This is a very solid AV receiver, with great sound, good front panel and remote controls, some nice touches and a couple of less-than-fatal flaws.
Cons
- It "only" connects up to 5 video input sources, even using the AUX input (which might require connectors in front, depending on cable choices). 5 sounds like a lot, but with DVRs, DVD players, games, recorders, AppleTV, etc. they go fast. Already, I could already use another! Of those 5, up to 3 can be HDMI, which is a big plus for this model. The other video sources must use Component (up to 3), S-video or Composite. (There are additional audio-only inputs as well.)
- Zone 2 is actually pretty handy (if you don't use all 7 channels for home theatre, you can re-purpose 2 audio channels - they get a separate input selection and volume control. Great for a remote speaker pair!). But it only supports analog audio. That means digital audio sources (e.g., those with Optical connectors) either won't work in Zone 2, or require additional cabling (using regular RCA-type stereo inputs as well).
- HDMI audio is slow to sync - for example, after resuming from a DVR Pause, video is rolling for 2-3 seconds before audio resumes - you can miss some dialog and have to jump back.
- OnScreen Display (e.g., volume bars and other visual feedback) is handy, but OSD doesn't work with HDMI inputs. (Understandable, since the signal passes through, but disappointing.)
- Setup wasn't completely intuitive, but was quite workable. (It's not rocket science, but it helps to understand the basic concepts in advance.)
Pros
- It really sounds great, and the digital video is flawless. The "Audisy" automatic speaker calibration feature gave a dramatic improvement in sound quality for my listening room.
- I think it's a great value, especially if you need 3 HDMI inputs.
- There are some nice small touches, like the ability to balance the volume levels on different input sources - to avoid a jarring change in volume when switching.
Disclaimers
- I use a Harmony remote ("one ring to rule them all"), so I can't comment much on the Onkyo remote.
- This isn't my first AV Receiver, and I'm somewhat into wires and pliers. "Your mileage may vary."
Conclusion
I really like the performance - sound and video are great, especially for the price. It's a very good product, not perfect but solid, convenient, and very good at what it does.
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