User Rating: 
4/10
heavy and big didn't fit in cabinet spaceby sunclanman - October 26, 2008
Pros: great buy for the buck or so i thought
Cons: clicking noise very annoying can't get rid of it
Review: good luck with product if u can find one without clicking noise other than that ok
User Rating: 
6/10
Great Product That Onkyo Wont Stand Behindby - January 18, 2005
Pros: This is a great receiver! A lot of features. Great quality.
Cons: If you spend this much on something you want it work. Now I have a receiver that is going to cost me another $300 for a problem that Onkyo reconizes to be defect. That is a shame that Onkyo wont step up and take responsibility!!!! Take your chances.
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User Rating: 
9/10
Excellent Receiver, Excellent Supportby - January 12, 2005
Pros: I contacted Onkyo on the clicking noise. Even though the product was preowned (and therefore not covered under warranty), they sent me to a Onkyo-licensed service center and repaired at no charge.
Cons: Shipped w/ faulty chip
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User Rating: 6/10
Defective has clicking noiseby - September 9, 2004
Pros: Great on features
Cons: Its been in the repair shop for a month for clicking and the bill is over $150.00 and may hit $300.00. replaced ic and after 2 days clicking started again.Got a 5 year insurance plan that covers all repairs.Insurance company may have to replace unit.my a
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User Rating: 
5/10
Defect clicking noisesby - March 1, 2004
Pros: Great features and power if you can close your ears to the clicking sound.
Cons: Onkyo does not stand behind this product so you are stuck with at $300 repair bill.
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User Rating: 6/10
Great Receiver, many featuresby - February 17, 2004
Pros: This receiver seems to have it all. I purchased this with a set of AR1's with the 15 inch side firing subs and 500 watt amps built in. The sound is breathtakingly phenominal. The bass will viberate glass and pictures on the wall throughout the house.
Cons: Receiver has had a clicking noise since day one that can be irritating to say the least. The noise moves from one speaker to the next depending on the audio setting you choose. Any suggestions on this?
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User Rating: 
1/10
Clicking and Dolby Drop Outsby - October 21, 2003
Pros: Great 7.1. Strong sound and volume. Excellent design.
Cons: Remote is clunky. Dolby drop outs and clicking noice on left channel make this a servicable item. Needs chip work to overcome these problems which Onkyo confirms on their website. Buy a newer model that doesn't have these flaws
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User Rating: 
10/10
Fantastic Sound!!!by - July 25, 2003
Pros: I bought the TX-DS797 along with Polk RM 6600 Speaker System from Circuit City a year ago. The sound is tremendous for both music and movies. Fantastic receiver.
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User Rating: 5/10
Clickingby - February 10, 2003
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Review: Had to call Onkyo when this receiver began to click in the left channel. They knew about the problem and said that they had received a bad batch of chips. They told me to take it in to their authorized repair station to be fixed. Pretty sour on Onkyo for not telling me about this problem that they've known about for over a year while waiting for my warranty to run out. Steer clear of this receiver.
User Rating: 10/10
Nothing this baby can't do!by - January 21, 2003
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Review: I have owned the 797 for about one year now. It is my second Onkyo and an upgrade from my latest receiver, a HK. I have had no problems with it and can't rave enough about the sound this things puts out. Lots of power and clean, clean sound. You cannot find better for the price.
User Rating: 9/10
it's superby - December 30, 2002
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Review: if your looking for super sound, this is the one to buy, i looked at denon/sony/nad/ no way onkyo is the best
User Rating: 10/10
Fantastic sound!!!by - October 5, 2002
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Review: I've now owned this receiver for three months. I have it set up with a set of Polk RM6600 speakers with a Polk PSW350 Sub. The sound is fantastic for both movies and music. It took only a couple of hours to set up and the instructions manuals were excellent.
