Newbie and First Polk HT

[kennethkars]

Hi to all. Only came upon this forum after 1 week of research and am pleased I can get real feedback from experienced Polk Fans . My son came to me and asked about putting together his first HT for his small room. He asked about HTIB but I steered him towards individual components with matching timbre. With personal experience in building my own dedicated HT in the last 3 years with paradigm speakers and Onkyo Reciever and previous set ups with Bose 301's and Wharfdale 9.1 , I was eager to research and find him a great deal. As my son is a recent graduate and just now landed a full time job his budget is tiny so in order to get a decent set up I offered him a 50-50 deal. For every dollar he puts up I will match it. The 5.1 speaker set up plus receiver should be no more than 800 Bux total.

I never owned Polk but always admired it. Sound and reputation are well known and I nearly bought Polk Monitor series 3 years ago. So when I came across the these incredible deals on EBay offering the Monitor 40's and 30"s I knew I knew I was on to something. Those great deals on Ebay were for refurbished units but having searched I found Newegg and was elated. I put together the (Brand New and not Refurbished ) 5.1 of the monitor 40"s as fronts (129 Bux ), the 30's as surrounds ( 85 Bux ) and the Sub PSW10 ( 99 Bux ) The center speaker, The CS1 ( about 69 BUX) was sold out on Newegg so My options were to look at Ebay and other retailers but again the bargains were for mostly refurbs and I wanted the brand new one. Low and behold Newegg are now offering the CS1 Series II. Its not a bad deal for 130 Bux. AS I am ordering I decide to do a search for promos and found one. It is for 40 dollar off!! Wow.....am again elated and grab the center for only 92 Bux.

Total cost for 5.1 speakers is 430 Bux including delivery. And this now leaves us about 400 Bux for an Onkyo Reciever. The receiver I am leaning towards is the Onkyo 608. There are some great deals for around 425-450 Bux.


Guys......am I right in thinking Polk and Onkyo go well together?

Would you recommend I consider other brands?

Thanx for reading.

[NewHTguy]

You'll find plenty of people here who push their polks with an Onkyo AVR. I doubt anyone would argue that Onkyo does not give a lot for the money. Most of the difference in tastes comes in the two-channel music area, at least that is my impression.

As for the 608 versus other models, if I don't say it someone else will: The main problem with the 6XX series is the lack of pre-outs for an ext amp. Many people here decide, at one point or another, to buy an amp. In fact a few of the members, like me, started out with the 6XX Onk and then needed to sell it when they realized they could not use it with an ext amo. The 7XX series gives more upgrade options and for that reason is more popular.

Just my two cents... Good luck!

[NewHTguy]

Forgot to mention that you should not pay more than 400 for a 608 if you shop around.

[TECHNOKID]

Welcome to CP kennethkars :)


Yet, you seem to be picking up great gear and at great deals. Never been attracted by Onkyo receivers but they do seem to be a good match with Polk speakers. I too agree that if budget allows you should aim for the 7xx series versus the 6xx. The pre-outs on the 7xx will allow you to future proof the system thus allowing you (or your son) to save money in future upgrades.

Also, when shopping for Polk speakers, do not discard eBay as Polk eBay store has great deals on eBay and provides you with warranty.

Cheers!
TK

[kennethkars]

You'll find plenty of people here who push their polks with an Onkyo AVR. I doubt anyone would argue that Onkyo does not give a lot for the money. Most of the difference in tastes comes in the two-channel music area, at least that is my impression.

As for the 608 versus other models, if I don't say it someone else will: The main problem with the 6XX series is the lack of pre-outs for an ext amp. Many people here decide, at one point or another, to buy an amp. In fact a few of the members, like me, started out with the 6XX Onk and then needed to sell it when they realized they could not use it with an ext amo. The 7XX series gives more upgrade options and for that reason is more popular.

Just my two cents... Good luck!

Thanx for the feedback. You make good sense.

