Loaded on Features!!

So far none

Although I have just started building my home theather system, I can tell you that I researched various products before buying this one. While there are many more receivers out there that are clearly better than this one, I think this one will do just fine in most homes. If you are constantly hosting the movie of the week at your house and your neighbors don't care how loud you get then maybe a higher receiver will be better for you. One of the best movies you can try with any receiver is Jurassic Park. Rent it and check out the sound of it. After renting this and playing it I was very happy with it. Please understand that a receiver only sends the signal to your speakers. So if your speakers aren't any good, you aren't going to get a good sound. Spend your money on a good Center Channel and then a good Sub. Anyways reviewing this product: At first the remote control was very tricky and I really didn't understand all the functions. READ THE MANUAL!! Most people have a hard time using it because they want to push all these buttons without really knowing what they do. I can now say that I am comfortable with the remote control. I can also tell you that I paid $369 for this receiver..If you are a big internet shopper you can get this for about $319. I got a free center channel and free speakers with this purchase ($69 value, so they say) and sold the crap for $30 bucks. So I didn't have to wait for the shipping or in case I got a defective one I won't have to send it back (Which the first one I bought had a dent on the back, no big deal but I wanted it to be perfect so I returned it). The Sony DB835 is very comparable to this Receiver. The difference is that this receiver has Video and Audio input in the front of it, which makes it better for me so when I connect my camcorder to it I don't have to be moving my receiver to get to the back. Also, I had seen reviews on the Sony DB835 model and read about the overheating problem, I just didn't want to risk it. I called OneCall and when I was getting a price quote from them, they told me that the Sony Model was getting returned because of that. Well this is my two cents...different type of review but I think it should make you think about things to consider before buying something.

Similar Products Used:

Sony DB835

A/V Connects. Price can't be beat for what you're getting.

Not truly 100 watts per channel.

You can not find a better receiver for the price and options available. If everything is hooked up properly and listening modes set accordingly, you should enjoy this receiver. My NAD is better but paid a lot more also.

Similar Products Used:

All NAD with Phase Tech Speakers and Sub

This receiver seemed to be a great buy because of all the features it included. It had all of the features of higher end components at a lower price. Runs cd's very well and works well with a sub.

Where to start? First of all this receiver didn't put out the bass that i expected it to. (I got more bass out of my cerwin speakers with an awia mini system at 60 watts to each speaker). I was also dissapointed with the Home theater settings because it didn't preform very well in 5.1 digital theater. I had to have the volume at almost half to even hear what was going on in the movie and get a decent theater experience. I also had to use sound compression(midnight theater mode) to hear the movies. I also got a little pop in the surround speakers while changeing the volume or hitting stop or play(while running a dvd). This was all very dissapointing because all it did was cause me a big hastle.

I wouldn't reccomend this receiver to anyone that would use it for anything but listening to classical music. It doesn't put out the bass that i expected from a 100 watt x 5 receiver.

Similar Products Used:

sony dvd-330
sony 5 disc cd changer

VERY feature-packed for the price; AC-3 and DTS for $350!

No phono input, slightly underpowered for my taste (but who's complaining at this price?).

Naturally, audiophiles are going to give this receiver a bad review because they sit there and compare a budget receiver like this one to their high-end toys. Let's get real. Sure there are better receivers, but at this price?

I sell home audio at a Best Buy store in the Phoenix area, so I get exposed to several consumer-level receivers, ranging from $100 to over $600. While we are pushed by our supervisors to sell the "good" stuff (Yamaha and Sony, in our case), there tends to be a lot underrated (and undersold) receivers from other manufacturers cluttering the sales floor. This is primarily due to the fact that the average salesperson sells by what he hears from other salespeople rather than actually researching what he is selling. Therefore, a lot of Yamahas and Sonys get sold to customers being told that they need the most expensive receiver on the floor.

The Pioneer 608 is one of these "underrated" receivers I'm talking about. While it is lacking in some areas (like NO phono input), it has a good blend of features and performance for the price. In fact, this is the only receiver in the store for under $400 that actually has S-Video inputs and even a DTS decoder. We have this receiver connected to the JBL Home Theater demo in the video department and it is far from disappointing. Audiophiles really need to consider what they're comparing before jumping the gun and saying that there are better receivers out there.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha 1105, Sony 835, Sony 935, Technics 930

Built-in DTS and AC-3, DSP modes, S-Video ins and outs, number of inputs, channel seperation

Remote, bass response low on some sources, display.