User Rating: 9/10
Works 24/7, like a champby - September 25, 2002
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Review: Ok, so let me break this down for those of you who own this piece of machinery or are thinking about it. I work in audio and use leave this reciever running, playing sound for 8hrs a day, 7 days a week. When i go home, it stays on all night too. Its been running for a year now, no problems what so ever. And for you idiots that think that it doesn't have component video and only read the C net review, it has in and out component video, nice try though. This is a wonderful reciever that if you think is complecated you are a bozo and should be spending this kind of money on a stereo. If you have the extra cash, go for the 898 though. Any questions, email me JOEMOE420@aol.com, i will be happy to tell you what ever you need to here, and oh by the way, on top of what i just said, the reciever sounds awesome too...
User Rating: 9/10
First Class Quality and Performanceby - September 15, 2002
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Review: This is one of the best deals on the market. THX certified. All the lastest logic decoding technology, great build, nice remote and very flexible configuration - this is especially useful when it comes to digital input/outputs, where Onkyo offers a greater # of connections and choice then similarly priced competition. The built in amplification for a rear 6.1 channel speaker is a nice bonus. Great job ONKYO - another winnder!
User Rating: 
8/10
excellent LOTRby - August 25, 2002
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Review: I don't know about Pearl Harbor or JUrassic PArk 3, But Lord of the Rings is awesome. Set up is complicated and non-intuitive, but the result is worth it.
User Rating: 4/10
Inherent Defect with DSP IC clicking noisesby - August 24, 2002
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Review: I bought this TX-DS797 used in Canada but this unit was originally purchased in the US so Onkyo won't repair it, so I'm really not a happy camper. There's an inherent design defect with an IC on both the Onkyo TX-DS797 and TX-DS898 units causing a clicking noise in the speakers. This is a VERY common problem and apparently Onkyo even has a repair kit for this problem! Don't buy used or from internet sources or B-stock or refurbished units unless you are positive you can get free service from Onkyo for this problem. Also on this model, there is a drop-out problem on dolby (not DTS) playback of many DVDs such as Pearl Harbour, Atlantis, etc. which Onkyo says is Dolby Lab's problem and not Onkyo's. Onkyo does not seem to be very responsive for customer support and seems to be cruising on it's reputation. IMO, this receiver should be a subject of a recall because of its design flaws, however Onkyo choses only to repair in cases where there is warranty coverage and complaints. Despite CNET's rave reviews, this receiver does seem to be one of Onkyo's duds, so it's best to avoid it. The remote is also not too good. To be fair, Onkyo's build quality seems pretty good and there are a lot of inputs and even pre-outs for 7.1 so feature-wise, it's good; but I'm very worried about the design of the receiver and future reliability of the receiver now.... This unit seems to be discounted quite a bit on the internet and I strongly suspect it is because of these design flaws. Caveat emptor!
User Rating: 
7/10
questionable phono sectionby - August 11, 2002
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Review: The audio through the phono input seems thin and distant. Dont know if this is onkyo design or a bad unit. Any comments?
User Rating: 8/10
Great Sound Qualityby - August 10, 2002
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Review: Tons of features, great sound quality! Used own a Yamaha receiver - it is totally blown away by the onkyo!
User Rating: 8/10
Still Wonderful an Entire Year Later...by - August 5, 2002
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Review: I have been thoroughly impressed with the range and preciseness of this receiver. But buyer beware, a receiver is only as good as the speakers you buy, and of course the opposite is just as true. I complemented my Onkyo with about $3500 in Polk Audio Speakers, along with the Onkyo amp for 7.1 sound. It is truly an impressive experience.
User Rating: 10/10
Lots of power and featuresby - June 20, 2002
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Review: I have an onkyo TX DS797 it is with out a doubt the best receiver I have ever owned or heard ! I will never buy anything else but onyko Now
User Rating: 10/10
It does not get any betterby - June 16, 2002
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Review: You cannot beat this receiver for the price/features. I have no idea how I went so long on my Sony STR-DE835. The only bad thing about upgrading to this receiver is..... you are going to have to watch all of your favorite movies again, so you can hear what you have been missing.
