# Denon-AVR1911 or Onkyo-TX-SR608 or ??



## tane0019 (Jul 15, 2010)

Looking of buying my 1st AV Amp after some years of without one ..........

Start shopping around and have narrow down to 2 potential as stated above.

Wondering if there are any Manartz or Yamaha or any other brand(s) that offer about the same specification & price range ??

Have a Philips BlueRay DB3000 player + a Philips 42" 9000 series TV.
Thinking of also pairing the AV amp with KEF speakers (4 x iQ1 + iQ2C - selling at half price because of old model). 
Sub, yet to decide, maybe a KEF or small REL ??

Should be more for movies + a little bit of music (mostly vocal).

Help needed for those who had experiences to advise what is the main differences (not techncal and specification aspect) between Denon vs Onkyo ??

Also, other than the 2 mentioned brand/model, is there other brand/model that is/are in the same range in term of spec & pricing range ??

EH.:dontknow:


----------



## HTNut42 (Jul 4, 2010)

Denon, Onkyo, and Yamaha all make really good AVR's IMO. The best thing to do is first set a price you are willing to pay, then look at what options you want. Most higher end recievers have Audio Compensation tools you can use to shape and customize the sound according to your room shape, and speaker placement. Also decide if you want to have the luxury of an on screen guide for the options as you can get recievers with or without that. I would go somewhere online that offers a variety of recievers and do some comparing. The last thing you want to do is pay $300-$400 for a reciever and be unhappy with it. One thing I have noticed is that when it comes to quallity, Denon seems to be the choice of most. :bigsmile:

One more thing. Be sure to look at wattage output.


----------



## tane0019 (Jul 15, 2010)

Was told that Denon comsume quite a lot of electricity & can run quite hot as compare to Onkyo.
True ?

Plus, if I want a more musicial AV amp, which of the 2 is better ?


----------



## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I have a Denon 3808ci and doesn't run hot as in fry an egg hot that is but it does get warm when you are pushing it but i've also got 5 large speakers being driven by it and can crank on it all day and not have it thermo on me. It's very reliable.:T


----------



## Alec.su (Feb 20, 2008)

I'll tell you from my own personal experience as an installer that Onkyo gets my "HUGE" thumbs down. Not because its a bad AVR, in fact its awesome, no, the reason is because it runs so hot that I could get an entire English breakfast cooked on it in no time at all.One of my first 'Onkyo' installs involved a simple AVR and Blu-Ray player. Popped one on top of the other and a week later I was buying the client a new Blu-Ray player as it had melted inner components. Unbelievable as it was I have learnt my lesson I have also had issues with the HDMI board inside where it has gone 'faulty' with more than one unit and the agents don't know why it does this and want to charge you about half the price of a new AVR for the part. No sir, I won't go back.


----------



## tane0019 (Jul 15, 2010)

Which specific model of Onkyo you're refering to ?


----------



## Alec.su (Feb 20, 2008)

TX-SR607


----------



## tane0019 (Jul 15, 2010)

How is you experiences with Denon, Mazartz or Yamaha AV amp then ?
Are they as hot ? Reliablity wise ?


----------



## Alec.su (Feb 20, 2008)

The older Denon's were a bit simplistic for me although having said that, you knew what you were getting simple straight forward no frills good quality amplification. The newer stuff is not bad at all and I haven't had any complaints from clients yet. Marantz, I have no comment on as I haven't installed any Marantz gear in about 5 years. Yamaha AVR's are good. I haven't had one come back yet. Don't like their DVD players much but the AVR's are good quality with enough bells and whistles to be enjoyed. Let me say that if Onkyo sorted their heat issues out and had better backup they would win hands down as they have all the bells and whistles for next to no money. You should also have a look at Integra, they're supposed to be Onkyo's higher end product, not sure how that works but anyway, and they're supposed to be quite good, although I don't have any experience with them yet. Another brand which I have installed in quite a few of the smaller home theaters is the Harmon Kardon AVR 360's and so on. Nice unit, no heat issues and nice remote. They are a little weak in the pants but for smaller HT's they're not bad at all. something to consider.


----------



## DougMac (Jan 24, 2008)

Alec.su said:


> TX-SR607


From what I've read, the newer Onkyos, including the TX-SR608 don't have the heat problems of the older units. I think it would be worth further investigation to verify. Heat is one thing that has scared me away from Onkyos in the past. I'm now considering the 708 to replace my non HDMI, non Audyssey NAD T-762.

