FOR TEAM RE:ONKYO TX NR 818 REVIEW.

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Was thinking of buying one of these but noticed in reviewers notes day 2 you say there was a background noise

which was eliminated by using source direct mode,could uou elaborate on this.

I had on Onkyo 876 some years back but sent it back because of static noise coming from 4 of the 5 speakers.

In another magazine review the 608 and 609 when reviewed were also found to have a static noise problem.

Also there is various comments as to the same on various internet threads.

Also in day to day use watching tv, direct mode would be of no use as this would revert to straight stereo,

cancelling dpl2.

Was going to buy one of these but would like your opinion if posible.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Andy Madden]

Hi Pat,

just to clariify when we referred to noise in the review, it's much more subtle than general static noise. We didn't have any problems with our review unit in that regard. Cheers.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Just to add that I'm running an 818 at home at the moment, and haven't encountered any noise problems.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the speedy reply Andrew.

If memory serves you have or had an onkyo 875,how does the 818 compare tonally,any difference

power wise also.Any hdmi handshake problems.

The xt32 system?,how was that to use? could it replace an antimode.

Thanks in advance.

Pat Brady.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Yes, it replaced an 875, and IMHO is every bit as good, while also being much more musical. No handshake problems as yet, but have to admit I have only done a very rough set-up as I haven't been doing home cinema too much of late – really have to find some time to dig deeper into what it can do and sort out settings more.

 

[Anonymous]

Where's the review of the Onkyo TX-NR818? Can't seem to find it on the site.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Yes, it replaced an 875, and IMHO is every bit as good, while also being much more musical. No handshake problems as ye, but have to admit I have only done a very rough set-up as I haven't been doing home cinema too much of late – really have to find some time to dig deeper into what it can do and sort out settings more.

Hi

Have you got a new TV too then Andrew? Just curious with your upgrades.

Cheers

 

[Andrew Everard]

Have you got a new TV too then Andrew?

No.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Where's the review of the Onkyo TX-NR818? Can't seem to find it on the site.

In the magazine, but AFAIK not on-site yet.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Have you got a new TV too then Andrew?

No.

Ah okay - thought you might have gone 3D.

Cheers

 

[Andrew Everard]

Ah okay - thought you might have gone 3D.

No, and no interest whatsoever in doing so.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Ah okay - thought you might have gone 3D.

No, and no interest whatsoever in doing so.

Plus one!

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Ah okay - thought you might have gone 3D.

No, and no interest whatsoever in doing so.

Just enjoying 2D more then - same here, nice one.

Cheers

 

[Andrew Everard]

Plus one!

SwimmyVision? OMDB!

 

[Anonymous]

Every bit as good as an 875? That is one hell of an understatement. If you are only getting "as good" out of it then you are clearly doing something very wrong. :wall:

 

[Andrew Everard]

Every bit as good as an 875? That is one hell of an understatement. If you are only getting "as good" out of it then you are clearly doing something very wrong. :wall:

No need to be so frustrated, old chap: as I said, I've only done a rough set-up, due to pressures of other work, and impressions are so far very favourable. However I have to admit I have mainly been using it for music, as that interests me more and that's the basis on which I have been reviewing it – not for WHFSV.

I plan to set aside some more time soon to refine the installation and set-up, and explore it in more detail, but as mentioned, so far things are very promising.

 

[Anonymous]

Me frustrated? :rofl: You would have to get up way earlier every morning and try far harder to achieve such a thing. I think you are wasting your time reviewing it for music as most people out there are not going to be considering such a unit for music anyway (as impressive as it may be). Calibration makes a huge difference but most people are not going to put enough effort in.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Where's the review of the Onkyo TX-NR818? Can't seem to find it on the site.

It's now available here

 

[Andrew Everard]

Me frustrated? :rofl:

Ah. I assumed that's what the banging head on wall thing was about.

I think you are wasting your time reviewing it for music as most people out there are not going to be considering such a unit for music

Unless of course they are Gramophone readers attracted by the idea of high-definition streaming and the ability to play music (with or without video) to a high standard.

Calibration makes a huge difference but most people are not going to put enough effort in.

As I said, I haven't had time to fine-tune the calibration yet, but I will get down to to it; among other things, I got distracted by spending some time at Datasat learning just how in-depth one can get with calibration, as I explained in my blog report this week.

But I fully intend to spend more time exploring the possibilities of the 818, even if it will be used relatively rarely for full-blown home cinema, and most of the time I listen to a dedicated music system.

All that said, the Onkyo already sounds impressive when playing Dolby TrueHD downloads, as I noted in my report from Onkyo HQ a couple of months back, where the company concentrated its demonstrations on music rather than movies – so clearly it believes the receiver has much to offer in this field.

 

[Anonymous]

I also have to question the "powerful" sound as that is probably the 818's weakest area. I can only guess that it was tested with some very easy to drive 8 ohm speakers. If you stick some more difficult 4 ohms speakers on it then you will find it a little lacking.

 

[Andrew Everard]

I also have to question the "powerful" sound as that is probably the 818's weakest area. I can only guess that it was tested with some very easy to drive 8 ohm speakers. If you stick some more difficult 4 ohms speakers on it then you will find it a little lacking.

:wall:

 

[Anonymous]

But there are too many people out there claiming that Onkyo AVR's and Music do not mix. So trying to convince people that the 818 can reproduce Music to a high standard will be falling on deaf ears. But good luck with it.

Calibration techniques do not tend to transfer so well from one technology to another so DataSat is not even worth mentioning in an 818 thread (especially when it costs around 17 times more than the 818).

 

[Anonymous]

:wall:

Calm down old man. No need to get frustrated. A simple answer would be fine.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Calibration techniques do not tend to transfer so well from one technology to another so DataSat is not even worth mentioning in an 818 thread (especially when it costs around 17 times more than the 818).

And that's just for the processor! I was merely making the point that a) I found it enlightening just what can be done with a very in-depth calibration capability, such as that offered by the Datasat processor; I wasn't drawing any comparison between it, or its technology, and the Onkyo and the systems it uses. And b) the need to cover such events as the Datasat session was a reason why I hadn't had as much time as I'd like to set up the Onkyo. So far.

But there are too many people out there claiming that Onkyo AVR's and Music do not mix. So trying to convince people that the 818 can reproduce Music to a high standard will be falling on deaf ears. But good luck with it.

I would suggest too many people are in that case wrong, especially in the case of this product. Although it would seem that deaf ears are unwilling to see or hear what is actually being said, or approach these matters with an open mind.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Calm down old man. No need to get frustrated.

Not frustrated, just wondering how you manage to do those mid-thread handbrake turns. One minute I haven't set it up properly so can't be hearing just what it can do; the next it has weaknesses if you ask it to drive demanding speakers

A simple answer would be fine.

A simple answer to what? Which speakers were used for the WHFSV test? Not a clue, as I wan't involved.

But then I haven't been talking about the WHFSV test, but the listening I have been doing with a second sample of the product. And FYI PMC OB1s, TB6C, SUB TLE and GB1s.

Anyway – is that the time...? Apparently I have to get up earlier...