Onkyo TX-NR 686 owners thread.

addyeddy

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Well, there doesn't seem to be one, so thought I'd create one!

When my last Onkyo died, just out of warranty, I decided not to buy another, and bought the award winning Denon X 2500h blind, simply based on the reviews, and whilst initially happy with it on films, when I came to play music on it (especially multi channel music) there was something missing, detail that I heard on the Onkyo simply wasn't there, and no amount of experimenting with the settings would bring that detail back.

So, returned it and got the 686,and after a simple set up and a few tweaks, all the detail and clarity on music was back.

I've yet to play around with the THX settings, will have a go with them at the weekend.

Whilst I don't think the Onkyo is as well built as the Denon (which did have a reassuring quality feel to it) and may lack a few bells and whistles, sound wise it's definitely the one for me, and that's what matters.
Anyone else feeling the love for this receiver?
 
Just bought a 686 and vey pleased with it. Unfortunately I can't get the amp to recognise Spotify through the Onkyo control app. I've read online that Spotify have removed the home audio option but Onkyo are still advertising it. Has anyone got Spotify working?
 
This is currently £458 on amazon.de (£629 richer sounds)

I just came here to check before I hit buy.
 
Just bought a 686 and vey pleased with it. Unfortunately I can't get the amp to recognise Spotify through the Onkyo control app. I've read online that Spotify have removed the home audio option but Onkyo are still advertising it. Has anyone got Spotify working?

Sorry don't use Spotify so unable to help.
 
This is currently £458 on amazon.de (£629 richer sounds)

I just came here to check before I hit buy.
Would that be covered under Warranty if imported into the UK? That's something you would need to get confirmed from Onkyo. I actually own this receiver and think it's great for the price .Onkyo are definitely back to what they were a few years ago in my opinion .I use Thx Cinema mode for all movie watching as I have Thx speakers and subwoofer. I have no regrets that i bought this receiver over any other make as I've owned top of the line Receivers from Denon and Yamaha in the past as well as Onkyo.
 
Would that be covered under Warranty if imported into the UK? That's something you would need to get confirmed from Onkyo. I actually own this receiver and think it's great for the price .Onkyo are definitely back to what they were a few years ago in my opinion .I use Thx Cinema mode for all movie watching as I have Thx speakers and subwoofer. I have no regrets that i bought this receiver over any other make as I've owned top of the line Receivers from Denon and Yamaha in the past as well as Onkyo.

you're best asking on hot uk deals where I found it.

I wanted something around the £400 price range so I've jumped in and placed my order figuring it's the best bang for my sterling. There was an option to pay to extend the warranty through Amazon's coverage but I removed that from the basket.

I've only ever owned one AV receiver the Onkyo 606 that's served me for ten years.
 
Would that be covered under Warranty if imported into the UK? That's something you would need to get confirmed from Onkyo. I actually own this receiver and think it's great for the price .Onkyo are definitely back to what they were a few years ago in my opinion .I use Thx Cinema mode for all movie watching as I have Thx speakers and subwoofer. I have no regrets that i bought this receiver over any other make as I've owned top of the line Receivers from Denon and Yamaha in the past as well as Onkyo.

After my last Onkyo (a 646) bit the dust just out of warranty, and they failed to respond to any of the three requests for information I put in via their contact form, I decided to go for a Denon x2500h which whilst OK for films, was terrible for music so I took it back and got the 686. I love the sound of it, and have taken out a 6 year warranty this time around. Still very disappointed with their customer service though.
 
After my last Onkyo (a 646) bit the dust just out of warranty, and they failed to respond to any of the three requests for information I put in via their contact form, I decided to go for a Denon x2500h which whilst OK for films, was terrible for music so I took it back and got the 686. I love the sound of it, and have taken out a 6 year warranty this time around. Still very disappointed with their customer service though.

I'm not sure if you are aware but Onkyo extended warranties for many of their amps due to the NO SOUND fault. I only learnt about this the other day when my Onkyo TX NR 1007 developed this fault. I rang Onkyo/Pioneer and they told me that the extension ended in November 2017, however they have now got a cashback scheme whereby if your amp qualifies, and mine did, they will give you £240 towards another Onkyo amp. That's why I ended up getting a 686 for which I effectively paid £349. Anyone going down this route should note that this offer is only available until the 31st December 2018.
 