This is a great receiver for the price ($329 at Best Buy).

I was attracted to the s-video inputs and built in DTS *and* Dolby Digital, and have loved the unit ever since installing it.

Sound is clearly defined to all channels, especially in the digital modes. There is enough power to fill my viewing room (about 20'X 15'). I live in a townhouse, so I wasn't looking for something rediculously loud. I can get very loud with it when I want to, however. I'm sure my neighbors loved the first 20 minutes of "Private Ryan" this morning! :)

The bass response is a little weak on some sources (depends on the sound quality of the source recording), but this is easily fixed with a small powered subwoofer. I have read a lot of criticism of the bass response, but I question whether their systems are set up correctly or the efficiency of their speakers.

I like the different Dolby modes, the "Drama" setting being my favorite. The different theater modes sound more realistic than other receivers I've heard.

There are a lot of "tweaks" that you can set up. Some of them get complicated, but the extra effort is worth it. Each channel of my system have been set for the proper distance to my seating area, and I've used a cheap Radio Shack meter to set the volume levels for each individual channel. The result is a rich, well defined and natural theater sound in a small room. You can also set dynamic range compression levels, bass crossover frequencies, speaker sizes, and a host of other sound-shaping goodies.

My only complaints are with the display and the remote. The display, especially the volume display, are hard to see across the room. The universal remote works with all of my stuff, but only controls very basic operations.

I think this is the best receiver that exists for under $1000.


System reviewed on:

Toshiba 61" Theater View TV
Panasonic DVD a-110 DVD player
JVC S-VHS VTR
Pioneer Laser disk player
Polk Audio Center Channel speaker
Home-made front channel speakers
Aiwa power subwoofer ("woof" is right...)
KLH Rear channel speakers
Tributaries video interconnects, Radio Shack "monster cable" type audio interconnects.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha pro-logic receiver and Technics AC-3 decoder

Audio/Video Connects, Price Can Not Be Beat For All The Features. Very Good Sound Quality For The Money.

Lacks Power But Can Be Made Up With A Good Powered Sub Woofer And Efficiently Speakers. Remote Can Be Improved.

I am very pleased with this product. A major difference is made with high quality speakers. Cheap speakers with this receiver will give cheap sound. The price can not be touched with all the features and S-Video. Reading some of the negative reviews gives me the impression this receiver is being compared to more expensive receivers or the individuals never set up the receiver and levels properly. I am listening to mine in a room that's 22 X 14 and I max out at 30 DB's before the sound is too great. I use very expensive speakers and sub so that makes a major difference.

Similar Products Used:

Sony ES

Great sound and features

Power is overated a bit

Bought this from Crutchfield for $399, after audtioning it in a local shop alongside an Elite VSX-D21 and VSX-29. Sounded the same to me so I bought it. I LOVE the sound, pairs up well with my Pioneer DV-525 dvd player and Pioneer (ancient) 6-disc changer and jbl HLS series speakers. Downside: The power is overated a bit, probably acutally puts out 1/2 the power, but oh well. I orignally wanted to buy the Elite VSX-29 (about $1200 locally) but after hearing this unit, I decided to save 800 bux towards a new tv :)

price

its junk

If you have 350 dollars burning in your fist and you absolutely need an amp buy this. But if you do buy this amp be prepared to be disapointed. This amp has no power, has a complete cheap feel to it, has junk spring clips in the back and has one coax in. If I could do it again I'd spend the 350 on a downpayment on a real receiver.

price

its junk

If you have 350 dollars burning in your fist and you absolutely need an amp buy this. But if you do buy this amp be prepared to be disapointed. This amp has no power, has a complete cheap feel to it, has junk spring clips in the back and has one coax in. If I could do it again I'd spend the 350 on a downpayment on a real receiver.

I have had the 608 for over a week now and have had no problems in it. I am using Definitive Technology Pro 200's for front, Pro 100's for rear, C2 center, and prosub. The audio quality is very accurate and clean. Maybe I've had better luck than the individual that posted the last review but so far I am very pleased with this unit. I have had no problems with crosstalk or dead-noise, only a few tweaking issues that were resolved. If this unit was a 600-700 dollar item I would give it a 4 but since I paid 399 for it, I give it a 5.