Audiophiles? If you don't have this one, get it!
Written: Feb 12 '01 (Updated Feb 13 '01)
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Pros: Crystal clear sound, TONS of I/O, great remote, great features. THX EX
Cons: A little expensive
The Bottom Line: Best unit I have ever owned. Audiophiles, this is your toy for the next 30 years. Nothing but pure joy and great sound.
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| boonkauc's Full Review: Onkyo TX-DS989 7.1 Channels Receiver |
I assume first of all that this will be read by mainly those people who are seriously interested in sound, so I have no fear in using more descriptive terms. First of all, THD of .05%--WOW!!--what does this mean? Crystal clear sounds, and no distortion no matter how loud you crank it, and believe me (and the neighbors lol), this puppy can crank. Packing an unbelievable 140 watts RMS per channel, this receiver will push any speakers you can hook up to it. This receiver is certified THX Ultra, which means that it will only give you the best of the best as far as sound(you also pay about 300 just for the certification), but isn't that a good thing for audiophiles? Packed with 7 S-video in, this receiver is the technological beast that can handle anything coming within the next 20 years.
Why is it so heavy you ask? Well, to tell you the truth, almost all of the 68 pounds it weighs is due to the massive amplifier. Onkyo uses what is called "totally discrete amplification", which means that no matter how many things you have hooked up to this, they won't drain power from any other components hooked up. Packing a massive 980 watts total, this amp should be heavy. Made from aircraft aluminum, the massive heat sinks will keep your unit running cool all day long, as long as it has about 6 inches of head room.
One of the best features on this unit is the THX 7.1, which gives you 2 stereo speakers, one center speaker, 2 rear speakers, and 2 side speakers, along with a sub for that "I want to feel the movie" sort of experience. The only problem is that not many movies feature this format yet, but that is changing, so hold on to your lounge chair, because this receiver is going to blast you into the future. One of the biggest fears about stereo equipment is having it be outdated in 6 months. With this system, you would be lucky to find something better in 6 years, let alone have it be outdated completely.
I can honestly say that this system was not hard to hook up, and everything on the back is clearly labeled, so even if you aren't familiar with stereo's, you simply hook "DVD" to the DVD--easy as pie! Once I finished hooking all of my components up, I popped in The Matrix DVD (which is one of the best movies for home theaters of all time), and watched that movie until the very end. I then watched it again, and then once more. With this system in your home, you better have a comfortable chair and a lot of movies, because you simply will not be able to get away once you start.
Finally, the remote is so easy that even a child could operate it. Just punch a few buttons to program in what components you have, and away you go!
For anyone who reads this review, and owns the system, if you in any way are not satisfied with the unit, let me know, because it would be the first complaint I have ever heard.
As a former employee of Circuit City, I can tell you that Onkyo makes only the best, and the durability is the highest you will find. If you are looking for the best system you can find, this is it.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2599.99
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Epinions.com ID:
boonkauc
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Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 6 members
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