While doing a little research, I ran into something curious. Amazon's price on the 608 is almost the same as the 708. It's also a third party seller listed, when last week it was Amazon. The 708 is sold by Amazon.


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
I personally think the heat issues that Onkyo has received much derision over is overblown. While many of the AVR's do run warm, the failure rate of their AVR's is not higher than competing Brands.

I really believe heat issues are often perpetuated by Salesmen who do not carry Onkyo as Feature and Powerwise, they really are all but impossible to beat for the money. The heat issue is also brought up by, for lack of a better term, fanboy's who are strictly loyal to their preferred Brand. I still cannot believe the TX-SR608 offers THX Select2 Plus Certification for the money.

Also, the 608 uses the same 3 Stage Inverted Darlington Circuity that their upper Range AVR's use. The fact it runs hot is inherent in the design. The inclusion of this Amplifier Design was necessary to pass THX's Certification.

For over a year, I had my TX-SR875 in a BDI Rack with such tight clearance that I had to remove the feet of the unit to fit it. While I use it strictly as an SSP, it still runs hot and I never had a single issue. This is obviously not recommended.

All I can say is my Pioneer VSX-49txi ran way hotter than my TX-SR875. Moreover, all of my Amplifiers run hot. I have had several of these Amplifiers for over a decade running them 24/7 with never an issue.

Since Onkyo x05 Series, they really have become a Brand that is hard not to recommend. The combination of THX Processing throughout most of their Lineup, Audyssey EQ, solid Amplifier Sections, and pretty much every Feature available at prices lower than other Brands really seals it for me.

I personally prefer Denon's Industrial Design and wish they would offer more power. Recently, their prices have gone up while the weight of their AVR's have dropped noticeably. As a big fan of THX Processing, I am troubled that the only THX Ultra2 Certified AVR in their Lineup is the 5500 Dollar AVR-5803. For comparisons sake, Onkyo's Ultra2 Plus Certified TX-NR1007 retailed for 1600 Dollars.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## Alec.su (Feb 20, 2008)

Okay, well I'm always open to checking things out, this will obviously have to be an independant study as I'll definitely not get my other clients back to Onkyo in a hurry. Do you know what they did to sort out the heat issue? Just slip in another heat sink? Are there any major differences or is this just their way of sorting out the heat issue and not assisting clients who have burnt out HDMI boards based on the heat? I'm sure you may not know the answer, it's more a hypothetical question.


----------



## Alec.su (Feb 20, 2008)

Not sure if you, JJ, are making comments in general about the derision that Onkyo gets as well as if you have proof of whether their failure rate is the same as other brands, Or.... if you are referring to my opinions in this thread? 
I speak plainly from experience with the number of units I have installed. In terms of the number of other products to Onkyo products that I have installed Onkyo wins hands down in terms of what they offer, no doubt there. They have fantastic value for money and as you say, with THX as well as Audessey speaker correction, you cannot buy this for cheaper, anywhere. However, with that I have to add that their failure rate is 100%, and that's why they got my thumbs down. Every single unit I have installed has had something go wrong and most of the issues have been heat or HDMI related. 
If, as you say, they have rectified this then this is surely a good thing and should be checked, verified and stamped with approval. 
No harm no foul if I misinterpreted your comments to include me in the "Fanboys" group. This is after all a group filled with, hopefully, helpful opinions and not derision of product.:T:bigsmile:


----------



## DougMac (Jan 24, 2008)

Alec.su said:


> Okay, well I'm always open to checking things out, this will obviously have to be an independant study as I'll definitely not get my other clients back to Onkyo in a hurry. Do you know what they did to sort out the heat issue? Just slip in another heat sink? Are there any major differences or is this just their way of sorting out the heat issue and not assisting clients who have burnt out HDMI boards based on the heat? I'm sure you may not know the answer, it's more a hypothetical question.


That's a good question, I don't know if they changed their design. The anectdotal information I've been reading from those who owned the prior models is the newer ones are significantly cooler to the touch.