User Rating: 9/10
Fantastic surround systemby - June 13, 2002
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Review: A fantastic surround receiver to meet my present needs, as well as future needs. Onkyo TX-DS797 has a great price and value. I and glad I decided to purchase this receiver. Thumbs up Onkyo!
User Rating: 9/10
By far the best sub-1000$ receiver out there!!!by - June 13, 2002
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Review: I actually own the TX-DS696, but I had auditioned the 797, and my best friend also has the 797 (I'm extremely jealous of him). Both the 696 and 797 are identically the same as far as sound goes, but the 797 has a few more sound decoders and features as well. I am pretty much classified as an audiophile...it is my favorite, true hobby...so naturally, I have a great deal of knowledge about almost every type of audio component there is. I auditioned A LOT of other receivers soley for home theater use...everything from the Outlaw and Arcam to Rel and Classe. The only other receiver that might have a little better sound quality and a slight edge on the 797, is the Integra series, which is gladly enough also produced under the umbrella of Onkyo
I chose this receiver because it simply offers the absolute best quality, IMHO, for the money you pay for it. I would like people to take note that I do not use this receiver for music listening(2 channel stereo), I have an Arcam integrated amp for that purpose...I suggest others to have a separate component as well for their music listening...if funds allow it of course. I do however, listen to DTS and other surround sound music through the Onkyo receiver...which, I might add, adds complete realism to music(it's more like you're there with the artist at a concert). I lastly would like to make a quick comment about all the ignorant people who have made negative comments about this receiver. I understand that people have their own opinions about which products they prefer. But, most of these people who bashed this product shouldn't have opened their mouths without doing some research first. First off, the 5.1 Dolby decoder problems are due to problems at the Dolby labratories...it has nothing to do with Onkyo...many other receiver are having these problems with certain DVD's as well. And, there is another person who wrote a review further back towards the beginning saying that there is no A&B speaker selection. Either that person is blind or simply does not know A THING about the reciever he/she bought and cannot read the directions...or he/she is just plain LAZY! There is a thing called Zone Two featured on the Onkyo, which allows a completely different source to be played, or the same exact source to played. So, I'd like to say to that person, "open your eyes and re-review the product over again to help its overall rating! I hope this review helps aid others in their decision making when deciding to purchase a new receiver! Happy listening!!! PS>>>If you can find one refurbished or used on EBAY, then go for it. There is literally nothing wrong with a refurbished unit. Plus, when buying a refurbished unit, you can often get a higher quality, more expensive model, gaining access to more and more features and options!!!
User Rating: 9/10
Worth every $$by - June 7, 2002
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Review: Excellent Audio and Video Receiver. The component video switching works very well. Easy to setup. You can definitely rock the block with this unit.
User Rating: 9/10
Fantastic unit - all anyone needsby - June 7, 2002
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Review: The 797 is truly a do-all unit at an affordable price. It will tempt neo-audiophiles to become full-blown fanatics. If you really want to audition this piece, demo it with the opening beach scene in Saving Private Ryan - You will be ducking the bullets and heading to the basement. Of course you need to run this through good speakers - my system is M&K's THX 750 -- I also run 7.1 using a Denon POA 5200 to drive 2 M&K 750 centers -- Magnificence -- If you want to hear how great audio DVD is -- try Steeley Dan's Goucho through this -- 'nuff said...
User Rating: 
3/10
No Component Videoby - May 31, 2002
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Review: Why pay a grand for this receiver w/ no component video? It's not worht the money, especially if you have digital tv w/ many digital sources
User Rating: 9/10
Great reciever.by - May 25, 2002
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Review: The reciever has so many features and qulities at a great price. After owning this since the day it came out, I have noit found any substantial weaknesses (maybe one less coax dig and one more optical..) Great Reiever!
User Rating: 10/10
A cut above the rest around $1000.by - May 17, 2002
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Review: One hell of a combination with Polk RT2000I SPEAKERS Could use a/b switch.
