Onkyo TX-SR606 (black)
Manufacturer: Onkyo USA Corporation Part number: CNETTXSR606B
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Onkyo TX-SR606 offers tons of functionality for the price, but subpar video processing and improved competition means it's less of a standout receiver than last year's version.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PaylessMerchandise.com | Not yet rated | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 11/07/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Onkyo TX-SR606 (black) price range: $399.99
- Reviewed by: Steve Guttenberg and Matthew Moskovciak
- Edited by: John P. Falcone
- Reviewed on: 07/15/2008
- Released on: 05/15/2008
The good: Four HDMI inputs; onboard Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding; upconverts analog signals to 1080i over HDMI output; Sirius-ready; excellent automatic speaker calibration; switches as many as six high-definition video sources; improved remote.
The bad: Poor video processing limits utility of HDMI upconversion for analog sources; sounds better on movies than with music; no phono input.
The bottom line: The Onkyo TX-SR606 offers tons of functionality for the price, but subpar video processing and improved competition means it's less of a standout receiver than last year's version.
Last year, if someone wanted to buy an AV receiver and wasn't flush with cash, our recommendation was easy--the Onkyo TX-SR605 offered an unparalleled feature set for the price and sounded great to boot. This year, Onkyo has released an updated model, the TX-SR606, and has made a great product even better, as it now sports four HDMI inputs and offers upconversion up to 1080i for analog signals. Even more enticing, these extra features come without any effective price premium: despite its $580 list price, the street price of the TX-SR606 is already $400, equaling the bargain price of the TX-SR605.
While the TX-SR606 is an improvement over the TX-SR605, perhaps the bigger story is that the rest of the field has caught up. The Sony STR-DG920 offers most of the same functionality. Furthermore, in our experience, the capability to upconvert to 1080i just isn't worthwhile, as the TX-SR606's video processing is so poor that even average users will be disappointed. So while the TX-SR606 is an excellent receiver that improves on its predecessor, competition from Sony (and others) and some underperforming features means it's not as much of a no-brainer choice as it was last year. Those with non-HDMI video sources will want to look at alternatives, or consider bypassing the Onkyo and using their TVs to switch analog videos sources instead.
Design
The TX-SR606 looks essentially the same as the TX-SR605. It's big and boxy, with its dimensions coming in at 6.88 inches high by 17.13 inches wide by 15.06 inches deep. From the front, there's a big volume knob in the upper right-hand section. The middle of the receiver is dominated by a strip of glossy black plastic, and in the center is an LCD screen, which is easy enough to see from about 7 feet away. To the right of the display is a front-panel directional pad, which is nice for navigating menus in case the remote is lost, and underneath the glossy black strip are several additional front panel buttons. Along the bottom is a headphone jack, along with more front panel buttons plus a standard AV input. Overall, it's not exactly stylish, but that's pretty typical for an AV receiver.
The included remote is nicely redesigned from previous Onkyo remotes. The new remote is much simpler, obviously built around the concept of navigating via onscreen menus. That means there are significantly fewer buttons that directly access features, which may frustrate some power users who hate digging through menus. However, overall we like the new design, as it should be less intimidating for receiver amateurs, and those of us accustomed to navigating menus on a DVR won't mind searching through the menus to make adjustments. Still, we had some quibbles. We would have liked it if the main volume rocker was more prominently positioned, instead of lumped together with other rockers. We were also frustrated how input buttons such as DVD also force the remote to start controlling the DVD player--which means, for instance, that the "setup" button tries to load the DVD player's setup menu rather than that of the receivers. But these are mostly nitpicks on an otherwise solid redesign.
While manufacturers such as Denon and Sony have put a lot of work into prettying graphical user interfaces, Onkyo continues to stick with plain menus featuring blocky white text. As much as we like the pretty GUIs, we appreciate Onkyo's philosophy of ignoring the eye candy and keeping the price low instead. For example, Sony's STR-DG920 is very close to the TX-SR606 in terms of features, but the STR-DG920 includes Sony's xross media bar (XMB) GUI and costs $100 more. That said, we'd love for Onkyo to offer some high-definition menus at the same price point.
