What a VALUE! Specs outshine all others in its price class. Has a PHONO (turntable) INPUT, hard to find at this price range. No problems thusfar...

Tuner preset process is not intuitive and can't be done from the remote. No S-Video connections.

It all started because our new furniture could no longer house my old reliable 20-year-old Onkyo receiver (can you believe it, my wife told me to go buy a new receiver; "forced" to pass it down to my son and upgrade; music to a technofreak's ears).

First, I looked primarily at Pioneer's and Sony's basic digital-DTS models. I'm not the type to spend audiophile top-dollar. I was going to go with Pioneer's D509S model but realized that it had no phono/turntable input connection - I'm NOT going to give up the vinyl (lesson learned the hard way, don't assume that everything you have or plan to have will hook up flawlessly, ALWAYS consider the connections).

I had to broaden my search. Leave it to my brand from 20 years ago, Onkyo, to produce an entry level digital-DTS receiver that includes the phono-in. Circuit City even had a deal where they threw in a cheap 3-piece Technics surround speaker set - they'll do for now.

The TX-DS484 kicks the competition's ass when it comes to specs at this price range. It has been problem-free so far. I love the surround speaker setup, where for each type of speaker you tell it small or large (or none) and how far each speaker is spaced from the listener.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this as an upgrade from an old receiver or "entry level" home theater unit. I hate to use that term because this is NOT your typical bargain component. Thank you, Onkyo.

Clean sound. Build Quality.

A little wimpy in the sound department.

I bought the 484 as a replacement for my 20 year old JVC SR-300. I listened to the 100WPC Stereo Onkyo, but decided on the 484 due to the extra features, and the fact that it had a subwoofer output.

As it turns out, there is a big difference between the stereo model and the 484. The 484 sounds great - nice and clean - but for some reason, it couldn't drive my Cerwin Vegas like I was used to with my old JVC. The 484 didn't have a strong enough presence in the low mids and bass that my C Vega's can really take advantage of.

In the end, I took it back. I then tried a Technics 940 or something, It actually sounded pretty good, but runs real hot.

I'm now about to try out the Onkyo I originally listened to, I believe it is an 8411 - 100WPC stereo model. I'll post on it once I get a chance to try it out.

Bottom line - the 484 would work really well for a homw theatre, especially at higher listening levels that can open the amp up a little. But if you're looking for a more prominent sound (more 'in your face'), and want an Onkyo, pick one with more power.

The 484 is a great value at under 300 bucks. Smooth and easy to listen to in the hogh end. I wish I could give it a 4,5, because it is very good, it just wasn't right for me.

Similar Products Used:

JVC SR-300, Technics, Sony, Pioneer