the receiver has two sub-woofer pre-out connections. Configurations will show 5.1 or 7.1 since it is a split or mono jack- meaning the subs are not stereo, but share the same LFE signal. Both subs should work fine if you plug them in and configure and activate the sub(s) in the setup.
'Zactly, + you can just buy a Y connector and hook two subs up that way, since they are self-powered by their own amps anyways... the signal for the actual sound can be split and distributed without loss of quality
I have one of these. My experience regarding bass: - The AccuEQ calibration reduces bass radically for some reason, so I had to disable it for the front speakers. - The AccuEQ also does not select the best crossover-settings for the bass frequencies regarding the surround speakers - when I transfered bass from surround to the front speakers, the bass came back for sounds in the surround channels. - The bass is further (and the overall vibrance of the sound) enhanced by enabling the "music optmizer" setting (much like the "Loudness" setting with older receivers). - ... and the last resort of course is a custom equalizer setting that pushes the lower frequencies around 20-100Hz.
I have this receiver. Decent. I’d give it an 8/10 and I got mine for $275 USD, refurbished, so no complaints. I’m writing this in 2022, so tech has changed a bit. This still does all I need. And sound quality for music and movies is about an 83% rating with my Klipsch R28 F and R26 F speakers. If I were buying in 2022 I would still go with something Onkyo in the $600 dollar range. Yamaha’s sound is too laid back for my taste and Denon has an odd mid-range. Sony for that price sounds good, but the interface/controls are more complicated. Onkyo is easy to use, has more features and more RMS power for the money. The 6100 or RZ line for 2022 are hard to beat.
My main complaint is not with the product but rather the pricing. When I purchased the TX-NR656 I paid over $500 with tax and all. Not more than 2 weeks later it was at $349. Now I know technology is always evolving but not that quick. It made me feel like what I purchased didn't have as much value to it anymore. The upside to this was it allowed me to get the TX NR757 which is what I wanted to begin with because it was THX certified. These are all great receivers but other than the THX feature and maybe an increase in watts per channel there's not a whole lot that separates each model. Either way I fell in love with Onkyo products when they came out with the TX DS787 true 6.1 receiver in late 1999 early 2000 and it was well over $1,000. I still have that receiver and use it for my surround sound set up in my bedroom. The only drawback of course is a lack of HDMI connectivity. But regardless, Onkyo makes some great products.
great video Mr. Walton. just picked this up today for $349 (with a $50 gift card). Chromecast firmware updated just dropped yesterday for this receiver. Really looking forward to this receiver.
It's really only 7.1 the 7.2 is just both subs running off the same signal. Now when you play music you lose one of the subs which sucks. But I love the receiver and also I updated mine and TIDAL comes up as well as other and they worked for me. Thanks I enjoyed the video
Picked one up today at Best Buy for $250 plus tax. Open box. Going back tomorrow since Best Buy salesperson did not know what she was talking about. She told me, even though it was open box, it would still come with factory 2 year warranty. First thing I checked when I got home is read the warranty fine print. NO WARRANTY FROM FACTORY if OPEN BOX, CLEARANCE is noted on reciept. So I will be going back for a 4 year warranty for $50. It was $40 for 2 years and $50 for 4 years. I plan on keeping this one for at least 3 years unless technology changes. Which it does. I usually don't buy warranties but since I got it at a fair price and I have 6 months 0% interest for 6 months I might as well buy the warranty since I dont get one from factory. So word to the wise, if you buy open box from Best Buy, buy a in-house warranty because the factory will not cover it.
Erns Mont Yea I have purchased open box before, I have been able to register them all for factory warranty with no problems. They have also fixed a few problems.
You know I have the same model and I am also running a 7.2 set up I can tell you that the .2 is a mono signal so you'll get the same signal from both subwoofers. Once you connect both subs. So even though it says 7.1 on the configuration once you plug in the second subwoofer it'll come on and give you the same exact sound as one. So the receiver Simmons is 7.1 signal however the .1 and .2 are the same and are not independent from each other.