The TX-SR606's Audyssey 2EQ automatic calibration system uses a microphone to analyze the speakers' and subwoofers' sound from three positions in your room. Seconds after you plug in the included mic, the receiver's onscreen display supplies the following very important message, "Please place microphone at center of listening area at ear height." That's essential advice that most calibration systems may supply in the user manual, but owners who don't read the manual may inadvertently place the mic in less than ideal locations that throw off the accuracy of the results. Kudos to Onkyo for emphasizing that point.
The Audyssey 2EQ process takes about 10 minutes, during which time the receiver sends test tones to all of the speakers and sub. The Onkyo TX-SR606 then adjusts the channel volume level and time delay settings for each speaker, the speaker "sizes," and subwoofer crossover settings. The Audyssey 2EQ also provides equalization corrections to the speakers and sub, which we felt significantly improved the sound of our Aperion Intimus 5B Harmony SD satellite/subwoofer system. The auto setup was just as accurate as our manual setup.
Frankly, we were surprised by the improvements the Audyssey 2EQ provided, the Aperion system is quite nice au natural, yet the Audyssey 2EQ sweetened the treble and smoothed the transition between sub and satellites. That made for improved midbass fullness, apparent dynamic range and impact.
Features
| Connectivity | Audio soundtrack capabilities | |||
| HDMI inputs | 4 | Passes Dolby Digital and DTS via HDMI | Yes | |
| Component video inputs | 2 | Passes LPCM via HDMI | Yes | |
| AV inputs with S-Video | 4 (4 rear, 1 front without S-Video) | Decodes Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master | Yes | |
| Optical inputs | 2 | Video capabilities | ||
| Coaxial inputs | 2 | HDMI version | 1.3 | |
| Selectable HD sources | 6 | 1080p via HDMI | Yes | |
| Satellite radio | Sirius ready | 1080p via component | Yes | |
| Network audio | No | Upconverts analog sources | Yes | |
| Phono input | No | Deinterlaces 480i via HDMI | Yes | |
| Analog multichannel input | Yes | Selectable output resolution | Yes | |
The TX-SR606 is a 7.1-channel AV receiver, and Onkyo rates its output at 90 watts per channel. Like essentially every other receiver available, it offers a full selection of standard Dolby and DTS surround processing modes.
Last year's TX-SR605 was essentially the only AV receiver in its price range to include decoding for the two, new high-resolution soundtrack formats, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. The TX-SR606 includes onboard decoding for both of those soundtrack formats, but it's somewhat less of an important feature as more manufacturers have begun to include this feature at lower price points. Additionally, more and more Blu-ray players (including the PS3) are including onboard decoding, which lessens the importance of having the decoders in the player. That being said, having onboard decoding is a nice way to future-proof your receiver in case other devices come out that output the soundtracks in bit stream (undecoded) format.
The TX-SR606's connectivity is highlighted by its four HDMI inputs, which can handle both high-resolution audio and HD video signals up to 1080p. Four HDMI inputs is generous at this price point, and should be enough for most setups--but if you need more you can always add an HDMI switcher. For analog video, we were disappointed that the TX-SR606 only has two component video connections--three is the usual--but, in fairness, component video-only devices are becoming rare. For standard-definition video, you get four S-Video/AV inputs--plus another AV input on the front--which is a step up over Sony receivers that have completely dropped S-Video inputs.
A lot of video connectivity is important, but every receiver is ultimately limited by how many input labels is has. In other words, just because the TX-SR606 has six total high-definition inputs (four HDMI, two component video inputs) doesn't necessarily mean you can use six high-definition components simultaneously. Luckily the TX-SR606 is pretty flexible, offering up seven different labels (DVD, VCR/DVR, CBL/SAT, GAME/TV, AUX, TAPE, and CD) to which HDMI and component video sources can be assigned. Those seven labels can also be assigned with standard-definition sources as well.
