Sensible, worthwhile upgrade from an Onkyo TX-SR606

[Pistol Pete1]

Can anyone tell me what a sensible upgrade would be? I have noticed the Onkyo 806 under £500, as well as the Yamaha 863SE at around that price.(Although I prefer the look of the Onkyo when compared to the yamaha).

I currently have the Q Acoustics 1010i 5.1 speaker package, with the Sony 350 blu ray, Marantz CD63 KI cd player and Panasonic TH42PX80 (hd ready only) tv.

Obviously heard that the Onkyo's amps (especially the 606) are great for movies, but not so hot for music. Would either of the forementioned amps improve on what i have at the moment.

I am also currently using QED silver Anniversairy cable and QED HDMI-P/Cable Talk Monitor 3 interconnections, but have some QED Profile 4x4 speaker cable 'hanging' around. Will I hear an improvement in sound from the front speakers if I use this biwire cable as a single wire, in comparision to the silver anniversairy?

Anyone???

 

[lbafsaj]

I've just upgraded from the Onkyo 605 to the Yamaha RXV 1900. Took a little getting used to as the set up menu's are not as easy as the Onkyo, but the sound both for movies and music is suiperb. With movies I hear a much better separation and distinction of the sounds via individual speakers, the auto setup is extremely accurate ( if a little too much going to the sub), and the musical improvement is excellent. Nowhere near as harsh as the Onkyo with music and really hearing every instrument, and that's playing music via my Pioneer BDP LX70A BD Player. Looking for a good CD player now !!!! Hope this helps.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Thanks for your reply. That Yamaha is a £850-900 piece of kit, so i would expect big improvements from an amp that costs over double.

I should have mentioned that my budget is really round £500, which is why I mentioned the Onkyo 806 and Yamaha 863SE.

Thanks for your quick reply though.

P.S If you want a top notch cd player, look on ebay for a Marantz CD63 KI. They are a fantastic second hand buy for around £100-£150 on there.

 

[professorhat]

Honestly, keep the £500 until you can spend £800 - £1,000 on a proper upgrade to your amp - then you will actually hear the upgrade clear and true. then save another £1,206 and get the B&W 685 Theatre package!
Hopefully you see where I'm coming from. In my opinion, there's no point spending the same as you spent a few years ago on your system - if you want to really hear the difference, you need to spend more. The 685 package partnered with the Yamaha 1900 or even the Onkyo 876 will sound magnificent. But don't just spend money for the sake of it - you've got a very nice Home Cinema system as it is with the 606 and the 1010i package - just build from there.
P.S. - I also have the Marantz CD63 mk II KI Signature CD player and it's a peach of a CD player!

 

[Anonymous]

Ditto, plus meanwhile would buy BT mains conditioning units to feed your amp, CD, and DVD player and sub.

For around £40 per item (Ebay)it will give a clean signal path which will make whats coming out of your speakers much purer.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Thanks for your input guys......

I already have a Tacima CSC 909 mains conditioner attached to the system.

So i assume you both think the Onkyo 876 is far superior to the Onkyo 806?

I went for th Q Acoustics package cos of size - I think the wife would go mad if i bought home the B & W 685 package!!!

I assume the Denon AVR 1909 (seem as a better amp musically) at £299 would not be worth changing to either?

 

[professorhat]

Not in my opinion, but then it's not me buying! If you're very unhappy with the music from the 606, it might be worth looking at, but I'd still be tempted to save up a bit more and get an even better home cinema amp (not necessarily an Onkyo, depends what you're after). From the sound of it, it might be worth looking at one with pre-outs for the front speakers so you can add a proper stereo integrated amp later on which will improve the music performance further.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Which amps have preouts, as I have an old Marantz PM6010 KI Signature amp 'hanging around' which might be a good idea to add on, if I have room for the both!!.

Does the Onkyo 806? Or Sony 2400ES? Or even the Denon 1909?

It's not that I'm unhappy with the sound, its just that you read all these reviews from What Hifi? and on this forum, and you start to wonder if your missing out on something better in terms of sound quality.

My lounge is quite small - 14' by 10'-12', if I remember correctly, so i am going to be very limited to the size of front speaker anyway. (And the wife insists on small stand mounted ones, rather than floorstanders, like my old Tannoy Dc2000's -they have just been sold on ebay)

 

[Dave_]

Pistol Pete1:

Which amps have preouts, as I have an old Marantz PM6010 KI Signature amp 'hanging around' which might be a good idea to add on, if I have room for the both!!.

Does the Onkyo 806? Or Sony 2400ES? Or even the Denon 1909?

the sony certainly does, the denon hasn't and not sure about the onk 806

edit- the onkyo 806 does have pre-outs

 

[Anonymous]

Having the same dilema.

Set on the Onkyo 806, but I do want to use the amp for music as well.

Concerned other amps have better quality than the Onkyo, though like the look and spec of the 806.

Do I push to go for the 876?wait for the Yamaha 863?

To be fair I am upgrading from a 6 year old (maybe more) Sony STR DE375. to which ever amp I chose, with the B&W 685 kit. So I'm thinking whatever I go for will be awesome compared to my current set up.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Pistol Pete1:

It's not that I'm unhappy with the sound, its just that you read all these reviews from What Hifi? and on this forum, and you start to wonder if your missing out on something better in terms of sound quality.

That way madness lies, Pete! I'm with Prof - enjoy your system (maybe with a couple of minor tweaky accessory upgrades) and put some money aside until you can afford a major step-up upgrade (as opposed to incremental ones). The Onk's a good solid amp and you've a superb system - buy some more discs and enjoy!ÿ

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Thanks for your sensible advise guys.