[kennethkars]

Welcome to CP kennethkars :)


Yet, you seem to be picking up great gear and at great deals. Never been attracted by Onkyo receivers but they do seem to be a good match with Polk speakers. I too agree that if budget allows you should aim for the 7xx series versus the 6xx. The pre-outs on the 7xx will allow you to future proof the system thus allowing you (or your son) to save money in future upgrades.

Also, when shopping for Polk speakers, do not discard eBay as Polk eBay store has great deals on eBay and provides you with warranty.

Cheers!
TK

Did not mean to cast dispersion on Polk Factory on Ebay or the great deals on refurbs. I never read any feedback positive or negative. Thanx for the heads up.

[JimKellyfan]

I have polk refurb R150's as surrounds and they are just fine.
They also sound good on the back deck as music only, in small rooms.
I would buy from polk's ebay site again and again.
As for Newegg, sign up for the email deals, for the coupon codes to be sent to you.
I bought the rest of my polk's from Newegg, except the freebie Atrium's of course.
Thanks polk !
Good luck.

[NewHTguy]

FYI, the prices on the new model Onkyos usually fall very quickly. I know the Onk 707 can be had for around $500 from authorized dealers these days. I have not been in the market for a receiver so I don't know exactly what you get when you go from the XX7s to the XX8s. In the past, some of the new models from Onk were actually a step down from the older ones. I'm not a technical guy but from reading posts here, Onkyo changed the power supplies and DACs. I'm guessing the new models are 3D capable, if that matters. As for the codecs etc... I believe everything from the XX5 on can decode just about anything that is 7.1 or lower.

The last thing I would say is while it is good to think about future upgrades, there are active secondary markets for audio gear. As long as you buy at a good sale price, deciding to upgrade later is not that big of a deal. When I sold my Onk 605 I sold it for $100 less than what I paid. But I did it because I found a great deal on the Onk 875. In the end I was no worse off than if I had started with the Onk 875 at a more reasonable street price.

[gp4jesus]

Welcome to CP kennethkars :)
...when shopping for Polk speakers, do not discard eBay as Polk eBay store has great deals on eBay and provides you with warranty.
Cheers!
TK

I agree. Polk Direct on ebay is a good deal, if not the best. Check my sig-that's where I bought all my Polks. The warranty is shorter (2 years vs 5 years I think) than for new gear. Consider this: it will either work correctly out of the box or it won't.

Also I agree w/buying an AVR w/pre outs. Some speakers need a little more juice than others to sound their best.

cheer tony

[domflane]

With a $400 budget you should be able to find a pretty stout AVR for your son's HT. You should easily be able to find something with pre-outs and a decent amount of power and connection options. Onkyo, Pioneer Elite and Harman Kardon are some of the most popular around here. Don't be afraid to pick up a used AVR to save some serious cash on a much higher end model than your budget you afford brand new. Good luck and welcome to Club Polk.

[frodaddy]

I'll pass talking about the receiver, but as far as the speakers go (Monitor 40's mains, 30 surrounds, CS1 center, PSW10), I had that setup once upon a time. My suggestion with it is to put the system in a relatively small room.

Polk speakers do offer a big "bang for your buck". If you have some woodworking and electric soldering skills, you might want to check into building a DIY system. You could end up spending the same amount and get even more.

Good luck

[shutterup]

. I doubt anyone would argue that Onkyo does not give a lot for the money.
!

I would have to humbly disagree with that statement. If you was to look around on most forums or message boards or even comparison shop most all the time if you compare receiver in the same price range Onkyo does offer more for the money.

Regards

[spock 2054]

http://www.accessories4less.com/make...eceiver/1.html

Refurb 707 for 399 is a good deal - if you are shopping onkyo online, make sure they are an authorized internet dealer.

http://www.us.onkyo.com/locations_intdealer.cfm

If you buy a receiver from a non authorized net dealer, and have a problem with it you will be sol. IF YOU PURCHASE AN ONKYO PRODUCT FROM AN UNAUTHORIZED DEALER, YOUR ONKYO WARRANTY WILL NOT BE VALID. Check the return policy too for restocking fees.

www.shoponkyo.com website has some great deals in the outlet store on refurbs too. If you become a member of shop onkyo, you can access the club specials. Refurb 607's are $329 in the club..

