# Onkyo HTIB or receiver



## rmclain73 (Oct 22, 2010)

Hello all, first time poster long time lurker. After doing a lot of reading and good feedback from friends I have decided that I am going to go with a Onkyo for my first receiver and HT setup. I am well aware of how most HTIB setups are no where near as good a building your own system. However I must say that the Onkyo HT-S9300THX 7.1 system has caught my eye. Seems like the receiver has enough of what I am looking for (or so I think), and I like the idea of having all of the speakers right away. Once I have the funds I will upgrade the system with a SVS 7.1 speaker setup and sub. I have seen the HTIB system for as low as $850 and with Christmas coming up I am keeping my fingers crossed I can find it lower. My other option of course is to buy the Onkyo TX-SR608 7.2 receiver and then purchase a set of speakers. My budget right now is $1000 total. 

I am living in a small Boston MA apartment now on the second floor. The couch is aprox 8 feet away from the 50 inch plasma. The room is 12x12. This spring my wife and I are going to be looking to buy a house or condo just outside of the city. My ideal situation would be to get a place with a room that is larger to make a dedicated theater with fixed 2:35 screen and projector. Someday the goal is to have a home with finished basement and amazing theater. I sometimes wish I could just move to back to Michigan where we could afford that type of home now, but that is another story. 

Should I go with the HTIB, buy the 608 receiver, or just wait until we move. Are these setups going to off my current neighbors in the apartment building? If I go with just the receiver what speakers would you start with knowing I am going to upgrade as soon I can afford it?


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## spartanstew (May 7, 2009)

Receiver

Speakers (enter code RIH8755 for $200 off).

Still leaves you $250 for a sub.


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## rmclain73 (Oct 22, 2010)

Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have asked in my first post but what are the major differences in the HTIB receiver that comes with the Onkyo S9300THX and the Onkyo 608? Other than the number of HDMIs and extras. Asking more about performance and quality. Sorry guys, new to this.


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

> However I must say that the Onkyo HT-S9300THX 7.1 system has caught my eye. Seems like the receiver has enough of what I am looking for (or so I think), and I like the idea of having all of the speakers right away.


Not worth it to spend on mediocre speakers just to get a surround effect which often times isn't even all that exciting. You're better off paying ~400 for a quality refurbished non3D receiver and getting a different speaker set that sounds great and has a very tight, high output sub. After that, when budget allows it, you can always add an extra pair of speakers for use as rears or side surrounds as well as high end subs that make the world rattle. In such a tiny room as that, 5.1 (or 5.2 if you're willing to add a second matching sub) is ALL YOU NEED. Make it worth while. Don't buy a temporary solution out of impatience with your mind on getting something else in the near future. After that i still wouldn't recommend 7.1 in such a tiny room - you're better off spending any more money on things like bass traps, acoustic panels, equalizers.

And then don't spend a dime until you get yourself that new house with the large dedicated 35 x 16 x 10 home theater room we can start thinking about 7 of these speakers, with four big, loud subs, acoustically transparent screens, projectors, amps, and dedicated prepros, pretty room treatments, and hell, chairs.


> Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have asked in my first post but what are the major differences in the HTIB receiver that comes with the Onkyo S9300THX and the Onkyo 608? Other than the number of HDMIs and extras. Asking more about performance and quality. Sorry guys, new to this.


Basically, the more things you try to shove into a box at a low price, the more you skimp on the things that matter in exchange for "features", and the less intensive quality check it will undergo. I can't say much more than that, but even though Onkyo is a nice brand for receivers, I can't say confidently that you're well off going with that HTIB receiver, or the HTIB speakers and sub that come with it. Not to mention in that tiny room you'd have a pair of dead weight rear speakers.


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## salvasol (Oct 31, 2006)

Are you willing to buy used???

If this is temporary (until you buy your new house), maybe you can get used/refurbished... you can get good deals on AVR's and speakers :bigsmile:

Then, when the time comes for that dedicated room... spend your $$$ in new equipment (maybe new technology).


