Onkyo TX-DS797 (black)

At first glance, $1,000 might seem like a lot of money to shell out for a receiver such as Onkyo's TX-DS797. But look again, and you'll notice that this midrange system's specs and features stack up pretty well against those of Onkyo's $3,200 top-of-the-line model, the TX-DS989. Better still, the DS797's ear-opening sound is up to the standards of demanding audiophiles.At first glance, $1,000 might seem like a lot of money to shell out for a receiver such as Onkyo's TX-DS797. But look again, and you'll notice that this midrange system's specs and features stack up pretty well against those of Onkyo's $3,200 top-of-the-line model, the TX-DS989. Better still, the DS797's ear-opening sound is up to the standards of demanding audiophiles.

It's in there
The DS797's feature roster includes THX Select certification (which means that the receiver meets Lucasfilm/THX's rigorous performance standards), THX Surround EX, and DTS's 6.1 ES Discrete surround processing, along with a bunch of the latest goodies, such as Dolby ProLogic II and 192KHz/24-bit digital-to-analog converters. The standard Dolby Digital and DTS processors are here as well.

Weighing a hefty 35.9 pounds, the DS797 not only feels more substantial than its midpriced competition, it's also bigger. Its 18-inch depth might be a tight squeeze in your cabinet or entertainment center; you'd better exercise your tape measure before you buy this very grown-up receiver. But Onkyo uses that extra mass to give you more volume: the DS797 can deliver 100 watts to all six channels.

The receiver welcomes just about every hook-up contingency--everything from a turntable input, two wideband component-video inputs, a 7.1-channel Super Audio CD/DVD-Audio input, and enough digital audio ins and outs to accommodate almost any rack of gear you care to collect. An extra set of audio, video, and digital connections is conveniently located on the front panel. The DS797 also has the necessary outputs for multiroom, multisource operation, along with dual-zone, infrared remote inputs and a 12-volt trigger control that can turn on or off an external amplifier or other remote electronics. We were pleased to find line-level preamp outputs for all 8 channels--just about every upgrade option is possible. The only thing missing from this receiver are real bass and treble knobs. You'll need to tweak those settings in the setup menu.

While the programmable remote suffers from a bit of button congestion, it sure felt nice and comfortable in our hands. Plus, it's backlit so that you can find the right button in a dimly lit room. Hide Review