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Onkyo TX-SR804S 7.1 Channel Up-Converting THX Certified A/V Receiver (Silver)

Overall rating:  

Onkyo 7.1 HDMI U/C, THX A/V Receiver TXSR804S

Features

  • 105 Watts per channel minimum into 8 ohms, at 20 Hz to 20,000Hz x 7 channels
  • Selectable modes for 2 channels stereo and 2.1, 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1 channel surround
  • Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry (VLSC) for all channels
  • Extended frequency response – (5 Hz to 100 kHz)
  • Reduced NFB (Negative Feedback)
  • Dimensions (W x H x L): 0 x 0 x 0 inches
  • Weight: 0 pounds

See price and more details at Amazon.com

Reviews

  1. by R. Arias

    the sound clarity produced by this receiver is excellent. I have it hooked up to yamaha ns 225 full size speakers for the front channels and four Yamaha surrounds, a center channel and a powered amp. an automatic speaker set up adjusts the EQ and distances for each speaker from the listening position, but you can also tweak these yourself. There are three components hooked up to the receiver, a directv HD 20 DVR, xbox 360 and a PS 3. The DVR and PS 3 are hooked up via HDMI and the 360 via component cables and a digital optical cable. the DVR works great over the HDMI cable and the receiver switches to the appropriate listening mode based on the audio output of what I’m watching. the PS 3 needed to have the blu ray HDMI audio output adjusted to bitstream in the settings menu as it sends out linear PCM by default and the receiver was unable to switch to 6.1 or 7.1 listening modes, instead playing only 5 channel linear pcm. I was hoping to be able to upconvert my xbox 360’s component output and have it sent to the TV via HDMI, using only one cable, but the receiver was unable to do this. regardless, the picture (identical to the HDMI hookup for the PS 3 in appearance to the naked eye) and audio are still great. onkyo’s ipod dock is also hooked up to the receiver. it is a nice add on and you can control the ipod through the receiver’s remote via on screen menus. however, the background colors and text of these menus are not the nicest looking, so i prefer to stream my PC’s music through the 360.

  2. by Wesley Mcclure

    I love this product. It was nice to finally get rid of all the cables running to my projector. Now I only have one HDMI cable thanks to the video upconvert. I run a bunch of component inputs (Wii, Cable, DVD) through the upconvert and they all look as amazing as if they were directly connected, no distortion or lack of quality. Setup can be tricky but that is expected with any system with as many features as this offers.

    GREAT PRICE… I spent a lot of time comparing other receiver options. An equivalent system from H&K or Denon would’ve run well over 1K. This is the most affordable upconvert system I’ve seen on the market.

    Only oddity is an occasional clicking (maybe 2x a day, I use it typically 8 hours a day while working). Probably coming from the power supply, like when you turn it on. Its hard to say what is causing that, and if it is a problem oh well, I purchased an extended warranty which is usually a good idea on any expensive electronic products.

    Make sure you buy some nice speakers for this system. Speakers are really where the money should be spent as they last a long time. I hooked up a pair of Martin Logan clarity electrostatics with Klipsch surround… amazing.

  3. by Rockwell

    great sounding unit I ordered it thur amazon and they did great with shipping, I had the unit in storage as I was rebuilding my room When I hooked it up the display had dead pixels in it, I caled amazon and they exchanged it for me even though it was past the 30 days, great customer service,It still gets five stars as it has great sound Quality

  4. by J. Stephen

    I like this amp but it causes my TV (Sharp Aquos 42″ LCD) to lose synch whenever the video has a sudden white flashes (NFL sports transitions, War of the Worlds death-beam blasts, Drawn Together transitions, explosions, stuff like that). The synch loss takes about 5 or so seconds for my particular TV to recover from, which is pretty annoying. When I had the problem I searched the web and found that numerous others had similar problems with this and other Onkyo receiver models, but Onkyo doesn’t seem to acknowledge the issue. It’s a good receiver, but if you buy it save the packing for a few weeks just in case it causes problems for your TV as well. Given that these problems seem to have been around for a good year or more and Onkyo isn’t fixing them, I can only give this 2 stars.

