Bought to replace a smaller HT-RC160.....wow I am using the Onkyo speakers except for fronts..Cerwin Vega 12s...yes it drives them very well.. All I can say is this puppy rocks...I cant tell you emphatically enough how clear and distortionless it is.. and at high volume.....and having the XM module to boot is outstanding....yes there are more esoteric and expensive systems out there....and 2 of my friends are unhappy as they have waay more invested, but mine sounds better....and having the zone 2 for patio is awsome as well....even when kids are in den w DVD on.....

As of this writing, this product has been out for about 3 1/2 years and I'm kinda stunned to be the first to write about it. I bought this receiver used on Craigslist for $180 as I was looking for an HDMI receiver and as I was searching, I was mainly looking for major brand names that had very high reputations. Mainly Onkyo, Harmon Kardon, and Denon. When I saw this item for sale, I did quite a bit of research on Onkyo's site as well as searching for reader reviews anywhere I could find them.

This receiver offers 100 watts per channel and supports 7.1 system (7 speakers and 1 subwoofer) as well as up to 1080p resolution. It also has THX Neural Surround processing so you can enjoy XM HD Surround broadcasts (and other Neural Surround-encoded programs).

All I can say is this is one amazing receiver. Because of the HDMI capabillities, I now hear sounds in movies that I didn't previously hear with crystal clarity and some amazing power. Only drawback to this system is that it doesn't support 3-D but only because 3-D didn't come out when this model was made. If 3-D isn't important to you or you don't have a 3-D tv then I HIGHLY recommend this receiver and you won't regret getting it especially if you can get it for a good price. It has a very large number of different settings you can use and also suports up to 3 HDMI in cables.

I hope this helps but you definitely won't be disappointed with this model. For me, it's a long term keeper.