Comments about Onkyo Onkyo 7.1 Channel Home Theater Black Receiver:

This item is a great bargain. The power in the amps, quality of DACs, sheer number of audio modes, Good Audessey implementation, THX Ultra 2 certification, just too many superlatives to name. I use the Onkyo with my living room home theater, Paradigm Studio center and fronts, Ascend surrounds, HSU VTF2.3. The room is large as it opens to two other rooms. The power is more than enough, Audessey made my music come alive. The upscaling Reon chip is icing on the cake and definitely upgrades my cable feed.
The only con, or should I say warning is associated with testing all the features and sound modes, along with making sure the Audessey properly sets up your speakers for your room. If you are like me you lack proper room treatments, as I unfortunately don't have a dedicated HT room, and true audiophiles probably have seperates. Getting everything set up right is an intermediate to advanced level affair, though this is less a con, and more just a side effect of the pros. A product this complex will be complex to set up.

Overall I am very happy with the purchase. One last thing. I am usually a stickler for build quality and I'm happy to say that the Onkyo is built like a tank, very heavy, no loose solder or pieces, no vibrations. Great product.

Comments about Onkyo Onkyo 7.1 Channel Home Theater Black Receiver:

While I was not in a position to compare against other units in this class, I believe anyone looking to build a new or improve existing home theater setup should have this on the top 3. For the price it stands on its own as solid mix of power and ease of use. CD music has new life, with an array of surround remix options. High definition audio sources are given every option to do its thing. The built-in HD radio tuner is a very nice extra; HD radio restores enjoyment to over-the-air music playback. As with other features in this unit, it is a compelling future-proofing capability.

The unit itself is beefy, both in weight and physical size. Do not underestimate this; ideally you should have 2 people to physically setup the unit. Some reviews remark on heat generation, and there is some to be sure. I recommend you install it to allow good air movement to radiate the heat.

Simply put, after upgrading from a sub-$300 4+ year old unit, the Onkyo 876 series is an outstanding centerpiece to home theater configurations well worthy of your consideration. I strongly recommend that a home theater configuration not go cheap on the receiver, and this unit gives plenty of bang for the buck!