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Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channel Home Theater System | 
 enlarge | Brand: Onkyo
Category: CE
List Price: $999.00
Buy New: $699.83
You Save: $299.17 (30%)
New (3)
Avg. Customer Rating:  48 reviews
Media: Electronics
Shipping Weight (lbs): 94
Dimensions (in): 45 x 23 x 21
Warranty: 2 years warranty
MPN: HTSP908
Model: HTSP908
UPC: 751398007866
EAN: 0751398007866
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | 90 watts per channel minimum into 8 ohms, 20 kHz, 0.05%, FTC (2 Channels Driven) | | • | HDMI 1.3a audio and video processing (2 inputs, 1 output) | | • | Faroudja DCDi Edge enhancement | | • | DVD video, VCD, DVD+R/RW, MP3 CD, WMA CD, audio CD, CD-R/RW, JPEG encoded picture CD playback | | • | Progressive scan video output |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Take a look at Onkyo's first home theater system capable of passing 1080p video and studio-master-quality audio, such as DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD. With HDMI version 1.3a as your link, the HT-SP908 becomes a home theater dynamo with some real versatility. The 7.1-channel A/V receiver and HD conversion DVD/CD/MP3 player combine to expertly handle DVD, broadcasts, CDs, digital music and video files from your computer, and satellite radio. You can also bring your iPod to the party with the included RI Dock, which neatly integrates the device into your home entertainment system. With many of the features found in Onkyo's high-def A/V receiver line-up - Audyssey 2EQ, Faroudja DCDi, RIHD, HDMI and component video upconversion - the HT-SP908 looks every bit the total solution.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 43 more reviews...
 Best Onkyo I've owned yet January 17, 2008
33 out of 33 found this review helpful
I've been a big fan of Onkyo since I bought my first Onkyo receiver and CD player back in 1994. This is my third Onkyo purchase and an upgrade from an Onkyo 700 I bought about five years ago. I bought this HTIB because it had everything I was looking for to go with my new HDTV. I wanted HDMI switching, low profile speakers I could mount on the wall, a powered subwoofer, a DVD player with HDMI and to improve the whole sound experience. This package had it all and at a pricepoint well below the systems I was trying to put together by hand.
Being experienced with Onkyo and setting up HT systems of my own, I had little trouble getting this system setup. I wanted to "do it right" this time so I bought banana plugs to terminate the speaker wire (I did not use the wire that came with the system) which makes it SO MUCH easier to install. Besides the speaker connections, I have an HDMI cable going from my cable box and another from the DVD player into the Onkyo receiver and an HDMI out going to my HDTV. I also have a analog output from my cable box into the receiver for listening to on Zone 2 and a mini-jack to stereo RCA plug into the receiver for hooking up either my MP3 player or laptop for playing MP3s. This is by far much less cluttered than before thanks to the HDMI cables.
The sound of the system and all the options for adjusting the sounds blow away my Onkyo 700. The speakers sound better than the Bose 501s and Cambridge Soundworks surrounds I had setup with the 700. Both the new system and the old system were setup for 5.1 but the new system just blows the old system away in terms of sounds and 5.1 effects. I think a lot of that has to do with the subwoofer but the other part of it is that the sound just seems more "expansive" for lack of a better term. The speakers look fantastic on the wall and they sound really good. It's hard to believe the quality of the sound given the pricepoint of this system.
The HDMI switching works great and I've noticed absolutely no degradation in picture quality running the HDMI through the receiver vs. directly to the HDTV. I don't have equipment to take advantage of the HDMI 1.3a capabilities but it's nice to know that someday if I get a DVD player that supports TrueHD or an HDTV that supports the various 1.3a features my receiver can handle it.
I have three small complaints about the system but they aren't enough for me to reduce my rating from 5 stars.
1. The DVD player comes set out of the box to NOT output DD5.1 through HDMI. You have to go into the DVD player settings to change that. It's not a big deal but a real pain if you don't happen to notice that in the product manual it's default is to not output DD5.1. That seems like a poor choice of default setting out-of-the-box.
2. The subwoofer when it kicks on out of standby mode tends to make a "popping" noise. I am going to try turning down the volume on the sub to see if that makes it less noticeable. This happens when watching TV. If there's no sounds below the crossover threshold for sometime, the sub turns off. When it turns back on "pop" goes the sub.
3. This thing get HOT. The receiver gets so hot. I have it in a small cabinet with glass doors. I've had to lower the shelf to give it more space and install a fan on the back of the cabinet. That's helped quite a bit but before it would get so hot you could not touch it. My other Onkyo receivers NEVER got like that.
Overall, this is just a terrific buy. I am very happy and have been enjoying it thoroughly along with my new HDTV mounted above it. They compliment each other very well. It's great for watching TV, movies and for listening to music and it looks great in my cabinet and up on the walls.
 Review by a non-audiophile December 2, 2007
24 out of 30 found this review helpful
To put it simply, I bought more system than I needed in this case. Granted, now that it's installed, I am thrilled with the sound quality and features this system promised...and delivered.
