Onkyo or Denon?

[deewheezy]

Looking for some advice from the reciever pro's for a guy taking his first plunge. does it matter the brand if it has the same features? i like the Onkyo 805's http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-SR805-Channel-Theater-Receiver/dp/B000OBJW1S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1225525528&sr =8-3 price and feature set but the store im going through (magnolia hi-fi) for speakers (definitive tech) is trying to push the denon line.

the speakers are gonna cost an arm leg and kidney but i figure ill get what i pay for when it comes to speakers and they are the key to amazing surround. can i go with the cheaper reciever and still get the same quality from my speakers?

[SlmShdy1]

There are pros and cons to each. The Onkyo has THX certified listening modes, but that particular model has problems with over heating. Onkyo's in general also have a problem with the bitstream bomb (DTS-HD only), but that can be fixed with a firmware update. The Denon lacks THX and the interface is a pain in the ass. It takes forever to change certain settings on the receiver. Also, I can't remember if the Denon comes with an auto calibration mic. The Onkyo's Audyssey auto calibration makes setup a breeze.

Overall, I'd say go with the Onkyo if you have room to let it breathe or if you want to invest in a fan.

[DBlackGT]

If you don't put an onkyo in a space that only has an inch of breathing room then you'll be just fine. Overheating has only occured with idiots who put it in a closed cabinet with no breathing room. The Onkyo's are supposed to run warm, but when people say they have an overheating problem its not true, it only happens when people dont give it the proper room.

But overall Onkyos are a fantastic receiver for the price and features they offer. I have the 805 and absolutely love it, and in my opinion theres not a better receiver out there for the price of the 805. And in my opinion I could care less for Denon, they have not impressed me one bit. If I didnt go Onkyo I would have gone Yamaha or Integra. But hey this is just my opinion

Also I purchased my 805 in August and havent had one problem with the DTS Master Audio dropping out. That was when the unit first came out, but if you buy one now its likely to be a newly produced one without the DTS issue.

[Nooff]

The Onkyo 805 doesn't run as hot as the 875 or 905. My Onkyo 805 is fantastic and yes it does run warm, but not hot.

I think Denon is way overpriced and should rethink their pricing strategy. There's no way a Denon 4308 is worth 700 more compared to an 905 for example.

Go with the Onk, you're not going to be dissappointed! It's heavy, great build quality, has fantastic DACs (found also in Denon's top of the line) and you can now get it for a fantastic price!

[ZIPPO]

I just purchased the Denon AVR-2809CI. It does include the Audyssey mic & calibration ( Audyssey MultiEQ & Audyssey Volume ). It is engineered & built in Japan not China like Onkyo ( better quality control ). It has no problems with over heating ( wasted power ) or DTS audio bombs. Its true wattage per channel output is more efficient than Onkyo's even with out the THX certification. Plus IMO Denon receivers look better than Onkyo receivers (uncluttered front panel / most buttons hidden ). Set-up was easy enough if you have decent reading comprehension. I also have the Sony STR-DA5300ES, its GUI sets the standard for ease of use. Yes Denon cost more, but you get what you pay for.

[School]

denon does come with a auto calibration mic

[Blu-Raider]

I've owned three Denons. The last time I upgraded (4308ci) I did my homework and then went and listened to both the Denon and Onkyo receivers. I made my choice based upon what I believe to be a superior product. Onykos are absolutely terrific, but in my humble opinion, my Denon is better.

I highly recommend you listen to the both and judge for yourself. Your conclusion may differ.

[darkpoet25]

Okay, you said you are going through a Magnolia store. Both Denon and Onkyo make great products. I have the 805 myself and love it, and as others have said make sure you have enough ventilation room for this. The only time the DTS bomb would have an effect, is if you are bitstreaming from your player.(Not sure what you have) Since Magnolia is part of Best Buy, see if they have any demo material available, or if they will let you use something of your own. Have them play it for you through your speaker choice(Def Tech is costly but worth the money), and have them switch between the 805 and the Denon. Decide which sounds best to you and go from there. Either way, I'm sure you will enjoy your set up for years to come.

[CasualKiller]

1> Onkyo 805 has no issues with overheating, it's a receiver that runs hot, that's the way it was designed. If you blow it up because you packed it into a little cubby hole with no air circulation it's not Onkyos fault.

2> Most of the people suffering from the DTS-HD-MA problems have already upgraded to new firmware and all the new receivers out come with the latest firmware.

3> Onkyo is not made in China, when Onkyo makes it's first production run of a product it's done in Japan then transferred to Malaysia for mass production.