I don'y get the whole two sub comments. I've was using two subs back when I had a 5.1 system. It's always been a pre-amp signal, I used to just split it and run two subs. You're using two powered subs, so I've never got this. Just chalked it up to industry advertisement. Anyway a very good review for the most part. Thanks.
Came from an Onkyo TX-NR818, due to the lack of 4K UHD. This 656 does the job pretty well, considering the current prices in the Netherlands (470 euro) and the quality / features this Onkyo has. I'm pretty happy with my upgrade, although my 818 is still one hell of an amp.. I guess technology makes us humans consume like rabbits..
This receiver played beautiful through my Bose speakers for about a day. Sound was amazing but I wasn't playing the Annie theme song "Tomorrow". lol Onkyo customer tech rep determined it was defective and one of the HDMI ports crapped out. Also the ARC feature kept shutting off the Samsung television signal (audio and visual) on it's own without any warning. I took it back to the big box store next day. Just purchased a Yamaha RX-A660BL, hoping for something better
@mr walton I just purchased it yesterday and set it up, so far so good. Yamaha RX- A660. Plays beautiful, and no issues but it is still early. I only post automotive vids on my Ytube channel otherwise I would do a video on the features. Comes with a factory 3 year warranty. The remote is a little more "busy" than the Onkyo primarily because it is more of a universal remote with lots of control features. For $300 on sale it's a good deal, puts out a lot of sound. Take care - Ozz
i also had the same issue with my pc 1080gtx connected to any of the 2.2 ports. i connected to the port labeled pc and haven't had the same issue since. my xbox 1s is in a 2.2 and has never had that issue of video and sound shutting off followed by a clicking from the receiver. i will never stream 4k from my pc since my tv has all the same apps. or will i ever buy a uhd drive when they come out. i hope its a compatibility issue that could be resolved with a future firmware. pretty happy with it, but interesting to know its happened to others.
Well.. hopefully Onkyo made their hdmi boards better. My old TX-NR818 had major hdmi issues after 1,5 years.. They replaced the whole hdmi board. Besides that, the 818 was and still is one hell of an amp. Hopefully the 656 has a descent hdmi board.. I'm pretty happy with this relatively cheap amp..Would never upgraded my 818, since it lacks 4k UHD throughput.
I run 2 subs with this system and its not a problem. The Problem with this receiver is it isnt HDR compliant. Most HDR sets wont turn HDR on when connected to this receiver. And on a last note, Samsung tvs seem to have a very hard time playing arc DD or Atmos to this receiver as well.
I'm slowly creating my own home theater in my bedroom cuz out of every one in my family I'm the movie lover so I've got the 4K TV in my room. A regular Blu-ray player, over 300 Blu-ray films and I basically use my XBOX One for every thing. I do have a PS3 but I leave that in the living room for my parents to use my Netflix account. Now I'm ready to invest into a speaker system out of the big 3 that I usually see people have (Onkyo, Pioneer, & Yamaha) I'm going with Onkyo. So my question is would u say this receiver is the best, yet affordable one if I was finally going to start investing into a surround sound system?
i own the same system, you can have both subs connected and working make it in essence 7.2, or in my case 5.2.2. i do understand by it being native and having its own bass singal. but there are no movies that support that. so having it mirror the same bass but at the opposite corner of the room works great.
I bought the same receiver. For some reason I can't get to the set up screen. Can you explain how you get the set up screen the tv. I'm also trying to set up my cross over. I set up my Center at 120HZ and Front is set up at 80HZ. I'm not sure what S and H settings are? Thanks Mr. Walton.
Hi Mr Walton, I always listen to internet radio via TuneIn, my question is now if you can set the receiver up so that when you power it on, it automatically starts playing my radio station without me needing the push a button / changing a setting.
