Sumit:
I also have an Onkyo 875. Yes it does get exceedingly hot (enough to fry an omelette, joked an reviewer). Actually it gets hot even when it is in the standby mode. This is because of the massive toroidal transformers they have and the push-pull amplification they have which is closest you can get to Class A tube amplifier with transistors. Actually the power from the AVR is so much, I have never had to cross the 11 'O' Clock position. I mostly use somewhere around 75 Db as my standard listening position.
To handle the heat issue, I have done a couple of things. One I have provided a separate power supply to the 875 allowing me to switch off the power when I am using the TV for something else. Two, I have provided separate stand for the 875 and kept the DVD Player and other electronics away from the AVR. There, I ensure the room temperature is around 18 degrees. My wife jokes that the A/c is more for the AVR than for human beings!!!
I bought the 875 for a number of reasons.
1. It has THX select and Audessey room correction.
2. If has one of the best technologies in the world for upscaling to 1080p.
3. Onkyo has completely redesigned the 2008 series (600, 700, and 800 series of AVRs) from ground up specifically to beat Yamaha and Denon. They have succeeded as many of their units have been runaway successes.
4. It has a feature that completely switches off all video functionality for listening to 2 channel music.
5. Capability to recognise and play new audio formats including SACD, DVD Audio, and HD music.
How does it sound? This is a difficult question to answer. But in any case let me try. I do NOT listen at very high volumes, and usually I watch movies alone without any interruption. For me the sound of breathing, the whispers, the dialogues, the subtle background sounds are very important. The 875 renders these very well. Dialogues are very clear and you don't have to strain to hear what the actors and saying.
Is the sound warm or bright? I would say the sound is as close to transparent as possible. I don't think the 875 adds any hue or coloration to the sound. If the source is bad, the 875 may sound bad. At times, for example, in old Hindi movies, in some of Latha's songs, her voice does sound 'screechy' forcing me to reduce the volume. But in well recorded music or movies media, the sound is 'just right'
I listen regularly to Ragamala by Ravi Shankar, an album played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Ravi Shankar, and Allah Rakha. There are moments when there is absolute silence and the trembles come on slowly. There are also moments when after a tumultuous rendering by the whole Orchestra, Ravi Shankar plays the sitar and very very slowly. In one part, there is an artist who walks across the stage with a small bell in his hand, and you can clearly hear the physical movement of the bell.
The 875 is able to play this album quite well.
Lat me also add, that in spite of what I say about the 875, in my mind, all NO AVRs is inherently suited for music. I am installing separate electronics for 2 channel music. I will then be able to switch between the two systems and decide whether an AVR can play as well as an dedicated CD player, and a 2 channel integrated amp.
About an year ago I heard a Yamaha CD Player, connected to a Pulz two channel amplifier driving Wharfedale 9.5 floor standers. I yet savour the music I heard on that combination. Pulz, by the way, is made by a Mumbai based manufacturer. So why not the Pulz you may ask. It does not have a remote amongst other usage shortcomings including low quality connectors.
With regard to pricing, last I heard, the 3808 was around 120K and the 875 around 90K in India.
Cheers
, lets just say its cheaper if I as an end user were to import this directly from any store in the US and pay full shipping and customs on it, it would still be cheaper, I wonder how many peices could have been sold?
