# Avr



## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

After much consultation I now need some buying advice. I have a Yamaha rx-v596 receiver and much higher quality speakers (IMO). I have Klipsch reference speakers and want more power pushing them. I have been told I can't add an amp due to my receiver not having pre-outs. Not sure I used the correct terminology there? I have roughly $1000 to spend on a new AVR. I would like to stick with the Yamaha brand but want the best match with my speakers. Ready, set, go!


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

For some reason not getting any feedback on this? I'll expand on the 2 receivers I'm looking at. Yamaha rx-1010 and the Denon 3312. I like the 125x7 watts on the Denon vs the 110x7 on the Yamaha but have always owned Yamaha and never had any problems or issues. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

Any new receiver will be a huge upgrade since your current receiver I beleive is not True HD. If your not adverse to factory reconditioned have a look at accessories4less. For 1K you can get very nice one.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Andre said:


> Any new receiver will be a huge upgrade since your current receiver I beleive is not True HD. If your not adverse to factory reconditioned have a look at accessories4less. For 1K you can get very nice one.


I checked and didn't see any in-stock. So by it not being true HD are you saying I'm not watching actual high def? It shows 1080p playing on my PS3 when I hit display on my tv.


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

Your seeing HD just not hearing the encoded True HD sound track


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Accessories4less is a great place to get a receiver, Onkyo is highly regarded to be the best bang for buck and I would not hesitate recommending them over Yamaha. (I was a Yamaha fanboy for many years) Still have my RX V995.
Dont read to much into the rated power output on most manufacturer specifications. Most only put out half their rated output under true conditions. Onkyos have been bench tested and in almost all cases only drops by 25% or less.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Andre said:


> Your seeing HD just not hearing the encoded True HD sound track


Ok. I'll have to do something about that then. Still reading reviews on the higher end Yamaha and Denon. Leaning towards the Yamaha rx-a2000. 2010 model but it's on sale for $1059.88. That would boost my watts per from 90 to 130. Just want a little more kick for my Klipsch rf-82 ii's. Also the ability to add an amp down the line if I want.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

I seriously think you need to reconsider your choice, this Onkyo 3008 is far superior to the Yamaha 2000 and offers THX Ultra2 certification, Audyssey MultiEQ XT, The very best HQV video processing and even more power.


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

I agree with Tony. Yamaha's claim to fame is processing venues (concert hall, stadium...etc) they were fun back in the day but not so much now. Yamaha simpliy cannot beat Onkyo's amplifier section.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> I seriously think you need to reconsider your choice, this Onkyo 3008 is far superior to the Yamaha 2000 and offers THX Ultra2 certification, Audyssey MultiEQ XT, The very best HQV video processing and even more power.


Geeze! Too many choices! I'll do some reading on the Onkyo 3008 and expand my horizons then. Just have always owned Yamaha. You all are my reference though and I trust you know much more than I. Thank god for the Internet!


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## jackboy (Aug 14, 2011)

Hi,
Why not look at anthem like the MRX 300 or MRX 500


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

jackboy said:


> Hi,
> Why not look at anthem like the MRX 300 or MRX 500


Really don't know much about that brand. As long as I can get the Onkyo 3008 for $1000 I think I'm leaning towards that.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Ok, my last request for informed opinions. I found an Onkyo tx-nr809. Anybody feel this would be a considerable upgrade over my Yamaha?


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Please reply. About to pull the trigger here.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Oh yes, the 809 is a stellar receiver, a great choice for your system:T


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> Oh yes, the 809 is a stellar receiver, a great choice for your system:T


How does it compare to the 3008? It's no longer available through accessories4less. The 809 I did find however. Should I wait for the 3008 or just pull the trigger on the 809?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

The 3008 is better as it uses a better video processor among a few other extras but that said the 809 is no slouch and for your needs would do a great job.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> The 3008 is better as it uses a better video processor among a few other extras but that said the 809 is no slouch and for your needs would do a great job.


Ok, thanks for the feedback. Unless the 3008 becomes available between today and the 25th I'll be pulling the trigger on the 809 on the 25th. By the way I checked out your profile and noticed you listed trains as a hobby. It just so happens I'm sitting on a UP 5508 waiting for a parking spot for crew change in Kansas City. It sounds like you might enjoy this but it has long since become a "job" for me. Thanks again.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Done deal! 809 is on order from Amazon for just over $700. I can't wait! I just hope it lives up to the hype.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Awesome! You wont regret this purchase, its a great receiver.


