A great addition to an XM subscription
I picked this up recently for my Aunt, because I knew she had purchased XM for her car a couple months back. It came packaged very well and although I was initially concerned about it being a "Factory Refurbished" item I have no complaints. The box arrived looking near new and everything that was supposed to be packaged in it was there too.

I decided that instead of waiting until Christmas to give it to her, I would let her have it now. Since she had already activated the one in her car, she seemed pretty confident on getting this one set up at home. I was skeptical, but when she called me later in the week I could here her music blaring. She told me it works beautifully and is very happy with it. I'm happy because she's happy and the price was a great deal!

Nice Receiver
Let me start off by saying I'm not an audiophile. I've had this receiver hooked up for a couple of weeks now and my purpose was for home theater mostly and very occasional music. The components I have hooked up via HDMI is an HD Tivo and a BluRay player and then a Wii hooked up via component. Set up was easy and I didn't have any issues with the setup mic as some have talked about. I know some say that this receiver runs hot but it's not that bad in my opinion. It does run warmer than my[...] Sony receiver but I can't compare it to the newer models. I have it in an entertainment center cabinet which is enclosed on the sides and back and a door in the front. I did allow about 10" above it and it has a few inches behind but not much room on the sides. One quirk that is a slight annoyance is a few second audio delay using the Tivo when switching from fast forward to play. Also for you Tivo users the sounds seem to be muted such as the clicks for fast forward when playing back a program. When in the menus they return which is down right odd. Again I'm hooked via HDMI so maybe it goes away if you hook it up via component. The sound is good but unfortunately I can't say wow like some other reviewers but that doesn't have anything to do with the receiver.
I was expecting more from the new HD audio formats. I've read postings in forums where it's a night and day difference from Dolby Digital and it's like going from standard definition to HD but personally at this point I've only heard minor differences. The biggest difference I've heard is because of the additional speakers I've added for 7.1 and that's because for regular tv viewing I have it in All channel stereo mode so I hear the same sounds including voices from all speakers which is a step up from my old receiver. For comparison I've watched action scenes from BluRay's encoded in DTS MA 7.1 and then the same scenes from DVD's in Dolby Digital 5.1 and I'd be hard pressed to tell you the audio difference. Maybe the studios aren't fully utilizing the new formats yet and it will get better but for now I'd say if you're primary reason for updating is the new formats I'd say wait. This is just my opinion however and maybe your ears are better than mine. So to wrap up my only complaint at this point is the audio delay using Tivo and seems to be a good receiver thus far.

Very pleased
I am completely pleased w this receiver. Set up was easy with no surprises. I was a little concerned about the microphone problems reported in other reviews, but that did not happen to me. The manual is complete if very technical. Thankfully, the defaults are entirely what I expected. It easily accommodated my slightly odd configuration. I only made the 2 changes recommended in the manual and 1 for the volume (db) display. I doubt I'll ever fully understand it but it appears I don't have to.

706 vs 806/905. A nice receiver package in ~500$ range
It is hard to rate products like this. It is a super duper feature packed product. You get a lot of bells and whistles. Integrated amp has three main parts,

1) Power supply
2) Pre-amp, processor
3) AMP

1) Power Supply: 4/5 stars
It is quite noisy and doesn't have very good isolation. There is no easy way to connect a external ground. Also the power rating for the entire unit is very deceiving. 100+ W while driving only the main two. In 7.1 it is probably 20 W per channel. 80x and 90x have far better power supply than this puppy. That is the main reason they are so heavy. There is also no easy way to replace the fuse to a noise free one.

2) Pre-amp, processor: 5/5 stars
Number of input connections, hdmi control, all the DSP and format support. Wow Wow... there is no other receiver in this price range that handle it all. Dolby True HD, DTS, LPCM, TOS Link any thing you ever want is available here.

One minor complaint is input impedance. It is quite low for a active pre-amp. It will require a nice sturdy analog source to provide the full punch. Be careful if you plan to use IPOD as AUX source. IPOD wants 100 ohm+ at all frequency range to provide linear output. You are better off using Onkyo dock. Phono inputs are OK at best.

If you are looking for 4 HDMI inputs, DSD processing, 1080 up-scaling you wont find another one in the ~500 range. This one is feature packed.

3) Amplifier: 3/5 stars

Amp gain relies of a big negative feedback circuit. The dynamic slam is very meager with fast music. Especially when you play SACD driving all the 5 channels. It does fare well when i connect only my two fronts. To get the best power, i just connect my two fronts in bi-amp mode. The bass seems lot clear and music flows more naturally. It is easy to hear the difference in clarity when you just hook only the front two, rather than all 7 channels. 706 is strictly for speakers with 8 ohm+ rating. If you have speakers with odd phase shifts, every thing will sound mushy.

Similar to the pre-amp, the amp is not linear. There is a lot of coloration going on. The sound is not natural. I use my creek audio and neutral NAD as comparison, sounds come very different with Onkyo. It is pleasant but you do hear other artifacts that the Amp has introduced.

