The Best of Both Phone, and TabletOnkyo SKS-HT870
Manufacturer: Onkyo Part number: SKS-HT870
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Onkyo SKS-HT870 speaker package offers up tons of performance for the price, but it's not the most stylish speaker system.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | In stock Get free shipping on orders over $25.00 | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 05/23/2012 |
 Savings, Selection & Service since 1971 | | In stock Authorized Onkyo Dealer | as of 05/24/2012 | |
 | | In stock | as of 05/23/2012 | |
| Vanns.com Free Ground Shipping! | | In stock | as of 05/23/2012 |
CNET editors' review
Onkyo SKS-HT870 price range: $299.77 - $449.95
- Reviewed by: Matthew Moskovciak and Steve Guttenberg
- Edited by: John P. Falcone
- Reviewed on: 10/29/2009
- Released on: 08/01/2009
The good: A 7.1 surround sound speaker system; excellent sound quality; subwoofer blends well with speakers; can fill relatively large rooms; relatively inexpensive, especially for a 7.1 system.
The bad: Relatively large speakers; boxy design; wood finish lacks refinement compared with other options; spring clip connectors.
The bottom line: The Onkyo SKS-HT870 speaker package offers up tons of performance for the price, but it's not the most stylish speaker system.
Onkyo is known for having speaker expertise, even though it's not primarily a speaker company. That's because of Onkyo's success selling home-theater-in-a-box systems (HTIBs), which combine a speaker system and an AV receiver in a single box, taking some of the confusion out of putting together your own system. The Onkyo SKS-HT870 is a 7.1 speaker system that is sold as part of the Onkyo HT-S7200 HTIB, but it's also offered separately. While the speakers packaged with most HTIBs wouldn't be worth buying separately, the SKS-HT870 is an exception, with excellent sound quality given its low price. Our only complaint about the SKS-HT870 is that it's boxy and a little unrefined, especially compared with a similar system like the Energy Take Classic. However, if you're looking to maximize your audio performance on a budget--and don't mind the SKS-HT870's look--the SKS-HT870 is a top choice.
Design and features
The SKS-HT870 features a pair of slender tower speakers, a dedicated center channel speaker, four surround channel speakers, and a powered subwoofer. It's a budget-priced system, but as with previous generations of Onkyo speaker systems, the SKS-HT870 is an incredible value.
All eight pieces feature medium-density fiberboard cabinets, nicely finished in wood-grain black, and the speakers have nonremovable black cloth grilles. The towers and center speaker's come with gloss black panels fitted to their tops and sides (respectively). The towers' circular metal bases are packed separately; you attach them with four screws each, and while you're assembling the speakers, take a peek inside the rear-mounted, bass-enhancing port. You'll see Onkyo's engineers used the speakers' full internal volume to maximize their bass producing potential (few HTIB towers do the same).
The towers' bases are 10.3 inches in diameter and the speaker is 41.3 inches high; the center speaker is 16.9 by 4.5 by 4.75 inches; and the surround speakers are 4.5 by 9.1 by 3.75 inches each. The towers and center speaker are two-way designs outfitted with twin 3.25-inch woofers and a 1-inch dome tweeter. The surround speakers each have one 3.25-inch woofer, but no tweeters.
Speaker connectors are spring-clip types, which only work with stripped bare wire ends or cables terminated with pin connectors. In either case, spring clips don't provide all that secure a grip on the wires, so they can fall out with a slight tug. We prefer banana connectors, but they're probably too expensive to be used in this budget-priced system.
The matching subwoofer's gloss black front baffle makes for an upscale look; a large port on the baffle augments the bass supplied by the 10-inch down-firing woofer. A 290-watt amplifier drives the woofer and the sub's rear panel hosts a single RCA, line-level input and a volume control. Measuring 10.8 by 19.9 by 16.2 inches the sub qualifies as a full-size model; it weighs 25.6 pounds. The cabinet is well built, but when we wrapped our knuckles against the sides or top of the cabinet, it didn't feel as well braced as more expensive subs. Again, we're not surprised; in the context of a budget-priced 7.1 channel speaker/subwoofer system, the SKS-HT870 is a terrific bargain.