Hi there Mr Walton if you want to listen to the internet and then turn it off off the amplifier will always remember the last radio station failing that add it to your favorites on that machine it is very simple hope that helps
Hello, Sorry for the late reply. I have upgraded since. I'm going to do a video on it and a few more upgrades. Under $600 I would say the Yamaha RX-v6a . Great product and does 8k.
To be fair have brought the TX nr656 connectivity is excellent but sound is average and I agree when you use the room calibration microphone the sound is flat even with auto EQ off and very good floor standards I have the first generation TX nr609 and the TX nr 579 and I must say to say there are older receivers absolutely blow the 656 out of the water I think the problem is they have took the dynamic volume off and they have taken the dynamic EQ off that makes a major difference when playing all the material especially on music if you want this amplifier to run at its best do not set the amp up via the microphone do it all manually also I have noticed the music optimisation does not stay on everytime or should I say every other time I power it on even though the music optimizer sale on it's actually gone off Me personally if you want connectivity it is excellent but anybody that knows about hi-fi home cinema it is always sound first personally I think they could have put to HDMI Less and kept the old audyssey microphone setup like I say if this receiver had a dynamic EQ dynamic volume wouldn't be too bad in fact it would be excellent but let's be fair if you have spent £1, 000 on some decent floor standing speakers they will make an Amstrad sound decent come Onkyo I expect better couple Les HDMI and please use your Odyssey as the new microphone is a pile piss
That's a nice looking receiver but aren't you worried about the hardware failures with Onkyo receivers? HDMI board problems and other technical issues. I've been doing some research and I've read about people from different countries complaining that their Onkyo receivers didn't last a year or even a few months due to hardware failures.
Hi Magic, i would be really greatfull to hear back from you; i was at best buy tonight looking at this receiver, because it has two Sub out jacks i was thinking of getting two, one in the corner one in front, but you say it wont Operate TWO, is this true?? the Marantz i'm looking at is $1000.00 not sure i am up to spending that right now....Thamks
Yea it will play both subs in all listing modes except atmos, for me it was a big deal because the extra sub helps alot with movies in atmos, hope I answered your question.
paul stone can u post a pic showing 5.2.2, its not that i perger the pioneer it just sounds better lol they are in two different levels of av receiver thats it the onkyo doesn't sound bad just not as good lol
170 watts/channel will be the maximum output to speakers that can handle 6 ohms, while 100 watts/channel will output to those speakers that can only handle 8 ohms. Most budget speakers will be in the 8 ohm range
my main receiver is a pioneer not even a high end one and the sound is noticeably more alive and bass is much better than the onkyo 656 ,so can i ask what equipment have u been using befor the onkyo? I have also had an onkyo nr806 which is a older model and the bass on that one was better also. In short I can only compare to stuff ive have in the past and in doing that the sound is good but not great. when i review new speaker i will try the 656 on them to see if you are rite. Thanks
I am interested in purchasing an Onkyo TX 656 I wonder does it work well for I have heard that many who bought Onkyo and they said they had a lot of problems with the ONKYO
I went to Yamaha dealer in my country and the have the 646 on sale for $446 and the 656 for $672. They are identical but the 646 no HDR. Also, asian version do not have Upscale feature and they are both 160w per channel. anyhow, how did it go when you turned off the auto eq? how is the base now ?
Hi. I wanted to know if the TX-NR656 have Zone 2' video'? Like can you hook up two systems like a Xbox and PS4 on two separate screens with 'zone 2' audio? Like if having a two video game system LAN party with the NR656? Thanks in advance.
Okay, just making sure - I can view two sources at once. Like playing two game systems each on its own screen (using both HDMI main & HDMI sub). And will be able to hear both audio sources (both Main front(L&R) & Zone 2(L&R)?) (I don't think it was mentioned anywhere but on the Sony STR-DN1070 it's openly stated for multi-room)
No. It has no Multi-room Video & there's no Multi-room HDMI Output. Only Multi-room Audio. If I could post a pic in the comments I'd show you. All you have to do is Google it, look at the specs on Crutchfield in comparison to another receiver & you'll see all that info plus more.
