Onyko and Denon how do they sound compared to each other. (1 Viewer)

[Grady Hollums]

OK. Ever since I have started coming to HTF I have read millions of posts telling me Denon is THE best sounding receiver of them all. When I went to my local high end HT store the Denon sounded unbelievable. The sound was undistorted and very natural and warm sounding. (compared to the Yamaha that wanted to add bass to the sound)
My problem is I don't have any place locally to check out the Onkyo receivers. How does the Onkyo receivers sound compared to the Denon? I would love to buy a Onkyo receiver, because it is a little cheaper for DTS-ES and THX-EX and the same options as the Denon (I think) and it would put aside the fact that I have to buy the Denon locally to get the warranty and pay a LOT more for it, when I don't think I would have all these problems with the Onkyo receiver.
Well, let the fan boys and girls rant. This is the place for the battle between the Onkyo and Denon.
Thank you for all the help. I plan on buying the receiver after next year (heh I know I know, but I have to pay off the Toshiba 50HX81, Panny PR-91, and Xbox first, heh) I just wanted to know what to keep my eyes out for. Thank you so much for your help!!!
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In Him,
GH
My Home
Theater

 

[Jeffrey_Jones]

Hello Instigator,
So you're not really buying either of these receivers in the near future but you decide to incite a riot between the pro-Denon people and the Pro-Onkyo people. Its things like this that can get a person kicked off the forum
I had the opportunity to work at an A/V shop while I was in college that sold both brands. My continued interest (some would say unhealthy obsession) in Home Audio has ensured that I am still very familiar with both manufacturers. I love both of these brands and I don't think someone could go wrong with either one. I have always owned Onkyo and here are my reasons:
1. I believe that the amplification section of my receiver is every bit as good as almost any Denon and that I would never hear a quality difference between these two brands.
2. I believe that Denon receivers "add" a little too much to the bottom end of a system and I prefer a receiver that will not color the music/movie in any way. On very bright systems the Denon might be a better choice as it seems to compensate for this brightness and mellow the system out. The Onkyo will not mask any system weaknesses. I love the sound of my speakers and I wanted to hear them, not the receiver.
3. I prefer the processor in the Onkyo over the Denon. No technical reason, but after hours of listening to both I felt more comfortable with the Onkyo. This was most likely a very biased decision as I own other Onkyo products and prefer to brand match when possible.
4. The livability of an Onkyo receiver far exceeds the Denon. I have fumbled my way through too many receivers in the past and I wanted something with an intuitive interface and user friendly features.
5. The remote on my Onkyo is fantastic. Some people have called it cheap but I don't understand what they expect. My new 898's remote is now controlling my entire system. I have returned the Pronto TSU-2000 remote because I do not need it.
In the end it always comes down to personal choice and I choose the Onkyo. Maybe someday I will change my mind but for now I am the proud owner of a new Onkyo 898. As I said before, you cannot go wrong with either brand.
Thanks,
Jeff
[Edited last by Jeffrey_Jones on November 10, 2001 at 03:37 PM]

 

[Grady Hollums]

Thanks Jeff!
Your response is helpful! I am hearing more and more now days that the Onkyo is a little better, and a little cheaper from what I have seen.
It is in no way my intentions to cause arguments. I just would like to know what people think. If an argument starts then I say stop the thread! It is not worth it, but if intellectual people can come together and discuss the quality of two products then I will be a happy man!!
Thank you again, and I hope to hear from people on both sides of the fence here. Take care!
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In Him,
GH
My Home
Theater

 

[PatrickM]

Grady,
Both manufacturers make fantastic receivers. I personally own a Denon 5800 and find it amazing. The clarity of the sound is impressive and the processor and all its format capabilities are great. Having said that, it is an expensive beast if you don't get a big discount. I happened to get a huge discount so I went for it.
Having said that, you couldn't go wrong with any of the Onkyo's either. It ends up being personal preference which means you need to audition them carefully.
Each receiver has its own personality even within a companies line. Initial impressions of the Denon 3801 had people saying it wasn't as smooth as other Denon receivers. And, people have noted that the receivers from B&K like the 307 sound warmer than the Denon's. People have also noted that the spec'd output of the Onkyo's is conservatively rated compared to others.
Take your time to audition and the choice will become clear.
Patrick
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Evidence of my obsession.

 

[AllanW]

Can I throw 1 more brand into this discussion. When I went to my dealer to look at the Onkyo 797 vs the Denon 3802, he pushed the Integra 7.2 on me. He said it is everything the Onkyo is and more.
What are the thoughts out there about thei Onkyo vs. Integra thing?
I know that Integra is made by Onkyo and others. But what is the main differences between the Integra 7.2 and the Onkyo 797. I can't find a good comparison between the two.
Thanks.