All those video inputs are great, but what really enhances their functionality--in theory, anyway--is the TX-SR606's HDMI upconversion. What this means is that analog video signals from the component, S-Video and composite video inputs can be converted to be output over the HDMI output, so you only need to make one HDMI connection from your receiver to your HDTV. Additionally, the TX-SR606 is capable of scaling these signals from their original 480i format up to 1080i. However, in the real world, we were pretty disappointed by the video quality of the TX-SR606's upconversion, making this feature significantly less useful--more on this in the performance section.
For audio, the HDMI inputs can deliver 7.1 channels of high resolution audio. Other digital audio connectivity is available by two optical digital audio inputs and two coaxial digital audio inputs, but note that they are, as always, limited to standard Dolby Digital/DTS audio resolution. Analog audio is supported by a set of 7.1 analog inputs, plus two dedicated stereo RCA inputs. Vinyl enthusiasts will bemoan the lack of a phono input, but you can still add a turntable with a separate preamp. For late night listening, there's also a headphone jack on the front panel.
The rest of the connectivity is rounded out by a Sirius jack, so you'll only need to connect the Sirius SCH1 Sirius Connect for Sirius service--with a subscription, of course. There's no equivalent XM jack, but if the two satellite services end up completing their merger, that should be a moot point. The TX-SR606 also has very basic multiroom functionality, allowing you sending line level audio signals to another room (where you'll need another amp). There's no built-in digital or network audio features, but those who are interested in that will be better served with a dedicated device anyway.
Compared with other receivers, the TX-SR606 is still a relatively good value, but it's definitely has more competition in this price range than last year's TX-SR605. Sony's budget receivers definitely compare favorably, with the STR-DG820 offering up four HDMI inputs for $400 (although with no upscaling), and the STR-DG920 adding 1080p upscaling at a reasonable $600 list price. Denon's AVR-1909 costs a little more at $650 and only includes three HDMI inputs, but it adds more multiroom options and Denon fans will argue the brands superior sound is worth the money.
Audio performance
First up, we spun the Master and Commander Blu-ray. The DTS-HD Master Audio sound of those early below decks scenes with the ship's creaking wood, wind and outside, the churning ocean were all exceptionally realistic. We also noted that our five speakers created an unusually seamless surround experience.
When the cannons fired, the ka-boom sounds were more abrupt and therefore more realistic. And when the cannon balls came crashing through the wood ships' sides, the impacts were terrifyingly violent. We could hear the spent balls rolling over the wooden planks.
We next tried the Black Crowes Freak 'N' Roll Blu-ray Disc, and even though the sound was only available in plain vanilla DTS, the TX-SR606 didn't let us down. As the band rolled through "Welcome to the Good Times," accompanied by a soulful brass section, the sound was clear. Live concert sound can sometimes be overblown, but here the sound felt like an above average stage mix. The TX-SR606 sounded powerful as we pushed the volume higher and higher.
We finished up with Mike Garson's Jazz Hat CD, a straight ahead piano jazz recording. Here the TX-SR606 sounded good, but not exceptionally so. We started in stereo and later opened things up with Dolby Pro Logic II surround, and that sounded better to us. All in all, we were happier with the TX-SR606's sound with movies more than music on CD.
Video performance
The TX-SR606 is capable of upconverting analog signals up to 1080i, so we ran it through our suite of video tests. We hooked up an Oppo DV-983H via S-Video to the TX-SR606, and had the TX-SR606 upconvert to 1080i to a Sony KDL-46XBR4. The TX-SR606 also includes the capability to pass upconverted signal without scaling them--in other words, outputting a 480i signal--and we used this option to compare the receiver's processing with the processing the KDL-46XBR4 would do on its own.
