Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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I purchased a Rocketfish Wireless Speaker Kit for my rear surround speakers, works fine although intermittently interferes with my wireless internet. I love Onkyo's multple surround sounds options. The receiver is large and heavy but has a plethora of connectors including 2 HDMI inputs. Inside my TV stand cabinet with glass doors the heat builds up quite a bit. I may have to take the door off. Included DVD player with upscale to 1080i works nicely. Very pleased with sound. Not very good FM/AM radion pickup in my area with just the included antennas. I have not added a XM or Sirrus antenna yet. Anyway, I am tickled pink for the two weeks I have had it so far.

Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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is more expensive, but I think of it as a longer term investment. I can buy a ps3 tomorrow and take full advantage of it; I can't do that with sub-$500 units.

Cons:
- One minor surprise for me. The receiver supports up-converting/upscaling component-input to HDMI-output. BUT, in that case, the HDMI output is capped at 720p. So 1080i HD cable from my cable-box actually gets downscaled to 720p. Onlyo must have assumed older dvd players or regular cable would be connected via component input (480i -> 720p). HDMI input -> HDMI output is pass-thru and component input-> component output is pass thru. So in those cases 1080i/p input would come untouched as 1080i/p output
- MP3 CD navigation is ok. But I really wish Onkyo had added a screen-saver or screen-dimmer in the navigation view. Since the directory view is static, I'm worried about leaving that on and having burn-in on my LCD HDTV. Fancy visualization like the PS3 has would be perfect :-)
- This Onkyo system is not trivial to setup. So be ready to connect lots of cables and to spend time and effort. Also requires spending time going through the manual. But if you're a geek like me, you'll enjoy it and the final results are worth it.

Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

...

is more expensive, but I think of it as a longer term investment. I can buy a ps3 tomorrow and take full advantage of it; I can't do that with sub-$500 units.



Cons:

- One minor surprise for me. The receiver supports up-converting/upscaling component-input to HDMI-output. BUT, in that case, the HDMI output is capped at 720p. So 1080i HD cable from my cable-box actually gets downscaled to 720p. Onlyo must have assumed older dvd players or regular cable would be connected via component input (480i -> 720p). HDMI input -> HDMI output is pass-thru and component input-> component output is pass thru. So in those cases 1080i/p input would come untouched as 1080i/p output

- MP3 CD navigation is ok. But I really wish Onkyo had added a screen-saver or screen-dimmer in the navigation view. Since the directory view is static, I'm worried about leaving that on and having burn-in on my LCD HDTV. Fancy visualization like the PS3 has would be perfect :-)

- This Onkyo system is not trivial to setup. So be ready to connect lots of cables and to spend time and effort. Also requires spending time going through the manual. But if you're a geek like me, you'll enjoy it and the final results are worth it.

Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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the Onkyo A/V head unit, 605, very satifying in sound and fuction,"For The Money"< Even with the Blown Speaks Issue I have at this point, is Very good.
to compare the Onkyo speaker sound to the New Klipsh B-3's i Now have in the place, First.
1. the B-3's are Louder at lower attunuations of the Volume Knob.
2. the dymanics of the b-3's are Much greater than those of the Onkyo speakers,
3. Sound in general , is MUCH better through the B-3's.
That alone Speaks Volumes about the Onkyo A/V Reciever's Capiblitys
Because of my Listening Habits, very high levels, was the Only thing i found i ran into any reliabty issues with Any part of this System, At this point.
i am Very Happy with the intire system.
Ddo Not do what i did. think this thing a can Maintain Concert level volumes without reprecussions...
thank you for your time...
Darrell

Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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the Onkyo A/V head unit, 605, very satifying in sound and fuction,"For The Money"< Even with the Blown Speaks Issue I have at this point, is Very good.

to compare the Onkyo speaker sound to the New Klipsh B-3's i Now have in the place, First.

1. the B-3's are Louder at lower attunuations of the Volume Knob.

2. the dymanics of the b-3's are Much greater than those of the Onkyo speakers,

3. Sound in general , is MUCH better through the B-3's.

That alone Speaks Volumes about the Onkyo A/V Reciever's Capiblitys

Because of my Listening Habits, very high levels, was the Only thing i found i ran into any reliabty issues with Any part of this System, At this point.

i am Very Happy with the intire system.

Ddo Not do what i did. think this thing a can Maintain Concert level volumes without reprecussions...

thank you for your time...