Performance
To conduct our listening tests, we paired the SKS-HT870 with our Denon AVR-3808CI reference AV receiver. The very first thing we noticed about the SKS-HT870's sound was that it didn't do anything badly. We rarely say that about budget-priced speaker packages, which either have embarrassingly awful subwoofers, or overly aggressive tweeters, or both.
The SKS-HT870 sounds right, and even though the surround speakers lack tweeters, timbre was remarkably consistent through all seven speakers. The subwoofer is so well matched to the speakers we didn't really think about the sub much, and that's always a good sign.
We were so confident about the SKS-HT870's abilities, we cranked up the opening car chase scene from the "Quantum of Solace" Blu-ray and were blown away by the sound. James Bond drives his Aston Martin to the limit and the sounds of horse and firepower blasting out of the SKS-HT870 were plenty potent. Shock and awe dynamics were good, though not as freewheeling as they can be over our Aperion Intimus 4T Hybrid SD 5.1 speaker/subwoofer system ($1,569 MSRP) when it's used with a great receiver.
The SKS-HT870's center speaker handled dialog duties with the finesse; it was clear, clean, and articulate. Concert DVDs and Blu-ray Discs demonstrated the room-filling talents of the SKS-HT870's front and rear speakers. The spaciousness of the sound, floating free of the speakers themselves, was of the sort we associate with more expensive systems.
Jack Bruce's bass and Ginger Baker's drums on the "Cream: Royal Albert Hall" DVD had no shortage of visceral impact, and bass definition was decent. Eric Clapton's tasty guitar licks were warm and sweet. Yes, if we pushed the volume too far the SKS-HT870 sound thinned out and turned hard. Backing down the volume smoothed things out again.
CDs sounded just as good as DVDs and Blu-rays, the "rightness" of the SKS-HT870 was apparent with all kinds of music. We mostly listened to CDs in stereo, with just the front tower speakers and the subwoofer, and the soundstage was wide with a good sense of depth. The SKS-HT870's subwoofer doesn't have the gutsy punch and seriously deep extension of higher priced subs, but it was a superb match with the system's speakers. That seems like a smart design compromise to us.
While we didn't directly compare the SKS-HT870 with Energy Speakers' Take Classic 5.1 speaker system, the Onkyo system has size advantages that let it play louder, with lower distortion in larger rooms. We still love the Energy system for what it can do, but it's better suited to smaller rooms. Both the Energy and Onkyo systems are highly recommended.
User reviews
-
-
Really Great Sound System for the Price!
by Hendrick6G on December 25, 2011
Pros: Decent sized speakers
Great bass
VERY aesthetically pleasing
Speakers have a great audio range
Very little setup requiredCons: The center speaker doesn't have any non-skid feet
No ipod dock for onkyo receiversSummary: Overall Opinion: EXTREMELY recommended. I'm no sound expert, but very picky when it comes to sound quality, and was hoping for a deep bass, full range system, which I ...
Summary: Overall Opinion: EXTREMELY recommended. I'm no sound expert, but very picky when it comes to sound quality, and was hoping for a deep bass, full range system, which I recieved.
I have been looking for a surround sound system that is affordable (college student), or even speakers that I can hook up to my receiver for surround sound.
I found this set on amazon and immediately saved it to my shopping cart. I got the speakers and hooked them up, ran a receiver calibration with a $14 radio shack microphone and the sound is absolutely amazing. Would buy again if I had to, and recommend to everybody.
Pros:
Decent sized speakers, not to big, but big enough to pack a punch.
Great bass in both games and movies (I had to turn it down after calibration!)
VERY aesthetically pleasing. The speakers look very rich and the glossy sub and tops of the R & L speakers look really nice.
Comes with lengthy, color-coded speaker wire. It's not Monster grade speaker wire, but you can still crank the volume and get great sound.
Speakers have a great audio range, especially the center, R & L speakers.
