The Best of Both Phone, and Tablet
-
"Great value, some downside" on by Penfolds9
Pros: HDMI pass-through; Dolby HD decoding; double zone multi speaker handling; multiple HD input sources.
Cons: HEAT, HEAT, HEAT; sloooow Audyssey sound setup; insufficient power for some speakers.
Summary: I bought this for $399 (black version) and am amazed at the technology packaged by Onkyo. HDMI throughput from two sources plus the many sound decoders built into this thing used to cost twice as much. If I had to do it over though I would buy the more powerful 705/805 models. I say this because I have to run this thing at 90% volume control to get acceptable normal loudness out of my Sony 5.1 system (two triple-spkr towers, shelf surrounds, powered subwoofer). This is fine for a smaller viewing room but in a big living room or open floor plan its not quite loud enough when you want to be saturated in the sound of a movie. Also, cranked at this level the unit runs INCREDIBLY hot. It cannot be kept in a closed or low-ceiling cabinet with this level heat and should have nothing above it in order to ventilate properly. In a closed cabinet with a new Toshiba HD DVD player above it the DVD player overheated 2/3 thru the movie and stopped working until I removed the receiver from the cabinet. Also the Audyssey sound positioning system is sloooow to work but you are required to run it (read the manual!) in order to gain access to editing the speaker setup manually, otherwise it is inaccessible. And if you forget a speaker or change the wiring you have to go back in each time and do it over again. Now that the unit is up and running properly I am pleased with it aside from the volume/heat issues. The sound quality is excellent, the HDMI throughput works perfectly to my 720P LCD screen.
-
"Yes, you'll get what you pay for" on by Yavrey
Pros: Tons of features for under $500
Cons: Poor engineering + poor build quality = this one is not going to last
Summary: Ever wondered why you can get all the latest features so cheap when you buy a "no-name"? Well, Onkyo is more of a once-reputable "has-been" than "no-name", but this does not change the essence. The thing is that these days when both big name brands and "no-names" alike are manufactured in China, Thailand, Indonesia --- name any country where humans don't cost much --- the two major constituents of the figure on the price tag are the costs of R&D and the components. And this is where the price/features promises of SR605 turn sour.
First off, the device simply cannot dissipate the heat it produces. You can fry eggs on its top. Also, factor in the environment: the receiver ran this hot even when it had no external enclosure at all; it was placed on a small open podium in London Drugs' showroom. Now imagine what's going to happen when it gets crammed in that little space you have in your TV desk. The reason for the heat problem is clear, at least to me --- the price. Building an electronic device with good heat dissipation efficacy requires first making a model to run and study heat flows on. This means quite a bit of R&D time and money. It's much cheaper to put the circuitry in a cabinet already at hand and hope that the unit will not overheat and break down while still on warranty.
Secondly, take a closer look at this receiver's exterior --- it will tell you a lot. Misaligned surfaces, noticeable warping of molded plastics, the volume control knob that would turn unevenly... Though the most striking observation came from the RCA inputs on the receiver's back. A pair of audio jacks located next to each other were so poorly machined that they actually had different diameters. It took me quite an effort to attach a plug to one of them; the other one got in so easily that the connection was dangerously loose. It's a no-brainer to conclude that, if the thing has got so many warning signs of a lemon on the exterior, the interior is not going to be a Swiss watch, either.
The bottom line of this little engineering excursion in Onkyo SR605 is obvious: there's no free cheese. If you want a quality receiver, Onkyo SR605 is definitely not the one. But if you want a disposable thing with the latest HDMI features, SR605 will fit the bill. After all, you'll get what you pay for. -
"Great value for an HDMI-upconverting receiver." on by KTate70
Pros: Analog-to-digital video upconverting, choice of black or silver case, inexpensive compared to similar A/V receivers, uncomplicated remote.
Cons: On-screen TV display menu system hides picture entirely.
Summary: I really like this A/V receiver--especially for the price!
The main reason I bought this receiver was for its ability to upconvert analog video signals (e.g., Directv Non-HD) through the HDMI cable. I read several reviews and specs and discovered that it would "clean up" the signal. Well, I can honestly say that it does. While it doesn't yield HD quality, the video certainly looks better when fed through the Onkyo.
Set-up wasn't too bad, but I still haven't read the entire 90+ page instruction manual. Some of the connection diagrams were hard to interpret, in my opinion. Otherwise, it's very well written. The remote is simple to use and very functional. It can be programmed to control many other A/V devices within 5-10 minutes.
My only (unjustified) complaint is that the front of the unit is very plain. There aren't many fancy lights--just a green LED readout. But for the price, it's no a big deal.
Hope this helps. -
"Almost Great" on by el00guapo
Pros: HDMI switching, support of HDMI 1.3a, OSD over HDMI
Cons: The price is great, but you get poor video performance.
Summary: I bought the Onkyo 605 due to the great reviews from CNET. Unfortunately, I have found that high-def HDMI video signals are most definitely not just passed through to my TV. Dark blue and off-white gradients become pixelated and in some cases definitive lines between shades were apparent. These video issues were only present when sent through the Onkyo 605. With the HDMI cables directly to the TV, the picture is awesome (from both the cable box & PS3).
The HDMI switching, up-conversion of analog sources, and the cool setup features were not enough to overlook the abysmal video performance. This was enough for me to return the Onkyo... downgrading to my old HK AVR630 -
"Lasted 2 years, does not hold up" on by jake1117
Pros: Excellent sound, easy set-up, easy to use
Cons: Lasted 2 years, poor warranty, poor customer service
Summary: Maybe a lemon but my Sony lasted 4-ever, matter of fact it is still going at friends house. Won't by another Onkyo again.
Write a Review
Online Stores
| Store | Promotions | In Stock | Price | Total Cost | Initial Sort Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | No | Yes | Tax: TBD Ship: TBD | $679.00 Shop Now | |
| See all prices | |||||
%20-%20AV%20receivers%20-%20CNET%20Reviews&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/av-receivers/onkyo-tx-sr605-silver/4852-6466_7-32430580.html&x_breadcrumb=6449:12698:6462:6466&x_arw_bkts=MAD:high_wireless_switcher){kind=small}