I'm not sure if you are aware but Onkyo extended warranties for many of their amps due to the NO SOUND fault. I only learnt about this the other day when my Onkyo TX NR 1007 developed this fault. I rang Onkyo/Pioneer and they told me that the extension ended in November 2017, however they have now got a cashback scheme whereby if your amp qualifies, and mine did, they will give you £240 towards another Onkyo amp. That's why I ended up getting a 686 for which I effectively paid £349. Anyone going down this route should note that this offer is only available until the 31st December 2018.

I did fill in their online form about replacements, but it said something along the lines of 'not applicable'!

Seems odd that so many of their receivers have the 'no sound' problems, but they're not admitting the 646 was one of them!
 
I did fill in their online form about replacements, but it said something along the lines of 'not applicable'!

Seems odd that so many of their receivers have the 'no sound' problems, but they're not admitting the 646 was one of them!
Did you go through the whole process of providing the serial number etc?
 
Did you go through the whole process of providing the serial number etc?

Yep, certainly did. I was a bit disappointed, especially when I have seen other 646 owners with the same problem.
 
I'm not sure if you are aware but Onkyo extended warranties for many of their amps due to the NO SOUND fault. I only learnt about this the other day when my Onkyo TX NR 1007 developed this fault. I rang Onkyo/Pioneer and they told me that the extension ended in November 2017, however they have now got a cashback scheme whereby if your amp qualifies, and mine did, they will give you £240 towards another Onkyo amp. That's why I ended up getting a 686 for which I effectively paid £349. Anyone going down this route should note that this offer is only available until the 31st December 2018.

I went through the online form and they were giving me pretty bum deals. Only giving me money towards models that were 2 generations ago. I wonder if phoning them up, do you get better cashback options.
 
I went through the online form and they were giving me pretty bum deals. Only giving me money towards models that were 2 generations ago. I wonder if phoning them up, do you get better cashback options.
That is no longer the case. All models are now covered. This was confirmed by email to me by Customer Services at Onkyo. My contact there was Sarah on this email address [email protected]
She was extremely helpful.
 
Dear Friends

I have got:
- Epson EH-TW5300 with HDMI 1.4 (no HDCP 2.2)
- Sony PS4 with HDMI 1.4 (no HDCP 2.2)
- Apple TV 4K with HDMI 2.0a (HDCP 2.2)
- Egreat A5 with HDMI 2.0a (HDCP 2.2)

I would like to buy Onkyo TX-NR686.

Please explain...

Case 1

When I will connect PS4 to HDMI Game input (HDCP 2.2) and projector Epson to HDMI Main output (HDCP 2.2), will I have an image from PS4 on my Epson even they are not HDCP 2.2?

Case 2

When I will connect Apple TV 4K or Egreat A5 to HDMI inputs (HDCP 2.2) and projector Epson to HDMI Main output (HDCP 2.2), will I have an image from Apple and Egreat on my Epson even if Apple and Egreat are HDCP 2.2 and Epson is not?

Are there any HDMI inputs for HDMI 1.4 (no HDCP 2.2) and is HDMI SUB output for HDMI 1.4 (no HDCP 2.2)?

In case that HDMI Sub output is HDMI 1.4 (no HDCP 2.2) and I will connect Epson to this output, will I have image on Epson from Apple and Egreat, which they are connected to HDMI inputs with HDCP 2.2?

I would be glad for your replies and great support.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Sincerely
 
Well, there doesn't seem to be one, so thought I'd create one!

When my last Onkyo died, just out of warranty, I decided not to buy another, and bought the award winning Denon X 2500h blind, simply based on the reviews, and whilst initially happy with it on films, when I came to play music on it (especially multi channel music) there was something missing, detail that I heard on the Onkyo simply wasn't there, and no amount of experimenting with the settings would bring that detail back.

So, returned it and got the 686,and after a simple set up and a few tweaks, all the detail and clarity on music was back.

I've yet to play around with the THX settings, will have a go with them at the weekend.

Whilst I don't think the Onkyo is as well built as the Denon (which did have a reassuring quality feel to it) and may lack a few bells and whistles, sound wise it's definitely the one for me, and that's what matters.
Anyone else feeling the love for this receiver?

I am going to purchase either Onkyo,Denon x2500 or Sony strd 1080.How do you find films with the Onkyo as this is my main interest.Particularly dialogue.I need an amp that gives clear audible dialogue,without the accompanying surround effects and music drowning it out or blowing the doors and windows off!I am fed up adjusting volume up and down during films to balance things up.Is the Onkyo capable of this?
Many thanks.
 