I have a simple question; I know you said you are not using the second hdmi out. I just want to know if it you can get different input one the second hdmi.
Hi MrWalton, Just got this toy today and I am having challenges making it work In Zone 2 work using the Spotify app? I have my stereo speakers hooked up via audio cable to the back of the receiver, however I hear no audio at all. Am I missing something? My speakers are a pair of Bose 161 Thanks!
Mr Walton thanks for your reply. Had to make some tweaks and finally made it happen. Is it normal that I can not change the audio EQ for zone two when connected via cable!
It wasn't a defective receiver that's just how onkyo set there speakers up I think, with the pioneer I reviewed it had the setting for 5.2.2 the onkyo only did 5.1.2
Wow Man great Review ! Thank You Sir 🎸 London Drugs Has a Deal.. this review Helps , God Bless You Sir. ⛪ Thanks Again . - uncLe MyLes + 😇 & happy Easter .. 🌻 ( edm. Alb. Can. )
you need to read up more on Dolby Atmos. I was hoping you had bought it for that reason. 7.2 stands for 7.1.2. 7 surround speakers 1 sub and 2 height speakers. hopefully you figure this out and correctly set up your speakers to take full advantage of Dolby Atmos and dtsx. really curious how the budget receivers perform
eric baldon yes I understand how atmos works and the 7.2 but pioneer has it as 5.2.2 with that I have the 2 subs and 2 ceilings, onkyo doesn't break it down like that.
You obviously don't know much about audio or doing research before buying. This receiver clearly states 5.1.2. The middle number always refers to how many sub woofers you can hook up. The last number is the number of ceiling speakers. This is copied right off the Onkyo site. TX NR656: Dolby Atmos speaker setups: What the 5.1.2 description means [5] This refers to the number of traditional surround speakers (front, center, and surround). [.1] The middle number refers to how many powered subwoofers you can connect to your receiver. [.2] The final number refers to how many in-ceiling or upward-firing speakers are in your Dolby Atmos® setup.
Yes really, need to be able to hear your review, otherwise its just sorta showing the unit. Presentation matters. Exp when it comes to the audio about audio. I don't talk about guitar tone while using a 1980 Fisher Price Cassette Tape Player. LOL next time just bring the mic closer and bring up the gain on your DAW. I don't need tube quality but I do need to go from youtube video to youtube video without having my ears blasted out on one channel and wondering if my speakers are operating on the next.
What did you do with your pioneer sc-91? This onkyo is trash, it has no where near the build, power or sound quality that the pioneer 91 has. The pioneer also has way more options, except dts:x, and dts:x doesn't sound good anyway, at least not any where as good as Atmos. The onkyo also gets way hot. The pioneer you can run all day at high volumes and it never breaks a sweat. The pioneer is also way heavier than the cheap, light 656. The pioneer has class D amp, which is way more efficient, a better control panel, and better phone app as well. That 170w per channel is a lie also, study up ms. Walton, it's maybe, maybe 75W per channel. You went from a pretty high end receiver, with the 91, to a basic, cheap, low end junkie 656. Good luck with that.
You got ripped off. You should of did your research and made sure that room calibration was for 2 independent subs. They're run in parallel. Dummy. For $600 your not gonna get that. You gotta reach deeper in your pockets and step up to a higher end onkyo rz or higher end marantz/denon. Do research next time you buy and do a video on something.
the receiver has two sub-woofer pre-out connections. Configurations will show 5.1 or 7.1 since it is a split or mono jack- meaning the subs are not stereo, but share the same LFE signal. Both subs should work fine if you plug them in and configure and activate the sub(s) in the setup.
'Zactly, + you can just buy a Y connector and hook two subs up that way, since they are self-powered by their own amps anyways... the signal for the actual sound can be split and distributed without loss of quality
thank you for your review. information like this is tough to come by for receivers.