We popped into Silicon Optix's HQV suite on DVD, and right off the bat we noticed some glaring flaws. First off, the TX-SR606's upconverted image didn't completely fill the screen, leaving about an inch of black space on the top, left and bottom of the screen. The actual image itself wasn't any better, as we could see comb-like artifacts and the image was very soft, indicating some lost resolution. When we switched the TX-SR606 into through mode, the errors disappeared as the KDL-46XBR4 did an excellent job with this test pattern. The TX-SR606 did a better job with the following jaggies tests, which consist of a rotating white line and three pivoting white lines. However, even on these tests, we could see the comb-like artifacts on tests and the logo, indicating something was seriously wrong with the processing. Possibly the most revealing test was the detail test, and where there should be easily identifiable marble steps was just a mass of white using the TX-SR606's processing, again showing the loss in resolution.
We switched over to actual program material to see if these same issues showed up in actual movies. We still had hope for the TX-SR606--as we've seen video processors treat the HQV disc strangely before--but unfortunately, we saw more of the same. We put in Star Trek: Insurrection and noticed that the black bars on the top, left and bottom where still there. We didn't notice any problems with 2:3 pull-down, but it really didn't matter as the loss in resolution caused way more jaggies than we're used to seeing on this disc. Again, we flipped it back to "through" mode and the softness disappeared. The same issues were visible on other discs.
We took a quick look at the other upscaling options offered by the TX-SR606 (480p and 720p) and although they didn't have the same issues filling the screen, we saw a similar loss in resolution in both modes, which resulted in program material. The bottom line is that the TX-SR606's video processing isn't up to snuff for videophiles, and is likely to bother even though that aren't image quality buffs. And while you can bypass the upscaling processing by using the "through" mode, you'll have to count on your HDTV accepted a 480i signal over HDMI--and many HDTVs won't. We also looked at some component video signals, and results were also poor, but not quite as bad as S-Video. We did notice, however, that the TX-SR606 negatively affected resolution even when in "through" mode, as image quality was sharper connected directly to the KDL-46XBR4.
User reviews
-
-
GREAT buy for budget conscious AV Receiver shoppers
by todd7664 on May 14, 2008
Pros: Affordable, 4 HDMI inputs, LOUD - sounds great!
Cons: Does not upscale to 1080p, 2 component inputs
Summary: I am really glad I waited to get the SR606 (almost got the SR605 last month) This receiver sounds great and even though it only upscales to 1080i from analog, ...
Summary: I am really glad I waited to get the SR606 (almost got the SR605 last month) This receiver sounds great and even though it only upscales to 1080i from analog, what a difference in quality versus plugging direct from source. 90W per channel is way more than I need for a 200 square foot room. Could not be happier with the 4 HDMI - 1 more component would be nice but for $500 I shouldn't complain too loud. VERY pleased overall with my purchase
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Amazing Unit for the price
by jakevanderburg on June 23, 2008
Pros: all new audio formats, 4 HMDI ins, upconversion, etc.
Cons: weak remote
Summary: Purchased when it first came out from Visions. Have everythiing hooked up to this thing and man does it perform. The sound is incredible and was even better after running ...
Summary: Purchased when it first came out from Visions. Have everythiing hooked up to this thing and man does it perform. The sound is incredible and was even better after running The Audyssey calibration. I used to own a Rotel 1055 that retailed for quadruple what this did and I have no regrets. The only problem I am having is hooking up a HDPVR via DVI/HDMI cord, can't get a picture so I hooked up via components. The receiver upconverts the picture anyways so it looks great.
Can't find a better bang for your buck on the market, highly recommend.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
FINALLY, what I have been looking for
by dfrazm on June 2, 2008
Pros: 1080i Everywhere
Cons: WHAT CONS????
Summary: I have been looking for a new receiver for some time. Tried the H-K 347, took a dump on the second day. Returned it immediately. The 606 is finally what ...
Summary: I have been looking for a new receiver for some time. Tried the H-K 347, took a dump on the second day. Returned it immediately. The 606 is finally what I have been looking for. 1080i up-conversion for everything, I can finally use the HDMI cables for everything. Sounds unbelievable. I am officially an Onkyo fan! The sound is perfect, set-up couldn't be easier. Ordered online and saved $50 from CC ($450+ tax total). I would recommend this for anyone looking for the latest features, 4 HDMI in, one out. I am currently using it with only 3.1 set-up, and it is unbelievable. Have I got your attention yet? BUY IT!!!
