FOR TEAM RE:ONKYO TX NR 818 REVIEW.

Me frustrated?  :rofl:  You would have to get up way earlier every morning and try far harder to achieve such a thing.  I think you are wasting your time reviewing it for music as most people out there are not going to be considering such a unit for music anyway (as impressive as it may be).  Calibration makes a huge difference but most people are not going to put enough effort in.

It's now available here

CaptHowdy wrote:

Me frustrated? 

Ah. I assumed that's what the banging head on wall thing was about.

Unless of course they are Gramophone readers attracted by the idea of high-definition streaming and the ability to play music (with or without video) to a high standard.

As I said, I haven't had time to fine-tune the calibration yet, but I will get down to to it; among other things, I got distracted by spending some time at Datasat learning just how in-depth one can get with calibration, as I explained in  my blog report this week.

But I fully intend to spend more time exploring the possibilities of the 818, even if it will be used relatively rarely for full-blown home cinema, and most of the time I listen to a dedicated music system.

All that said, the Onkyo already sounds impressive when playing Dolby TrueHD downloads, as I noted in my report from Onkyo HQ a couple of months back, where the company concentrated its demonstrations on music rather than movies – so clearly it believes the receiver has much to offer in this field.

I also have to question the "powerful" sound as that is probably the 818's weakest area.  I can only guess that it was tested with some very easy to drive 8 ohm speakers.  If you stick some more difficult 4 ohms speakers on it then you will find it a little lacking.

But there are too many people out there claiming that Onkyo AVR's and Music do not mix.  So trying to convince people that the 818 can reproduce Music to a high standard will be falling on deaf ears.  But good luck with it.

Calibration techniques do not tend to transfer so well from one technology to another so DataSat is not even worth mentioning in an 818 thread (especially when it costs around 17 times more than the 81.

Andrew Everard wrote:

Calm down old man.  No need to get frustrated.  A simple answer would be fine.

CaptHowdy wrote:

Calibration techniques do not tend to transfer so well from one technology to another so DataSat is not even worth mentioning in an 818 thread (especially when it costs around 17 times more than the 81.

And that's just for the processor! I was merely making the point that a) I found it enlightening just what can be done with a very in-depth calibration capability, such as that offered by the Datasat processor; I wasn't drawing any comparison between it, or its technology, and the Onkyo and the systems it uses. And b) the need to cover such events as the Datasat session was a reason why I hadn't had as much time as I'd like to set up the Onkyo. So far.

I would suggest too many people are in that case wrong, especially in the case of this product. Although it would seem that deaf ears are unwilling to see or hear what is actually being said, or approach these matters with an open mind.

Not frustrated, just wondering how you manage to do those mid-thread handbrake turns. One minute I haven't set it up properly so can't be hearing just what it can do; the next it has weaknesses if you ask it to drive demanding speakers

A simple answer to what? Which speakers were used for the WHFSV test? Not a clue, as I wan't involved.

But then I haven't been talking about the WHFSV test, but the listening I have been doing with a second sample of the product. And FYI PMC OB1s, TB6C, SUB TLE and GB1s.

Anyway – is that the time...? Apparently I have to get up earlier...

XT32 is pretty in depth if you take time to learn more about it.  It is far more complex than many people give it credit for.  Sadly a lot of people just cannot be bothered to make the effort to get the best out of it.  Which is probably why there are so many negative opinions.

Also yes.  Many people are wrong.  But not for the reasons that they are led to believe. 

I was referring to the WHF review.  The 818 is not powerful.

Seems like a very OTT package to test on a £1k AVR.  But it sounds about right for WHF review.

I had to put both of these new (at least to me) terms into google to find out what they meant ...... Actually my first thought was that the second term meant "Oh my dear boy" in a Noel Coward type of way, but apparently it means "Over my dead body". And to return to your sub-topic, I also don't seem to get on with 3D (although watching Prometheus at the IMAX in passive 3D was not too painful an experience). Since getting my Samsung TV in March I have not even taken its two pairs of 3D glasses out of their box. But now, back to the main topic of the Onkyo TX-NR818, about which I know exceedingly little.

Have you got an agenda against WHF? Or Onkyo? Can you post some links regarding the receiver not driving  4 ohm speakers properly?

I have no agenda at all.  Unless pointing out confusing/incorrect/misleading reviews/comments/information is classed as having an agenda.  I am posting from my own experience, the experiences of a couple of people I know, and also seeing posts/comments of other peoples experiences with the 3008/3009/5008/5009.  These models do not drive 4 ohms speakers very well.  The 818 is not going to either.  In reality with all channels driven the 818 will be outputting around half of the stated power mentioned in the review.  But not enough facts tend to be stated by manufacturers or reviewers on such details.

I do not think links to other forums would be appreciated but they are not that difficult to find.

I'm sure you mean well when pointing out the issue with 4 ohm speakers. But I would suggest you tone down a bit. There's no point in attacking others to make yourself heard. Calling others "old man" & ridiculing the testing process & the review itself is certainly not civil. Different people have different tastes, & if the reviewers found this receiver to be musical, so be it. Even I consider Onkyos to be musical. What's wrong with that?

By the way, you are allowed to post links to other forums as well, as long as there is no insult to WHF or its staff. I haven't found anything specific to this AV receiver having problems with 4 ohm speakers, & will appreciate a link explaining the same. No point in slating this receiver on the basis of other receivers made by the manufacturer. This is mere guesswork. Which speakers have you tried this receiver with?