Onkyo TX-SR806 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)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.
UPDATE 4/27/09
A few things to add...
when connecting electronics in through the HDMI you can choose how it will be displayed when it leaves the receiver and shown on the screen.
In the options I selected to have all images displayed as 1080i since that is the native resolution picture my current TV supports. So my 360 and blu ray all have their images altered via the receiver to the native resolution my screen can handle over all offering a better image. (only through HDMI)
I can also set each sound format (DTS-HD, DOLBY DIGITAL, Dolby TRU HD, ETC.) to be automatically switched to the sound preset of my choosing offered by the receiver. For example NOT THAT I WOULD EVRE DO THIS but if my Blu Disk had a Dolby TRU HD soundtrack I could set my receiver to send the signal out in mono. Doing so will automatically adjust every Dolby TRU HD soundtrack to mono. This is good if you have a specific sound option avail on the receiver you tent to enjoy most. The amp will make a slight click noise to let you know it switched over and boom you get the sound option you want vs reaching for the remote and searching for the sound option you desire.
Also each input, Game, DVD, Tape, CD etc. has its own memory. So whatever you set for the DVD option will not be automatically applied to the game option. This allows me to pick my favorite sound options for each input.
You can also set the default volume setting when you turn the receiver on. So if you shut it off without turning it down it will not turn on at the last volume but rather the preset desired volume. You can also select the volume of how you "mute". Either 50% of the current volume or completely off. You can also pick any volume level between the lowest and the highest available. If you dont want it plaied too loud you can also select the loudest volume level you desire. This wont allow the volume to raise over that selected volume level.Another feature I liked is the ability to rename inputs. I changed the name of my DVD input to read Blu Ray and my Game input to read XBOX360. Now when I uses the remote to select DVD or game the new names I relabeled show up on the onkyo display.
Over all I am happier and happier with my purchase each day. There are still so many features I have only begun to breech the icecap!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Onkyo TX-SR806 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black)

The TX-SR806 occupies a unique position in the Onkyo line-up.We class it as a mid-range A/V receiver. But with its advanced capabilities and THX Ultra2 Plus certification, it`s a worthy challenger for high-end status. Built with high-definition entertainment in mind, the TX-SR806 accommodates up to five HDMITM sources that can handle both 1080p video and studio master-quality surround sound.That`s more high-def sources than you`ll find on any other Onkyo A/V receiver. If that weren`t enough, onboard Faroudja DCDi CinemaTM scales all standard definition sources to 1080p for HDMI output, or to 1080i for component video output. Endowed with the amplification power and dependability expected from an Onkyo A/V receiver, the TX-SR806 stands out as a natural choice for high performance home theater.

Click here for more information about Onkyo TX-SR806 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black)