cost me a a Big Box store. I first setup my Main Theate Room with the 1065, I thought it was somewhat difficult to get everything the way I wanted it but the automatic speaker setup was slick and the sound is fantastic compared to my old Sony I had previously. The Menu system takes some getting use to but once you do it's not bad to navigate. All in all I was pretty darn happy with my purchase, My JBL's sounded much better then before and although I didn't really notice any difference in video quality, it was as good as before and now I had everything coming thru the same box. Surround sound was a huge step up from my old receiver also, you are almost looking behind you now because you'd swear someone is behind you, where on my old Sony it was more or less a quieter front speaker.
I then went to hook up my 765 in my cave TV room, first thing that I noticed was that is basically identical to the 1065, sure the menu system is not as polished but as far as the functionality that I need it is the same. I have a few year old Bose surround sound in this room with a JBL center chanel speaker and what a HUGE difference this receiver made over my old Onkyo, the Onkyo was really good for music but surround sound was sub par, but it was 10 years old I guess. Granted I'm only hooking up a Xbox 360, blue ray and TV in this room but watching Vikes beat up the the Packers in surround sound with this receiver was great, I haven't figured out which sound field I like best but there are a couple perfect for sports.
One of the coolest things was when I grabbed the TV remote from my Samsung LCD by mistake to turn the volume down and it says RX-V765 un the upper corner and starts to tun down the volume of the receiver from the TV, displaying the volume the whole time it's changing. I guess that Anynet capability on the Samsung TV's with a HDMI reciever gives you a few more bells and whistles. Also really cool is when I turn on the Xbox or turn off the TV the receiver will come on or off accordingly. I haven't setup the remote for additionaly devices yet, but it seems to be easy to use and is exactly the same for the 765 and 1065, I actually expected the remote to be better for the 1065 so i was a little disapointed when I saw it, but in using it it seems OK/
One thing I do not like is the Zone 2 ability on the 1065, I almost wish is was more or less a A/B speaker selector, I have a normal 5 speaker surround setup, in addition to that I have 2 speakers in the kitchen, right behind the TV room which are connect to Zone 2 that when I'm listening to music we like to have on so that you have more sound. The problem is that Zone 2 running the same input as the Main Room is off by a few fractions of a second and if you stand right between the 2 rooms, it sounds like the song is a half a second behind in the kitchen, I tried the lipsync thing, which only made it worse, I haven't given up on it yet, but it's not obvious how to fix this.
Bottom Line -
Both the 1065 and the 765 have more inputs than I know what to do with.
Neither have HDMI on the front, I didn't want it anyway, as I think it looks stupid to set all your equipment up and then have a big cable hanging off the front of your system anyway. That's why the put the jacks on the back, right???
May not have quite as many sound fields as some others out there, but I pick the 2 or 3 I like for movies, sports and music anyway and don't care about the rest.
The YPAO is cool and works great to setup the speakers.
The onscreen Menu is better on the 1065 but adequate on the 765.
HI-DEF Radio sounds amazing on both.
Don't think I will ever use the remotes as universal remotes, but they are adequate for running the receivers.
I cannot comment much on the video conversion, as everything I am running is HDMI and looks the same as it die running straight into the TV.
Sound on both of these is fantastic, even at volumes that start to hurt, the sound is clear, the bass is crisp not slow and there is no distortion, my old receivers would make my speakers start to hiss at a much lower volume, and these receivers never do.
Save yourself some money though get the 765, once it's all setup and you don't need to go into the menu anymore, you'll never notice the difference.
I read a lot of reviews and narrowed it down to Onkyo and Yamaha, at last second I pulled the trigger on Yamaha and for what I paid on Amazon for the 2 of them I am thrilled with my purchase

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Yamaha RX-V1065BL 7.2-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver

