Onkyo 7.1 Speaker Systems - any good?

[BettiePage]

Looking to pick up a basic 7.1 speaker system... was thinking of buying it piece by piece but would prefer an all in one solution.

Onkyo has 2 7.1 systems in their product listings, the HT750 or HT540.

http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=...ss=Speaker&p=i

http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=...ss=Speaker&p=i

Are either of these any good? Will probably be hooking via the TX-SR806 (upconvert via component a must for the receiver) or some other comparable receiver.

[Beta Man]

"Good" is subjective, and it depends on what you have heard, and consider "comparable" I guess...... I'd stick to the original plan of piecing it together as you go if I were you..... but for an all-in-one solution, many people have purchased those, and seem happy.... perhaps someone who has purchased one of those, and then upgraded to something else may have more insight.

[Steve]

I originally bought an Onkyo HT-SP908, which came with the SKS-HT750 speaker set, and have since upgraded to a Klipsch speaker setup (see my HT gallery or my HT thread). I still use the TX-SR605 receiver that came with the HTiB. The Onkyo speakers are Ok. They don't compare with my new speakers, but I wouldn't expect them to, as they're not in the same league as far as I'm concerned. I think they're fine for what they are-HTiB bookshelf speakers. One of the bigger drawbacks to them IMO is their lack of efficiency, which means it will take more power to push them to the volume levels you may be looking for. Mine are now sitting in a closet in the spare bedroom. It's my intention to try to sell them on Craigslist or Ebay, but I haven't gotten around to listing them yet. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

[SlmShdy1]

Onyko also offers this 6.1 System. After reading reviews (and the HT750 was always out of stock), I ended up getting this package to go with my 705. To get full 7.1, I found an extra pair of rear speakers of the same set on Overstock.com. Works beautifully and I have the 8th speaker just laying around as a spare. I have nothing to compare them to but an older Pioneer HTiB so of course they sound great to me.

[BluHavik]

Originally Posted by fireman325

I originally bought an Onkyo HT-SP908, which came with the SKS-HT750 speaker set, and have since upgraded to a Klipsch speaker setup (see my HT gallery or my HT thread). I still use the TX-SR605 receiver that came with the HTiB. The Onkyo speakers are Ok. They don't compare with my new speakers, but I wouldn't expect them to, as they're not in the same league as far as I'm concerned. I think they're fine for what they are-HTiB bookshelf speakers. One of the bigger drawbacks to them IMO is their lack of efficiency, which means it will take more power to push them to the volume levels you may be looking for. Mine are now sitting in a closet in the spare bedroom. It's my intention to try to sell them on Craigslist or Ebay, but I haven't gotten around to listing them yet. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

I bought the same system just over a year ago. I feel it was a great way of getting your foot in the door so to say. For the $600 I paid on amazon I defiantly felt like I got my monies worth. I've since upgraded the front speakers and yes the difference is very dramatic over the Onkyo speakers. But I paid almost as much for them as the entire HTiB at the time I got it.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by BluHavik

I bought the same system just over a year ago. I feel it was a great way of getting your foot in the door so to say. For the $600 I paid on amazon I defiantly felt like I got my monies worth. I've since upgraded the front speakers and yes the difference is very dramatic over the Onkyo speakers. But I paid almost as much for them as the entire HTiB at the time I got it.

I agree completely. I've since upgraded all of my speakers and I ended up paying 3 times the cost of the HT-SP908 just on speakers.

[fighthefutureofhd]

i got an onkyo 7.1 surround system for christmas and i don't regret it one bit. i haven't had a problem per se with them having to take more power to push them to the volume levels i may be looking for. i don't want it any higher. sure, some of the dialog is spotty in some movies, but 98% of the time my ears are literally hurting from the sound these speakers produce. headache inducing in fact. i can't turn them up very high without getting sick. i love it.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by fighthefutureofhd

i got an onkyo 7.1 surround system for christmas and i don't regret it one bit. i haven't had a problem per se with them having to take more power to push them to the volume levels i may be looking for. i don't want it any higher. sure, some of the dialog is spotty in some movies, but 98% of the time my ears are literally hurting from the sound these speakers produce. headache inducing in fact. i can't turn them up very high without getting sick. i love it.

It's not that you'll necessarily want it to be louder with new speakers, but rather that you won't have to turn the volume setting up so high to get the same volume or more. With my Onkyo speakers, I had intellivolume set at +3 and every speaker channel set at +3 or +5 and listened to blu-rays with the volume set at about 75 (out of 99). Now I have everything set at 0 and listen to blu-ray's at about 65 and it's still louder than it was before because the new speakers are so much more efficient.

[fighthefutureofhd]

ok. i don't know what intellivolume is, but i've never had to adjust my speaker volumes and didn't even know one could. i don't even think i can on my system, as i haven't seen any individual knobs for the speakers or anything. the only thing i adjust is the main volume on the receiver and the volume on the tv. and the only reason i do that is because the sound is so loud that i can only take it for so long. music, especially, is the worst culprit. the bass just hurts too much.

[gearyt]

I am guessing you received the 605 / 606 receiver
have you run the Audyssey ??
check your menu's in set-up for the intellvolume and turn off

[Steve]

Some receivers (mine is an Onkyo 605-guessed correctly above) allow you to adjust the volume level to each individual speaker. There are no knobs for this, it's all done in the receiver's setup menu. My Onkyo also has a setting called intellivolume that allows you to boost the overall output without having to turn the volume up as loud. Supposedly, this reduces strain on your receiver somehow, but I'm not sure about this.