[NewHTguy]

I would have to humbly disagree with that statement. If you was to look around on most forums or message boards or even comparison shop most all the time if you compare receiver in the same price range Onkyo does offer more for the money.

Regards

That's what I said? And that's why I'm on my second one.

[kennethkars]

I'll pass talking about the receiver, but as far as the speakers go (Monitor 40's mains, 30 surrounds, CS1 center, PSW10), I had that setup once upon a time. My suggestion with it is to put the system in a relatively small room.

Polk speakers do offer a big "bang for your buck". If you have some woodworking and electric soldering skills, you might want to check into building a DIY system. You could end up spending the same amount and get even more.

Good luck

The room is a small bedroom so I know these monitors will do the trick. The fact that you had it "once upon a time", like so many other Polk fans, is testament to the fact that I am makng a good choice based on budget. No doubt like you, my son will one day upgrade to bigger and better. As far as DIY I will give it a pass.

Thanx for your comments.

[TECHNOKID]

The room is a small bedroom so I know these monitors will do the trick. The fact that you had it "once upon a time", like so many other Polk fans, is testament to the fact that I am makng a good choice based on budget. No doubt like you, my son will one day upgrade to bigger and better. As far as DIY I will give it a pass.

Thanx for your comments.

Well said, as I pointed out the system you are building for your son is on track and at great pricing. He should be thankfull and appreciative not counting you are leading him to right path of the audio journey

Cheers!
TK

[kennethkars]

That's what I said? And that's why I'm on my second one.

You guys are having a pissing contest but it is a misunderstanding as you both agree that "Onkyo provide much more" than competitors for the money. So put it back in your pants! lol

I am close to choosing the 608 as it has all I want including an internal fan to keep cool while rocking hard. But....not happy that there are no pre outs with this baby ..and...Am not sure about the fact that I need or want ( 3D compatible) HDMI 1.4 as opposed to 1.3

This 3D Seems to me to be a bit "pie in the sky" as it is such early days for that technology. Seems to be more of a marketing ploy as I personally am not impressed with 3D anyway...so....Are we paying to much for something we may never really use? And correct me if I am wrong but don't you need a 3D HDTV to view in 3D anyway?

[kennethkars]

""This 3D Seems to me to be a bit "pie in the sky" as it is such early days for that technology. Seems to be more of a marketing ploy as I personally am not impressed with 3D anyway...so....Are we paying to much for something we may never really use? And correct me if I am wrong but don't you need a 3D HDTV to view in 3D anyway?""

If I can elaborate from my comment above I am trying to say that I am pretty naive when it comes to 3D HDTV at home. Firstly I am not a big fan of 3D in the movie theater. I get eye strain or fatigue and given a choice prefer not to watch 3d movies in the theater. My wife feels the same and my kids are all 50-50. *I demoed both a Panny 3D and a Sony 3D HDTV and although it was nice the wow factor was minimal. Interesting and entertaining yes but no way was I blown away. And to wear those goggles/glasses again does not thrill me.

Having said that am still weighing the pluses and minuses of the 608 and the price/reward ratio when compared with the 707 and other series. At a 2n'd glance the 607 looks pretty good but does not have enough power. The 707 looks real fine but runs "hot" and has no internal fan. And the 807 looks fantastic but is way out of my price range. :(

Maybe I should consider a downgrade?

[kennethkars]

You'll find plenty of people here who push their polks with an Onkyo AVR. I doubt anyone would argue that Onkyo does not give a lot for the money. Most of the difference in tastes comes in the two-channel music area, at least that is my impression.