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Sony STR-DH700 7.1-Channel A/V Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is my second Sony Receiver in a row. In fact, the only reason I even upgraded my STR DE697 7.1 receiver was because it didn't have HDMI inputs--aside from that deficiency I was completely satisfied. So after researching the Yamaha (RX-V464BL), Onkio (RX-V463BL), and Sony (STR-DH700) I stuck with Sony and purchased the STR-DH700 7.1-channel A/V receiver. Now, most will say I'm crazy for not going with the Onkio, but I've always been pleased with Sony and I wanted to 1) save some $$$ and 2) avoid a steep learning curve (I'm very used to Sony's products).
PROS: My favorite feature has to be the quick set up for the speakers. With the push of a button in just 30 seconds my speakers were auto calibrated via the calibration mic. GREAT FEATURE!
CONS: The music settings i.e. Jazz, Stadium, Hall, etc. are useless to me due to the fact the subwoofer is excluded from all the settings in this mode except Portable (setting for MP3 players). I'm not sure why Sony did this, but it really stinks since my Polk front channels are rather small and depend on my 8" sub for quality sound. Again, this is my only complaint and because 99% of what this receiver is used for is cinema I'll survive!
Overall I'm very pleased with this entry level receiver. For an extra $100 I could have gone with the STR-DH800 which includes Dolby® TrueHD Decoding, but since I'm only running a 3.1 set-up I figured I'd be okay. I would; however, suggest paying the additional $100 between the STR-DH500 and DH700 because the HDMI connections in the DH500 only carry video, so you'd have to run separate cables for audio.
My Set-up:
TV: Vizio XVT series 42"
RECEIVER: Sony STR-DH700
BLUE RAY: Sony BDP-S360
SPEAKERS: Polk Audio surround RM10 set w/ PSW111 Subwoofer
UPDATE: 2 May 2009 - I'm attempting to edit this post again. Basically, the issue with the music sound fields was due to my assumtion that the auto-calibration would set the speaker size. WHAT WAS I THINKING? Once I changed the speaker settings from LARGE to SMALL everything worked like a champ!


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Onkyo TX-SR507 5.1-Channel A/V Surround Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I did a lot of research (including Consumer Reports) and settled on this Onkyo as the best compromise between performance and price. I've had it 2 weeks now and am very happy.
The auto setup function works better than a much-more expensive Denon unit I set up for a friend. I used the microphone (included) to measure speaker levels at 3 different locations in the room and the Onkyo did everything else. (It's connected to some older Polk speakers-- they sound so much better through this amp!)
I bought this primarily to process audio from our new BluRay player and the Onkyo does an outstanding job. The sound is better than in most movie theaters! Especially BluRay DTS or HD Master. Wish more movies were recorded in these formats.
We also have our DirecTV HD DVR hooked up to the Onkyo. Audio and video travel through the HDMI Cables, so there's no need to hook up audio separately. Very nice and a feature you will find missing from some more expensive amps.
The amp does get very warm. I put a small fan in the back of the cabinet and that seems to help.
BTW although this is a 5.1 channel amp is DOES support 7.1 if you want the 2 extra rear speakers... you just have to hook it up to your old amp (or any cheap 2-channel amp) and process those 2 channels that way. The 7.1 decoding IS built into this box.
I am not using the "Zone 2" feature but it's very unusual to have that in a receiver in this price range. You can watch a movie in one room while someone else listens to an iPod or FM in another room.
I don't think you can find a better receiver in this price range (and keep an eye on the price-- it's falling!)


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If you're looking for a budget-friendly A/V receiver that offers versatile connectivity and compatibility with the latest processing technology, Onkyo's TX-SR507 has you covered. With four HDMI 1.3a inputs, it can accept up to four high-definition sources—from Blu-ray Disc to HD broadcasting to high-def games—and output them to your compatible HDTV. HDMI 1.3a also enables you to enjoy the pristine "lossless" audio of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio™, as well as secondary audio on Blu-ray Disc via DTS-HD Express. The TX-SR507 comes with a suite of Audyssey surround-sound technologies to help tailor audio output to the unique dimensions of your entertainment space. Meanwhile, a new universal port makes it easy to incorporate an optional Onkyo Dock for the iPod or Onkyo HD Radio tuner into your system. With all this, plus four high-impact Game Modes and the ability to send different audio to two rooms simultaneously, the TX-SR507 puts a huge amount of entertainment potential at your fingertips.