Also the bass seems to vary a lot. For movies I have to turn the bass down. For music I have to increase it. I never had this problem with NAD integrated and other amps. The sound is very rounded, you loose some of the low and high end. It probably has a 60-16K range.

Negative feedback loop also affects the bass extension. On a large explosion that lasts for few seconds the feedback just builds upon itself and makes it too loud. In music bass is fast and tight, feedback is not fast enough to provide the punch.

Another big complaint is the channel isolation. It is less than 20 db. So stereo image seems to float. Sound transition from speaker to speaker is never crisp and clear. Sound always seems to leak to rest of the speakers in the system. It is not ideal for SACD or DVD-Audio.

Over all rating for the entire unit: 4.5/5 stars

For this price, you cant ask for more. It is a good unit, you are getting lot more than you pay. This amp is clearly meant for HT Movies. Dont try to use it for 2 channel music.

If you have more money to spare, I would suggest getting a 90x with toroidal transformer. It has much more smooth sound. Dont get fooled by numbers. Music is art, not technology. You need a amp that can be fast, responsive and color less. 905/80x also uses draws more power and they run quite hot. They isolate more nose, if you have other noisy sources connected to the main line.

A simple analogy is a automobile, dump truck and corvette both have 500 Hp. Just power rating and numbers are not enough. Dynamic slam, agility are also important for a amplifier. 905/806 is a huge difference in performance. If you are looking for stereo only amp, look at Creek Audio 5350SE. But if you have a strict

Wow!
I bet I read opinions for 3 weeks before I decided on the Onkyo TX-SR706. For 99% of home theater users, this will MORE than do. Coupled with my Harman/Kardon HKTS 18 speakers system w/powered subwoofer, it will seriously rattle the windows and provide good balance at the same time. Mesh that with the Panasonic TH-50PZ800U and a Panasonic DMP-BD30 Blu-ray player and we're talking serious home theater.

Currently, I have a 5.1 audio set-up (even though this product has the capability of 7.1). The Onkyo TX-SR706 has the very latest in audio technology with Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD. If you want the very best performance, match it with a Blu-ray player that can also decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD....and you'll need a 7.1 speaker system for the very best sound reproduction.

Yes, the Onkyo TX-SR706 does heat up and get pretty warm, so allow for good ventilation and you should be fine. Some had complained about a loud fan. Mine has been virtually silent.

There are plenty of HDMI connections on this unit. More than I need. HDMI is the ONLY way to go these days. Ugrade to HDMI quality and do yourself a favor.

Some have complained the illuminated dial screen is green. If the product is excellent, I don't care what color the screen is.

In conclusion, unless you are investing half a year's salary in your home entertainment system with 8 rows of seats, and someone to take tickets, the Onkyo TX-SR706 is an outstanding choice.

All I can say is WOW
I recently bought the SR706 receiver from ABT. I wanted to get it from amazon, but I was a bit suspect with the two reviews so far. I had planned to get the 705, but with this new model out and the upgrade to 4 HDMI's in, I couldn't pass it up. I also purchased the KEF 1005.2 speaker set, which is a 5.1 set-up. All I can say is WOW. This receiver is absolutely amazing. The sound is crisp when I listen to music and enveloping when watching a movie. The mic set-up worked flawlessly, although i did not run it for two weeks because my speaker stands were on back order, and I wanted to wait until I had the speakers mounted where I wanted them. The receiver runs a bit warm, but its nothing warmer than my previous denon receiver. Highly recommend.

Great Receiver, Not quite what I expected
I really like the quality of the Onkyo SR806. Great layout, awesome automatic calibration (the result is WAY better than any auto-calibration I had ever run before)

BUT.....

I bought the Receiver primarily to do two things:
1- Upconvert / Downconvert all video for output to 1080i
2- Process the Dolby TrueHD and DTS MasterAudio from my playstation 3.

Unfortunately, I was thwarted in my goal, I think largely due to the equipment I am hooking up to it.

As far as Decoding Dolby TrueHD goes, the Playstation3 does not bitstream that format out of the HDMI connection - it must send it as a 6-channel PCM signal, which is not processed by the receiver. This is most definitely and issue with the PS3, not the ONKYO. After much web research, I found that most BluRay players currently decode those signals onboard and then passes them on to the receiver. So I'm getting the TrueHD output, just not processed by the receiver, so the nice little lights never fire up. I'm not sure that there is a compromise in sound quality by doing it this way. In thinking about it, I'm not sure how much of a difference I should expect with a lossless signal, the Dolby Digital signal is great on its own. One important point is that the optical digital connection cannot carry the multichannel PCM signal, so a receiver with HDMI inputs was a necessity anyway (my previous receiver, an awesome Pionneer Elite, does not have that capability so it has been demoted to my bedroom system.

More disappointing is the video upconvert / downconverting. My HDTV is a 5 year old 65" Mitsubishi which has a GREAT picture but only component video inputs. The receiver will NOT upconvert ANYTHING to 1080i via the Component Connection. If I had an HDMI connection on the Mitsu, it would upconvert everything to 1080p. Again out of luck, but not the problem of the Onkyo.

