Above average home threater sound

Sound a little bit "metalic" on music;
VERY DISAPPOINED with the reliability of the product (main left channel sometime "no sound" or "very low sound level")

I have brought this receiver since Nov. of 1998. After 3 months of "careful" use, the main left channel become "no sound" !
I have called the dealer to repair it (they denied to replace a new one for me, and cannot tell the cause of the problem !)
Then it work fine until last Dec 99, where the main left channel become "no sound" (actually very "low level" of sound) again !
This time, I tried to "reset" the system (as described in the user manual) several times, and switch off the unit for one day, and the system return back to "normal" !
And 2 days before, the same problem happened again, and I have tried the "solution" (by "reset" and switch off the system for overnight), and it seems "still working" again.
I haven't bring the unit to the dealer to repair it last Dec and this time, because I am too busy to bring this thing to the service center !
One odd thing I discovered is that whenever I store some radio station into the receiver memory, some time later, the receiver left channel start to get into the same problem again !!!?
If this is really the reason, then Onkyo engineers should review what they have to do to prevent the same nightmare will not happen to their future customers again (Of course, I will NOT consider ANY Onkyo product in the FUTURE !!!)
On the other hand, for the first AV amp I brought in 1992, the Denon AVC-1020G, it still work "very fine", and has not shown any problem !!!
Maybe next time I will reconsider Denon (or Sony - which sound more "musical")

Similar Products Used:

Denon AVC-1020G

I had originally purchased a JVC884 with mixed results. I traded up to this unit and I'm glad I did. The channel separation is superb, much better than JVC , and the bass output is great. But , after about a 1/3 of the way thru the first dvd, I lost all sound. I had both the coaxial and the optical hooked and could only get sound for a few seconds if I switched back and forth from one to the other. I returned it and another is on the way. Hopefully, I'll have better luck this next time around. I have not had any problems with the volume control, as I have heard from others.

I looked at the Onkyo 747, but to my dismay, this receiver was filled with engineering bugs. The bass management was poor. It did not let the bass from the center and surround channels be directed to the main speakers. If you selected small for center and rears, then selected no for sub, and large for mains, you would have no bass content, except the bass that is already in the main left and right channels. The subwoofer no option only selected the highpass filters for the chosen channels that were in small mode. It did not redirect the bass to the mains, as it should. I like to turn my sub off and listen to music concerts with only the mains occasionally. This receiver also turned away customers who already had prologic receivers that had the correct NORMAL center channel setting that directed all the mono bass into the left and right speakers. Most bass is mono. That's why it critical to have the center channel bass not lost. The center channel is where all the mono sounds are directed. In short, this receiver needed an active subwoofer to work correctly. This was a major strike against it. Second, the surrounds were not full range. They had a fixed highpass filter on them. This wouldn't affect me now, but who knows what the future holds. I may want towers with built in subs for the rears. That receiver would limit my option on that also. The poor designing on Onkyo's behalf quickly steered me away from their receivers. I couldn't adequately compare or judge the surround sound because of the bass redirection limitation. To hard to set two separate receiver's subwoofer output to the same output voltage level, without the right equipment. The stereo sound was very good and was why I considered this make. The only downfall of the stereo sound was that the bass was not as clear as others, but it made up in other areas.
Well the 656 replaced the 747. I had since purchased the Yamaha 793, and now upgraded to the Yamaha 995. I had once again listened to the Onkyo. This time it was the 656. I compared earlier the 747 against the HK AVR-40 for stereo quality. I chose the 747. This time the 656 sounded worse than the HK AVR-40. The bass tightness, treble dynamics and clarity just weren't up to the HK. It was a different shop and could have had a bad setup for the Onkyo. To say the least, the 656 sounded like garbage. Like I said, it could have been a bad setup, which I would hope it was. If it wasn't a bad setup, the 656 has gone way down hill since the 747 in stereo sound quality. I didn't even test the surround sound after my disappointment with my priority on music.

I have also talked to many current and EX-Onkyo owners and they haven't had anything good to say about the reliability of this product. They all have had some sort of break down, volume knob, or power supply section. They did like the sound as is why they chose it.