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Sony STRDG720 7.1 Audio Video Receiver - Black Review

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(More customer reviews)If you own a Blu-ray player and it decodes uncompressed audio like Dolby TruHD and DTS-HD MA. Then now is is time to buy this inexpensive yet very capable receiver. It was huge improvement from my nine year old Sony 5.1 receiver, which still works well.
I wanted to complement my PS3 and 1080p 65" Mitsubishi with clean uncompressed audio. This receiver met this expectation for me and beyond with the incredible sound it can process. After setting it up, I popped in The Simpsons Movie on Blu-ray which has DTS-HD MA. I could not believe my Sony speakers could sound any better until it started playing. I then tried Spiderman 3 with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and it sounded amazing when Sandman fought Spiderman during the armored car scene. I was truly convinced that I made the right decision buying the 720 after listening to those tests movies. To every high, there is a low.
The receiver menu took awhile to understand from its manual. I spent about an hour trying to figure out how to adjust my speaker set up settings. After some curse words and taking a break, I finally figured it out. Its still not easy to navigate the menus for minor tweaking to this day after using it for a week! Also I miss the blue light that lets you know when its processing surround sound. It does have a brief scroll telling you what it is processing. But its not the same :(
Bonus!
Harmony does now have the 720 in their database and my 880 remote works great with it.
The 720 is sure a great upgrade for my home theater and I hope it can last just as long as my old one! Be sure to have enough HDMI cables for your home theater set up. I get mine from mycablemart.com and no I dont work for them bcuz I dropped their name. They have 6' 1.3a compliant cables with shipping for under ten bucks!
If you have it set up right, you will not be disappointed with the 720.


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Denon AVR-2809CI 7.1-Channel Multizone Home Theater Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)Hi,
I had this receiver (Denon AVR-2809CI) for 2 weeks before I returned it. The sound is great and the remote is awesome. The video passed through perfectly fine as well. There was a problem though. It took a week researching on what could be the problem and it looks like others are having this problem as well.
If you have a Sony flat panel LCD that starts with the letters KDL (ex. KDL-52XBR4, KDL-Z4100, KDL-W3000) then you will have picture and sound dropouts. They will last for 3 seconds then picture and sound will restore. It'll happen anywhere between one to five times an hour and can get quite annoying.
I've spoke to Denon and there is no cure (firmware) or settings that can fix this problem with Sony LCD TVs. Those with rear projection Sony LCDs should be fine.

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A/V Surround Receiver featuring Dolby Tru HD, dts HD Master Audio and 1080p HD Video enhances your level of video and audio performances.

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Pioneer VSX-821-K 5.1 Home Theater Receiver, Glossy Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was looking for a midrange receiver with features and functions that are useful but not so many that I don't know what to do with them all. At the price this unit has enough HDMI ports for me to connect my PS3, Xbox, and cable box. The onscreen setup is easy enough and the instruction booklet is actually very helpful. It is nice to be able to connect my iPod and use an onscreen interface to select songs and playlists; however, it is not very nice to look at and I expected a bit more from the interface - it looks like an old MSDOS screen. I also wish the little cover for the iPod connects in the front didnt pop-off, I wish it slid so I don't have to worry about losing it. The banana connectors in the back seem quite sturdy and were easy to connect with the speaker wire. Over all I am very happy with the purchase and it is up to date enough that I will be using it for many years to come.