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Performs exactly as described.
by NY thug on June 4, 2008
Pros: Extremely user friendly,sounds fantastic, The piece of 21st century audio technology that keeps HD phenominal to us 20th century rooters.
Cons: enjoying this non con moment, shhhh.
Summary: We research , and hope to find an honest representation,so nice when it works out well.
Summary: We research , and hope to find an honest representation,so nice when it works out well.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
4 HDMI, automated speaker setup, upscale to 1080i
by ken_wilsonii on January 17, 2009
Pros: 4 HDMI, fairly easy setup with YPAO mic, upconvert non hdmi video to go out HDMI, upscale to 1080i, great remote with this unit
Cons: Conversion of SACD sources to LPCM, no direct audio option, no HD radio, onl;y upscales to a high of 1080i, zone2 implementation could be better
Summary: I have setup 2 of these units and found it fairly easy to setup with some minior issues along the way. I have also setup 2 Yamaha RX-V663 units so ...
Summary: I have setup 2 of these units and found it fairly easy to setup with some minior issues along the way. I have also setup 2 Yamaha RX-V663 units so some comparisons will be noted in this review.
First off the 4 hdmi inputs cam in very handy for the setups I did this past christmas. Handled several gaming devices and cable boxes without any problems. The input names for the HDMI are well named and don't leave any real confusion as to where to hook them up.
Upconverting of non-hdmi devices worked fine also and allowed for the eventual removal of many cables down to one going to the tv. The result was a rather large bag of cables no longer needed.
Upscaling turned out to a hit or miss affair as most incoming signals upscaling to 1080i made no change in how the picture looked. This probably is more dependent on the original or the device being used to playback the video. The CNET review indicated that it did not work well, but when it was able to improve the picture. This was evident with a older Oppo dvd player my friend had and picture definitely looked sharper and better.
The automatic mic setup for the unit determining the speaker distance for each of the speakers was much longer than expected and quite different than the Yamaha 663 setup. Make sure any animals are in another room, due some very odd noises. The setup gives a nice visual representation of the speakers as it tests them. Helps when it does not seem to be playing out of the right speaker. This happened to me, took several tries to get it right (house was pre-wired for surround).
Sound Quality:
I would have to agree with the CNET review. Movies, tv, dvd
all sound great and give that full theatre sound. Oddly enough
both people I setup for this unit preferred the 7 channel stereo
setting for listening. It sounds a little fuller.
Listening to regular music is great also, but have to give the nod to Yamaha v663 on this one. The Yamaha unit seems to handle larger frequency ranges better. Lack of a direct audio option does not help the Onkyo in this respect and conversion of SACD sources to LPCM defeats the purpose higher resoltion audio.
I did get to listen to DTS HD and SACD sources from a movies being played from a PS3. Certain ps3 units can output SACD in LPCM and all ps3's can output DTS HD in LPCM so this works well with the Onkyo unit.
Zone2 setup is a little odd for both the onkyo 606 and Yamaha 663. Both require you to hook the regular stereo outputs of your connecting device (dvd,cd player..etc) to get any sound out to Zone2. I was trying to get rid of cables, they should just be able to take the incoming source and redirect as base stereo to the zone2 outputs (like selecting an audio mode).
The Onkyo 606 has basic old clamp style hookups for the speaker wire, these should have been setup as standard screw down types that can receive a banana plug (the 663 at least did this part right)..
Issues:
If you have a powered subwoofer, make sure it's turned on.
If it's not turned on the Onkyo does not recognize that it's off
and all bass frequency ranges sounds drop out completely
and everything sounds really weak and tinty.