However, for a guy who has gotten used to everything working out of the box once it's all plugged in right, this was a frustrating experience. I KNOW it says to read through the manual "thoroughly" before trying to turn the bloody thing on, but who does that? As it turns out, once you plug the INCLUDED DVD player and TV into the receiver via the INCLUDED HDMI cable, insert a DVD, change the input to DVD on the receiver, and press PLAY...nothing happens. Well, the DVD spun up, and said it was playing, but...no sound, no picture. I thought HDMI was supposed to make this simple. However, as the manual plainly states, you have to use let the receiver know you want to actually USE HDMI via a setting (which is defaulted to OFF) even if it's the only thing plugged in, even if it comes packaged to use HDMI out of the box. No "plug and play" here. Then, after reading the manual "thoroughly" I still had a two hour tinker session ahead of me to get sound working from my satellite receiver. It was an obscure setting buried in a sub-menu of the receiver, but I finally found it and got it working.
This is NOT a theater-in-a-box system designed for those who want as little agony from setting up a surround system as possible. With 7.1, you're already looking at devoting an afternoon to running and hiding wire all over your living room, but with this, plan on spending your night getting the settings to a point where it will all just function properly. It's like the AV version of installing Linux. It's great once you're done, but God help you if you run into any problems along the way.
 OK for the money with major limitations March 6, 2008
21 out of 24 found this review helpful
I have mixed feelings about this product. I think the sound is OK, however I can't really judge it because the speakers have a comically low sensitivity rating. It is no wonder the product description does not include this info. The rating is 78db. making it a major power drain. I would have done much better getting different speakers and receiver separately. For every 3db. lower rating, you need twice the power to drive it. With a sensitivity rating of 91db. the Infinty Beta speakers would be 4 times louder than the Onkyo speakers at the same volume. Which means you drive your amp one fourth as hard and have much cleaner power. I have to put the receiver up past half way just to here the signal (pathetic). I have the Infinity's on order and will be throwing away these power draining Onkyo's when they get here. I can't recommend this package.
Truly a tremendous value November 28, 2007
12 out of 14 found this review helpful
I bought this system for $748 with the free speaker stands. I have had this system assembled and operational for over a week now. Truly one of the best values for a HDMI up-conversion receiver and 7.1 SS system. Only 3 very minor cons:
1) The DVD player is a single DVD player, not 5 DVDs (but it is HDMI);
2) The subwoofer is humongous (but stylish)
3) 3 optical inputs, one in the front. A 4th wouldn't have killed Onkyo.
Honestly, this is all nitpicking. It's a great value, and a no-brainer if Amazon is still offering the stylish stands, which retail for $150 alone. If you're a true audiophile, you will not regret this purchase.
Great Bang for the Money November 9, 2007
11 out of 19 found this review helpful
I was impressed by what you get with this home system. most are cheaply made and have bad sound. Sure the receiver is only the 605 model with two hdmi ins and one out but its 1.3a. This gives you the latest and greatest audio. Dts Hd and true Hd if you plug in lets say a toshiba Hd-a35 and enable bitstream and for Blu-ray try the Sharp aquos dvd DB_hp20u which has built in True Hd and DTS-hd in 7.1 also. The Bitstream is hidden deep inside setup but its their. Also the samsung BD-P1400 Blu-ray also does True hd and dts-hs. The dvd player you get in this system is a standard dvd with up scaling.
For the 605 receiver and the persons issue with dts and digital sound, Onkyo works different then Denon or Harman Kardon. They make you enable each input say dvd with what you want it to play in a not so well designed setup menu. I am using the system in the front room, with a 720p sharp aquos lcd and thought this was good enough.
The overall sound is better than what you might think. The speakers look nice and install on the wall with ease. Use the audyses setup but again this is a cheaper verion of it. This version only measures 3 areas to mix the sound. For example the Denon AVR 3808ci uses a minimum of 6 different areas to adjust sound for you.
Overall you cant go wrong with this setup and toss in a hd dvd or blu ray dvd and for the money its a steal.
My systems are. Sharp aquos LC26d40u lcd 720 with the HT-sp908 system listed here for front room
TV Room... Sharp LC-37gp1u 1080p gaming TV, Denon avr 3808ci 7.1 True hd with hdmi 1.3a, Toshiba hd-a35 HD DVD Hdmi 1.3 true hd and 1080p, Sharp Aquos BD-hp20u Blue ray 1080p with hdmi 1.3 true hd and dts-hd. Klipsch rf-3 x2 , rs-3 x2, rc-3 x1, rb-35x2, ksw-12x1. Xbox 360 and sony plastation 3 and home made AMD beast with 8800gtxoc2 all running tru the denon to the sharp tv, oh and an Harman Kardon fl8385 cd player.
Bedroom, old school receiver from Harman Kardon avr 325 doing 7.1 powering Infinity Beta 40 fronts, Beta c250 center and infinity sw12 sub. For the surrounds and surround backs I use Infinity TSs-1100 sats.
Will post my review of the denon avr 3808ci soon.
A side not.. I bought my ht-sp908 on October 31, 2007 and will be selling it here used on Amazon. Adding more square footage and need more power and speaker options, like in wall speeakers, so letting this go.
Also read the comments section. Replied to Seth's True Hd issue with this and the Hd-a35 player.(2/1/08)
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