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The Pioneer VSX-821 features a Bluetooth wireless audio option with 550 watts of high powered 5.1 home theater audio playback. Other features include 4 HDMI 1.4a 3-D ready inputs, hi-resolution Dolby and dts multi-channel audio playback from Blu-Ray discs, iPad / iPhone AV playback with battery charger.

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Pioneer VSX-919AH-K 120 Watts A/V Receiver with Full Color GUI/OSD, Advanced MCACC and Analog to HDMI Up-Conversion (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros: . THD: 0.05 %: SOUND QUALITY IS SIMPLY UNBELEIVABLE
. EASE OF SET UP. I HAD TO READ SOME THROUGH THE MANUAL, BUT THE OSD and GUI are so easy, really, a cave man can do it.
. multiple decoding modes.
. Nice Blue screen with big letters and numbers.
. Sturdy, Well constructed, appears durable.
. programmable remote.
. 2 zones AUDIO control.
. beuatiful clear lows, and distinct highs, appeases to the musical ears.
. easy to configure manually, the base, treble, and eq,..
. nice shiny black. dimmable light, sleep mode. PS: the remote lay out actually makes sense, unlike my yamaha 565 (see appropriate rview).
.3 hdmi, 2 opticals, one coax, multiple other inputs,. easy to rename and reassign.
. ability to control crossover for subwoofer and manually set up your system. also can use included microphone.
.My biggest plus remains the beuatiful pure sound coming from the ceiling speakers. it blows my yamaha vx 565 away....far away
Cons: the manual may be a bit confusing, but once you get a handle on what button is for what, u can consult the manual less frequently. it is intuitive. also the osd diplay makes the set up a breeze.
I can not actually think of any con. having owned the yamaha 565 and 361, and sherwood receivers, i can say this one delivers the best sound and has the best controls. the price is eggcellent,..thank you newegg.
Other Thoughts: I received the VSX-919AH-K & was very anxious to set it up. i have researched it extensively before placing my order, and it came down to choosing between this receiver and the Yamaha VSX565 which i already own, but was on a discounted price prom. Avoiding duplicity, I bought this receiver knowing it has only 3 hdmi inputs and ability to upgrade signal from component only to 1080p, but in the next 1-2 years all video component would be alrready in 1080p, so unless you are using old system it will not matter.
I am extremely satisfied with the sound from this receiver, much more then the one in my main room, the yamaha 565, and here is why
. 120 watts versus 90 watts, and pay attention: 0.05% THD versus only 0.9 % THD on the Yamaha. yes the wattage is not the only criteria, getting a pure sound is the bottom line.
. great sound experience, hooked up to a 5.1 configuration with OSD speakers, C640i series, 150 watt ( each) spearkers and 100 w sub.
. easy to operate, and set up


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VSX-9I9AH I20 Watts x 7 PHAT II @ 1 kHz Full Color GUI / OSD USB input for iPhone and iPod certified playback. Charging and Album art in 1st room. Advanced MCACC 9 Band EQ Symmetric EQ X-Curve PQLS 2 Channel Auto Level Control Multi-Channel Sound Retriever Multi- channel Neural THX / WMA-9 Pro Kuro Link Analog to HDMI Up-conversion PureCinema Video Processing 3D Noise Reduction 3D Y/C Separation Audio Inputs (4 in / 1out - includes Tuner) Digital Inputs (3 - 1 coax / 2 opt) Multi-Zone A/V Pre-out New Preset Remote Control