Buying/setting up a new tv can cause a problem. My friend bought a new tv after we setup it up on his 1080i dlp. The new tv was 1080p. Not sure how it occured since I was not there, but suddenly he could not get the setup menu to display on the new tv. The sound and video would come through find for the cable, but unable to see the setup menu and a few non HDMI devices could not display any video. Recheck your connections and your input assignments. If you can't get any video use the display on the Onkyo to work through the input assignments. Turned out an input assignment was wrong and he had to re-check his component video connections.. After fixing this the setup menu came up fine on the TV.
Great unit for almost all needs, would definitely recommend.
IF your more a music listener the Yamaha is a better receiver, but remember the Yamaha 663 only has 2 HDMI inputs.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Value and performance leader, inputs could be problem if you have several pre-HDMI devices
by MRubenzahl on July 14, 2008
Pros: Excellent value, excellent performance
Cons: Needs more inputs, more flexibility (but adequate for most people)
Summary: The first thing that must be said is that for the money, this product is hard to beat. Excellent features, quality, plenty of power. 4 HDMI inputs and 4 digital ...
Summary: The first thing that must be said is that for the money, this product is hard to beat. Excellent features, quality, plenty of power. 4 HDMI inputs and 4 digital audio (coax and optical). The Audyssey system automatically applies adjustments that most people would never apply otherwise.
The remote is competent but forget about its universal remote capability. Not a big deal since you're probably using a separate universal remote anyway. Onkyo's remote has multiple codes for each device and you just have to try them all. And then, some never did work. Not a problem for me since I am using a Logitech Harmony (and so should everyone, IMO).
A bigger disappointment was that the audio-video inputs are more limited than I had expected. If you have several older devices, you should know that only the HDMI, digital audio, and component inputs can be connected to different inputs. And they can't be renamed. So anyone using my system has to know that TV/GAME button shows the old TiVo box and that the laptop is connected as CD. And if I had one more device, I'd have been out of luck.
But for around $400, what a terrific performer.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
I really love all of the potential and flexibility of this Tuner.
by Torrevecchia on June 26, 2008
Pros: I love the multitude of connection possibilities
Cons: I am having trouble maintaining sound output from cable to ONKYO to speakers.
Summary: Though I love the ONKYO TX-SR606 a great deal I have found that there is a very fragile relationship between Comcast's box (Scientific Atlanta Explorer 4250HDC) and my Onkyo ...
Summary: Though I love the ONKYO TX-SR606 a great deal I have found that there is a very fragile relationship between Comcast's box (Scientific Atlanta Explorer 4250HDC) and my Onkyo TX-SR606 Receiver. They are connected by the best Monster HDMI cable. The picture transmission from Comcast Box to Onkyo to SAMSUNG PN 50A550S1F via HDMI is perfectly fine. The SOUND has been a problem. The SOUND has gone out three times. I have not been able to trouble shoot it out. Connecting ComcastBOX directly to the SAMSUNG TV has been successful: The Sound is fine except that I am bypassing the ONKYO and all of my nice Mirage speakers. It feels as if there is not complete recognition between the ComcastBOX and the ONKYO. (The relationship of all components is overseen by a Logitech HARMONY One.) I love this ONKYO TX-SR606 but, a serious rift is developing as I have my second $200 visit by a technical guy, who has been unable to fix it this last time. The sound disconnection is unexplainable, sudden, without warning and annoying. I have tried two different HDMI cables and, the sound still does not work. Is this a flaw or will another two lines of programming straighten it out? Today is dedicated to working the HDMI connection between the ONKYO and the SAMSUNG PN50A550. Should the problem (one month of holding my breath) be in the cable or the ComcastBOX I will rush back here to retract and expunge this review and replace it with a full 10 and a joyous rant. Thanks. (btw: sound from Blueray and DVD-VCR and AM-FM through ONKYO is fine.) MPLS-MN
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Started Out Great, Now Very Dissappointed
by dfschneider on October 23, 2009
Pros: Great Sound crisp and clear
Cons: The HDMI Video fails after less than a year. Happening to many people, even after it is fixed it will go out again.
Summary: If you want this just for music or surround sound it's great. If you plan on using it as a HDMI switcher or running video through this you will ...
