Onkyo 605/6 v 875

[stonehound]

On the assumption that the 606 will perform similar to the 605, does anyone have any experience of exactly how much better the 875 is?

I know it has 1080p upscaling but was wondering if the musical performance with with CD's is really that much better than the 605? Also is the home cinema sound streets ahead?

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

I'm curious about this too... was about to push the button on a 606, but would appreciate knowing what the 875 brings to the table above and beyond its little brother.

I am no expert with these things so spec sheets read like gibberish. Simple pros and cons would help!

 

[Andrew Everard]

Having spent two solid days with the 606, and running an 875 at home, I'd say go for the 875 if you can afford it. Better sound, greater flexibility, better scaling - everything really.

 

[stonehound]

Cheers Andrew

 

[madeinstein]

[quote user="Andrew Everard"]

Having spent two solid days with the 606, and running an 875 at home, I'd say go for the 875 if you can afford it. Better sound, greater flexibility, better scaling - everything really.

[/quote]

Andrew, may I ask you what speakers are you using with your 875? Cheers.

 

[Anonymous]

Apart from saying stretch to the 875... can you give me a rough summary of what it has extra, besides a bit more power?

Cheers

 

[Clare Newsome]

Apart from the superior amplification (and I don't just mean more welly!), the 875 offers superlative video upscaling/upconversion to 1080p - and again, it's not just that it goes that one step further to 1080p, but that the quality of the picture processing is so impressive: particularly useful if you have a reasonable-size Full HD display.

It's also more musical, if still not the most melodic receiver around.

 

[Anonymous]

I think I'm in the same boat:

I'm pretty much set on buying the KEF KHT-3005SE speaker package (I can't justify spending much more than £1k on speakers), but, when it comes to buying the receiver, I am torn between the Onkyo TX-SR605/606 and the TX-SR875. I am confused because there seem to be two schools of thought:

1) Spend similar amounts of money on the receiver and speakers

2) Spend considerably less on the receiver, as using a TX-SR875 with the KEF package would, apparently, be like 'taking a Lamborghini out for the school run'. I've seen it suggested that the 875 should only be used with packages costing in excess of £2,000.

I realise I should hear both before making a decision, but, if I can disregard the TX-SR875 now because it is unnecessary, it'd save me months of stashing money away.

Can anyone offer any advice, please?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Anonymous]

Same with me... would it really make an MT30 work better in a lounge at modest volume! I doubt I'd ever get the best out of the 875. I'm only going to use V+, PS3, and my old dvd's.

Heck, due to living having to also take place in the room, my main source will be an ipod and the front sats.

It was once a dedicated set up, back when i was a lad......... hmmmm

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="madeinstein"]
Andrew, may I ask you what speakers are you using with your 875? Cheers.

[/quote]

PMC OB1/CB6C/FB1/DB1/TLE1. Oh, and a pair of Musical Fidelity Superchargers on the front left and right channels!

 

[Andrew Everard]

Onkyo TX-SR606 review now online here.

 

[Andy Clough]

Thanks Andrew. Now that's what I call a substantial review!

 

[madeinstein]

[quote user="Andrew Everard"][quote user="madeinstein"]

Andrew, may I ask you what speakers are you using with your 875? Cheers.

[/quote]

PMC OB1/CB6C/FB1/DB1/TLE1. Oh, and a pair of Musical Fidelity Superchargers on the front left and right channels!

[/quote]

Thanks Andrew.. Strangly I was expecting PMC

But that definetly convinced me that 875 is definetly the way to go! I'm not gonna have as good speakers as you, probably B&W 685, KEF iQ5 or Tannoy Revolution. Now I only need to convince my second part that it's not that ugly.. or hide it in a big ventilated box! Cheers!

 

[Anonymous]

Why compare the 606 to the 875?

Surely the one of the other models in between (eg. the 805) is more of a direct comparison?

 

[madeinstein]

[quote user="Volcane"]

Why compare the 606 to the 875?

Surely the one of the other models in between (eg. the 805) is more of a direct comparison?

[/quote]

Because 875 is "the best" and 606 is cheap alternative. So the question is whether it's worth spending £500 more?

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="madeinstein"]Because 875 is "the best" and 606 is cheap alternative. So the question is whether it's worth spending £500 more?[/quote]

Yup!

 

[Anonymous]

Seroiusly considering this decision too. A 12-month warranty "as-new" refurbished 875 for £630 with the offer at www.exceptional-av.co.uk is very tempting. I'd only be running the 606/875 into a Pioneer 4280 (768p) so would benefit less from the scaling and again, probably could only stretch to the B&W 685 theatre package.

Andy, what are your thoughts regarding refurbished receivers? Am I negating the benefits of the step-up? Would I notice the visual difference given the 875's Reon would only scale 480 to 720 and the Pioneer is so well regarded?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Acquiescer:Andy, what are your thoughts regarding refurbished receivers? Am I negating the benefits of the step-up? Would I notice the visual difference given the 875's Reon would only scale 480 to 720 and the Pioneer is so well regarded?

Kinda depends what's happened to the receiver before it was refurbed, but I know some 875s were taken back for a firmware upgrade, and I guess the ones here might be available as the result of the exchange programme carried out, though they should have had the upgrade by now.

But that said I think you'd be fine with a 606 into that screen, though the 875 does sound considerably better than the 605/606.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

madeinstein:Volcane:

Why compare the 606 to the 875?

Surely the one of the other models in between (eg. the 805) is more of a direct comparison?

Because 875 is "the best" and 606 is cheap alternative. So the question is whether it's worth spending £500 more?
I think the Onk 905 would argue that!