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Pioneer VSX-820-K 5.1 Home Theater Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)After trying a Denon, and two Yamaha's, I finally hit gold with the Pioneer VSX-820.
This is a superb receiver in all regards. It produces clear crisp sound in all modes.
There are no lip synch issues at all when linked to my HDTV. I had terrible lip synch problems with the Denon. It has all the features I need and more and has an excellent remote that is both intuitive and comprehensive. I use my receiver for CD's, FM radio and my Samsung HDTV. I use DishNetwork for my TV programming.
The VSX series is Pioneer's newest and includes several models all the way up to the 1120.
However, when you read the specs, all these receivers have the same tuner and power plant. The higher the model number, the more numerous the features. But no increase in output.
That makes for an easier buying decision. You don't compromise power for features if you chose a mid range model like the 820 or 920. I noticed that the Denon and Yamaha receivers I tried were made in China. The Pioneers are made in Japan. I'll go with Japan for high quality electronics every time. Pioneer has hit a homerun with this new series of receivers.Update January 20,2011
My accolades now need to be tempered back. As with all 'features', they are only good
as long as they last. The IPOD interface on my VSX 820 died today in mid-song. I reviewed the manual and took the steps recommended, including resetting my IPOD with
no results. The IPOD works just fine. So I will no longer be able to hear my songs
thru my system but will instead have to be satisfied with just using the headphones.
Very disappointed with the lack of durability of this Pioneer receiver.

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Key Features are 110 watts X 5, Dolby True-HD / DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Pro-Logic IIz Height Channel Decoder, Auto MCACC with room EQ, Phase ControlAuto Level Control – 2 Channel, Advanced Sound Retriever – 2 channel, iPod Digital USB / USB Memory Audio / OSD, Front A/V Inputs, Sirius Satellite Radio w/OSD, Bluetooth Ready w/ optional AS-BT100, HDMI Repeater (4 In / 1 out), Deep Color, x.v. color, Component Video Inputs (2 in / 1 out),Audio Inputs (6 in / 1out - includes Tuner),Audio/Video Inputs (4in / 1 out), Digital Inputs (3 - 1 coax / 2opt), Dolby PLIIz Pre-Out, Glossy Black Cosmetic, Preset Remote Control.

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Pioneer VSX-819H-K 5-Channel A/V Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Went to Best Buy to compare the Yamaha RX-V465 and the Pioneer VSX-819H-k. I had read reviews on the Yamaha on several different websites and most were very positive. I could find no reviews for the Pioneer since it just started reaching retailers during the past 2 weeks. I noticed the Yamaha on display and didn't really like the appearance-seemed less substantial in appearance than the Pioneer. They both looked impressive with the online pics. I know you don't buy according to appearances, although aesthetics can weigh in on a tie/deal breaker. I asked to see the Pioneer and the sales rep had to check his stock. They had not displayed a model since they just arrive the day before. He brought a new box out and opened it so I could compare it to the yamaha and we talked about the different features that were important/meaningful on both receivers. The advanced digital sound fields mean nothing to me. On most receivers they are either a variation of Dolby Prologic II or provide sound stage fields with irritating echoes. Every receiver I have owned (currently we have Panasonic and Sony Models)have these digital sound fields and we never use them.
The Yamaha sounded pretty good hooked up to a blu-ray movie at the store. The True HD was unbelievable! The specs on the Yamaha were the same as the Pioneer as far as supporting True HD and DTS-HD through the HDMI inputs-all switchable to the one HDMI output. The Yamaha has 4 HDMI inputs/1 ouput and the Pioneer has 3 HDMI inputs/ 1 output. I did a mind calculation on the spot and decided 3 outputs were sufficient for my set-up (Dish sat/Sylvania blu-ray/Panasonic DVD Recorder.) The THD was .9 for the Yamaha and .05 for the Pioneer. I don't know how significant that is but the Pioneer seems that it would have clearer sound at low volume with less distortion. The Quick set-up using a microphone placed at your normal listening position are also similar. The Yamamha calls it YPAO while Pioneer calls it MCACC. Most receivers have some variation of this at the mid-price range. The back of the receivers were similar as far as inputs/outputs but the Pioneer had the banana plugs for wiring (which I prefer) while the Yamaha had spring clips for some of the speakers. I won't go into any further specs/features-just go to the company websites or here at Amazon.
Well, I chose the Pioneer. It looked more solid and had some additional features that seemed important to me. I could always return it if I was less than satisfied. I did mention (I am no slouch) that since it was an open box-could I get an "open box" discount? The sales rep laughed (he had opened it for me) and said "why not". So off I went with my 10% discount on a brand new Pioneer VSX-819H-K receiver.
Well, I am tired today! I spent about 2 hours setting it up in the den and removing a Sony which is going to the master BR. But I am VERY HAPPY. This thing sounds fantastic. The set-up was easy. I played the Blu-ray disc "Hitman" and it was like you were inside the screen with the DTS-HD giving you that feeling! Here's the weird thing- I have ordered a set of Yamaha surround speakers from another website (at that time I was somewhat sure that I was going to Purchase the Yamaha model) not that it matters-I'm sure that they'll sound fine with the Pioneer. Back to the weird- The speakers that I am currently using have not been placed on the walls or configured for surround sound-since I had taken them down and re-wired with 16 gauge wire. Since I should receive the Yamaha speakers in a few days I didn't replace the speakers back on the walls etc. I decided to do the QUICK SETUP with the right front on the floor tilted up toward my seating position-the left front 3 ft. off the floor on my AV rack- the center speaker on top of the TV- the 2 rear surrounds are on the floor behind me in the corners also tilted towards my seating position and my Sony subwoofer disconnected. (wired so I couldn't connect it to the Pioneer.) I guess the MCACC SETUP is really precise/accurate because the Blu-ray DVD was phenominal in it's surround direction. Just think when I get the new speakers appropriately set up in the surround configuration!? I think anyone will be happy with this AV receiver. I am a happy camper in my den surrounded by HD SOUND!! P.S. Try to find a store that just received them and ask them to open the box and then ask for a discount!! LOL