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

I just saw this thread, I hope you think it lives up to the hype too.
The hype is more about the new features than it is going to be about the baseline sound quality.
Your current AVR may not have the latest decoders but the baseline sound quality is just fine.
Someone said you were not getting TrueHD sound with the AVR you currently have, that is not really correct... the PS3 will decode the TrueHD format and send it to your Yamaha as PCM, while the merits of PCM can be debated to death, but in a blind listening test PCM cannot be identified vs the decoding being done in the AVR.
The auto cal features of the new AVR are superior, that may or may not give you better sound though, it depends on your room.
Not trying to be a killjoy, I think you will like the new features of your Onkyo a lot. 
Just don't expect to hear a night and day difference in the SQ.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

chashint said:


> I just saw this thread, I hope you think it lives up to the hype too.
> The hype is more about the new features than it is going to be about the baseline sound quality.
> Your current AVR may not have the latest decoders but the baseline sound quality is just fine.
> Someone said you were not getting TrueHD sound with the AVR you currently have, that is not really correct... the PS3 will decode the TrueHD format and send it to your Yamaha as PCM, while the merits of PCM can be debated to death, but in a blind listening test PCM cannot be identified vs the decoding being done in the AVR.
> ...


I will soon find out. The consensus seems to be that the upgrade will be noticeable. Other than some Q/C issues there doesn't seem to be anything but glowing reviews and endorsements. I'm excited beyond measure for the arrival of my new toy. I'm sorry neighbors.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

What chashint says is his own opinion and he has his right I will have to say that form first hand experience going form my Yamaha RX V995 (Yamaha's flagship receiver in 1999) to my Onkyo 805 was night and day, My speakers stayed the same and so did my wiring so the only upgrade was the receiver and there was a very noticeable difference in sound quality. 
As long as you do the correct setup of the Audeyssy and spend the time getting all the input modes correct you will beyond a shadow of a doubt hear a difference.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> What chashint says is his own opinion and he has his right I will have to say that form first hand experience going form my Yamaha RX V995 (Yamaha's flagship receiver in 1999) to my Onkyo 805 was night and day, My speakers stayed the same and so did my wiring so the only upgrade was the receiver and there was a very noticeable difference in sound quality.
> As long as you do the correct setup of the Audeyssy and spend the time getting all the input modes correct you will beyond a shadow of a doubt hear a difference.


Well I definately wouldn't have made the investment had I not thought there would be improvement on several fronts. My wife thinks I'm crazy from all of the on-line reading I've been doing. It's pretty hard to find much negative on the Onkyo avr's. Only common negative had to do with heat and smoke issues. That was a little troubling however you can find bad reviews on most any product. Other than that most reviews were outstanding.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

My 809 will be here on the 26th and I will post a follow up on my personal opinion after set-up. I might just have to take a couple days off from work for testing.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

JBrax said:


> Only common negative had to do with heat and smoke issues. That was a little troubling however you can find bad reviews on most any product.


Those "Smoke" reports have been floating around the internet for years and no one that I can find ever had that happen to them personally. Heat is only an issue if you dont give the receiver the space it needs to breath and rightfully so given Onkyos have repetitively bench tested as the highest all channels driven power output to there posted specifications compared to all other manufacturers.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

tonyvdb said:


> Those "Smoke" reports have been floating around the internet for years and no one that I can find ever had that happen to them personally. Heat is only an issue if you dont give the receiver the space it needs to breath and rightfully so given Onkyos have repetitively bench tested as the highest all channels driven power output to there posted specifications compared to all other manufacturers.


Indeed. Those "Reports" crack me up and only began when Onkyo released the x05 Series that was a paradigm shift in the AVR Market. Fanboys of other Brands often seemed to perpetuate these myths to justify spending far more and getting far less.

I am not saying Onkyo is perfect. However, the x05's were truly special. Well in front of the curve for HDMI 1.3 with some Brands taking close to a year to catch up, Audyssey MultEQ XT all the way down to the 700 Series, the 805 remaining to me the greatest value in the HDMI era, many AVR's Made in Japan, etc...
Cheers,
JJ


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

JBrax said:


> Well I definately wouldn't have made the investment had I not thought there would be improvement on several fronts. My wife thinks I'm crazy from all of the on-line reading I've been doing. It's pretty hard to find much negative on the Onkyo avr's. Only common negative had to do with heat and smoke issues. That was a little troubling however you can find bad reviews on most any product. Other than that most reviews were outstanding.


1st impressions of my 809 after spending a long and sometimes frustrating night of setting up. Maybe it's me but that thing was a possessed beast to setup. Somehow while doing the firmware update my entire system powered down? Not sure why but my guess is it had something to do with my power center. It is of the green energy saver type and after no actions after about 30 minutes I guess it shuts everything off? Needless to say once update was not allowed to finish I encountered many problems. After unplugging from power center and plugging directly into the wall I could no longer open the setup or settings menu. I also kept getting errors on my Time Warner Cable HD box. At about 1 am I spoke to the most clueless CS rep of all time. He basically told me I had my cables incorrectly run and therefore could not help me out. He did however say he could send out a tech on SATURDAY! Working on limited sleep here so I'm sorry if this is one big run on. At this point I decided I would try to restart the firmware update process using only the receivers display readout instead of my large tv's display. After several attempts I managed to get it started again and after approximately 45 minutes was able to complete the update. Restarted everything and amazingly all of my problems were solved. My cable box even began working again. At this point I plugged everything back into the power center and proceeded to do the Audessey sound setup. Wow! Those test tones rocked on my Klipsch speakers. I'm not sure they're intended to sound good but man did they. I felt like I was listening to some sort of time warp. Anyway, back on point here. The sound after completion was nothing short of AMAZING. The 809 is head and shoulders above my Yamaha in terms of sound. A couple of points however. The video is off. While watching a movie on HBO the picture seemed to brighten and dim during scene changes? It also doesn't seem to be as sharp as before. I'm sure it's a simple settings issue but it's an issue nonetheless. My sub also doesn't seem to be kicking as it was with the Yamaha. Again I believe that to be a simple settings fix but after my trials and tribulations with the firmware update my brain was fried and needed a break. Going to sleep for a couple more hours and check this thread for suggestions. I also strongly discourage indulging any adult beverages while attempting to set this beast up.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
Truly sorry to read of what must have been a harrowing night. It is weird, I have never had an Onkyo FW Update last more than 10 Minutes. However, if Power is lost during the Update, all bets are off. It is actually a blessing that the 809 righted itself as often AVR's are bricked when AC is lost.