Darrell

Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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the other with just a normal DVD player (w/standard DVD Mvoie) and the comparison was unusually equal, with slight noticeable differences of improvement in the Blu-Ray and 1080P TV mix. What I determined as I had individuals come in and review what was being displayed was that the Faroudja Chip did an incredible job cleaning up the image; the colors seem to be more vivid (very distinguishable) along with the image having more detail.

I am not going to say that the Faroudja technology surpasses the superior quality of Blu-Ray displayed on a TrueHD 1080P TV, but there is a noticeable difference in quality from normal DVD output and from my perception along with the survey that I took from individuals making the comparison, the Onkyo system brought the DVD image to about 90% the quality of the Blu-Ray/1080P TV setup. If you are not ready to buy a Blu-Ray Player and currently have an HDTV that supports 720P/1080i resolutions then the Onkyo System is an incredible buy not only for its Audio, but for its Video output as well. GET ONE and ENJOY!!!

Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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change display names on receiver (I just need to remember my Wii is on VCR/DVR)

Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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mounting holes on the back. Simple and easy. Use extra care when connecting the speakers to the outputs on the receiver as you do not want to short anything together. Some peopel swear by banana clips but I am a believer that the more connections you make the more you can degrade the signal. Use HDMI for audio whenever possible because if you have a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player that can decode the highest quality audio then gguess what, this receiver can decode it through its HDMI v1.3 ports. Once everything is connected, you are ready to roll. Using the Audeysey automatic speaker calibration is a breeze and it really does give you the best sound with some minor adjustments to your personal liking.

Performance - I have a standard DVD player (packaged with the 708) connected with COAX digital, a PS3 with HDMI, a cable box with Fiber COAX all connected to the system. the Blu-Ray uncompressed audio is a thing of audio beauty. It takes a little setup to get it from the PS3 as right now it is unable to bitstream the signal (upgrades are said to be coming), but uncompressed audiio can be accessed by selecting the PCM selection on the PS3. When playing "Live Free or Die Hard" I selected DTS-MA and presto. It will only say PCM Multi Channel Audio on the Receiver, but the sound is incredible. The first action sequence in the movie involves a shootout with car chases, bullets flying and a massive explosion. The system outputs to all 7.1 channels with amazing clarity and the subwoofer can be house shaking at its higher settings. When playing DVDs I would recomend the DTS:NEO selection on the receiver, as it compensates for DVDs not having that extra 2 channels of audio. Watching the Matrix trilogy was an absolute treat. The system just immerses you in the action and gives you that theater feel that we all crave out of our Home Theaters from the fight sequences to the simple sounds of one of the hovercrafts flying by shaking your windows. For a "home theater in a box" I feel for the money you cannot get a better setup. For the true audiophile, I have read that upgrading your speakers can get you even lower lows and higher hghs, but I am content to stick with the very attractive speakers that it came with. The receiver is fully compatable with the highest audio quality streams available today, and will upconvert any component, S Video, and composite to 720p through its HDMI v1.3 ports.

The only problem I had with the system is that the original sub woofer it came with was defective as a loud rattle came from it on low band sounds. I simply packed it up and sent it back with the enclosed return label and 4 days later I had my replacement that works flawlessly. I have been enjoying TV, DVD and Blu Ray in all of its audio glory ever since and would recomend this system to anyone who would ask.

Highest Recomendation.

FCT
voice.blogspot.com

Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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to my HDTV. I also have a analog output from my cable box into the receiver for listening to on Zone 2 and a mini-jack to stereo RCA plug into the receiver for hooking up either my MP3 player or laptop for playing MP3s. This is by far much less cluttered than before thanks to the HDMI cables.

The sound of the system and all the options for adjusting the sounds blow away my Onkyo 700. The speakers sound better than the Bose 501s and Cambridge Soundworks surrounds I had setup with the 700. Both the new system and the old system were setup for 5.1 but the new system just blows the old system away in terms of sounds and 5.1 effects. I think a lot of that has to do with the subwoofer but the other part of it is that the sound just seems more "expansive" for lack of a better term. The speakers look fantastic on the wall and they sound really good. It's hard to believe the quality of the sound given the pricepoint of this system.