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

rmclain73 said:


> Hello all, first time poster long time lurker. After doing a lot of reading and good feedback from friends I have decided that I am going to go with a Onkyo for my first receiver and HT setup. I am well aware of how most HTIB setups are no where near as good a building your own system. However I must say that the Onkyo HT-S9300THX 7.1 system has caught my eye. Seems like the receiver has enough of what I am looking for (or so I think), and I like the idea of having all of the speakers right away. Once I have the funds I will upgrade the system with a SVS 7.1 speaker setup and sub. I have seen the HTIB system for as low as $850 and with Christmas coming up I am keeping my fingers crossed I can find it lower. My other option of course is to buy the Onkyo TX-SR608 7.2 receiver and then purchase a set of speakers. My budget right now is $1000 total.
> 
> I am living in a small Boston MA apartment now on the second floor. The couch is aprox 8 feet away from the 50 inch plasma. The room is 12x12. This spring my wife and I are going to be looking to buy a house or condo just outside of the city. My ideal situation would be to get a place with a room that is larger to make a dedicated theater with fixed 2:35 screen and projector. Someday the goal is to have a home with finished basement and amazing theater. I sometimes wish I could just move to back to Michigan where we could afford that type of home now, but that is another story.
> 
> Should I go with the HTIB, buy the 608 receiver, or just wait until we move. Are these setups going to off my current neighbors in the apartment building? If I go with just the receiver what speakers would you start with knowing I am going to upgrade as soon I can afford it?


Hello,
The Onkyo HT-S9300THX is truly one of the finest HTIB's ever offered. However, the recommendations made by Spartan Stew and GranteedEV really are worth considering.

I truly think it is better to procure the best possible Speakers even at the cost of not having them all at once.
For instance, to start off with a pair of quality Speakers and a Subwoofer and later adding a corresponding Center Channel and Surrounds would truly yield a superior HT. And, Christmas is right around the corner.

I realize the temptation of having a complete HT, but taking a staged approach where you get the best Speakers possible really will pay dividends.
Cheers,
JJ


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## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

spartanstew said:


> Receiver
> 
> Speakers (enter code RIH8755 for $200 off).
> 
> Still leaves you $250 for a sub.


Not sure about Klipsch Quintets. I think the OP can do better 

OP if you want to build a truly awesome home theater you gotta think long term. Buying everything at once drains the old bank account and results in a lesser system. I suggest you start with a pair of speakers and just add any ole cheap speakers for the rears. On your budget I recommend 

http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Prim...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1287843453&sr=8-1

The Infinity Primus speakers beat out the B&W 802Ds in a DBT test in a standard room. That's a speakers 10 times more expensive. They are excellent towers that can anchor a system for years. 

http://www.accessories4less.com/mak...ster-Audio-Av-Receiver/1.html#!specifications

Would be an excellent alternative to the Onkyo receiver if you want to look at other brands. 

Grab a receiver and a pair of good speakers and add some cheap surrounds Dayton has a 5 speaker set for 90 bucks that would be more than adequate for surrounds. http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-680A common newb mistake is spending too much on surrounds.


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## spartanstew (May 7, 2009)

lsiberian said:


> Not sure about Klipsch Quintets. I think the OP can do better


Not for $350.

His goal was to get a receiver and a 5.1 set up for $1000. 

Sure, if he wants to piece it together over time, he could do better, but that wasn't his question.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I think with a $1000 doller budget, piecing it together with quality components that will last a good long time is a better investment then going the HTIB route, i understand that it gets you all that you want in one total package but the question remains for how long will it satisfy.:dontknow:


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## rmclain73 (Oct 22, 2010)

I would like to thank everyone for your thoughts. A audiophile I am not!! I work in the world of video post production with 4:4:4 HD formats and 4K footage so the video side of things I have down. Audio is a different beast all together for me as we just send everything to a audio post house. I know nothing about the mechanics of speakers and receivers or what to look for at the time of purchase. I only know a little of what I have read, reviews, and what sounds good to my ears. 

I think I have decided to just wait until I own a home and have a room large enough to have a dedicated theater and just do it right the first time. The $1000 I was looking to spend was more less for a temporary system anyways. Lets face it, its not what I want to end up with. I want the large room with 110+ 2:35:1 screen 2 SVS subs and a SVS 7.0 speaker setup with a higher end receiver than the Onkyo 608 in a sound treated room. I am sure by the time I will have the ability to actually construct such a room technology will have changed quite a bit by then and I will want something different. I think I am just a little impatient to get something better than what I have. Just tonight my wife and I ordered Robin Hood on PPV and I had a tough time making out the dialogue over the music and effects. We are just listening to the audio out of our Samsung plasma speakers. Cannot get out of this apartment soon enough.

I think the large appeal of the HTIB Onkyo S9300TX for me was that it was simple and easy. Not having a audio background and not knowing what to look for between the hundreds of different types of speakers is very exhausting. Plus the price of $850 for a THX system seemed like a good buy to me until I could build what I wanted.