  5. by Richard A. Brewer

    I am by no means an expert on electronic audio equipment, but I wanted to replace my 5 year old Panasonic 300w THIB 5 disc DVD/CD system with separate components to get a better “bang” for my audio ear. I based my research on owner reviews and of course the capabilities of the units. I decided on the Onkyo TXSR804/B, almost went with the Onkyo TXSR674/B which would have saved me about $150.00 over the TXSR804/B unit, but I went all the way. I also purchased the Polk RM6750 5.1 Surround Speaker System – not the best I could have, but more than enough power for my 12 x 18 room size. So, now my system consists of a Sony KDS-60A2000 SXRD 60″ rear projection TV, Onkyo TXSR804/B receiver, Polk 5.1 (expandable to 7.1) Speaker System, a Panasonic DVD/VHS Recorder, Onkyo DXC39 6 disc CD Changer, and my digital cable box. Here’s what I think after just two days of use:

    Pros: – Total system looks great, more than I could have asked for. I used the auto set-up micophone that comes with the receiver to adjust the speakers, and that worked well – but I did tweak the rear surround speakers slightly to get the sound I wanted. I put in the DVD movie “The Incredibles” as a test for the sound system – blew me away! shook the walls! Scared the kids! The Polk RM6750 speakers look and sound great – I am glad I didn’t spend more to get the Polk RB6880 (from Circuit City)at twice the cost! You will not be disapointed with these speakers. I went from using 5 remotes to using just one – the one that came with the receiver. I also have only one HDMI cable from the receiver to my TV. You can also transfer specific remote functions of your choosing from each component remote – you don’t have to transfer “all” remote functions if you don’t need all of them.

    Cons: TIME to set this up – It took my about a good 10 – 12 hours to get all components connected to the receiver and to set all the imputs and programs into the remote. You will need to read the instructions over & over until it finally “clicks” in your mind and things start to work the right way. So give yourself time. Call Fire Dog service if you need help getting this set up the right way. I almost did. My last “Con: is you’ll have to teach the rest of your family members how to use the new remote, or you may find yourself mystified when something doesn’t work the way you programed it to.

    Bottom line: I made the right choices for my system components. They look great together and the sound is “WOW”.. I may do a little more tweaking, but overall, I am very happy with my new system. I recommend this receiver highly, without any hesitation.

  6. by Hank Wegener

    I am really enjoying my new Onkyo TX-SR804 receiver a lot. It sounds great. My old system was made up of obsolete separate components, including several power amps so this has cleaned up the mess. I used this one by itself for a while and was impressed by the clarity, but am now using a more powerful Parasound HCA-1200 power amp for the front main channels. I have it running through a Panamax 5410 Pro line conditioner. I have a problem in certain surround listening modes, though I’m not sure if it is a problem with receiver, my TV cable, or my home’s wiring. I have an unusual low level but repeating interference noise in the background of all channels together with or w/o the external power amp. It is not terrible, but it is bothersome – has anyone else noticed this? I am going to look for loose connections in the breaker box and will give more info when I have it.

    4-08: I don’t know the cause of the above mentioned noise, but it has since gone away.

  7. by Jack Eberlein

    Excellent product. Easy setup. The on screen setup is easy to follow, especially the balance of the speakers. Works great with DirecTV HD receiver and Sony plasma TV.

  8. by Robert Walker

    I’m really happy with this receiver, so far it’s performed great.

  9. by S. Kim

    Very nice entry level receiver. Easy to setup and use. It is few inches longer than the Yamaha unit it replaced (had a problem finding a place for it). Other than the size, everything is good.

  10. by F. Ehorn

    I essentially bought the Onkyo 804 receiver to replace a 10 year old Onkyo model that was not a digital unit (obviously). I currently have a new Sony 5-disc DVD/CD player and Panasonic DVD recorder that are directly input, with HDMI connections, to my 42″ Panasonic plasma HDTV. The receiver takes the digital optical audio output from the TV (use VIDEO 3 select on the receiver/remote control) and plays it through my 5.1 speaker system. Also, the DVD player has a digital coaxial audio output that connects to the receiver coax input (use DVD select on the receiver). Of course, my old Onkyo cassette deck connects through regular RCA jacks and uses the Onkyo R1 proprietary line connection to run the cassette deck through the receiver remote. Note that I did not even need to use the receiver’s 2 HDMI inputs or 1 output with this simple scheme. The setup menus require using your TV screen, so you can temporarily install a plain RCA video cord from the receiver’s MONITOR OUT to the TV’s convenient front video input jack as I did.