I'm keeping the Onkyo because I love the way it sounds and I think it will work well when I upgrade to a flat screen 1080p unit with HDMI inputs.

Almost perfect
I love this AV receiver. The only issues I have had are 1) that there's no switched power outlet on the back and 2) that the upscaling feature doesn't work well on everything. My projector has DVI and Component RGB connectors, and Onklyo says their upscaling isn't supported if you have to use an HDMI-to-DVI converter. I wish I had known that up front, but I plan to replace my old projector soon anyway. Everything else is great, and I suspect my new projector will allow everything to look wonderful.

mmmm THX
This receiver is amazing. Setting it up was a breeze. For the nontechnicaly advanced and new comers everything is color coded.

When it came to setting up the speakers I came into a small problem. A slight error on my part. So I hope this advice helps others when setting up the speakers. This receiver comes with a mic that is used to electronicaly test the distance from each speaker to 1 of 6 seating positions one at a time to ensure best sound in all 6 seating positions. When using the set up mic to automatically adjust your speaker setting without having to do it manually make sure the surround speakers from your previous 5.1 plug into the "surround" speaker outputs NOT the "Back surround" speakers. The Back surround is for a 7.1 connection which I still need to upgrade to. If you plug them in the wrong outputs of the receiver you will get an error message while performing the auto speaker set up. This will also cause a problem if you try to manually set up the speakers too.

Aside from that small mishap- sounds great easy set up- self explanatory remote- and the reason I bought it, the THX certification.

The THX certification basically means Onkyo paid Lucas to certify that the equipment meets the THX standards. There are several units on the market that might meet the THX lever of quality but unless products pay for the certification we wont know. To me this shows Onkyo cares about letting you know what you are getting. Some people don't need or want this. If this is you Id suggest looking for a model or 2 down the line. This certification is why this unit has the sticker price it does.


This unit also has 5 HDMI inputs to plug all sorts of HDMI items in like Xbox 360, PS3, a Blu Player ETC... and one HDMI out to connect to the TV. I also like the blue backlite volume knob and the green display on the face of the unit. If you connect the HDMI out there is a on screen option that allows you the visibility of reading off your TV set vs. the small display screen on the unit. This is good when setting up the speakers.


This unit also reads several of upgrade audio options found on the Blu DVDs.

Good Unit - Problem handling composite connection
I purchased a new Sony Bravia 52" LCD TV as well as this Onkyo receiver about 2 weeks ago. My Motorola Comcast cable box only had a composite hook up which I ran to the reciever and then HDMI to the TV. I immediately noticed video drop outs of several seconds when changing channels and at TV commercials. Audio worked fine during the drop outs. It was suggested that I check the video signal strength. Had it done and Comcast said it was fine but put in a signal amplifier anyway. I ended up replacing the Comcast box (with another Motorola) to get an HDMI out to the receiver and it all works fine. Very disappointed in the Onkyo performance using composite. If you only have a composite connection I would not buy this receiver.

Other than that this receiver is very good. The picture with HDMI is better than composite. The sound quality is superb. The reviewer's comments re the remote are right on but I purchased a Logitech remote - simply great so I do not have the remote problems.

An Advanced HD Receiver
The Onkyo TX-SR806 will process all the latest High Definition formats flawlessly. It's all here at a price that other receivers can't touch at twice the price. Outstanding Audio Quality from Stereo to 7.1 channels. I have had high-end receivers before, but this model is the best. My speakers never sounded so good and I hear sounds that were not possible until now. Blu-ray discs with True Dolby HD or DTS Master Audio are heavenly perfection. The receiver will pass-thru HDMI Video or the built-in processor can enhance it. The receiver set-up will automatically adjust the acoustics or you can tweak the nearly indefinite number of adjustments available to enhance the sound quality to any way you like. There are no heat concerns (like last years model) as the unit operates at a cooler temperature.

The only part of the package that could be improved is the layout of the remote control. Some buttons like the remotes volume control should have been bigger, more conveniently located and back-lit.

If you are looking for an HD receiver for today and tomorrow this one will entertain and thrill like a never ending roller coaster ride.

Great Value on AV Receiver
I purchased this receiver to replace an older AVR without the advanced connectivity and processing this unit features.
This a very full featured receiver. I selected it over a few competitors (Yamaha, Onkyo) in part based on the strength of its video processing which i have never found uselful on an AVR before. With this unit I can detect subtle improvements on analog video upconversion, less on non-HD digital (such as DVD).
The audio performance of this unit is also a step up from my old one, the EQ program works well. I am using a 5.1 setup and hope to use the extra channels for another zone or two of audio.
Set up of this unit is easier after learning to navigate the menus; there are a lot of customizable functions which is great but the learning curve is steeper than most AV products.
The remote is better than most but again a bit cumbersome to set up. The second zone remote is a nice bonus.
I could use one more HDMI input and an RDS display for analog FM radio, otherwise this does it all. Current pricing is excellent; the 09 model is hundreds more and does not offer many upgrades other than extra HDMI inputs.