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As the VSX-819H-K was designed specifically as a high definition control center with HDMI connectivity for sources such as Blu-ray Disc players and HD-Audio decoding capabilities, youre assured ultimate performance. Even with portable entertainment demands increasing every day and devices such as the iPhone becoming the de facto choice for many with respect to enjoying their photos, videos and music, the VSX-819H-K still delivers. Connecting to your iPhone, iPod and iTouch devices, the VSX819H has never been easier with a front USB port and included cable. And because its Works with iPhone certified, the VSX-819H-K delivers a multitude of features designed to bring the entertainment stored on your iPhone into your home theater.

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Pioneer VSX-520-K 5.1 Home Theater Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)I ordered this for a friend as a replacement for a Panasonic SA-HE70 (which got good reviews a few years ago). He isn't disappointed. He now is set for both 3D and blu-ray HiDef. With his Bose speaker system, he doesn't need much power, but this little receiver seems to have alot of it for the money.
This is Pioneer's bottom of the line, but don't let that fool you. It has 3 HDMI 1.4a inputs, decodes Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Audio, and Dolby Pro Logic IIz, is Blue Tooth ready (need adapter), and 3-D video ready. Quite a bargain for $200.
Cons: Spring Clips for surround sound speakers (binding posts for the mains).
If you don't connect with HDMI, DVD audio is monitored thru the "CD" connection. It took a little while to figure this out -causing much anxiety.
If you want a basic surround reciever that is fully capable of supporting all current forms of video and audio, you could do alot worse than the VSX-520-k, and, for the money, you would be hard-pressed to do better.

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Key Features are 110 watts X 5, Dolby True-HD / DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Pro-Logic IIz Height Channel Decoder,Phase Control. The Auto Level Control is 2 Channel. Sound Retriever – 2 channel. Bluetooth Ready with optional AS-BT100 HDMI 1.4 x 3, 3-D Ready, Deep Color & x.v. color. Component Video Inputs (2 in / 1 out) , Front Mini Portable Input, Audio Inputs (4 in / 1out - includes Tuner), Audio/Video Inputs (3 in / 1 out), Digital Inputs (3 - 1 coax / 2opt), Dolby PLIIz Pre-Out, Glossy Black Cosmetic, System Remote Control

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