[bibeed]

Money came into view and I was able to finally upgrade from my Sony STR K750P HTIB receiver. At first, I had my heart set on a Marantz SR5007 based on a recommendation here at HTS. However, I needed to settle on something a little more in budget. Today I ordered the Onkyo TX-NR709 for $399 from Accessories4Less.com and couldn't be more excited. It seemed to have the biggest bang for my buck, while still allowing me the opportunity to expand my home theater in the future. I really wanted AirPlay, however, the Denons in the same price range didn't seem to have equal features as the 709. I figured I could always get an Apple TV for $100 in the future and have seamless audio and video. I really like that the 709 had Audyssey MultiEQ XT, as well as preamp outs for the future. I really wanted multichannel analog inputs for an SACD player I have, which I wasn't sure if the 709 has. But I could always get an Oppo down the line and have SACD via HDMI. I'll keep you all informed about the receiver when it comes in as I'm pretty sure I'll have some questions about setup, etc.

 

[tonyvdb]

The 709 does have 7.1 multi chan inputs so your good to go
You will love the 709, its a great receiver for the price.

 

[Wardsweb]

Congratulations! It's like Christmas in February. Keep us posted and let us know what you think once it is in your system.

 

[Jungle Jack]

Hello,
Congrats on the 709. It really is an amazing value and adding a $99 Apple TV is a very easy workaround for not having Airplay on the Onkyo.

While I have an Airplay equipped Denon, Apple TV, and iPhone 5, I do not use it very much. Also, if you have a Windows PC, you can access your music wirelessly though the Onkyo iOS/Android App.
Cheers,
JJ

 

[browndk26]

I purchased one from A4L in January and love it. I only have 3 speakers but they sound very good now. Setup was much easier than I thought it would be. I have apple TV and it works very well. Now to get surround speakers and a bigger subwoofer!

 

[orion]

I also ordered the 709 from a4l a couple of days ago. I have a Denon 2112CI so it should be pretty close feature wise. I really didn't want to leave Denon but my brother needs a receiver and I promissed him I would sell him my Denon so this seems like a good deal to me.

 

[hjones4841]

Congrats on your purchase. If your experience with A4L is like mine from last summer, you won't find a single scratch on the Onkyo. Different box, different way of packing, but who cares? The price savings is really nice.

 

[JQueen]

I also ordered the 709 from a4l a couple of days ago. I have a Denon 2112CI so it should be pretty close feature wise. I really didn't want to leave Denon but my brother needs a receiver and I promissed him I would sell him my Denon so this seems like a good deal to me.

Congrats on your purchase!!! Enjoy and let us know what you think

 

[BruceW]

Congratulation buddy... 709 is nice reviver i am sure you like it...

 

[Jungle Jack]

Congrats on your purchase. If your experience with A4L is like mine from last summer, you won't find a single scratch on the Onkyo. Different box, different way of packing, but who cares? The price savings is really nice.

Hello,
I just visited Accessories4less a few weeks ago. While I have visited them several times, I must say their new location is quite impressive. Their inventory is astonishing and as always they could not have been friendlier.

It is so rare to find a place that offers some of the lowest prices on the market while still offering solid customer service and a 30 day return policy. Mark, Larry and Mary are truly nice folks.
Cheers,
J

 

[Tonto]

Congrads on the 709, I know you will enjoy it. That's a significant upgrade from you HTIB. Looking forward to hearing how it sets up for you.

And kudos to Sonnie for setting up this forum & getting these outstanding sponsors. It's not just A4L, I see that kind of commitment from all of our sponsors. They really serve our community well.

 

[8086]

But I could always get an Oppo down the line and have SACD via HDMI. I'll keep you all informed about the receiver when it comes in as I'm pretty sure I'll have some questions about setup, etc.

The Oppo has really, really good DAC chips. I don't know why you would want to bypass those infavor of the lower cost DAC in the receiver by using HDMI. Analog multichannel is definitely the way to go there.

 

[bibeed]

Ordered it Thursday afternoon, received it this morning (Saturday). Thanks FedEx!

I was able to set it up and run Audyssey. This has been a revelation to me. I was unhappy with my setup before, looking for any way to improve the sound. But this has been what I've been looking for. I can't believe how clear everything sounds. There doesn't seem to be any strain in the sound, unlike my previous receiver. Of course, the Sony HTIB receiver is not even in the same league as this one. I'm almost speechless on what to say about it, except that this is quite possibly one of the greatest things I ever heard, and that's sound coming from my Bose 201 Vs that I previously was unhappy about. They actually sound pretty good now, which I thought I'd never say. Now I'm incredibly excited to replace them in the future, though, because if I think they sound good now, I can only imagine what high quality speakers would sound like. This has been a great day!
At least I'm one step closer to a setup I can really be proud of. I'm really enjoying this.

 

[tonyvdb]

So glad to hear that this has exceeded your expectations! Now sit down and enjoy a good movie tonight

 

[JBrax]

Just wait until you get some quality speakers and a sub. Then you will truly appreciate what Audyssey can do.

 

[bibeed]

The future is bright. The sub I have now is a Polk PSW505. While it gets the job done for now, it doesn't go nearly low enough for me. While watching Tron: Legacy before I got the Onkyo, the 505 gave out so many times. It just chokes on that Daft Punk soundtrack. And that was with the lossy audio. It will be interesting to try it now that I can decode the HD audio as well as having Audyssey. Maybe it will clean it up? I really want to watch through all of my Blu Ray movies again so I can experience the audio all over again. In due time.

 

[bkeeler10]

The Oppo has really, really good DAC chips. I don't know why you would want to bypass those infavor of the lower cost DAC in the receiver by using HDMI. Analog multichannel is definitely the way to go there.

Undoubtedly true about the DACs and their quality. However, doesn't the receiver have to have a signal in digital form to apply Audyssey? If so, the AVR's DAC will come into play either way, unless you turn off Audyssey for the multichannel input. Or perhaps the multichannel input is not ever sent through an ADC.

Would the analog input stage of the AVR also determine whether the benefits of the Oppo's DAC shine through or not? I would imagine that on most entry- and mid-level AVRs, the analog input probably doesn't get much attention or money thrown at it, since probably 90% or more of users will be using all digital sources. Not sure how much that matters.

Glad you're enjoying your new unit. There's a certain thrill about getting new gear, and even more so when it exceeds you expectations.