With all the bargains around at the moment, things can get tempting.

Clare- Can you suggest any minor 'tweaky accessory upgrades'?

I will try my QED Profile 4x4 spaeker cable later tonight(not biwired though, as speakers don't do it), unstead of the QED silver Aniversairy.

I have a Tacima CS929 mains conditioner. The front speakers are on sand filled Q Acoustics stands, with the front speakers, and subwoofer on granite plinths.

The interconnection from cd to onk is the Cable Talk Monitor 3, and I am using the QED HDMI-P cables elsewhere.

Are there any more tweaks??

 

[Anonymous]

I can suggest one; it's called the "Wife Appreciation of Hi-Fi Chip". It's an as yet un-invented accessory of incredible value. If you can find or invent one of these, the answer to all your prayers may be upon you. Good luck! LOL.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Pistol Pete1:
Thanks for your sensible advise guys.

With all the bargains around at the moment, things can get tempting.

Clare- Can you suggest any minor 'tweaky accessory upgrades'?

I will try my QED Profile 4x4 spaeker cable later tonight(not biwired though, as speakers don't do it), unstead of the QED silver Aniversairy.

I have a Tacima CS929 mains conditioner. The front speakers are on sand filled Q Acoustics stands, with the front speakers, and subwoofer on granite plinths.

The interconnection from cd to onk is the Cable Talk Monitor 3, and I am using the QED HDMI-P cables elsewhere.

Are there any more tweaks??

Well you seem very well sorted (assuming your rack is up to shape!) - i'd spend the money on movies!

 

[Anonymous]

Pistol Pete1:

Can anyone tell me what a sensible upgrade would be? I have noticed the Onkyo 806 under £500, as well as the Yamaha 863SE at around that price.(Although I prefer the look of the Onkyo when compared to the yamaha).

I currently have the Q Acoustics 1010i 5.1 speaker package, with the Sony 350 blu ray, Marantz CD63 KI cd player and Panasonic TH42PX80 (hd ready only) tv.

Obviously heard that the Onkyo's amps (especially the 606) are great for movies, but not so hot for music. Would either of the forementioned amps improve on what i have at the moment.

I am also currently using QED silver Anniversairy cable and QED HDMI-P/Cable Talk Monitor 3 interconnections, but have some QED Profile 4x4 speaker cable 'hanging' around. Will I hear an improvement in sound from the front speakers if I use this biwire cable as a single wire, in comparision to the silver anniversairy?

Anyone???

Hi PP1. We almost have the same set-up. I am also using the Onkyo 606. I also have the Silver Anniversary XT, and Tacima Mains conditioner. The only difference is that I use 2 pairs of floorstanders (MS908i fronts & MS904i surround), MS902i for surround back and 2x MJ Acoustics Pro 50 MKII subwoofers to complete my 7.1 package. (I am a bass lover but I am not a Mordaunt Short fan when it comes to subwoofer). I used to own the Onkyo 605 and now I have the 606 and I must say that the latter (because of its Audyssey Dynamic Equalizer which the 605 doesn't have) has improved a lot both in movies and in music. Even at low volume the sound is fantastic. When it comes to movies and music, I am already impressed with the 606.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Ok guys, thanks for all your help today, but I think i have cracked it!!!!!

I mentioned earlier in this thread that i had some QED Profile 4x4 biwire cable 'hanging' around. Well, tonight I swapped it over from the QED silver annniversairy cable already connected.

Obviously the Profile 4x4 is meant to be biwired, but I just used the two outer wires on each side (the cable is flat, and has 8 sets of wires running through it) for the two red terminals, and the four inner wires for the two black terminals - hope all that made sense!!!

Anyway - WOW what a difference the Profile 4x4 makes. It seems to have controlled the 'brash' treble, and make the whole sound 'fuller', 'more articulate' with much more 'clarity and precision' than before.

Anyone with the Onkyo 606, Q Acoustics 1010i 5.1 speaker package-BE WARNED!!!

DO NOT USE QED SILVER ANNIVERSAIRY WITH THAT SYSTEM!!!!!!!

 

[Steve Reichert PR Manager ArmourHome]

Hello 'Mr Pete',

Needless to say, I'm delighted to learn you have solved the problem with your system -- especially as it contains Q Acoustics loudspeakers and QED speaker cables.

However, and purely as a 'Public Service Annoucement', may I point out your (perfectly fair) warning against using QED Silver Anniversary speaker cable in systems such as yours, refers to our old cable and not the newer, award-winning Silver Anniversary-XT (SA-XT) cable which is much smoother, better balanced and more detailed.

(And, while I've got my head above the parapet -- if you're enjoying the Profile 4x4, try to borrow a pair of the new QED 'Revelation' speaker cables, I think you'd be in for a treat.

Very best regards,

Steve Reichert -- PR Manager, Armour Home (QED, Q Acoustics etc.)

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your 'Public Service Announcement' about the speaker cable. As you can probably tell by the items I have in my system, it was created a few years back, and I was having trouble getting the sound I wanted/used to hear/ing from my new home cinema system.

I am a massive fan of QED cable, and was quite shocked at how poor (in my view, and with my ears) the silver anniversary sounded next to the Profile 4x4.

With that in mind, I am intrigued about the 'Revelation' cable now. Is it really that much better than the Profile 4x4? Reason i ask is that I have just sourced some old Profile 4x4 for my centre speaker, but as it's only a metre long, so might be tempted to get a metre of Revelation to try it out instead.

Glad to hear the silver anniversary has been updated, and I'm sure the new version suits many systems, as well as is loved by many keen 'hifi loving people across the UK and beyond!!