Summary: If you want this just for music or surround sound it's great. If you plan on using it as a HDMI switcher or running video through this you will greatly dissapointed
-
Great product for the price!!!
by scottm1980 on June 4, 2009
Pros: excellent sound, very affordable, 4 HDMI ports plus 1 out, on screen display, easy set up, Multizone capability
Cons: upscaling only 1080i, but if your using bluray, then who cares
Summary: I did quite a bit of research on 7.1 recievers with multizone capabilites. After looking on various sites, I found Onkyo products to consistently have high ratings, especially the ...
Summary: I did quite a bit of research on 7.1 recievers with multizone capabilites. After looking on various sites, I found Onkyo products to consistently have high ratings, especially the tx-sr606. I paid 386.99 USD from Amazon.com, the unit was marked as used which I was quite weary about, however when I recieved the unit, it was perfect, not one scratch, everything was wrapped in the original plastic, it was brand new.
The reason I wanted a unit with 4 hdmi ports is because I am mounting my tv on the wall, and only one wire would have to go from the HDMI out to the tv, everything plus into the back of the reciever, and everything looks neat. The HDMI switching is very easy, you just assign what product is hooked up to what HDMI port and select it from the remote. Very simple.
THE REMOTE isnt as bad as everyone is complaining about. I cant comment on what other remotes look like, but it does the job. Plus I will probably be getting a pretty good universal remote anyways, but if thats all you have, it does just fine.
THE SETUP, was pretty simple, I hooked up the speakers, I assigned the HDMI ports on the onscree display, which was pretty self explanatory, and turned it on. The is an auto speaker setup that I didnt use, but im sure it works well. I actually was fooling around with the onscreen display and went to speaker setup and level caliberation, and it puts out a white noise from each speaker and you just caliberate it them that way.
ON SCREEN DISPLAY, is pretty basic, but for the amount you acutally use it, it does just fine. You have your imput assign, speaker setup, audio adjust, source set up , (you dont really use that) and a few other setting that arent used that often.
FEW THING TO KNOW: The video upscaling only scales up to 1080i, which I probably wouldnt know the difference anyways, and plus that is only useful if you are using a old style dvd player, if you are get a bluray or a PS3. Also some of the Dolby sound modes can only be used with 7.1, and I am using 5.1 with 2 speakers in zone 2 in my bar, so I am losing some of the extra good quality, but still getting an amazing system. -
Great sound quality; poor CVBS/Composite upscaling
by Mainspring729 on April 13, 2009
Pros: I like the Dolby Digital HD and DTS-HD Master capabilities. The four HDMI inputs and two Optical audio inputs suit my setup well. I run a PS3 'through' the TX-SR606 and the video and sound quality are excellent. Overall--reasonable value :-)
Cons: The CVBS and Composite video upscaling are poor. It's not just to 1080i the image is poor, but it appears washed out both from a Cable-TV Pace box (SCART to composite), and from a DVDR setup through CVBS and even running a digitally made DVD. :-(
Summary: Overall, I like the product but recommend that others look at Yamaha and Denon which are cheaper.
Summary: Overall, I like the product but recommend that others look at Yamaha and Denon which are cheaper.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Onkyo USA Corporation
- Part number: CNETTXSR606B
- Description: As part of the second generation of Onkyo high-definition-capable receivers, the TX-SR606 is at the forefront of affordable home theater. The key is to have the most capable version of HDMI. The TX-SR606 provides high-definition video and audio processing for four source components - another first for Onkyo at this level. From Blu-ray Disc players to gaming consoles and cable/satellite boxes, you have everything in the digital realm covered. Apart from 1080p video, the TX-SR606 can upscale all video signals to 1080i, regardless of the connection, for output via HDMI. Onkyo's own RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI) also gives you inter-operability with the displays and playback components from other leading brands. The TX-SR606 maintains the fullness of surround sound audio quality at low volume levels. The TX-SR606 offers all-round excellence rarely seen at this level.