Amazing reciever
The Denon AVR-2808CI has all the bells and whistles one could want or needed. It sounds great weather your using it for the tv surround or watching a movie. The manual is great at telling you what cables to use where and what kind you can use. But it is of no help when setting the unit up. The on screen menu is very cumbersome and not very well laid out. This reciever is deff. not a plug'n'play deal. It will take you a good 4-6hr's to set up depening on how much stuff your connecting to it, trust me I found out the hard way when I started at 8pm and didn't finish till well after midnight.

All in all this unit is far and away the best I have ever had as far as sound quality goes. Once set up its a breeze to use. If your looking in this price range This is one unit to deff. consider.

Great receiver, a little harsh for music
First, a little background (be patient!):

I spent a lot of time auditioning bookshelf speakers. My intention was to slowly build out a full surround system by starting with two solid front speakers for stereo listening. I wanted to make sure they sounded good for music, because I believe music is much more demanding on speakers than movies are. I ended up being very impressed by the Totem Rainmakers, although I really love the way B&W speakers look. I think Totem's outperform B&W at my price point. I decided I would get Totem Dreamcatchers for my rears and center since they sounded very good for their small size. I ended up getting the Dreamcatchers first because I got a good deal on them. I decided I would break them in first, then rotate them to the back and buy the Rainmakers when I was ready. That way, when I was all setup, everything would be broken in. Although I auditioned both Totems on a tube amp, I had read good things about the Denon's musicality and was sure it would do very well.

My sources into this are the digital out from a PC and the digital out of my LCD TV. I don't have digital/HD cable, I just decode the QAM signal coming through the cable for free in Manhattan, which has Dolby surround on nearly all digital channels (if the content supports it).

Now on to the receiver:

The receiver handles my 4ohm speakers very well, maybe because they're fairly efficient. It drives them at very loud levels (although they're not full broken in yet so I haven't pushed them) without getting too hot. I was originally thinking of getting the Onkyo 805, so heat was a concern for me. No problems here.

The Audyssey calibration at first sounded like it mellowed out my sound too much, but as the speakers have broken in I really prefer it. I should actually rerun it now that I'm half way through the break-in period to see what it finds.

The Denon has plenty of settings for simulating arenas, as well as PLII settings and neural and all of that. That's to be expected from a receiver at this level. I don't use them, because I like to hear the sound as it was recorded (or close to it). It also accepts plenty of digital encodings, in case I ever get that Bluray player. The receiver should last long enough that I'm sure I'll have a Bluray at some point. The issue that's a bit annoying (not a fault of the receiver) is that when I output digital audio from my TV, it is delayed a bit either by the TV or the receiver before it gets to the speakers. So the lips and speech are a bit off, but it's not terrible. Whenever I get around to actually subscribing to digital cable, then I'll be running HDMI into the receiver and out to the TV, so I'll be able to properly sync the audio to the video.

The remote is kinda stupid. I paid the extra money to get this over the 1908 (I believe that's the equivalent model) because I wanted the newer Denon look with the rounded front bezel, the new Denon font, and the remote (in my defense, I didn't pay much more for this). The remote is literally a thin electro-luminescent screen that sits above regular capacitance keys/buttons. It is NOT a touchscreen LCD. Given that, it does serve its purpose. I haven't programmed my TV into it, but I may at some point.

This Denon does have Night Mode, but all it does is very noticeably compress loud audio. I don't think it's as good as Dynamic EQ, but oh well.

The speakers sound brighter (not necessarily a good thing) and much more detailed (a great thing!) than I remember them being when I auditioned them. I listened to some jazz last night because I wanted to see how the system handled it. When I put in Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, I could hear the reed on the sax's, the brushes on the snares, and the cymbals sounded perfect. Everything was placed where it should have been, with a crispness that wasn't there when I heard it the tube amp at the stores. When I listened to softer acoustic music, vocals were very airy. The fiddle/violin on Nickel Creek albums sounded great, very lifelike with superb detail. I am harping on this detail thing because I really was impressed. However, I found that this detail came at a cost-- the highs seemed slightly harsh especially after prolonged listening at high levels. Maybe the Denon emphasized the high frequencies, maybe my speakers aren't full broken in, but I tend to blame the former for my issues. I tend not to like to fool with EQ too much, especially after Audyssey did its thing. The EQ might be able to solve this, but I might have to sacrifice some detail.

Overall, I really am happy with this receiver. It has all the features I need, although an extra HDMI and Dynamic EQ would have been nice. Then again, I'm currently not using ANY HDMI on this. The audio is very crisp and detailed, but may my speakers borderline harsh. That may be fixable with rerunning Audyssey or manually turning down the treble though, or may change as my speakers mellow. But for now, that's what I've noticed. If I remember, I'll try to update this review in a few months once everything has settled.