User Rating: 7/10
Good Receiverby - May 15, 2002
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Review: I'm sick of all these morons who think it's Onkyo's fault for Dolby drop outs in Jurassic Park III and Pearl Harbor. This is not a brand specific problem - it's a Dolby problem, which they have since recalled and fixed. This is well documented and people should research before they speak. This is a fine receiver and well recognized as a superior unit in the industry. There is, however, a problem with a "ticking" noise that crops up after about three months due to some bad processing chips. Onkyo is aware of the problem and very helpful in correcting it. The sound is supurb and the product is top-notch. Just search on the internet and you'll see.
User Rating: 5/10
Dolby 5.1 errorsby - May 13, 2002
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Review: Anyone purchasing Onkyo receivers should be aware of an error in their 5.1 decoding circuit that causes dropouts of the audio track. This only affects newer DVDs that include a newer Dolby function code; this code is apparently not recognized by the malfunctioning decoding circuit. The result is that all the audio channels mute momentarily. Onkyo has posted a somewhat misleading "news" report about this on their web site at http://www.onkyousa.com/article_top.cfm?id=21 This problem doesn?t affect DTS output so it?s not a show stopper. However, consumers should go into this with both eyes open.
User Rating: 8/10
Don't own it yet but I will.by - April 19, 2002
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Review: I have gone to the trouble of researching this item for all of you whom have not yet done so. My results are as follows; you will not find a single negative review from anyone with more than a sixth grade education and if you can find this on sale or remanufactured it would be a great deal! I have not yet purchased this item so I can not give an accurate depiction of the support you will receive from this company but I can tell you that onkyo prides themselves on their name and the quality it stands for!
User Rating: 10/10
Impossible to beat for the priceby - April 19, 2002
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Review: This receiver is loaded with all the current features audiophiles are looking for. With the many $1000 AV receivers out there today, the TX-DS797 gives the most bang for the buck. And great sound!
User Rating: 9/10
Superior Sound Qualityby - March 14, 2002
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Review: Originally bought the Yamaha HTR-5490 model and took it back after three days to replace it for the Onkyo TX-DS797... Glad I did cause the sound is by far GREATER than the Yamaha model. Other than having a very basic look cosmetically, this receiver deffinetely has the backbone for sound quality.
User Rating: 9/10
Best for any amount of money.by - February 25, 2002
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Review: First, Sound drop outs on some DVDs is do to the DVD, not the Onkyo. Other receivers are having the same problem with the same DVDs. But, no matter just play the DVD on DTS mode. Great Power to all 6 speakers. So many hook-ups in and outs you could hook up R2-D2 if you wanted. The set up menu was a little confusing at first but I can fly through it now. Do miss real bass and treable nobs and A-B apeaker ability but I just turn it up and can hear it in any room. If you want to upgrade now and be able to upgrade later without getting a hole new system, this is for you.
User Rating: 10/10
You will hear the difference!by - February 23, 2002
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Review: I own this receiver and it was worth every penny. When I swapped out my older Sony STR-DE625 receiver, I could immediately hear a difference from all sound sources. It was very crisp, clear, and you could actually hear that the Onkyo had power to spare. I'd like to address the problems people incorrectly attribute to this receiver. 5.1 decoding problems- this is actually a bug in the encoding software from Dolby labs- check out dolby.com for details. It is not specific to this receiver. It is only a problem on a few DVDs - Jurassic Park III, Pearl Habour, and Atlantis that I know of. All except for Atlantis single disc version have DTS soundtracks which you sound play instead of the Dolby soundtrack (assuming you have a newer DVD player than I do). Unless you have really crappy speakers or crappy ears, the DTS soundtrack sounds a lot better because there is less compression. You won't get the surrond back speaker to produce sound, but very few 6.1 receivers can on these movies. The list of problem DVDs may be larger than three, but the encoding software should be fixed by now so that newer DVDs won't have this problem. Some brand new receivers have been able to fix this encoding bug with a patch to the software decoder in the receiver. The 797 will not be fixed in this way. What would be nice is if the studios mastered a new version of the movie that you could trade-in for! Personally, it's a good excuse for me to upgrade my DVD player to one with DTS, DVD-Audio (yes this receiver can handle it no problem) and progressive scan. I also read here that somebody said this unit was underpowered. I am confident that they were using small speakers- maybe the Bose or Polk small satellites. Those things waste power. If you tried them on another receiver, you wouldn't be able to get it loud enough to hear! The Onkyo receivers have ALWAYS tested to give higher power output than all the mainstream competition. And usually better than they spec out! This receiver has every input and output you could want. I even have the Sony wireless Dolby Digital headphones connected to the digital output and can listen to my DVD, satellite, Playstation 2, or HDTV receiver because (unlike the Denon 3802) this receiver sends whatever digital source you are listening to (coax or optical) to the outputs. The remote itself it worth $100- I have it programmed with 9 different macros that turn on my TV, receiver and whichever device I want and switch them all to the correct inputs. You can assign any of the digital inputs to any source. Another cool feature is the volume compensation. It allows you to attenuate some inputs so that they all sound about the same when you switch between them. I found this receiver online for less than $800. Now that's a great buy. Let's see Denon or Sony compete at that price- they can't.