Voices are very easy to understand, clear and accurate sounds.
Wall mounts on surround and rear surround speakers.
Instruction manual that shows speaker locations, suggested distances, color-coded wire paths, etc.
All the speakers were almost OVER-packaged. VERY well protected, all wrapped individually, a lot of styrofoam packaging, etc.
Very little setup required, aside from screwing on the bases of the freestanding speakers and hooking up the wires.
Indifferent/Con:
The mesh speaker cover can be removed (diligently), but only to reveal an ugly speaker and unfinished housing (compared to their similar speakers that looked nice when the covers were removed).
The center speaker doesn't have any non-skid feet. There was cork included for it...but I chose to use a non-skid rug lining instead.
No ipod dock for onkyo receivers (which I neither expected or could have used). Where someone thought you got one beats me.
Bottom line: if you're will buy the Onkyo SKS-HT870, I suggest you have to check for best deal before you decide at: Hometheatersystemsuggestion.blogspot.com/2011/12/sks-ht870.html
Have a good day!6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
The wow deal of the year
by g4rfc on March 24, 2010
Pros: Very clear sound. The blend between the sub and speakers is phenomenal. Decent look, aesthetics in person are better than the photos. key holes if you need them. Compliments my LG 50" plasma quite well.
Cons: Spring clips barely left enough room to accommodate 14g wire.
Summary: This is the system I've been waiting for. I've done tons of research and with having a budget of 1200. to spend on a new A/V receiver ...
Summary: This is the system I've been waiting for. I've done tons of research and with having a budget of 1200. to spend on a new A/V receiver and speakers, naturally, I wanted the most for my money, the best bang for my buck. I believe I pulled it off, to accommodate my LG 50" plasma and LG BD390, we ended up with the ONKYO TX-NR807 ($722. thru 6th AVE electronics) and the ONKYO SKS-HT870 ($299. thru J&R music and computer world). Coming in under budget was a real bonus. Added to the fray is the Energy 200watt sub from the Take Classic set ($99. thru Costco).
After setting up the speakers and running the multi E Q, the blend with the two subs and the speakers is a real treat, I half hearted expected to be blown out of the room with dual subs, not the case, everything is working beautifully to bring the most out of my movies. The power of the subs is subtle but present.
I made this purchase primarily for blu ray, it doesn't disappoint. I couldn't be happier with this overall purchase.
Sure, there's better sounding equipment out there, but after all the research I've done, I'd have to spend upward towards a thousand dollars or more to improve on what I have, that's saying a lot for this system2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
extreemy clear and crisp speakers, though sub is weak
by ykkfrog on June 26, 2010
Pros: I used an onkyo sr707 receiver, and right out of the box I was impressed with the crisp clear highs and lows. the front speakers especially make good use of the extra space provided in the towers as reverb chambers. excelent tone matching
Cons: sub is a little weaker than the receiver can drive it has good low end sound, but not the couch vibrating throb that a good stand alone will have, it tops out well before max volume on sub. though down fireing and front port make up somewhat for that
Summary: overall, I highly recomend this speaker system, especially if you are looking for a 6ohm 7.1 system. I did a LOT of reearch and finding a matched set of ...
Summary: overall, I highly recomend this speaker system, especially if you are looking for a 6ohm 7.1 system. I did a LOT of reearch and finding a matched set of 7.1 it extreemly difficult [as of 3/2010 when i was looking]. The boxy design is a little quaint, but the quality more than makes up for it, and black goes with anything. I did find the sub lacking overall, but it is an independantly powered sub ich i by far better than any passive system, and the price is excellent [I paid about $300 new] for the shear number of speakers you get.