Don't let the current claims turn you to this brand. All mid fi brands are high current, Onkyo, Denon, Yamaha, HK, and Marantz. In fact Yamaha leads the way in high current by what most magazines have tested in the 4 ohm and 2 ohm load tests. I'll give this receiver a 3 because I feel the setup was bad. The reliability, excessive fan noise and my previous experience with their shoddy engineering leads me to give them this 3. I believe I'm being kind with this rating.

I just bought this reciever 2 days ago, I have to say it is very clean sounding the bass response is excellent and i like the 3D-bass button, helps on alot of older recordings and movies to give them an extra punch. I'm very pleased with the performance and clearity. definitly a keeper. Only one thing i can think of that i don't like is that the on screen display for configuring the surround sound only works off the RCA video jack and not the S-Video, and the pink noise screen it constantly moves from one speaker to the other automatically, can't really stop it and just sit on one speaker for a few seconds, doesn't quite give enough time for my sound meter to settle before it moves to the next speaker. But those are small issues that can be worked around, no such thing as perfect i guess.:-) Enjoy!

I've bought the TS-DS656 and I'm very happy with all the unit features, build quality and performance.I'm having trouble though programming all 12 buttons on my remote for TV and VCR functions.
Onkyo tell me that they were not built with enough RAM to cope with more than 10 so I ask you, why the 12 buttons??
Anybody having the same troubles?
Also wish the remote had more features to save me going to the unit.
Otherwise a top receiver

Sound quality.
Build quality.
Multi room which is using the surround amplifiers.

Fan or cooling system.
Fan or cooling system.
Fan or cooling system.
Volume level is difficult to set till 9-o'clock with the remote.
Levels can not be changed/set in each sound mode.
No direct access to sound modes.
Input mode on display schould be TV, VCR, Satellite instead of VIDEO 1, VIDEO 2 and VIDEO 3.

It must be almost a year ago when i decided to replace my NAD 716 receiver and NAD 514 CD player for a Dolby Digital receiver and a DVD player. As an audio enthusiast i read, for hobby, every month a lot of Britisch and German Audio and Hometheater magazines to inform me over audio equipment etc. I must be very critical because audio equipment and software is in the Netherlands expensive in comparison with the USA, for example the retail price for de Onkyo 656 is $950, a regular CD cost $20 and DVD software between the $24 and $33. DVD Titanic $43.

I wil give you some information about the competitors. All receivers have a tuner with RDS (info system on FM). At first i mention the retail price, then the (sinus) power in stereo and at last the impuls power for the Front, Center and the Surround channels. The power measurements are taken from the German magazine called; VIDEO. The impuls power, in watts, is measured with a burst tone with all channels working at the same time.
Onkyo 656 ($950, 2x142, 2x128, 1x128, 2x128)
Denon 2700 ($1030, 2x99, 2x72, 1x72, 2x72)
Denon 3200 ($1340, 2x146, 2x116, 1x109, 1x113)
Sony STR-DB 925 ($880, 2x94, 2x38, 1x60, 2x43)
Yamaha RX-V795 ($825, 2x130, 2x113, 1x113, 2x102)
Yamaha A2 ($1400, 2x186, 2x162, 1x153, 2x153)
I decided to try the Denon 3200 which has also a very good in stereo. This was important for me because i listen most of the time to CD' s. The problem was that the Denon 3200 could not be delivered anymore and had been replaced by the 2700 which has less Power. I decided to wait. This year i read in some German magazines about the very good sound quality of the Onkyo 656. I tried this Receiver at home in June, because Onkyo could not delivered it fast enough.

I have a stand alone House in a quiet neighbourhood in a small Village. My living/listening room has a L-form with one side of 7 meters (21 feet) and the other side is 6,5 meters (19 feet) long. 4,1 meters (12 feet) opposite of the long side of 7 meters there is a wall with a length of 3,5 meters (11 feet). The other small wall is 2,4 meters (7 feet) long (6,5 minus 4,1). Opposite of this small wall there is a bay window. Total area is about 40 square meters. Walls are 2,5 meters (7,5 feet) high. At the wall of 3,5 meters long there is a couch and opposite there is the TV with the Front speakers. H.O.H. Frontspeakers is 2,5 meters (7,5 feet, not toed in. Sitting on the couch is on my left the first surround speaker. The second surround speaker is hanging on a bracket at the corner of the small walls. Tweeters are about 1,6 meters (5 feet) above the floor and facing each other (Orignal Dolby Surround setup). Distance to the Front and Center speakers is 3,3 meters (10 feet), to the Surround speakers 1,6 meters (5 feet). The walls are made of concrete and i have a wooden floor and there are curtins near the windows. A big table with six chairs is near/in the bay window.