I am going to purchase either Onkyo,Denon x2500 or Sony strd 1080.How do you find films with the Onkyo as this is my main interest.Particularly dialogue.I need an amp that gives clear audible dialogue,without the accompanying surround effects and music drowning it out or blowing the doors and windows off!I am fed up adjusting volume up and down during films to balance things up.Is the Onkyo capable of this?
Many thanks.

I find the Onkyo excellent with dialogue, crisp and clear, but i'd be lying if I said I didn't dive for the volume control sometimes because the sound effects do come on a bit strong sometimes, although they don't drown out dialogue.

I maybe a bit more susceptible than most as I live in a flat, but I do find I use the 'late night' setting quite a bit to try and calm things!
 
I find the Onkyo excellent with dialogue, crisp and clear, but i'd be lying if I said I didn't dive for the volume control sometimes because the sound effects do come on a bit strong sometimes, although they don't drown out dialogue.

I maybe a bit more susceptible than most as I live in a flat, but I do find I use the 'late night' setting quite a bit to try and calm things!

Thanks for the info.I will be having a demo at R.S. in the next couple of weeks.I prefer user experience in a real world setup though.Out of interest,how did you find the Denon in comparison?
Many thanks in advance.
 
Thanks for the info.I will be having a demo at R.S. in the next couple of weeks.I prefer user experience in a real world setup though.Out of interest,how did you find the Denon in comparison?
Many thanks in advance.

Initially, the Denon 2500 sounded good enough with films, but was truly awful with music which was a deal breaker for me, it sounded muffled to my ears, no such problems with the Onkyo.

I previously had an Onkyo tx nr 646 which went wrong just outside the guarantee period which was annoying, so I thought I'd try Denon but having gone back I will now stick with Onkyo, although to protect myself, I have taken out the Richer Sounds 6 year warranty.

If you can get to hear the Denon and you're not bothered about music, it might be worth considering as you'll save £150!
 
Initially, the Denon 2500 sounded good enough with films, but was truly awful with music which was a deal breaker for me, it sounded muffled to my ears, no such problems with the Onkyo.

I previously had an Onkyo tx nr 646 which went wrong just outside the guarantee period which was annoying, so I thought I'd try Denon but having gone back I will now stick with Onkyo, although to protect myself, I have taken out the Richer Sounds 6 year warranty.

If you can get to hear the Denon and you're not bothered about music, it might be worth considering as you'll save £150!

Many thanks again.
 
I am going to purchase either Onkyo,Denon x2500 or Sony strd 1080.How do you find films with the Onkyo as this is my main interest.Particularly dialogue.I need an amp that gives clear audible dialogue,without the accompanying surround effects and music drowning it out or blowing the doors and windows off!I am fed up adjusting volume up and down during films to balance things up.Is the Onkyo capable of this?
Many thanks.
What speakers do you have, what size is your listening room and how far do you sit from the screen? These factors all play a part. You will find that when watching movies then there will be times where the dialogue can get lost a little in the mix. Sometimes it's just the way that the movie has been produced. You then have the option to raise the centre channel so you can hear the dialogue clearer in these cases. Also room acoustics can affect the sound in a big way. To help you in your decision a little you have to go with whatever receiver you think is best for your own personal taste and requirements. I have had Denon, Onkyo and Yamaha receivers over the years from top of the range to middle range and currently have the Onkyo 686 which i'm more than happy with as it does everything that i want and sounds great for Movies and really good for Music. Onkyo had a bad spell for a few years with HDMI boards etc. But i think that has been resolved.
 
What speakers do you have, what size is your listening room and how far do you sit from the screen? These factors all play a part. You will find that when watching movies then there will be times where the dialogue can get lost a little in the mix. Sometimes it's just the way that the movie has been produced. You then have the option to raise the centre channel so you can hear the dialogue clearer in these cases. Also room acoustics can affect the sound in a big way. To help you in your decision a little you have to go with whatever receiver you think is best for your own personal taste and requirements. I have had Denon, Onkyo and Yamaha receivers over the years from top of the range to middle range and currently have the Onkyo 686 which i'm more than happy with as it does everything that i want and sounds great for Movies and really good for Music. Onkyo had a bad spell for a few years with HDMI boards etc. But i think that has been resolved.