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## akeoo7 (Feb 11, 2010)

spartanstew said:


> Receiver
> 
> Speakers (enter code RIH8755 for $200 off).
> 
> Still leaves you $250 for a sub.


I agree with spartastew, and may I also add these speakers:
http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Classic-Theater-System-Black/dp/B001202C44/ref=pd_sim_e_4
they are on a great price now, and everybody says nothing but praise about them.


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## spartanstew (May 7, 2009)

rmclain73 said:


> I think I have decided to just wait until I own a home and have a room large enough to have a dedicated theater and just do it right the first time. The $1000 I was looking to spend was more less for a temporary system anyways.


Keep in mind that whatever you buy now won't go to waste. The gear in my theater cost upwards of $10,000 about 6 years ago, but the equipment it replaced is still going strong in my living room and sounds pretty good. 

You could spend the $1000 now (see post #2) and be enjoying very good sound immediately and then just buy better gear when you go dedicated.

It's not like you won't want 5.1 in your living room whether you have a dedicated theater or not - , I have 5.1 in 4 rooms currently.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I think that if your patients does not get the best of you then you are making the right choice in waiting for the new house that way you will be able to see what you get to work with and what your total budget will be, you allready have some awesome products in mind so IMO i would wait and see.:T


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## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

Well there are many good options out there for a small apartment. Bargain hunting is a good option. My first system cost less than 500 bucks and was better than the HTIB or the Quintets. Plus I still use 4 of the speakers as surrounds.


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## rmclain73 (Oct 22, 2010)

Just checked newegg and they have the Onkyo HT-S9300THX 7.1 on sale for $799, tempting but I will try to hold off. Tough at that price for the receiver and speakers.

They also have the Onkyo 708 receiver on sale for $549 down from $899. You can get the Onkyo 808 for $679 down from $1100.

I have checked in Boston and there is no good place to listen to speaker systems. The only place I have is Best Buy. I went in there the other day and asked to listen to a Klipsch system and I was asked why I would want to do that. Then they showed me a much less powerful system instead that was not even setup correctly and sounded terrible. 

I just want a good clean sounding, yet powerful set of speakers for 5.1 theater listening.


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## rmclain73 (Oct 22, 2010)

Okay, once the financial committie, aka my wife, learned of this price drop on the Onkyo HT-S9300THX 7.1 she has advised we go with this. I can read posts all day and find out what system will be best, but lets face it a lot of time they make the final decision. My last question is this, will we be unhappy with this system? Mind you we are coming from nothing. I know we will be buying a entire new system at some point for a dedicated theater, but that may be years from now. 

She really wanted a Bose setup but I was able to convince her that Bose is way overpriced and really not the best quality. How would this system compare to a Bose in sound quality?


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Compared to the Bose, the Onkyo HT-S9300THX will sound far better and provide far greater fidelity. I hope it provides you years of enjoyment.
JJ


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

If the wife says so then you'll be happy, "A happy wife makes a happy home". You will surely enjoy this system and it will put a slam dunk on any bose system at this price point. Enjoy your new getup and let us know your thoughts after it arrives and you've had some play time with it.:T


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## rmclain73 (Oct 22, 2010)

Looks like the plans have changed once again. Instead of buying a full 7.1 system now we are going to wait until we have the media room and a house to put it in. The plan is to just buy a receiver with a 2.0 or a 3.0 setup. After some talking the wife and I feel that having a sub is not fair to the people who live below us. We both enjoy powerful base that runs through your bones, but would be limited to get that in this small apartment without hearing about it from everyone in the building. 

In the future I plan I having a 7.1/7.2 SVS speaker setup. We are going to start on that journey now with either buying a 2.0 SVS tower (STS) setup, or going 3.0 with 2 SVS bookshelf (SBS) and a SVS center (SCS). If we go with the 3.0 setup the SBS's will be used as surrounds in the future. I will more than likely pair either setup with a Onkyo 708 receiver.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

If not using a Subwoofer, I would recommend Towers. PSB's Image T45 is available for 479 Dollars from DMC-Electronics. It retails for 749 and is a fantastic Speaker representing excellent value at MSRP and awesome value at 479.

The Speaker is quite efficient and will be an excellent start for a quality setup. There are 2 Center Channel Speakers available from DMC that use the same Tweeter as the T45. I would go with the larger one available for 299. The SVS's would be excellent as well.
Cheers,
JJ


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