    This receiver has many listening modes and they all sound great. THX Cinema mode is my favorite. The sound separation, particularly with movie dialogue out of the center channel, is outstanding. My DVD recorder also plays DVD Audio discs, which are superb with this unit. Setup is not difficult IF you read through the manual twice before even starting. The microphone speaker initiallization is excellent; works just as advertised, and you may over-ride any setting manually if you wish. Note that if you only use 5.1 speaker connections (not 7.1) as I did, the 4th and 5th speaker have to be connected as SIDE surrounds, not BACK surrounds! I kept it simple and still use all my original component remotes, if for no other reason than they each have more options available to use than the do-it-all receiver remote. I use the receiver remote for volume, radio tuner channel selector, input mode selector, listening mode selector, and that’s about it. For the money, the best receiver I checked into, including some nice DENON’s! Lots of power and connections. Only took 3 days shipping too. The unit does run hot, so keep nothing on the top grill.

  11. by Average Joe

    For the price, I think the Onkyo TX-SR804S is a great piece of equipment. I use it in a home theater that doubles part-time as a family room for watching TV. The video upconversion and numerous inputs allow me to connect every piece of video and audio equipment I use into the receiver so that I only need only connection to the TV. The sound is crystal clear throughout all volume levels I have tried so far, and there are adequate adjustments for getting exactly the sound I want. The only strange thing I’ve noticed about the receiver is an occasional faint clicking sound like a relay switching poles. I don’t know if this is an electrical discharge of some sort or what, but the sound is unnoticeable except at very low volume levels, and only happens occasionally. There seems to be no interruption to the video and audio produced by the unit.

  12. by jsam70

    I shopped and researched for several months for a new HDMI receiver. I was all set to buy the TX-SR674 but I stumbled upon this model in my search. The 804 model has 10 more watts per channel than the 674, THX sound and a cleaner front via a drop down panel. Set-up was quite easy since I was using HDMI connections for the TV, DVD & Cable Box. (Don’t waste your $$ on expensive HDMI cables! I had to buy a $70 cable from the big red CC box until my $6.00 HDMI cable arrived in the mail, guess what? No difference in sound!) The instruction manual is decent but does not cover every possible scenario. ie.) To get the XM Radio Info. displayed on the TV screen you have to choose choose VIDEO 2-4, then choose the TUNER (took a little trial and error). The remote is a little big, but is easy to use and does have 3 separate MACROs available to use. I was able to program all my components into this remote. The 804s on-screen display is basic white lettering on a black screen. The new Sony’s have a slick on screen GUI like the PS3s but don’t get sucked into this ‘nice to have’. Once you get your system set up you will rarely go back to your on-screen displays. I’m running a 5.1 speaker system for now until I can afford a new 7.1 setup. However, the 5.1 sound on my old speakers sounds terrific. My speakers actually sound better than they did on my old Yamaha. XM Radio sounds great and is super easy to add on. I did not purchase the DS-A2 iPod dock because DLO is coming out with a new dock in March with on screen album art that the DS-A2 does not have. I’ll let you know how this works as soon as I get it! The only feature I wish it had was a 3rd HDMI out, this would have been an even better upgrade over the 674! You can buy better HDMI receivers but you will spend well over $1000.00. Most people will be quite happy with this receiver at this price point.

    Sound: Excellent Style: Clean and Slick Power: More than adequate Features: A- Initial Setup: Medium

    My System:

    Samsung LN-S4695D LCD TV

    Samsung HD-960 DVD (waiting for the HD-DVD/Blu Ray battle to play out and a price drop!)

    Sci.Atl. HD cable box/DVR w/HDMI

    Audiovox CNP2000H XM Radio Mini Tuner Home Dock with Antenna

    Monster HTS 1000 MKII Powercenter with Clean Power (Needed this due to unstable power in my area.)

    I hope this helps you to make a decision!

  13. by Donald Forsdick

    This receiver is easy to set up and easy to use. I have the Dirsct TV hd receiver and a Sony HDR-SR1 camcorder that connect with HDMI. I have an Optoma EP 1690 projector and I get a crystal clear picture.The sound is great. I am really happy I chose this receiver.