This reminds me of a Sears oven we once owned. It was dual fuel, gas burners and electric convection oven. We put the turkey in for Thanksgiving dinner, the entire family was going to eat at our house. Halfway through baking, the oven turned off and all the electronic controls (clock, temp display) quit. It turned out the main circuit board, located directly above the oven, overheated. You could bake a cake, but anything taking more than an hour or so burned out the board. Sears replaced the board the first two times it happened, but the third time they wanted to charge $150.00. I decided it was a design flaw and checked the internet (isn't Google great?). It turned out the stove was built by Roper and it was a recognized design flaw. After receiving no joy from the local store manager, I was able to talk to someone at Sears HQ. They agreed to a swap for a Jenn-Air, giving my full purchase price credit on the Sears with me paying the difference for the Jenn-Air, which gave us many years of great service.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

There are many members here that have had no issues with heat on Onkyo products including myself I have the 805 known to have heat issues and have never had it get so hot that it would be hard to touch. Weight is ultimately the deciding factor for me when looking at receivers if comparing different brands in the same price range. Onkyo has always been the heaviest. 
Generally the two spots that get hot in receivers is the amp section and the processing area. Receivers should NEVER be placed inside a closed rack or on top of or below other heat generating items and nothing should ever be placed on top of them unless there is alt least a 6" space between them. they need to breath and if you dont follow this simple rule your asking for issues as heat is the number one killer of electronics.


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
Onkyo's Integra Line is very popular with CI Companies. While I certainly do not doubt that you had two units that failed in short order, the Custom Installers I know down here in Florida have had an positive experience with Onkyo/Integra.

I definitely think that it is essential to follow Onkyo's minimum clearance guidelines for setting up the AVR's.
With the AVR's, the 3 Stage Inverted Darlington Circuit runs hot by design and needs airflow. Moreover, the Reon Chip and HDMI Board to generate a good amount of heat.

I follow Onkyo AVR's on several Forums and Websites. Paying special attention to reports of failures as it is important to me to believe in what I am recommending. I have zero financial incentive to recommend Onkyo.
I simply believe they make well made products that offer more Features and stronger Power Supplies than competing Brands for less money. Moreover, I have I my TX-SR875 for over 3 Years running it 24/7 with zero issues.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## chas (Jan 28, 2007)

The Onkyo 608 now has a cooling fan which is reported to be quiet and effective. Here's a picture:


----------



## mde8965 (Jul 24, 2010)

The Onkyo TX-SR608 does NOT have heat issues as it has a cooling fan. I have mine working for 10 hours at a time and it is barely warm to the touch. Great receiver for the price!!!! Just keep in mind that it it only has the 2EQ version of Audyssey. No prob for me, my room is a rectangle and is only open at one end (doorway), but in a very challenging space with no other tools (EQ, sound meter, REW, etc..) you might appreciate MultiEQ instead.


----------



## javygonx (Jan 1, 2011)

I own Onkyo, Marantz and Denon. I have Onkyo 608 and yes; it gets VERY HOT. Marantz and Denon does not run as HOT as Onkyo. Marantz just warm; and Denon; just a bit warmer than Marantz but its ok. The Denon I got was AVR689 and Marantz SR6003. 

Best SOUND? Marantz all the way; music sounds awesome as well as movies. Onkyo in Home Theater Movies ROCKS!; Denon for me its like an average in music as well as HT. But between the 3; I prefer the Marantz. I have to buy Onkyp 608 because I got a new 3D TV. Otherwise I would prefer Marantz SR5005; but I'm not going to spend a lot again in a new receiver. SR5005 has new features that SR6003 does not have.

I still can see 3D Movies on SR6003; but the audio should pass only via Optical; but for non 3D Movies I can still use the HDMI Audio with TrueHD or DTS-MA. While 3D Movies only as Dolby Digital 5.1; in which stills sounds great; but I want HD Audio.

The Onkyo after running Audessey; the Subwoofer sounds way better. You select Dynamic EQ to ON and you can feel the difference in audio. Very nice; but I'm still thinking in return my Onkyo and get SR5005. I was thinking i Denon 1911; but not sure. This Onkyo 608 you need to be free of objects otherwise it will shutdowns. It happens to me and I bought a small fan and put it in the back. I have space in left and right side; but at the top I have only like 1/2 inch of free space. Probably with at least 3 inches would be ok and dont need a fan!... Receiver shuts down after 5 straight hours ON playing BlackOps at pretty high volume. The fan helps me a lot and receiver does not runs as hot as before!. But for the price; its a great receiver.