Your entire HT should not have powered down during a FW Update. Personally, I have had brief Brownouts that literally last just long enough to Reset my entire HT. As a corollary, I never do FW Updates during Stormy Weather, Peak Consumption Hours, etc. Last Month, I purchased a UPS so that I never have to worry about a FW Update going wrong due to loss of power. It is something I should have done years ago and highly recommend to everyone. I would not use a UPS on an AVR if using the Internal Amplification, but would plug it in during FW Updates. Actually, in your case using Klipschs, it really might not matter as much in respect to losing available power due to the efficiency of the Speakers.
Cheers,
JJ


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Glad to hear that everything is ok now. Generally just turning up the level on the sub is all you need to do as sometimes it will be set lower than you are used to. As far as picture from the sat receiver make sure that you have the video output set to the highest it will allow.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Yes, it was rather stressful. System powered down due to power strip. I guess it's the "green" feature but it was harrowing. All seems well except the bass and video quality. I'll dig back into the settings today. Need a break though.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> Glad to hear that everything is ok now. Generally just turning up the level on the sub is all you need to do as sometimes it will be set lower than you are used to. As far as picture from the sat receiver make sure that you have the video output set to the highest it will allow.


Ok, I'll check that. I want to thank all of you that have helped me along this upgradeitis journey of mine. You all have truly been an invaluable resource.


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

Glad you are pleased and the sound is the leap forward you were hoping for.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

JBrax said:


> Ok, I'll check that. I want to thank all of you that have helped me along this upgradeitis journey of mine. You all have truly been an invaluable resource.


Ok, I just watched Transformers on the 809 and the sound is definately much more impactful. The separation between channels is absolutely amazing. I don't know if it's the extra power or just superior audio processing. I'm still struggling to get the Time Warner HD box right? I have most of the video settings set to auto for that HDMI output. Any suggestions?


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

JBrax said:


> Ok, I just watched Transformers on the 809 and the sound is definately much more impactful. The separation between channels is absolutely amazing. I don't know if it's the extra power or just superior audio processing. I'm still struggling to get the Time Warner HD box right? I have most of the video settings set to auto for that HDMI output. Any suggestions?


I guess I should expand so you all know what the problem is. It is pixelating pretty bad on fast movement. It never did this before with the Yamaha.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Is the cable box hooked up via HDMI?


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> Is the cable box hooked up via HDMI?


Yes, everything is hooked up via HDMI.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

And your certain that the cable box is set to output 1080i?
As my receiver is older than yours i do not really know what options you have in the user menu for video what does it give you for the HDMI output besides auto?


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> And your certain that the cable box is set to output 1080i?
> As my receiver is older than yours i do not really know what options you have in the user menu for video what does it give you for the HDMI output besides auto?


It offers different levels of resolution starting at around 480 all the way up to 4k which 1080p being the highest resolution for my tv. I just figured with the auto setting it would display highest res for whatever content was playing.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Try, setting it to 1080p see if that makes a difference


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

One more random thought on my transition from the Yamaha to the Onkyo. The Audyssey calibration is far superior to the YPAO. Not putting down my old Yammy because it did a hell of a job with the old speaker setup. However with the higher end Klipsch even though they may not have needed the extra power they have blossomed with it.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> Try, setting it to 1080p see if that makes a difference


Had to do some running. Will do 1st thing when I get home and will let you know.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

JBrax said:


> Had to do some running. Will do 1st thing when I get home and will let you know.


Ok it looks as though that has fixed my problem. I set it to 1080p/24. I just thought auto would choose the best resolution available. I can't believe I didn't try that on my own. Thank you very much.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Its no problem, Enjoy your new toy :T


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> Its no problem, Enjoy your new toy :T


How would you like an official company issued Union Pacific hat?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

LOL, hey that would be nice. :bigsmile:


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> LOL, hey that would be nice. :bigsmile:


I'll send it tomorrow for your help. Just tell me where it's going.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

I will PM you the info


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> I will PM you the info


Ok


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