Great Receiver
I love this thing.
The set up is not for the faint of heart if you are using it to it's potential.
You need a remote that is better than the one that comes with the unit if you want to use it for anything other than source switching and volume control. The remote that comes with the unit is not that freindly, the "screen" is crammed and working to hidden menus is a pain. There are 7 or eight devices on the screen. then hidden behind a device is another device. As an example; to play xm and use the Denon to conrol it you push the tuner button twice to get to the menu. At no time on the screen does it tell you that you are now controlling xm. You just have to know that the second push of the tuner button now controls xm.
Depending on your skill level and craziness (according to my wife) go with a logitech harmony (easy set up) or a Universal Remote (thats the brand)which range from user friendly to your wife screaming because you are spending so much time programming it.
I want to comment on the review about it only having two HDMI inputs.
What on earth would you need more than two for?
You need HDMI for 1080P, that means 1 Blu Ray (Side Note I have the Samsung BDP-1400, great picture but should have bought the sony), One up converting DVD player (The Denon 1940ci kicks) I have two HR-20 HD receivers from Direct TV hooked up to the component video. For those of you who don't know, broadcast TV in HD has a max resolution of 1080i which is the maximum capability of component video.
Use the correct wire for the correct component and this receiver will take care of you. Great sound, great upconverting to 1080p, multizone speaker control, Ipod dock control, whatever you want, fab.

Excellent All-Around Unit
Other than it needing more HDMI ports, it really is a great receiver. Easy setup, good power, and a fairly nice touchscreen remote included. The only issue I really have is that the control of the XM Radio through the receiver is very primitive.

dollar value +
HAVE ONLY HAD THIS UNIT FOR 30 DAYS AND IT IS VERY SATISFACTORY AND SEEMS TO BE THE BEST $ VALUE. I DO FEEL THAT ONKYO. SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED A MUCH BETTER VENTILATION FAN, AS THE UNIT GETS QUITE HOT. I PURCHASED A FAN THAT I PLACED ON THE TOP OF THE UNIT AND IT HAS SOLVED THE PROBLEM. INCOMING & OUT GOING CIRCULATION WAS NEEDED!!!!

Great receiver
I got this receiver to work with the Samsung Plasma TV I bought here as well...needless to say, to all who are audiophiles or not, this is the BEST receiver for the money...the functions are out of this world, and it's easy to integrate with all your components...no need to look further or pay more...this is an awesome product!

Maximum Features But Best Used Minimally
The Onkyo 705 receiver does some things extremely well, but does have some weaknesses which stand out. This is a wonderful receiver if you are able to sidestep the weaknesses. STRONG POINTS: (1) Outstanding analogue audio performance - the analogue preamp is clean as a whistle and very natural although not very "warm sounding" if that appeals to you. (2) A huge roster of features - the automated setup is really great. WEAK POINTS: (1) The digital sound processing sounds quite bad in my system - congested and artificial - so you should absolutely try to keep it in "Direct" mode when using analogue inputs. Yamaha DSP is far superior. (2) The remote control is huge, clunky and ergonomically poor. (3) Power output is clean but limited - use the preamp outputs to external amps if at all possible, which will also reduce the heat emitted. (4) The setup menus are confusing, although once you set it up, you hopefully can forget about that. Overall, this is a great receiver if you can stay within its limits.

Top-rate receiver at a reasonable price
I purchased the Onkyo to be the centerpiece of a home theater. My requirements were THX-certified (this one is Select2), TrueHD processing, and the ability to upconvert video sources to 1080p. The Onkyo had it all. Setup using the Audyssey system was a breeze, and while I cannot vouch for the video quality (46" LCD is the next piece), the sound on music, movies, and TV are excellent. I'm currently running a 5.1 channel setup with the bi-amped Infinity Beta 50's as my front mains, and the system was able to compensate nicely so that they do not overpower my smaller, rear-channels satellites. In movies, every sound detail is reproduced with excellent clarity, and with nice, even distribution of the bass from the Sony subwoofer. After the new TV is installed, I'll be hooking it up to a second receiver to create a Zone 2 and the system will be very nice - and it all started with the receiver. Definitely recommend this system!

Great receiver
This the first new receiver I have have purchased in about 15 years. I love everything about it except the manuel. Once you get it figured out and set up it's a A+......

Onkyo is the best out there
I was planning on getting panasonic or sony for my PS3 to fully benefit from blu-ray, but a friend at work told me about their onkyo, so I checked on amazon and was about to buy, but then it sold out, so I found this bad boy instead, and had to get it, 400 bucks off can't beat that! I was so excited when it arrived, I couldn't wait to set it up. HEAVY... but I can live with that. The sound is AMAZING. And HDMI pass-thru is great. I have my hd dvr and my ps3 hooked up to it and I couldn't be happier. It does run hot, and blows hot air right into my ps3, which causes loud fans to run. No problems yet after over 2 months, just need a cooling unit and I'm golden. A definite recommended buy!