----------



## fljorge (Jan 5, 2011)

Friends, i would like to know what do u think about the pioneer 920K, it looks to me a very good receiver, and it's very cheap at amazon.

Thanks a lot.

Filipe


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Felipe,
The Pioneer 920 could be a great choice. As with any Entry Level AVR, the speakers used will make a huge impact on how well it sounds. In the case of low impedance speakers the ability to even playback material is a question with AVR's with modest amplifier sections.

What Speakers would you be using? In truth, most speakers will be compatible, but there are some that might need a stronger amplifier section to attain the best sound.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## fljorge (Jan 5, 2011)

Thanks for your answer.
I'm not an audiophile, i like tecnology a lot. but i've always used in box HT. my first one was the Z-5500 and now i have a Sony htss360 in my room, it's ok to my needs. But now i'm moving to an apartment so i need something more powerful to my living room.

First i was thinking of an onkyo 6300 or denon 591ba. but now i saw that i can do a lot better than that. So i wanna spend something around 800 dolars. What do you recomend?

I saw these speakers here:
Energy 5,1
Polk RM705
Klipsch HD 1000
Infinity TSS800
RM75 + Sub
RM 85 + Sub
i'm kind lost. ehehe.

And i was looking some receivers
Onkyo sr608
Onkyo rc260
Pioneer 920k or 1020k
Denon 591
Any Marantz...

Could you please help me?
If i can pick speakers one by one there's no problem, but i don't wanna spend more than 800 dolars.

Regards,
Filipe


----------



## fljorge (Jan 5, 2011)

Hi, guys, i put this system together.

I don't have a big room, it's and apartment living room.

Onkyo sr608 + Polk Audio RM75 or RM85 or rm95 + Klipsch Synergy Sub-10 200watts.

is that a good system to start with?

Thanks a lot.


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

fljorge said:


> Hi, guys, i put this system together.
> 
> I don't have a big room, it's and apartment living room.
> 
> ...


Hello,
That is definitely a nice HT to start with and offers more than enough bass to drive your neighbors batty.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## fljorge (Jan 5, 2011)

Thanks Jungle Jack. would u change anything? i wanna spend 800 dolars or so.

Which wires should i buy for the speakers and sub?
Is the sub too strong for the system or that doesn't matter?

Regards,

Filipe


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Felipe,
I do not think the subwoofer is too strong. Rather, Apartments and subwoofers can be problematic. You can always turn it down if too loud. Much better to need to turn it down than be maxed out.

As for Cables, I would check out Blue Jeans Cable or Monoprice. Both will save you a great deal of money over Monster Cable. Preterminated Speaker Cables with Banana Plugs are quite handy. Even better, unlike bare wire, you do not need to periodically snip the end of the cable due to oxidation.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## fljorge (Jan 5, 2011)

Thanks a lot. JJ

I will give my review after the installation.

do u like this receiver?


----------



## Tufelhundin (Jan 25, 2010)

Something I would consider, for I have 2 Onkyo's and a Denon in my house, and I like them all however for me I wasted $$ on my 603 Onkyo and my Denon for neither one had preamps. I will say that I do not have an external amp yet but I do plan to get one...or two. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you could swing for a Onkyo 7XX instead, I would, at least you would be able to "grow" if you had the desire.

My 2 cents anyway.


----------



## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Very good point about the Preamp outputs you never know when a power upgrade will be in order so an AVR with Preouts would certainly be on my list.:T


----------



## fljorge (Jan 5, 2011)

Thanks guys, but how does an amplifier work?
Why should i need one in the future?
I'm not an audiophile, but i like it a lot. But my room is tiny. is a 125m² apartment.

regards,

Filipe


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

fljorge said:


> Thanks guys, but how does an amplifier work?
> Why should i need one in the future?
> I'm not an audiophile, but i like it a lot. But my room is tiny. is a 125m² apartment.
> 
> ...


Hello,
They are speaking of the ability to add an outboard Amplifier to drive your speakers as opposed to using the amplifiers built into the AVR. In truth, dedicated Power Amplifiers offer far more power than 99% of AVR's, but provided the speakers used are efficient and the room is not large, the added power is not always needed.

While I almost always recommend AVR's which offer Preamp Outputs, if the budget is not large and the individual is not planning on moving to a house or larger apartment/condo in the near future an AVR like the TX-SR608 offers great value.
Cheers,
JJ


----------