User Rating: 10/10
The best receiver for the money!by - February 18, 2002
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Review: Simply awesome! Initially bought the 595 but decided to return it and upgrade to the 797 for the 6.1 decoding and other features. There was nothing wrong with the 595 (infact, for the money, I think it is the best sub $500 receiver out there).
User Rating: 6/10
5.1 Decoding Problemsby - February 17, 2002
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Review: The 797 would be an execellent receiver if it could decode 5.1 properly. Try Juraissic ParkIII, Pearl Harbor, etc. and you will find audio drop outs. I'm waiting to see if Onkyo can solve the problem.
User Rating: 10/10
Great Value!!! Must Buy!!!by - February 16, 2002
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Review: After researching the home recivers to death, I felt that ONLY this reciver had everything anyone could want. Its only missing 2 things. 1)the 2 nd rear back (7.1), but this is not even out yet on DVD's, and 3 back/side speakers is plenty, 4 is becomeing overkill. (u get 2 rear side speakers and 1 rear/rear speaker...not sure but u may be able to add this "4 th" rear/rear speaker later w/ external amps if u wish...but not needed at all) 2) a/b speaker selector...another feature i NEVER use. Sound is great! wish list: I would like a 3 rd RECORDING input/output (has only 2) so i could have 1) vcr 2)cd recorder 3) dvd recorder or 2 nd vcr for dubing VHS from VCR 1. Bottom line: At this price level, You are getting ALL surround fields and THX in 1 complete unit!!! I did all the research for you, just BUY IT!!!
User Rating: 10/10
"OUTSTADING PRODUCT"by - February 14, 2002
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Review: Just wrote a CNET review on the Onkyo TX-DS595 a week ago. The 595 was so awesome I decided to return it, and purchase the 797 for my main home theater setup and move my Sony STR 444ES ($1,000 Receiver) to the family room home theater in the basement! Onkyo like I said in my 595 write up has a new customer, Sony even in the 2002 ES models do not offer true 6.1, pro-logic II or THX, for the same price.
User Rating: 10/10
Simply Awsomeby - February 14, 2002
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Review: I've gone through many receivers, always feeling like something was missing. Not with this one. We coupled it with Polk Audio and the sound is breathtaking
User Rating: 10/10
Very good price for an excellent receiver.by - February 13, 2002
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Review: I have a TX-DS777 THX Select model with 5.1 surround. It is easy to use and produces excellent sound. The surround gives you life like sounds that makes you feel like you are actually in the theater.
User Rating: 8/10
Excellent buy for the price!by - February 13, 2002
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Review: You cann't go wrong on this unit. Its got everything you could want at this price point.
User Rating: 10/10
A great receiverby - February 12, 2002
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Review: It's a great unit. Clean power, S-video/composite/component switching. The one hang-up: the joypad on the remote is touchy.
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