Existing equipment, including retail prices.
B&W CBM1 ($861, Front)
B&W CC6 ($335, Center)
B&W CDM2 ($622, Surround, modified cabinet)
Kenwood SW 700 ($335, Subwoofer)
NAD 716 ($813, Prologic Receiver)
NAD 514 ($622, CD player)
Monster Cable Powerline 3 Plus ($114, Front Speakers and Center)
Monitor Power Cable 2x2,5mm ($38,Surround Speakers)
Puresonic 5050A ($19 each, interlinks[3x])

The sound quality depends for a great deal on the Loudspeaker set up and the bass management. The best way, in stereo, is connecting the subwoofer directly to the main speaker terminals. Use the high pass filter from the subwoofer and let the sound blend in. For surround sound (Prologic, Dolby Digital or DTS) it is better to connect the subwoofer to the subwoofer output of the receiver and when you can control the output level in each sound mode you are very flexible.
If you set all speakers to Small you use the internal crossover frequency (for example 80 Hz) of the receiver, the low-pass filter of the subwoofer had to be set on maximum. You must set the subwoofer on to get the low effects.
If you set all speakers to Large and the subwoofer is set on, you must use the low pass filter of the subwoofer and let the sound blend in.
Technically you get problems if you set the Front speakers on Large and the Center and Surround speakers on Small and the subwoofer on. In this set up you use for the Center and Surround speaker the crossover frequency of the Receiver, but which crossover frequency do you use for the Front? A mixed result.
In my opinion you schould use loudspeakers which are capable to produced the full frequency range (such as the above mentioned B&W and no Bose accoustimas)) and set all speakers on Large with the subwoofer on and a receiver which can control the subwoofer output level in each sound mode. And if you do not listen to ear bursting soundlevels you can sent, in the bass mangement menu, the low frequency also to the front speakers.

I tested the Onkyo 656 for about three weeks at home, together with a Sony DVP-S725D DVD player and a B&W ASW 2000 subwoofer (see reviews on this site). The Onkyo had a modified fan system and the working was now also depending on the output level. This modification was costing $51 extra.
I must say that the sound quality was very good, in stereo, analog and digtal surround. The bass and rear effects where much better in Prologic then the NAD 716. The fan system did not work properly and was very annoying. When i Skipped between TV channels or CD tracks you could hear the fan to go on and off. Further i could, via the remote, not set the volume level easy. I like the sound of my CDM 1 without using a subwoofer and i could not turn the subwoofer off in stereo. (This should be possible, according to the manual, but i could not fix it).

Verdict; 3 stars. I returned the unit.

I have read that the Onkyo 676 and 777 have a better fan or cooling system and or also must heavier.

Similar Products Used:

NAD 716

Killer sound, great receiver. Excellent buy for the money. Got it @ J&R for $599.00. You will not be disappointed.

I have had the TX-DS656 for about a month now and I have to tell it is a real hot unit. It has ease of opration and lots of power to spare. All I could say is that I would suggest this unit to anyone who wants quality sound. This unit as won my ear over amny other brands costing more.

I've had this reciever for over a month now and am extremely pleased with this unit. The reason I made the purchase was to upgrade to Dolby Digital for compatability with my new DVD player.The Onkyo TX-DS656 replaces my NAD 716 prologic receiver.I was very happy with the NAD, but the Onkyo was definately a step up form the NAD. Not just because of the DD ,but for even playing music.The Onkyo just seems to have more juice and really brings out the best out of my older high end Infinity speakers. The Onkyo is also packed with a lot of features too, like the Cinema RE-EQ, 85x5watts output ,High current which must be approx 40 ampres or more,programable remote, 3D bass which gives an extra boost of bass and I also like the ability to adjust the level of all channels including the subwoofer. This is an awesome unit for both music and home theatre, a great investment.

A question, actually - can anyone tell me if the Re-EQ on this unit is the same as THX (LucasFilm re-eq)?
Thanks.