Is Onkyo TX-SR603 a good buy?

[bansal98]

I have the option to buy a used Onkyo SR603 AV receiver. The only thing stopping me is that it does not have HDMI. It has all the other audio/video features generally found on receivers. I do not have HDMI-equipped TV right now but I will be buying one in the future.

I am planning to use my PlayOn! HD to send video directly to my current TV and use optical out to send DTS/Dolby audio to the receiver. I understand that I can not send lossless audio like TrueHD over optical out.

The receiver can be had for little less than 20k. Is it a good buy? I am looking for some practical advice as to how important the things are which it does not have.

Thanks!!

Link for the receiver specs:
http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=TX-SR603X&class=Receiver&p=f

 

[skumar]

If you do not intend to procure HD (audio) content in the near future and do not need HDMI switching (PS3, DVDP, etc), go for this AVR. Will be very good for movie (5.1) audio, can't say the same for stereo content.

Given the pricing of current models in the market and the fact that it doesn't have HDMI or HD audio decoding, you should bargain for (a lot) less than 20k

 

[bansal98]

Thanks Kumar.

This receiver has a 90W rating (8ohms). My current stereo amplifier (an old Sony) has a rating of 32W which is quite loud. I can not go above 1/3 the max volume. Will the additional power in the Onkyo help me? Or saying it differently, are my current floor-standing speakers too easy to drive?

 

[skumar]

Depends on how sensitive the speakers are, if they are around 90db or higher they will be (relatively) easy to drive... Also 32W @ ?ohms is your amp rating and what is your speakers' impedance?

 

[bansal98]

Depends on how sensitive the speakers are, if they are around 90db or higher they will be (relatively) easy to drive... Also 32W @ ?ohms is your amp rating and what is your speakers' impedance?

32W rating is at 8 ohms. The problem is that those speakers are custom built and I have no idea about their impedance. It has 3 drivers of Dainty make, one is 8", one is 6" and one is a tweeter. That's why I am hesitating to buy an amp/receiver thinking it might be incompatible (poor audio quality). Is there any way to know the speaker impedance?

 

[ashishkesarwani]

Do not pay more than 5K for that AVR, as thats the price for a used reciever without an HDMI port and HD Audio decoding. I had sold mine Sr705 which had all the features for 22K and that too 8 months back.

 

[skumar]

If your amp (32W@8ohm) is driving these speakers, then 603 should not have a problem unless the speakers have less than 4ohms impedance. You can connect the speakers to the AVR and start testing at VERY low volume level and gradually increase the volume to see if there is any distortion/clipping. If the AVR is in a good condition and if there is too much load on it, it will go into protection mode and should not be damaged.

 

[spirovious]

Do not pay more than 5K for that AVR, as thats the price for a used reciever without an HDMI port and HD Audio decoding. I had sold mine Sr705 which had all the features for 22K and that too 8 months back.

Still 5k is very low(are you saying 5k less),I think 12k to 15k max.

 

[ashishkesarwani]

Still 5k is very low(are you saying 5k less),I think 12k to 15k max.

Yes 5K, in the open market there is no value for these obsolete models specially ones without the HDMI and then no HD audio decoding. I also happen to know somebody who has a Denon AVC SR1 and he is willing to let go of it for 50K which he bought for 300K 4 years back.