Died in one week. Terrible audio lag. Sound quality was excellent.
Update: My 805 died on me after only one week of light apartment-volume use. As has happened to many other units, it started turning itself off immediately after being turned on. I had to return it, and will be replacing it with a Denon AVR-988. As great as the 805 sounded, I refuse to get another ticking time bomb. Amazon won't let me change my star rating, but I'd give it two stars now.

This receiver has an extremely noticeable delay in audio reproduction that has been well documented by the internet community. Onkyo seems to have no interest in fixing it. It makes the video "lead" audio, so that you hear everything too late, even with the receiver's audio delay settings at "0 ms." Putting the speaker distance at the maximum settings helps a bit, but if you use a CRT display that has no video delay, I can't recommend this receiver as it is nearly unwatchable.

Heat production is also very high. I had to buy separate fans to cool it.

Sound quality is fantastic, though. Rich, open, detailed. Made my DVD's come alive and CD's had improved sound staging.

But for this much money, can't we expect a receiver that outputs video and audio at the same time? And doesn't break? Is that too much to ask?

Beauty AND a beast!
I bought this Onkyo receiver to replace an older Onkyo (the TX-DS787) receiver - mainly for the HDMI-connectivity and switching. I have to say - I am wowed by the ease, simplicity and efficiency of this receiver. As anyone who's bought independent components to set-up their HT/Home Audio system knows, wiring and configuration can be a serious project. Not so with this one. My HT system includes Definitive Tech speakers (the BP7004s - I love them), Polk Audio Center, Triad Sub, Samsung 52" LCDTV, Comcast cable DVR, Suny BluRay, and KEF sorrounds. So it's an eclectic system - and this receiver has the muscle, brain-power and looks to handle all this really great! Oh, and did I mention I have 2 additional music zones?

Buy it - you'll love it.

PS: I got the Silver finish - not the black - I like that look more.

manderson
Great product for the price. After shopping for several months, this unit is the one we have chosen and saved up for.

outstanding
Onkyo TX-SR805 is a very good reciver. I'm very happy with it. Good amount of power. Onkyo makes the best home theater recivers.

Sounds Good.
This unit sounds very good. Right out of the box, I tried the TEAC out at loud and normal volumes with some sonically challenging recordings, and it really did well. The speaker cable connectors the tuner presets are a hassle to deal with, but I have heard none of the background hum that a few reveiwers have reported. Particularly considering the price, this was a good purchase. 4 Stars out of 5.

TEAC AG790A Stereo Receiver
I'm pleased with the product. It's hard to find a good audio receiver/Amplifier as the market is dominated with Home Entertainment Systems. The sound quality is excellent for a such a reasonably priced receiver.

Teac Stereo Receiver & Amplifier
I've used this receiver for about a month now, and it does everything I expected. The electronic tuning and station presets work fine, the sound quality is excellent and there are plenty of inputs for all my components. I didn't want a surround sound receiver, since I already have one that's used for my tv. I needed a 2-speaker system that would accept inputs from my old turn-table and cassette player/recorder, plus an auxiliary input for an XM tuner. Shipping was very fast, it arrived just a few days after the order was placed. It probably took me longer to disconnect my old tuner with all the wires than it did to hook up the new Teac receiver. If you're looking for a solid stereo receiver, I don't think you'll go wrong with this Teac unit.

Good enough
Adequate. Don't lose the remote control; it has a mute button that is missing from the receiver itself. The speaker binding posts are the cheapest, flimsiest excuses for binding posts that I have ever seen, and I've seen many. They are still better than the alternative, though.

good for the money
i got the 820 over the 720 and very happy with 4 hdmi. only problem i ran into is the hdmi down conversion to rca. really with it had it but o well. just have to buy hdmi tv's no lol. anything but that is awsome. it is a very good cheap receiver. love the auto setup with the mic very cool.

Solid and Versatile
To avoid repetition, I agree with Dan Dautrich's excellent review, and will limit mine to a few additions:

Setup using the factory defaults is quick and easy. The myriad of customizing options available using the AMP Menu lets you adapt the receiver to just about any combination of inputs, speakers, room dimensions and personal preferences. The downside is that it took me a long time and several trial-and-error attempts to tweak every possible setting. A better organized manual and a decent index would have been useful in navigating through so many adjustments.
My only other complaint is the receiver's narrow acceptance angle for signals from the remote control.
Despite its imperfections, the Sony 820 is an excellent value, especially for relatively complex home theater systems or users who want to allow for future additions and component upgrades.