Not sticking up for Onkyo, I think Denon is a great brand, just keeping facts straight here.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by ZIPPO

Its true wattage per channel output is more efficient than Onkyo's even with out the THX certification.

That is a massive falsehood and you're already proven wrong by independant testing.

The 4308CI hits 126w/ch with all channels driven, the TX-SR905 exceeds 140w/ch with all channels driven.

Let's keep fact straight here okay? You don't get Ultra2 certification by having crappy power supplies. It also doesn't overheat. I have full range towers for my fronts and rears (Monitor 11's - Paradigm) and I can listen to multi-channel SACD's (DSD direct from Oppo 980H) at reference level for well over an hour. The receiver gets hot to the touch, but it never overheats. I'm not stupid enough to put it in a small enclosure with no ventilation, but it doesn't require any additional cooling either.

If you buy an Onkyo receiver right now you're getting the following firmware's:

MAIN - 1.08/08223A
Update - 1.01/07615L
DSP1 - 8051 - 08214A
DSP2 - 8052 - 07518A
DSP3 - 8053 - 07820B
HDMI - 1.01/07706A

The dts bombs were from the original run of receivers.

I have auditioned several recievers over the last year before cost settled me on the TX-SR805. It is predominantly used for multi-channel high resolution audio and I could not find an advantage to spend the extra money on a similarly priced Marantz or Denon receiver.

The 4308CI interested me because of the wifi and streaming .flac capabilities, but because half of my dmb shows (400GB+) are in .shn format as well as .flac I would still be converting all the time to .wav

The tapers now tape in 24-bit .flac24 files and you can't stream those, only 16-bit files, so overall it would have been a waste of time for me to add this. The Pioneer ELITE DV-48 SACD/DVD-A player I'm replacing the 980H with has USB so I can convert .flac to .wav and put them into the USB and plug it into the DV-48 and play files that way. With 32GB USB sticks going for under $60 on eCost, seems like a no-brainer.

[petenad]

I have the 905, I have cranked it for hours on end with oodles of room to deafen yourself at a quicker rate. I can put my hand and keep it there no problem. I've had Pioneer and Sony receivers with I would say similar results of the heat being dispersed. Of course I have the receiver on a low stand I'd show ya pictures but I have no idea how to input them my computer skills suck.
After looking at what's inside the Denon and Onkyo best bang for you dollar hands down Onkyo. You get what you pay for yes but sometimes your paying for a name Denon needs to snap themselves into reality nothing against the receiver I liked it but couldn't justify the extra $$$.

[dobyblue]

Denon 4308CI - http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/rec...-receiver.html
Test Bench

5 channels driven - 126 Watts
7 channels driven - 111 Watts

Onkyo TX-SR875 - http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/rec...-receiver.html
Test Bench

5 channels driven - 141 Watts
7 channels driven - 128 Watts

[Galley]

Denons have better styling.

[arush5268d]

Originally Posted by Galley

Denons have better styling.

It's not so much that they have better styling as much as Onkyos are built very ugly and heavy.

[spcamaj]

onkyo all the way...

[DBlackGT]

Originally Posted by Galley

Denons have better styling.

Thats very subjective cause I think Denons look like a fisher price toy. But hey thats just my opinion, just like people think Onkyo's are extremely ugly.

But I will admit Denons produce very nice sound

[spcamaj]

yeah this subject is really based on your own opinion i guess go see what you like

[PanasonicPlasmaMan]

I have never owned a Denon but I do own a Onkyo 605 and I love it.

[ShawnJ]

Originally Posted by ZIPPO

I just purchased the Denon AVR-2809CI. It does include the Audyssey mic & calibration ( Audyssey MultiEQ & Audyssey Volume ). It is engineered & built in Japan not China like Onkyo ( better quality control ). It has no problems with over heating ( wasted power ) or DTS audio bombs. Its true wattage per channel output is more efficient than Onkyo's even with out the THX certification. Plus IMO Denon receivers look better than Onkyo receivers (uncluttered front panel / most buttons hidden ). Set-up was easy enough if you have decent reading comprehension. I also have the Sony STR-DA5300ES, its GUI sets the standard for ease of use. Yes Denon cost more, but you get what you pay for.

I just bought a Denon Avr-2809CI too and so far I am loving it!!! Great receiver!

[ricky tee78]

#1 from somebody who has done professional in-home HT calibrations, those calibration mics are a joke

#2 onkyo's feel very...... cheap? They just look and feel cheap to me. the quality of construction. BUT they are very user-friendly

#3 Denon's are alot more attractive in my opinion, but are very complicated to use. You have to get a hang for them.