  14. by BAW

    This is an excellent receiver for the A/V buff for the price. It’s loaded with features for handling both audio and video signals. I’ve got mine hooked up to an Optoma HD72 projector for use in my home theatre. Via the HDMI output the receiver will pass signals of 1080i or 1080p or it can upscale lesser quality signal. This allows you to plug in lower end components and still get good video. But the best way to go with this unit is to buy HDMI compatible equipment to get the best video possible. This is what I did and on the 116 inch screen it truly is awesome. I would recommend this to anyone that wants to build a home theatre on a budget.

  15. by Cyberclaud

    I’m technically average. This is my second Onkyo receiver. The first one was incredible (for nine years and still working great) and the only reason I replaced it was to accommodate my new electronic upgrades. The sound, set-up and looks are as promised by Onkyo. It was easy. Crutchfield also provided a very easy guide to set-up your system. I have my house sound system and my new surround system hooked up…no problems and plenty of power. Easy zone switching, so you can listen to music in any room and watch tv at the same time. The receiver had no problem communicating with the Harmony Logitech Universal remote I purchased (another incredible gadget; with easy set-up). The surround sound speakers I chose are from Monitor Audio…the Radius style…easy hook up to the receiver. Unbelievable sound. (If looks are also important to you… very classy and sleek. The blue light from the receiver matches the blue glow from the subwoofer and tv… all in harmony.)

  16. by James W. Rafferty

    The reviews for this product are excellent and I was so excited to upgrade to HDMI switching. The first unit received had a loud hum in the audio and HDMI from my new Sony player through this unit created an extreme blue cast on the video. I returned the unit and another was sent to me. This unit had no hum in the audio but the blue cast was still there when using HDMI from the Sony DVD player. It was not the DVD player because when I hooked the HDMI from the DVD player directly to my TV everything was perfect. I am very disappointed in this unit. As for Amazon, they have been great in responding to my problems, getting a replacement unit to me and then refunding my purchase. I give Amazon 5 stars.

  17. by alpu

    Connections:

    IN:

    -HDMI from sci atl HD cable box

    -HDMI from samsung dvd 960

    -Optical cable from dvd player

    -RCA cables from PS2

    OUT:

    -mid-level Boston speakers

    -HDMI to samsung 40″ LCD 4095

    Review:

    The only upconverted signal to the tv is from the PS2 which looks a little grainy compared to a direct connection to the tv. But everything else is perfect – exactly what i expected. The receiver turns these cheap little Boston speakers into artwork.

    I read a review on another site that mentioned a humming sound coming from the receiver – I haven’t heard this; but I will caution that it does run hot, so keep it well ventilated.

    The reason I have both an HDMI and optical cable from the dvd player is that the dvd player is also my cd player and if i want to watch tv and listen to music this is the only way to do both simultaneously.

    Overall, this is exactly what I wanted out of my receiver – power, upconversion, more than one HDMI input…well done Onkyo!

  18. by Glenn A. Stratton

    Great unit-set up with Bose AM 7’s; Sony NS-75H DVD; Charter Box by Scientific Atlantic 3250; and Harmony Model 8800 remote. The set up was easy and the results were GREAT. Love the Onkyo TX-SR804, and AMAZON WAS TOP NOTCH- GREAT PRICE/NO SHIPPING OR TAX, and QUICK delivery.LIFE IS GOOD. HOORAY FOR HDMI too.

  19. by Inky

    I purchased this receiver for two reasons. First HDMI in/out, and second for the ability to ‘up-convert’ non-hd components such as a TiVo Series 1 or 2 or a VCR. While the receiver works great, I was sadly surprised that it doesn’t actually upscale the signal from 480i to 1080i, which is what I really wanted. Up-converting is basically the ability to change the cable output from S-Video or composite video to HDMI. I only just figured out that what I really wanted was an ‘Upscaling’ receiver (which is more $$$ of course). The quality out via HDMI at 480i is the same as if I had just kept an S-Video cable attached to the TV.

  20. by Dug

    This receiver sounds great and has plenty of power. It sounds ever so slightly “tinny” compared to my Harmon Kardon receiver, even in onkyo’s pure audio mode.

    It is excellent in that it handles almost any video (or audio) input and will upconvert from any analog video to HDMI. It will even “downconvert” component video to s-video and composite.

    The only thing it is lacking is the ability to output HDMI sources on component video: running HDMI 50ft. to my projector is pushing the HDMI spec to the limit, so I would like to take the HDMI from my DVD and run it out the component port….

See price and more details at Amazon.com