Pleased so far
As of to date I am pleased with the Sony STRDG820 - The power is more than I need- I have polk speakers off the Sony unit. This unit does swith HDMI so I have my Sat, Blu Ray, Game Console and Computer all ran to this unit with only one hdmi cord going from the TV to the Receiver. This is great as I have my TV on the wall and the receiver in the corner of the room. I only had to get one 50 foot hdmi cord and used small hdmi cords for all the units. This was great. One thing I was not aware of is that it does not show your volume control on the tv screen itself. You will see nothing on the TV screen from the reciever. So you will have to watch the receiver to see the volume level. No big deal though. I keep the level on about 35 and with my old ONKYO unit I kept that on 50. Crazy difference same watts. The Onkyo reciever died after 3 years too so if you are comparing the two- no question- pick Sony-

Sony A/V Receiver/Amp
My original need was for an a/v receiver that had HDMI hookups. With the SONY STR-DG820, which has four (4) HDMI inputs and one (1) HDMI output, I found the perfect blend of quality features and affordability. Now I can hookup both my Blu-ray and standard DVD players, along with VHS and HD Cable, and output the audio to my 5.1 speakers while using the HDMI output to direct all images to my SONY Bravia LCD t.v. This produces the best sound and image quality possible whichever device I choose. In addition, since most of my devices are SONY, I am able to turn on the t.v., A/V receiver, and Blu-ray player with a single button on the remote. The sound reproduction is so full and absent noticeable distortion that my five year old 5.1 speakers sound many times better than they ever have. I strongly recommend the STR-DG820.

Sony Amp is best in class
The Sony amp has performed great. The instructions for operation could be improved, it's a little complicated. A Very Good amp.

worthy receiver!
After reading the countless reviews about this Yamaha Receiver, i had my doubts about purchasing it. I heard the horrible stories about the HDMI video only. I have a 50 inch plasma, and wanted a good but inexpensive receiver for sound. Well, I purchased it anyway, and i'm glad I did! I was able to get the receiver 1 shipped, and was well worth the purchasing!

I'll get the cons out of the way:
1) No HDMI for sound, only video! So the HDMI is pretty useless folks! Don't bother buying it for this reason alone, unless you would like to use HDMI for video ONLY!
2) Only DTS!
3) Configuring up can be a pain for the novice!
4)Terrible manuel!

Pro's:
1) Cheap price!
2) Great sound for inexpensive receiver!
3) Was able to get it to work properly after using the optical digital connection!

Instructions: Hook up your dvd/blu-ray player directly to your television for HDMI video. For sound, I used an optical digital connection from the DVD player, to the "CD" optical digital connection on the back of the receiver.

For sound watching the television. I connected the optical digital connection from the receiver labeled "Sat/TV" to the opticial digital connection of the HD cable box.

After that, it worked like a charm. Had this receiver for a week now, and have no issues whatsoever. I currently have a HD Player, but will soon be in the market for a blu ray player. Once I get the PS3, or standalone player, i'll get the sound using the optical digital connection.Enjoy!

Definitely an upgrade
I bought this Yamaha receiver to replace an old Aiwa system and have been very pleased with it.

I'm using it mostly for the audio portion of regular television watching since my new Panasonic big screen television has such poor audio speakers.

I also listen to alot of music that comes over the digital cable.

I planned on hooking it to some in-wall speakers but couldn't find an area above the fireplace to cut two 12 by 8 inch holes so I bought some Bose Acostimas 3 speakers and they sound great!

Amazing device, only one complaint...
I got this to replace another Yamaha receiver that didn't support HD. This was extremely well priced for what it does. The main reason for this purchase was that I got a PS3 and wanted to full experience. I read other reviews and a lot of people noted that there is no audio pass-through from the HDMI cable. I misinterpreted this as the audio doesn't flow through the HDMI out, but still plays through the attached speakers. This wasn't the case.

In the end I had to plug the PS3 in with the white and red analog cables (you can change the audio settings in your PS3 config menu to output with these) and I'm happy. Full 5.1 sound would have been nice, but it's not a killer for me.

Just be weary that the audio doesn't pass through with this device! Otherwise, it's simply amazing for the price.

Way better than what I was thinking!
Like I put in the title so much more than I thought I would get! Buy this item, don't think twice!

Works really well with ipod
I purchased this receiver along with a the Polk Audio RM-10 5-speaker set so that I could listen to my ipod in the kitchen. It was important that the only thing that sits on the counter was the ipod docking station so I purchased the Yamaha ipod dock to go with this receiver. This Yamaha receiver sits high-up on the cabinets along with the speakers.

As long as I point the remote up, it can adjust this Yamaha receiver. And, most important of all, the sound is excellent. I'm really quite pleased.

Yes, this is a bit much for simply playing music from an iPod, but I like it.

Great receiver..Can't find a better deal
I wanted a better receiver to replace my [...] Marantz to get HDMI. I can tell a difference in the surround detail that I didn't hear before. But that could be due to using HDMI for audio vs Coax on the marantz
This is the only receiver that I had to get out the manual to get it to work but it's worth the effort.
Amazon has this for a great price, shopped around a nobody could beat their price. Plus free shipping!!

