Customer Reviews

Amazing Entry Level System
OK, first off, every previous reviewer did not research before buying the unit. "HDMI pass-through means" that the HDMI only produces video, not sound. Therefore, this system (if you are using HDMI) will transfer the video through an HDMI cable and the audio through a separate optical or coaxial cable.

That being said, the unit works flawlessly. I have used it for about 3 weeks and it is everything i expected. The speakers are a piano black, which match my Samsung DLP perfectly.

Set-up was very easy, though you may consider changing the included speaker wire (especially considering that the speaker wire for the rear speakers won't even reach). Another plus of the set-up was that the menu for the receiver is on the receiver's lcd itself, not shown on the tv.

If you are planning on using HDMI, and don't mind using optical or coax audio, this system can't be beat.

Sounds great, but don't forget the optical cables
When I read the product specs, I thought the HDMI support included audio, but it is only a pass through switch. If you want to use HDMI, you still need to run another cable for audio. That little kink aside, I am happy with the quality of this product. Great sound and great value for the price.

Great system
After thorough research on the subject I decided to go with Onkyo. It was difficult to decide between models, but I decided to take a chance and get the budget model. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality. The receiver and speakers are substantial, and the sound is very good. I expected that the speakers would be fine for tv use, but not for listening to music. When compared to my large Klipsch speakers they actually hold up quite well. One of the reasons that I wanted a receiver rather than a basic home theater in a box was that I could hook up a second set of speakers. While you cannot play different sources through A and B speakers, you can run them both at the same time on the same source, or switch between the sets. Since the sound quality of the Onkyo is so good, I find that I pretty much use them for all sources, including music. While not quite as good as the Klipsch speakers, they sound suprisingly full for the size and price. One downside is that you must run separate audio and video cables to the receiver, since the HDMI ports are pass through only, but I don't find this to be a big deal. I run an HDMI cable from my cable box directly to the tv, and an optical cable from the box to the receiver. That way I can use the tv with built in speakers if I don't want the receiver on, and I can use the receiver for bigger sound. If sending the video signal through the receiver via hdmi, I believe you need to always have the receiver on to run the tv. This way I avoid the problem, and the passthrough issue is not a factor. I only have a few minor issues. First, when playing music through the PS3 I cannot get the B speakers to work. I'm guessing it's because the system is viewing this as a video source rather than audio. Maybe I just haven't found the right setting. The B speakers work for radio and the ipod input just fine. I also find the manual a bit weak on explaining the different audio settings. There are many different settings such as surround, dolby, dts, etc and it's difficult to know which to choose. Those minor issues aside, I think this is a great system. I use the system with a 52 inch lcd tv in a large great room (26'X18'X18'high), and the sound is great. I personally wouldn't see a need to go to a more expensive system.