Home Audio & Speakers : Onkyo HT-S790B

I had purchased this set from Circuit City in stores for 399.99. Before this system I had the Logitech Z-5500s which had been defective. A lot of people will jump onto the Logitech Bandwagon for how cheap the speakers are with the sound they produce, which is a farse. Sure the 10" Subwoofer that comes with the Logitech package is nice and loud, "boomy" as some would call it, but the clarity of the satellites can be judged a bit more harshly. Currently I have this system setup with 3 inputs. My TV is on the standard Red/White Audio connection. My computer is through a digital out on my sound card connected to the coaxial on the receiver. My Xbox 360 is on the optical connection. I had read other reviews on this product and a lot of people were emphasizing the LOUDNESS of the speaker system, which you can't really describe in words. Literally my Windows were shaking at 70% volume, not only is it loud but it is crystal clear. The Subwoofer is powered and has a seperate dial for the amount of bass you would like seperate from the receiver and satellites which I find to be very useful at night I can dub it down so not to wake the others. The system also features a night-time feature when using the DVD input which will dub down the bass as well and up the treble so the clarity of dialogue is maintained. The subwoofer also comes with an auto standby feature when an input isn't recognized within a certain period of time it will turn itself off, which is also nice. The only CON I describe is the size of the satellites, they are huge compared to Sony, Logitech, and some other systems I was looking at. The Front R,L and Center speaker are as tall as bookshelf speakers but probably 3/4 the width. The 4 Satellites are also quite massive, I have a 14Fx7F room and I was not worried with where to fit them, so really it's a con for people that have a problem with room configuration, if your room is big they're perfect. I also like the mounting feature on the 4 Satellites, it is like a picture frame, has a big slot on the bottom for the screw which then slides up into place when the speaker is settled onto it. For 399.99 I received what I figured was the perfect package of variety in connections, 3 Optical, 1 Coaxial, plenty of A/V, Composite, Component connections that I needed. I received 7.1 speakers which could pound out music, movies, and my Xbox360 games with great recreation of sounds. The features which take some getting used to, but once mastered make this system so much more to enjoy. I cannot recommend it enough if you can, please go into a shop for a demostration of its capabilities, you will not be disappointed at all. Hide Full Review

If you have a small room these are too powerful, if you want wimpy components then this is not for you. If you want a 7.1 system with 1000watts of crystal sound for under 400$, then you're lookinng in the right direction. I have yet to come across a HTS that compares with this, and I've looked for 2 months! I picked mine up on a deal for 350$ and am blown away the value vs. the cost.

this is perfect system for the middle class that does not want to break the bank, or piss off the wife.

The speakers are good size, for the purpose of caring a full sound.

Just buy it, and stop looking around. Sony, Yamaha, Bose, nor Pioneer even come close. Hide Full Review

i purcashed my system at Circut City. I got the 6 disk DVD changer also . all i can say is that for the money ($699.00-complete) you won't find another 1000 watts ,7.1 channel system with 6 disk dvd that performs as well as this system does .i have been with Onkyo for about 16 years now , and i will never go else where . they just can't be beat !! Hide Full Review

So far, I have been very impressed with this system. It has a nice clean sound, thought the subwoofer does have it's limitations.

Pros:
The sound is great even at higher volumes.
The remote control is very useful and can handle most components out there.
There are many inputs on this unit including 4 digital audio (three optical and one coaxial).
Fairly low harmonic distortion.
The subwoofer has a rotary knob on the back to raise or lower the output.
Has many different audio settings to suit your needs.
Instead of setting the milisecond delay to make up for varied speaker distance, you type in the distance in feet (or meters) ... translated, it is much easier to set up.

Cons:
The user manual is essential if you want to use this system too it's potential.
The bass can vary widely from one source to another, though, that can be the plugged in components.
The subwoofer's limit can be easy to reach.
The component had an adjustment for treble and bass, but the remote cannot adjust them (strange, considering how useful the remote it). However, you can adjust each speaker's volume individualy by +/- 15 db.

Overall, this is a great unit and is on par with some of the units I listened to that cost twice as much. I highly reccomend this product.

Thanks taking the time to read this. Hide Full Review