I anded up adding a polk audio 12" free standing forward fireing sub, and that made all the difference in the world. I now run a 7.2 system, with the onkyo sub in the back, turned own significantly so it never topps out, and between that one and the bigger one in front, I now have a system that rivals any I have heard with a total price point of less than $1200 total for everything.
overall, I highly recomend this setup, but be prepaired to have the sub a little lower than you might otherwise like.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Good speaker package
by TXdefender on July 6, 2011
Pros: Designed to work together and work well
Good soundCons: Thin speaker wire
Spring clip connection
Sub can not pressurize large areas but does fine in smaller spaces.Summary: I have the Onkyo HT-S7200 but can no longer review it, I guess it's too old a system. However I will review the speakers and receiver separate. So, these ...
Summary: I have the Onkyo HT-S7200 but can no longer review it, I guess it's too old a system. However I will review the speakers and receiver separate. So, these speakers are driven by the Onkyo HT-RC160 which has 80wpc. The speakers are good speakers and originally I had this setup in my large living room 18'x17' with 10' ceiling and open to a 15'x15' dining room and open to the kitchen and study so there was a lot of air to pressurize and the system was lacking. There was not enough bass from the sub and while the volume could get loud I could tell it was starting to clip before reaching anywhere near THX's 85db. I have since upgraded my main home theater system an spent more money than I care to mention which makes my view of this system a little skewed, sure it doesn't sound as good as a multi-thousand dollar system and it shouldn't. I decided to relocate this system to my bedroom 13'x15' with 10' ceiling and WOW, this thing came to life! In the confined spaces of my bedroom the sub became a different animal being able to belt out clean, tight bass and plenty of it. The front sound stage consist of two way speakers with a D'Appolito configuration MTM and sound excellent. The surrounds are a single woofer with no tweeter. I have everything crossed over at the THX recommendation of 80hz. The system gets plenty loud inside the confined bedroom and I don't feel the need to mess with or upgrade anything. I've read the prior reviews and would agree that this speaker package lacks in a large, open room such as my living room but in a smaller bedroom or a dedicated media room this system can and does impress. For the price it's well worth a look and will blow away all the small cubed speakers from most HTiB's.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Onkyo
- Part number: SKS-HT870
- Description: For maximum audio impact, your multichannel Onkyo receiver should be accompanied by a full-blooded surround-sound speaker set. Fitting the bill is the SKS-HT870, a 7.1-channel system that injects power and vitality into all your movies, games, and music. The highlight, both visually and aurally, is a pair of dual-drive, floor-standing tallboy front speakers rated conservatively at 130 W. In concert with the two-way center and full-range surround and surround-back speakers - each also rated 130 W - they deliver stunningly detailed high- and mid-range frequencies. Meanwhile, at the bottom end, a superbly calibrated 290 W subwoofer adds visceral heft to bass notes and low frequency effects.
General
- Product Type 7.1-channel Home theater speaker system
- Speakers included 7 speakers,
Subwoofer Speaker Features
- Speaker Type Active subwoofer, passive satellites
- Woofer size (inches) 3.25 in,
1 in - Response Bandwidth 25 - 50000 Hz
- Crossover Frequency 4000Hz
- Output Features Bass Reflex
- Connectivity Technology Wired
Speaker Details
- Features 2 x Right/left channel speaker - 2-way - 130 Watt - 55 - 50000 Hz - 6 Ohm - Floor-standing - Wired,
4 x Surround channel speaker - 130 Watt - 80 - 20000 Hz - 6 Ohm - Bookshelf - Wired,
1 x Center channel speaker - 2-way - 130 Watt - 55 - 50000 Hz - 6 Ohm - Wired,
1 x Subwoofer - 230 Watt - 25 - 150 Hz - Wired - Driver Details Right/left channel speaker : 2 x Woofer driver - 3.25 in,
Right/left channel speaker : 1 x Tweeter driver - 1 in - Driver Details Center channel speaker : 2 x Woofer driver - 3.25",
Center channel speaker : 1 x Tweeter driver - 1" - Driver Details Surround channel speaker : 1 x Full-range driver - 3.25"
- Driver Details Subwoofer : 1 x Subwoofer driver - 10"
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included Speaker cable kit
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Onkyo products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Onkyo
- Address:
18 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 - Phone: 1-800-229-1687
- Fax: 1-201-785-2650