The HDMI switching works great and I've noticed absolutely no degradation in picture quality running the HDMI through the receiver vs. directly to the HDTV. I don't have equipment to take advantage of the HDMI 1.3a capabilities but it's nice to know that someday if I get a DVD player that supports TrueHD or an HDTV that supports the various 1.3a features my receiver can handle it.

I have three small complaints about the system but they aren't enough for me to reduce my rating from 5 stars.

1. The DVD player comes set out of the box to NOT output DD5.1 through HDMI. You have to go into the DVD player settings to change that. It's not a big deal but a real pain if you don't happen to notice that in the product manual it's default is to not output DD5.1. That seems like a poor choice of default setting out-of-the-box.

2. The subwoofer when it kicks on out of standby mode tends to make a "popping" noise. I am going to try turning down the volume on the sub to see if that makes it less noticeable. This happens when watching TV. If there's no sounds below the crossover threshold for sometime, the sub turns off. When it turns back on "pop" goes the sub.

3. This thing get HOT. The receiver gets so hot. I have it in a small cabinet with glass doors. I've had to lower the shelf to give it more space and install a fan on the back of the cabinet. That's helped quite a bit but before it would get so hot you could not touch it. My other Onkyo receivers NEVER got like that.

Overall, this is just a terrific buy. I am very happy and have been enjoying it thoroughly along with my new HDTV mounted above it. They compliment each other very well. It's great for watching TV, movies and for listening to music and it looks great in my cabinet and up on the walls.

Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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to my HDTV. I also have a analog output from my cable box into the receiver for listening to on Zone 2 and a mini-jack to stereo RCA plug into the receiver for hooking up either my MP3 player or laptop for playing MP3s. This is by far much less cluttered than before thanks to the HDMI cables.



The sound of the system and all the options for adjusting the sounds blow away my Onkyo 700. The speakers sound better than the Bose 501s and Cambridge Soundworks surrounds I had setup with the 700. Both the new system and the old system were setup for 5.1 but the new system just blows the old system away in terms of sounds and 5.1 effects. I think a lot of that has to do with the subwoofer but the other part of it is that the sound just seems more "expansive" for lack of a better term. The speakers look fantastic on the wall and they sound really good. It's hard to believe the quality of the sound given the pricepoint of this system.



The HDMI switching works great and I've noticed absolutely no degradation in picture quality running the HDMI through the receiver vs. directly to the HDTV. I don't have equipment to take advantage of the HDMI 1.3a capabilities but it's nice to know that someday if I get a DVD player that supports TrueHD or an HDTV that supports the various 1.3a features my receiver can handle it.



I have three small complaints about the system but they aren't enough for me to reduce my rating from 5 stars.



1. The DVD player comes set out of the box to NOT output DD5.1 through HDMI. You have to go into the DVD player settings to change that. It's not a big deal but a real pain if you don't happen to notice that in the product manual it's default is to not output DD5.1. That seems like a poor choice of default setting out-of-the-box.



2. The subwoofer when it kicks on out of standby mode tends to make a "popping" noise. I am going to try turning down the volume on the sub to see if that makes it less noticeable. This happens when watching TV. If there's no sounds below the crossover threshold for sometime, the sub turns off. When it turns back on "pop" goes the sub.



3. This thing get HOT. The receiver gets so hot. I have it in a small cabinet with glass doors. I've had to lower the shelf to give it more space and install a fan on the back of the cabinet. That's helped quite a bit but before it would get so hot you could not touch it. My other Onkyo receivers NEVER got like that.



Overall, this is just a terrific buy. I am very happy and have been enjoying it thoroughly along with my new HDTV mounted above it. They compliment each other very well. It's great for watching TV, movies and for listening to music and it looks great in my cabinet and up on the walls.

Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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plasma and a sound upgrade. The Cambridgesystem had the tiny satellite speakers and an 8 subwoofer,and with any system such as this, you simply cannotreproduce the mids - the size of such satellite speakersmake it acoustically impossible. I have installed numerousBose systems at the school I work at, and in my opinion,none of them sound much better than my $400 Cambridgesystem, and a Bose system runs you $1200 and up. Therefore, I began reading blogs and reviews of other brandsthat would keep me in my $700 price range, yet offer asuperior sound to either my small Cambridge system or a Bosesystem. I found that Onkyo has become quite the name inhome theater in a box (HTIB) systems. I was tempted by theOnkyo HT-SR800, which is a 7.1 system that has receivedexcellent reviews, and for $400, it's a steal. Upon furtherresearch, and being the audiophile that I am, I wantedsomething a bit more professional (relatively speaking), andsince I had already budgeted $700, why not get the best Icould for the money. For $700 (actually $748) you can getthe Onkyo HT-SP908, which is a couple steps above the SR800.This package includes the superior Onkyo SR605 receiver,and SKB 750 speaker system, along with the SP405 DVD player.This is NOT a Blue ray or HD DVD player, but it does connectto the receiver via an HDMI cable and also upconvertsstandard DVD's. This was perfect for what I needed. I'mnot ready to shell out the money for Blue ray or HD DVD justyet, and all my favorite DVD's that I already own arestandard 480P DVD's anyways, so an upconverting, HDMIconnecting DVD player is a nice compromise for now. So Ipurchased the HT-SP908, and I'm extremely happy with thequality and sound it produces. The 7 speakers (5.5x14)are not tiny satellite speakers, so expect the wife tocomplain a bit at first, but they are stylish looking andCAN reproduce the midrange frequencies that are typicallyabsent in systems with small satellites. Expect about aday's work to properly hang all of the speakers and run thewires to the amp. I would recommend replacing the speakerwire with 16gauge wire. The 10 subwoofer is very clean and not boomylike most systems. The amp/receiver is not the mostpowerful, but certainly powerful enough for a good sizedroom. It contains plenty of inputs/outputs to connect allof your gear. A bonus feature is that Onkyo is compatiblewith the EZ Sync feature on Panasonic plasmas. This meansthat when you change the source input on the TV, the ampauto-switches to that source. For under $800, this is anincredibly good sounding system and once configured properly(read the manual carefully), is so easy to use that the wifewill be happy as well. In the end, I spent about $2200total, but this HT system can't be beat for the price.

Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channels Home Theater Sound System

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plasma and a sound upgrade. The Cambridgesystem had the tiny satellite speakers and an 8 subwoofer,and with any system such as this, you simply cannotreproduce the mids - the size of such satellite speakersmake it acoustically impossible. I have installed numerousBose systems at the school I work at, and in my opinion,none of them sound much better than my $400 Cambridgesystem, and a Bose system runs you $1200 and up. Therefore, I began reading blogs and reviews of other brandsthat would keep me in my $700 price range, yet offer asuperior sound to either my small Cambridge system or a Bosesystem. I found that Onkyo has become quite the name inhome theater in a box (HTIB) systems. I was tempted by theOnkyo HT-SR800, which is a 7.1 system that has receivedexcellent reviews, and for $400, it's a steal. Upon furtherresearch, and being the audiophile that I am, I wantedsomething a bit more professional (relatively speaking), andsince I had already budgeted $700, why not get the best Icould for the money. For $700 (actually $748) you can getthe Onkyo HT-SP908, which is a couple steps above the SR800.This package includes the superior Onkyo SR605 receiver,and SKB 750 speaker system, along with the SP405 DVD player.This is NOT a Blue ray or HD DVD player, but it does connectto the receiver via an HDMI cable and also upconvertsstandard DVD's. This was perfect for what I needed. I'mnot ready to shell out the money for Blue ray or HD DVD justyet, and all my favorite DVD's that I already own arestandard 480P DVD's anyways, so an upconverting, HDMIconnecting DVD player is a nice compromise for now. So Ipurchased the HT-SP908, and I'm extremely happy with thequality and sound it produces. The 7 speakers (5.5x14)are not tiny satellite speakers, so expect the wife tocomplain a bit at first, but they are stylish looking andCAN reproduce the midrange frequencies that are typicallyabsent in systems with small satellites. Expect about aday's work to properly hang all of the speakers and run thewires to the amp. I would recommend replacing the speakerwire with 16gauge wire. The 10 subwoofer is very clean and not boomylike most systems. The amp/receiver is not the mostpowerful, but certainly powerful enough for a good sizedroom. It contains plenty of inputs/outputs to connect allof your gear. A bonus feature is that Onkyo is compatiblewith the EZ Sync feature on Panasonic plasmas. This meansthat when you change the source input on the TV, the ampauto-switches to that source. For under $800, this is anincredibly good sounding system and once configured properly(read the manual carefully), is so easy to use that the wifewill be happy as well. In the end, I spent about $2200total, but this HT system can't be beat for the price.