As for the 608 versus other models, if I don't say it someone else will: The main problem with the 6XX series is the lack of pre-outs for an ext amp. Many people here decide, at one point or another, to buy an amp. In fact a few of the members, like me, started out with the 6XX Onk and then needed to sell it when they realized they could not use it with an ext amo. The 7XX series gives more upgrade options and for that reason is more popular.

Just my two cents... Good luck!

Having added your two cents I decided to review most every Onkyo that would match my Criteria. And for the most part there were 3 that matched specs and fit in to the price range. They are all killer and have very good reviews by users and professionals.

1) Onkyo TX-SR608 (7.2)
2) HT-RC180 (7.2)
3)Onkyo TX-SR707 (7.2)

Would love any feedback from you guys.

[NewHTguy]

You guys are having a pissing contest but it is a misunderstanding as you both agree that "Onkyo provide much more" than competitors for the money. So put it back in your pants! lol

He just misread my post. I guess I need to avoid double negatives.

[NewHTguy]

I would say the tradeoff is mostly future proofing for amplification, here the 707 wins, versus future proofing for 3D video, in which case the 608 probably wins. The difference in power between any of the Onks is not enough to matter. A lot of people prefer ext amps for their HT use. I personally would not feel the need for an amp in a small bedroom unless I were pushing hard to drive speakers.

Yes, you do need the right HDTV to view 3D content.

[ZeroCoolPolks]

MY OPINION :D
This was one of my setups, the mid range>sold it, it's now in a 12' x 20' room, fills it and sounds great
Yamaha RX-V765 has preouts, discrete amps, latest codecs, not a 3D , $350 to 400 with or without free Ipod doc. (about 40 separate at amazon on sale)
There are several reasons why I personally favor Yamaha's right now and not the other big name brand AVR's. Onkyo's upper line have HDMI board issues, some do, some don't, whatever.., It's stopped me from picking up a 3007 or 5007 for now

Monitor 50's 170.00 a pr.
Monitor CS1 70.00
PSW10 100.00
Monitor 30's 85.00

Yamaha 350.00 - 400.00 egg or crutchf
Speakers 425.00
Monoprice 300 ft. 16 gauge ox free copper 36.00 + sh
16 ga for runs less than 50 ft. at 8 ohms

3D REQUIRES 3D BD, 3D HDTV, 3D AVR & PROPRIETY POLARIZED GLASSES FOR INDIVIDUAL MANUFACTURERS, I WON'T B DOIN IT ANYTIME SOON.

[ZeroCoolPolks]

Someones opinion of the ONK 5007

Click-Click-Click-Click-Click-Click-Click-Click-Click-Click-Click,

clicking you ask - how about every time you change a TV channel (with a Cable or Sat Box connected), when you pause on a DVD, etc.

I don't know if lower models Click like that.

[spock 2054]

Having added your two cents I decided to review most every Onkyo that would match my Criteria. And for the most part there were 3 that matched specs and fit in to the price range. They are all killer and have very good reviews by users and professionals.

1) Onkyo TX-SR608 (7.2)
2) HT-RC180 (7.2)
3)Onkyo TX-SR707 (7.2)

Would love any feedback from you guys.

I'd suggest picking up the receiver that has the most inputs for devices you want to connect now, and in the future. I have an Onkyo TXSR-806, and have not had any problems with it. The only problem I have currently, is that I am just about out of inputs. 8 out of the 9 devices in my HT run through the 806. (see attached) The 608 is cool because it's 3d ready. The 707 has a phono input, as does the 180. The 180 has an advantage with the network port for streaming from a pc or the Internet. I think it looks better than your other two choices because it has the door to hide a lot of the buttons. Have you been to any brick and mortar stores to play around with any of your choices?