General
- Product Type AV receiver
- Width 17.1 in
- Depth 14.8 in
- Height 6.9 in
- Weight 24.9 lbs
- Available Body Colors Black, silver
Audio System
- Sound Output Mode Surround Sound
- Built-in Decoders DTS 96/24, DTS Neo:6, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD decoder, DTS-ES Matrix 6.1, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Digital Surround EX
- Sound Effects CinemaFILTER
- Equalizer Yes
- Digital Sound Processor (DSP) Yes
- Surround System Class 7.1 channel
- Signal-To-Noise Ratio 106 dB
- Input Impedance 47 KOhm
- Input Sensitivity 200 mV
- Total Harmonic Distortion 0.08 %
- Amplifier Output Details 110 Watt - 6 Ohm - THD 0.1 % - 7 channel(s) ( Surround ), 90 Watt - 8 Ohm - THD 0.08 % - 2 channel(s) ( Front ), 90 Watt - 8 Ohm - THD 0.08 % - 1 channel(s) ( Center ), 90 Watt - 8 Ohm - THD 0.08 % - 2 channel(s) ( Surround ), 90 Watt - 8 Ohm - THD 0.08 % - 2 channel(s) ( Surround back )
- Additional Features In-line crossover, Auto sound calibration, Sirius satellite radio ready, Wide Range Amplifier Technology (WRAT)
Connections / Cables / Slots
- HD connectors HDMI connection(s) on this receiver make it a great choice for your High-Def home theater. One cable carries digital audio and video data directly to your display.
Signal Processing Features
- HDMI Switching Yes
- HDMI Repeater Yes
- HDMI Version 1.3a
- Upscaling via HDMI Up to 1080i
Connectors
- Headphone Jack Yes
- Coaxial Digital Input Yes
- Optical Digital Input Yes
Equalizer
- Equalizer band qty 5 bands
Radio
- Type Radio tuner - AM/FM - Digital
- Preset Station Qty 40
Remote Control
- Remote Control Remote control
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Headphones ( Phone stereo 6.25 mm ) - Front, 1 x Composite video/audio input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Front, 4 x HDMI input ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) - Rear, 1 x HDMI output ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) - Rear, 2 x Component video input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 1 x Component video output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 2 x SPDIF input ( RCA phono ) - Rear, 2 x SPDIF input - Rear, 4 x Composite video input ( RCA phono ) - Rear, 5 x Audio line-in ( RCA phono x 2 ) - Rear, 2 x Audio line-out ( RCA phono x 2 ) - Rear, 1 x 7.1 channel audio line-in ( RCA phono x 8 ) - Rear, 1 x Subwoofer output ( RCA phono ) - Rear, 4 x S-Video input ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) - Rear, 2 x S-Video output ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) - Rear, 2 x Composite video output ( RCA phono ) - Rear, 1 x Audio line-out (multi zone) ( RCA phono x 2 ) - Rear, 1 x Remote control - Rear
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories AM antenna, FM antenna, Auto calibration microphone
Product series
-
Manufacturer: Onkyo USA Corporation
Specs: AV receiver, Surround Sound, DTS 96/24, DTS Neo:6, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD decoder, DTS-ES Matrix 6.1, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Digital Surround EX, 5 bands, Remote control, Silver, 17.1 in x 14.8 in x 6.9 in, 24.9 lbs
-
Manufacturer: Onkyo USA Corporation
Specs: AV receiver, Surround Sound, DTS 96/24, DTS Neo:6, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD decoder, DTS-ES Matrix 6.1, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Digital Surround EX, 5 bands, Remote control, 17.1 in x 14.8 in x 6.9 in, 24.9 lbs
Manufacturer info
- Onkyo USA Corporation
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Onkyo USA Corporation products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.onkyousa.com
- Address:
18 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ - Phone: 201-785-2600
- Fax: 201-785-2650
%20-%20Compare%20prices,%20reviews,%20user%20opinions%20-%20Shopper.com&srcUrl=http://shopper.cnet.com/av-receivers/onkyo-tx-sr606-black/4014-6466_9-32956253.html){kind=small}