JUST THE BEST FOR THE PRICE
I bought this receiver cause I read a lot of reviews of similar brands and this had the least problems. I've read about H & K issues with ps3 blu-ray playback and Onkyo's overheating problem, so decided to buy this unit and believe me I'm in love with it.
The sound is awesome, And the video works great so far.
Note: I haven't tried the upscaling function, since I play everything through my PC (which handles the upscaling).
The only real issue as a lot of reviewers have said,is the unfriendly remote control and user manual. Any way, if you spend some time (more than with other brands) you end up understanding the manual. since I can't give it 4.5 stars I'll go with 5. This receiver is too good at this price to take out 1 hole star just because of issues that aren't related to the quality of the product (build, audio and video are just amazing).
If I had a little more budget, I would buy the 889 that has dynamic EQ and dynamic volume (very interesting and useful features)and decodes the newest dolby and dts audio formats, but since it can play 7.1 PCM (uncompresed) audio, I consider it future proof.
If you are low on budget and care more for quality than friendliness, don't hesitate to buy this baby, it won't disappoint.

Awesome value!!!
This is one incredible sounding receiver. I have owned Onkyo and Marantz (AVR-6200), both of which I highly valued. The Marantz was used with my Mirage Omni speakers, which is still utilized on the Denon. However, nothing has the dynamics and punch that this receiver is capable of.
The overall sound quality, in my opinion, is very flat, very dynamic. It sounds great at all volumes, something that my Onkyo and Marantz receivers could not match. I rate the highs as a tiny bit bright, but very acceptable. The mids are sweet, especially with acoustic instruments and vocals. The bass is very good as well. I love the quality of movies and music equally.
The HDMI upconversion is great as well. Unfortunately, I have an older Sony Tube HD TV which squishes any HDMI signal so the image is smaller. So, I use the component video switching abilities. I would say that is the only detriment to this receiver. It is not any where near as clear as the HDMI. But it is acceptable. There is a little flicker on some of my DirecTV channels, but the colors and resolution are great.
Some people have complained about setting this receiver up. I found it very easy to use. It has a lot of menus and options, which makes this receiver very customizable. It even has a 9-band EQ for all channels on all sources, which is awesome!!! I did not use autoEQ yet, but I think that me using the manual setup did the job right!

Pros:
* Quality of sound over all frequencies. Tight bass, sweet mids and crystal clear treble.
* Great video switching. Upconverts to 1080p with ease!
* Quality build, dual power transformers, top notch electronic components.
* Looks good too!
* Runs really cool even at loud levels.

Cons:
* Remote is lackluster. No learning abilities. But the IR sensor on the unit itself is very sensitive, making placement easier.
* Slight flicker using component switching upconversion. Not an issue with HDMI.

Overall, I rate this receiver as an incredible deal. Highly recommended.
Plus, Denon is known for their quality. My Marantz, which used to be great, died in only 4 years. My previous Onkyo is still working 10 years later at my friends house. My cousin and uncles all have various Denons, from 30 years old, to the newer generation, all work, all beloved!!!

Fantastic HT Receiver at this Price
I just received my Denon AVR-888 last week and have been very impressed with the sound quality and features. Overall, this unit is a significant increase in sound quality, volume, surround processing formats, and video input/output over my older home theater unit. Given Amazon's over 50% price break, I believe it would currently be impossible to find a comparable receiver anywhere at this price, and, indeed, this receiver would be a good buy at 0 more.

This is an upgrade for me from an 8 year old Harmon Kardon AVR 35, and I have the AVR-888 connected to

B&W 601's (front)
B&W CC3 (center)
B&W LM1's (rear)
NHT sub
Denon 1920 DVD
Logitech Squeezebox
Samsung 30" CRT HD TV Monitor with 1080i

Out of the box, it did take me a few hours of experimentation, reading through the manual, and trying different settings, but that is to be expected given the wide range of features. The Audyssey MultEQ did a good job of automatically configuring speaker output volumes and crossover settings, a nice feature for those who don't want to do this manually by listening to speaker tones and figuring out how to setup their sub. As far as the complexity of setup and difficulty of the manual, yes, if this is your first major home theater receiver and you are the kind of person who would have difficulty programming the VCR back in the day, then this might not be the receiver for you. But if you have had a home theater receiver, I found this to be about the same difficulty as when I had to learn to setup my Harmon Kardon AVR 35 8 years ago.

Once it was up and running, one of the delights of this unit was the ability to bi-amp my 601's. What a difference that made in clarity (I tried it without bi-amping, too). With my Logitech Squeezebox, the DTS NEO:6 Music surround setting is the first time I've found surround processing for 2 channel into 5.1 sound that I really like. Moreover, the Restorer HQ setting for improving compressed audio quality did improve the playback of high bit rate MP3's played from the Squeezebox. I also really like having the single HDMI input with upconverting going to the TV. It's nice not to have to switch a receiver source and a TV source to go from cable to DVD playback.

Final thoughts: For those that complain about the remote, yes it could benefit from better usability design. However, the hidden back panel buttons are only a minor annoyance once you've gotten the unit configured the way that you want it (you do use it to access the configuration menus). Even though you do have to open the back remote panel to switch audio/video source, who's going to be constantly switching the source?

top value for the money!
Was not hard to set up at all. You just have more options than a cheap receiver which is nice. Remote is not bad once everthing is set up. I always thought speakers made the sound till I hooked up this denon to my reference klipsch speakers. Wow! Even my wife was impressed. Highly recomended.