[kennethkars]

I'd suggest picking up the receiver that has the most inputs for devices you want to connect now, and in the future. I have an Onkyo TXSR-806, and have not had any problems with it. The only problem I have currently, is that I am just about out of inputs. 8 out of the 9 devices in my HT run through the 806. (see attached) The 608 is cool because it's 3d ready. The 707 has a phono input, as does the 180. The 180 has an advantage with the network port for streaming from a pc or the Internet. I think it looks better than your other two choices because it has the door to hide a lot of the buttons. Have you been to any brick and mortar stores to play around with any of your choices?

Have not been to any shops yet but will be doing so this next week.
Have been researching to no end and there seems to be an isue with the 180 with quite a few buyers began getting problems after about 30 days. The 608 and 707 seems to have very few complaints.

[mudwrx]

Everyone here will tell you to get a receiver with pre-outs. I would not argue that point.

I recently put my system together and am using the Onkyo TXSR-608. I did not go up on the receiver due to budget and also because I will not be adding any amps or other components anytime in the near future. With this being said I guess it qualifies me to give you a real world opinion on the 608's performance.
I am driving Tsi400 fronts, CS20 center, PSW 505 sub and FxiA4 surrounds. I have them in a fairly large room, also using a 55" Samsung LCD.

So far I am more than pleased with everything. The 608 is doing a great job pushing these speakers, I haven't even come close to pushing the volume to the max (gets very loud, and clean). The 608 also has 6 hdmi in's which made my connections a breeze. The fact that it supports hdmi 1.4 is fine but not relevant for me as I do not have a 3D tv and am not looking in to them.
I also have a PS3 connected and watching blu-rays and playing games has been amazing. I've got a Wii connected through the component inputs as well.

The 608 comes with a mic to calibrate, I did this but ended up tweaking the settings slightly to my preference.

In any case, I am not a true audiophile, but I've found the 608 to be a great AVR and missing pre-outs is a non-factor to me. The multiple inputs makes set up easy, I also like the remote.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

[ZeroCoolPolks]

Should sound great & more than loud enough.

[kennethkars]

Everyone here will tell you to get a receiver with pre-outs. I would not argue that point.

I recently put my system together and am using the Onkyo TXSR-608. I did not go up on the receiver due to budget and also because I will not be adding any amps or other components anytime in the near future. With this being said I guess it qualifies me to give you a real world opinion on the 608's performance.
I am driving Tsi400 fronts, CS20 center, PSW 505 sub and FxiA4 surrounds. I have them in a fairly large room, also using a 55" Samsung LCD.

So far I am more than pleased with everything. The 608 is doing a great job pushing these speakers, I haven't even come close to pushing the volume to the max (gets very loud, and clean). The 608 also has 6 hdmi in's which made my connections a breeze. The fact that it supports hdmi 1.4 is fine but not relevant for me as I do not have a 3D tv and am not looking in to them.
I also have a PS3 connected and watching blu-rays and playing games has been amazing. I've got a Wii connected through the component inputs as well.

The 608 comes with a mic to calibrate, I did this but ended up tweaking the settings slightly to my preference.

In any case, I am not a true audiophile, but I've found the 608 to be a great AVR and missing pre-outs is a non-factor to me. The multiple inputs makes set up easy, I also like the remote.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

Love your review. My son is loves his PS3 and Wii. He has no interst in 3D at this stage but it can not hurt to have it. I have narrowed my choice to 608 or 707 and atthis point thr 608 is the front runner. Will do a demo over the weekend and hopefully find the best deals..

Thanx for your comments.

[domflane]

I say go for the 707 hands down. The ability to add an amp in the future vastly outweighs the promise of 3D becoming commonplace and/or affordable. And after all, this is a speaker forum. The 707 has the same amount of HDMI in's, plus it has a phono stage. I guess your choice depends on whether you want an AVR with more video or more audio options. Either one will suit you well.

[EndersShadow]

I would suggest something with pre-outs as well. I myself purchased a higher end Integra reciever (high end Onkyo) just because of the pre-outs. That allows you the flexibility later on for more power when/if you get better speakers.