 

[JerryW]

Integra is simply an Onkyo made with better components (gold contacts, better caps and resistors, removable power cable, etc). For the most part I doubt most people would note any sonic differences between the two "brands" respective to each product's "class". (ie. 7.2 vs 797, 6.2 vs 696, 5.2 vs 595, etc). If the pricing is fairly close (within 10%), I'd go with the Integra, if not I wouldn't bother.
And yes, I am an Onkyo lover. Respective to value, they're the best receivers in the business. I'd take an Onkyo over a Denon any day of the week, even the 989 over the 5800. I just don't care for Denon's ergodynamics, remotes, or "colored" sound... especially in regard to 2-channel audio.
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September 11, 2001
"Those who died will always be remembered.
Those who killed will never be forgotten.
We who remain will not let it happen again."
[Edited last by JerryW on November 10, 2001 at 04:28 PM]

 

[Jeffrey_Jones]

The Onkyo vs. Integra issue is a little touchier for me then the Denon vs. Onkyo issue. I own an Onkyo Integra DX-606 CD player. It was built and marketed back when Integra signified Onkyo's high end products. I have heard that Onkyo decided it needed to separate itself from the Circuit City image and decided to spin off its high end line into a separate brand. This is very similar to many Asian automotive manufacturers who felt they could never expect Americans to pay $50, 000 for a Honda so they called it an Acura.
The Integra line shares almost identical components and the specifications between the Integra line and Onkyo line are identical for comparable pieces of equipment. They look a little different, and some will say the Integra line looks better. They supposedly have a few upgraded components but I have not been able to get a "list" of what components were upgraded. The only thing I noticed was the Integra looks like it comes with an upgraded power cable...but I may even be wrong about that. I believe they sound the same. I went with the Onkyo because I was able to find them online at places like J&R. I was not able to find a great deal on any Integra equipment so it came down to a perceived value decision.
Once again, the only real answer is to listen to both of them and make your decision based on what you like and what you can afford.
Thank,
Jeff

 

[Elbert Lee]

It's really tough to compare them as brands. I find them similar in terms of build, model line up, etc. Onkyo does offer a standard 2 year warranty compared to Denon's 1 year warranty.
I personally have grown accustomed to Denon and like the sound. I have used the Onkyo receivers before and like their lineup in the under $1500 price range. IMO, I don't think Onkyo has the experience that Denon has in making the flagship $2000+ receivers so my confidence in Denon is boosted when considering a $2000+ receiver.
Right now, if I were to recommend a $1000-$1200 receiver, I would go with a Denon 3802, which can be obtained for around $850 these days. For entry level systems and sub $500 receivers, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend an Onkyo for its value and added warranty.
You'll find that some manufacturers will have a huge drop off in sound from a certain model and below. Yamaha used to be a good example of this as many of their under $1k receivers were made in different countries with different parts. Although, from an engineering aspect, there are some similarities, but in regards to overall sound quality, better parts will = better sound. (it's a generalization)
Elbert

 

[anthony_b]

I've owned both brands, and it all depends what your primary use is. If you're more into music go with Denon and if your into more HT go with the Onkyo.....If you're 50/50 go with ONKYO !!!

 

[Grady Hollums]

Thanks so much for all the help! I really appreciate it and this post proves that we can all get along, heh. Thank you again, and I will keep an eye on this thread for any more help! I just wanted to say thanks!
------------------
In Him,
GH
My Home
Theater

 

[MatthewJ S]

all the thoughts on ergonomics, price , features, etc., aside.....purely as an a/b comparison for sound quality(selling both brands)w/ 5 different brands of speakers(in one configuration or another,but always w/the same speaker set at any given time and always volume matching), I have always prefered the SOUND of the denons...just my .02...
and no ,at the moment ,I don't own either...

 

[Chris PC]

This is a handy thread, as I am curious about Onkyo and Integra myself. I noticed that different Integra and Onkyo receivers use DIFFERENT center frequencies for the bass control. This is very important to me, as I like to add a bit of bass when listening at low volumes. I noticed that my Technics amp uses a 50 hz freq for bass and I like the bass controls effect. I noticed that the TX-DS797 also uses 50hz , while other Onkyo receivers and it appears, the Integra receivers (6.2, 7.2 and 8.2) use 100 hz. Is this a typo? It would seem entirely wrong to use such a high frequency for bass on an "Elite" product, wouldn't it?
I want to be able to control the bass via the remote control. Someone who owns an Onkyo 898 said they can control the bass via the remote without going into the OSD. Is that the same for the TX-DS 797?
[Edited last by Chris PC on November 10, 2001 at 08:18 PM]

 

[Norm Strong]

They both sound the same. Not only that, but the other receivers on the market also sound the same. If you couldn't see which receiver was playing, you wouldn't have a chance in hell of identifying the brand from listening alone.