I will be purchasing focal sib evo dolby atmos package+amp.Small room-10x15ft.I will be getting a demo of these speakers plus either Onyo 686,Denon2400 orSony strd 1080 at R.S.They are keen on selling me the Onkyo because films are my overall preference.I am coming from Samsung hwn-950 soudnbar which I do not have enough control over the settings to suit my taste.I imagine the Focal + amp combo. will be more flexible for me and probably sound better too.I understand that the Onkyo is THX certified and has various THX settings.Are these any good?
I know that the demo at R.S. will give me a very good idea of sound qualities but I am also looking for 'real world' user experience.Oh, I am also a complete novice with amp+speaker setup so ease of use is fairly important too.
Many thanks for your comments.
 
I will be purchasing focal sib evo dolby atmos package+amp.Small room-10x15ft.I will be getting a demo of these speakers plus either Onyo 686,Denon2400 orSony strd 1080 at R.S.They are keen on selling me the Onkyo because films are my overall preference.I am coming from Samsung hwn-950 soudnbar which I do not have enough control over the settings to suit my taste.I imagine the Focal + amp combo. will be more flexible for me and probably sound better too.I understand that the Onkyo is THX certified and has various THX settings.Are these any good?
I know that the demo at R.S. will give me a very good idea of sound qualities but I am also looking for 'real world' user experience.Oh, I am also a complete novice with amp+speaker setup so ease of use is fairly important too.
Many thanks for your comments.
For you to get the most from the THX settings/processing you have to have THX speakers and Subwoofer to go with a THX receiver. As for receiver and speaker setup you won't find much easier than pairing a THX Receiver and THX speakers together. The THX processing modes in the receiver don't work with Dolby Atmos/DtsX. Also the surround speakers/channels for THX modes are 2 to 3 feet above ear level while the surrounds/channels for Dolby Atmos/DtsX are either at ear level or slightly above. If you want to go down the THX speaker/Subwoofer route then you could go for these: www.uk.onkyo.com/en/products/sks-ht978thx-121620.html. They are just over half the price of the Focals but don't have height speakers for Atmos/DtsX. You could add Height speakers at a later date? The Onkyo THX package would suit your room size perfectly. But saying that the Focals would also and they have height speakers. My room is slightly bigger than yours and i have the Onkyo THX 5.1 speaker package and the Onkyo 686 and it's a very good combination for my room size. I currently don't have height speakers but may add them in the future. If movies is your priority then i would agree that the Onkyo 686 is your best choice. But you have to make your own choice as it's your ears and requirements.
 
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For you to get the most from the THX settings/processing you have to have THX speakers and Subwoofer to go with a THX receiver. As for receiver and speaker setup you won't find much easier than pairing a THX Receiver and THX speakers together. The THX processing modes in the receiver don't work with Dolby Atmos/DtsX height speakers/channels though but work with every other speaker/channel. But you can still play an Atmos/DtsX soundtrack and apply THX processing/modes. Also the surround speakers/channels for THX modes are 2 to 3 feet above ear level while the surrounds/channels for Dolby Atmos/DtsX are either at ear level or slightly above. If you want to go down the THX speaker/Subwoofer route then you could go for these: www.uk.onkyo.com/en/products/sks-ht978thx-121620.html. They are just over half the price of the Focals but don't have height speakers for Atmos/DtsX. You could add Height speakers at a later date? The Onkyo THX package would suit your room size perfectly. But saying that the Focals would also and they have height speakers. My room is slightly bigger than yours and i have the Onkyo THX 5.1 speaker package and the Onkyo 686 and it's a very good combination for my room size. I currently don't have height speakers but may add them in the future. If movies is your priority then i would agree that the Onkyo 686 is your best choice. But you have to make your own choice as it's your ears and requirements.
Thanks for the info.Looks as if I will be booking at least 1 more demo. to give that setup a whirl.Sounds very impressive.Thanks again.
 
Hi, I hope someone can shed some light on only recievers for me. I own the 686 it is hooked up to my Xbox one X and I am using the LG B7.
When I watch Dolby vision content the AV states that it is running full 4k Ycbr422 24 bit which is only 8 biy colpur, I was under the impression that Dolby vision was 10 or 12 bit, is it possible the AV reciever is just displayong the wrong details? In the manual it says thay the 686 only outputs ycbr422 at 12bit,can anyone please help
 

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