And yes I used the Audyssey, but didn't care for it's settings too much. I kept the distance settings, but changed about everything else, and the settings listed in my post above were the settings I ended up with before I upgraded my speakers. After I got all the new speakers in place, I re-ran Audyssey, and then tweaked a little to my liking. I set all my individual speaker levels at 0 though, because everything is pretty evenly spaced in relation to the main seating position (being the sofa). I'm sure it's not a perfect calibration, but I don't have an SPL meter and it sounds really good to me.

[friscochris]

Originally Posted by BettiePage

Looking to pick up a basic 7.1 speaker system... was thinking of buying it piece by piece but would prefer an all in one solution.

Onkyo has 2 7.1 systems in their product listings, the HT750 or HT540.

http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=...ss=Speaker&p=i

http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=...ss=Speaker&p=i

Are either of these any good? Will probably be hooking via the TX-SR806 (upconvert via component a must for the receiver) or some other comparable receiver.

Ummmm...You'll can find a much better 5.1 setup than the 7.1 onkyo has. In fact you would blows those ones out of the water. If you're going to spend all that money on the 806 you might as well get a good set a speakers that will take advantage of the receiver. Go to the Avs forum to check out some nice inexpensive 5.1 setups... You can always add 2 rears later when 7.1 is much more common

[fighthefutureofhd]

Originally Posted by gearyt

I am guessing you received the 605 / 606 receiver
have you run the Audyssey ??
check your menu's in set-up for the intellvolume and turn off

Originally Posted by fireman325

Some receivers (mine is an Onkyo 605-guessed correctly above) allow you to adjust the volume level to each individual speaker. There are no knobs for this, it's all done in the receiver's setup menu. My Onkyo also has a setting called intellivolume that allows you to boost the overall output without having to turn the volume up as loud. Supposedly, this reduces strain on your receiver somehow, but I'm not sure about this.

And yes I used the Audyssey, but didn't care for it's settings too much. I kept the distance settings, but changed about everything else, and the settings listed in my post above were the settings I ended up with before I upgraded my speakers. After I got all the new speakers in place, I re-ran Audyssey, and then tweaked a little to my liking. I set all my individual speaker levels at 0 though, because everything is pretty evenly spaced in relation to the main seating position (being the sofa). I'm sure it's not a perfect calibration, but I don't have an SPL meter and it sounds really good to me.

oh ok. i have the onkyo ht-s5100. it does have the audyssey feature i just found out, but i've never used it and probably don't plan to. i let the professionals handle that and they already have.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by fighthefutureofhd

oh ok. i have the onkyo ht-s5100. it does have the audyssey feature i just found out, but i've never used it and probably don't plan to. i let the professionals handle that and they already have.

What professionals? You should run it, if for no other reason than to let it set the speaker distances and equalizer adjustments where they need to be. Then you can tweak the individual speaker levels and crossover settings to your liking.

Just for the heck of it, I listened to my new speakers with the old speaker settings before I re-ran Audyssey, and it made a significant improvement in sound quality.

[BUBBASAX420]

My brother purchased this system and it sounds great it also can handle true hd and dts ma hd.

http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=...ss=Systems&p=i

[ElectricShock]

I was thinking of getting these set up at frys its on sale.

is it any good?

and is this the one your all talking about?
http://shop4.frys.com/product/558652...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

[fighthefutureofhd]

Originally Posted by fireman325

What professionals? You should run it, if for no other reason than to let it set the speaker distances and equalizer adjustments where they need to be. Then you can tweak the individual speaker levels and crossover settings to your liking.

Just for the heck of it, I listened to my new speakers with the old speaker settings before I re-ran Audyssey, and it made a significant improvement in sound quality.

the speakers have already been set. that was already done when the system was set up. i konw nothing about this stuff so i plan to leave it alone.

[BluHavik]

Originally Posted by ElectricShock

I was thinking of getting these set up at frys its on sale.

is it any good?

and is this the one your all talking about?
http://shop4.frys.com/product/558652...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

I'm not positive but I think that has the 606, a step up from the 605. It says 3 HDMI inputs and I know for a fact the 605 only has 2. $500 if in fact it's the 606 is a great price. On Amazon the 606 itself is $458

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-SR606...4003057&sr=8-1

[wdhays]

Originally Posted by ElectricShock

I was thinking of getting these set up at frys its on sale.

is it any good?

and is this the one your all talking about?
http://shop4.frys.com/product/558652...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

For about $20.00 more than that after tax, I'd go with this:

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-HT-S6100...9H6FDD9XW1QQ4W

A buddy got this around Christmas & loves it. I was fairly impressed as well. For the price, the speakers are basically free. You can't really lose.

The biggest differences I see are HD decoding, slightly better speakers, on screen display & another HDMI input.

[wdhays]

Originally Posted by BUBBASAX420

My brother purchased this system and it sounds great it also can handle true hd and dts ma hd.

http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=...ss=Systems&p=i

Agreed. If I had a $1000.00 budget & needed a whole system, this would be it. The way I see it, you pay $500 for the receiver, $300 for the sub & $200 for 7 speakers. To me that's 5 free speakers!

At that price, you could replace the speakers next year, if you felt the need & you haven't lost a thing. You could probably sell them & get $200 back.