Outstanding Piece for Home Theater
Written: May 07 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Power, Sound, Features
Cons: weight, no settings memory
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| esunetdude's Full Review: Onkyo TX-DS777 |
I purchased this piece as the audio center for a home theater system being done in my new house. This is the first receiver I have that does more than Dolby Pro Logic. I can safely and happily say I haven't gone wrong.
First - the system. I have the DX-777, Toshiba SD-4109 DVD, an older Pioneer CD changer and an older Panasonic Hi-Fi VHS VCR. The speaker system is 100% Polk Audio with RT-2000p towers for the front, the CS-300 for center channel and the F/X 500i for the surround. The VCR is being replaced with a Toshiba W708 6 head unit. The CD player will be replaced as funds are available.
Now about the 777 ... What a beast! I cannot think of any reason why a person would need more power than this for their home. The unit is rated at 105 watts high current per channel. Consumer Reports rated this their number two unit for home theater and claimed it had 135 watts per channel. Connected with Monster Cable to the RT-2000p speakers, I can easily shake the house and the Onkyo isn't breaking a sweat. For those that want stuff played loud and have it sound clear while doing so, you found what you're looking for. It supports the standard A/B speaker settings and connections for center channel and surround sound for home theater operation. There are two coaxial digital inputs and two optical digital inputs, all assignable to the proper device. Using the digital input for DVD play, the unit automatically switches between Dolby Digital Pro Logic, Dolby Digitial and DTS. THX operation is switchable.
There are many adjustments on the 777, all done either from the front of the unit or via on screen programing when connected to a TV. Adjustments include Intellivolume where you adjust the relative volume between different input channels such as CD and FM. This allows the same volume level to be used when switching between different inputs. You can also determine how the speakers are operated with a small/large/none setting for the front/center/surround speakers. There is an adjustment that enables a line-level signal for an external sub and then how much signal is actually sent to the sub. There are adjustments that deal with the different DSP modes such as how much reflection and reverberation are added to adjust the sound quality. Then there's the settings that determine the distances from the speakers to the listener. There's also an adjustment the speaker output level of every channel. You won't find any shortage of adjustments for those that like a lot of control over the sound. For those that have 5 speakers (and a sub??), the 5 channel stereo is a real treat. I especially like the Mono Movie and TV logic settings for watching old TV shows and mono videos.
There are a few cons to the unit as well. I wish it had a memory for setting presets. There is none so you will find yourself changing modes. Another thing is the weight .. it weighs nearly 40 pounds. Of course, I'm sure it's because of all the electronics included.
You won't be disappointed with this as an addition to any home theater or just for standard music listening. Prices are ranging from around $760 to $1000. I bought mine at Circuit City for $900 and would not recommend them as the seller. Shop on Internet and you're sure to get a better deal.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
esunetdude
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Member: Douglas
Location: Poconos Pa
Reviews written: 15
Trusted by: 0 members
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