 

[Dave Vaughn]

I owned a Denon AVR-3801 for about 6 months then upgraded my system to an Onkyo 989. IMO I liked the sound of the Onkyo better (I know it isn't an apples to apples comparison because the Onkyo I paid $2200 vs $1200 for the Denon from an authorized dealer). Where I really noticed the difference between the two is the sound separation in the "surround" speakers. I have a 7.1 setup with 2 rear speakers and the sound field is much more expanded with the Onkyo. I was happy with the Denon but am estatic with my Onkyo!!! Just my humble .02.
Dave

 

[Grady Hollums]

Thank yall for the help. I think the Onkyo is the way to go. I was wondering.... Can I set up the Onkyo 797 that is 6.1 into a 7.1 setup? Do the 7.1 setup receivers have the same sound coming out of both back speakers? Or is it a mono sound out of them both? If it is mono, can you just power another speaker with another amp with the same output of the rear speaker in a 6.1 setup? Thanks!
Also, Do you think that the new Dolby-EX will be on the new Onkyo Receivers next year or the next year along with the THX-EX and DTS-ES? Thanks.
------------------
In Him,
GH
My Home
Theater

 

[Ken Seeber]

They both sound the same. Not only that, but the other receivers on the market also sound the same. If you couldn't see which receiver was playing, you wouldn't have a chance in hell of identifying the brand from listening alone.

This post is so wrong I had to re-read it four times to be sure it wasn't an attempt at sarcasm.
My primary receiver used to be an NAD. I'd listened to it daily for 15 years, but I wanted to make the move to surround sound. I moved the NAD to the bedroom and replaced it with a mid-level Sony last year.
I hate the sound quality of the Sony for two-channel music so much that I'm replacing it with a new NAD or Onkyo this Christmas.
If you did a blind A-B comparison between the NAD and Sony, and couldn't tell the difference, I'd have to conclude you have a tin ear.

 

[joe goswami]

Has anyone noticed a cosmetic similarity to both the remote and the receiver's front plate of the new line of Onkyo receivers compared to the now familiar front face of Denon?
Hmmmmmmmm..........
I recently upgraded my Denon receiver from the AVR-1400 to the AVR-1802 using an Adcom 555II (also an upgrade from my trusty 545II). I stayed with Denon because of the quality in build and performance that my old Denon had. Although I must say the the build of these new Made in Malaysia recievers is not as good as the Made in Japan models of years gone by.
My 1802 does not have a video menu option which is one drawback of this model. This is a problem because I am a good 8 - 10 feet away from my equipment. The display of the 1802 and its bretheren is very tiny unlike models of years gone by. My old 1400 had BIG numbers and letters which was great.
Although I've bashed DTS in these forums before, but my reason for the upgrade was to listen to DPL II. I'm not dissapointed by any means. DTS is included as well.
I can't put Onkyo down because they, like Denon, have always produced top notch tape decks, recievers, CD players, etc..
I am a die hard Denon guy. You cannot class what these build for under $500.00 against the Sony's, JVC's, Yamaha's, and Technics of this Home Theater World we live in.
I've compared the sound of the Denon as the equal of my Adcom gear. Nuff said!!!

 

[JerryW]

They both sound the same. Not only that, but the other receivers on the market also sound the same. If you couldn't see which receiver was playing, you wouldn't have a chance in hell of identifying the brand from listening alone.

Wow, is that wrong... You've must be kidding. Are you insinuating that all DACs, amps, and processors are identical? Next I suppose you'll say that all speakers sound the same?

I can tell the difference between a mid-range Onkyo (787) and a mid-range Denon (3801) on the same audio tracks in a true A-B setup. This was a true DBT and I chose the Onkyo 7 out of 10 times, then took a break, and came back and chose the Onkyo 8 out of 10 times. Maybe my hearing is better than most (I doubt it), or maybe the pundits out there have been swallowing their own BS for so long it's starting to taste like chocolate. Who knows?
How about this? Ok, maybe some people can't tell the difference between receivers... maybe they're just completely disinterested in critical listening, or perhaps they're tone deaf? Again, who knows?
But the true fact of the matter is that sweeping generalizations like the one you made are just plain silly, perhaps even damaging. They can have the effect of causing people to doubt what they hear... even when the difference/improvement is truly noticeable. That Norm, would be a real shame because it could cause some people to miss out on what could be one of the greatest experiences in their life. And isn't that the real reason that most of us pursue this hobby in the first place?
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September 11, 2001
"Those who died will always be remembered.
Those who killed will never be forgotten.
We who remain will not let it happen again."