I have one of these. My experience regarding bass:
- The AccuEQ calibration reduces bass radically for some reason, so I had to disable it for the front speakers.
- The AccuEQ also does not select the best crossover-settings for the bass frequencies regarding the surround speakers - when I transfered bass from surround to the front speakers, the bass came back for sounds in the surround channels.
- The bass is further (and the overall vibrance of the sound) enhanced by enabling the "music optmizer" setting (much like the "Loudness" setting with older receivers).
- ... and the last resort of course is a custom equalizer setting that pushes the lower frequencies around 20-100Hz.
TheTuubster Ok so that's why
Mr Walton Did you try disabling it? How's the bass now?
Hi TheTuubster, how can I disable this AccuEQ?
The Quickmenu allows enabling AccuEQ for all speakers or only surround speaker without front (see page 24 of the english manual).
The bass sounds better but the rest of the speakers sounds better with it on lol
I have this receiver. Decent. I’d give it an 8/10 and I got mine for $275 USD, refurbished, so no complaints. I’m writing this in 2022, so tech has changed a bit. This still does all I need. And sound quality for music and movies is about an 83% rating with my Klipsch R28 F and R26 F speakers.
If I were buying in 2022 I would still go with something Onkyo in the $600 dollar range. Yamaha’s sound is too laid back for my taste and Denon has an odd mid-range. Sony for that price sounds good, but the interface/controls are more complicated. Onkyo is easy to use, has more features and more RMS power for the money. The 6100 or RZ line for 2022 are hard to beat.
I have the same one. Can you run a second zone with audio and video?
I'm running TWO SUBS with no problem - This system is very powerful!!
My main complaint is not with the product but rather the pricing. When I purchased the TX-NR656 I paid over $500 with tax and all. Not more than 2 weeks later it was at $349. Now I know technology is always evolving but not that quick. It made me feel like what I purchased didn't have as much value to it anymore. The upside to this was it allowed me to get the TX NR757 which is what I wanted to begin with because it was THX certified. These are all great receivers but other than the THX feature and maybe an increase in watts per channel there's not a whole lot that separates each model. Either way I fell in love with Onkyo products when they came out with the TX DS787 true 6.1 receiver in late 1999 early 2000 and it was well over $1,000. I still have that receiver and use it for my surround sound set up in my bedroom. The only drawback of course is a lack of HDMI connectivity. But regardless, Onkyo makes some great products.
great video Mr. Walton. just picked this up today for $349 (with a $50 gift card). Chromecast firmware updated just dropped yesterday for this receiver. Really looking forward to this receiver.
Ethan_Gamer 28 does the chromecast update include video? Can you cast video to it
From what little time I've used it, it's audio only
It's really only 7.1 the 7.2 is just both subs running off the same signal. Now when you play music you lose one of the subs which sucks. But I love the receiver and also I updated mine and TIDAL comes up as well as other and they worked for me. Thanks I enjoyed the video
Picked one up today at Best Buy for $250 plus tax. Open box. Going back tomorrow since Best Buy salesperson did not know what she was talking about. She told me, even though it was open box, it would still come with factory 2 year warranty. First thing I checked when I got home is read the warranty fine print. NO WARRANTY FROM FACTORY if OPEN BOX, CLEARANCE is noted on reciept. So I will be going back for a 4 year warranty for $50. It was $40 for 2 years and $50 for 4 years. I plan on keeping this one for at least 3 years unless technology changes. Which it does. I usually don't buy warranties but since I got it at a fair price and I have 6 months 0% interest for 6 months I might as well buy the warranty since I dont get one from factory. So word to the wise, if you buy open box from Best Buy, buy a in-house warranty because the factory will not cover it.
Erns Mont Yea I have purchased open box before, I have been able to register them all for factory warranty with no problems. They have also fixed a few problems.
Erns Mont it's $250 new now, is it still good??
Mow Better Lawn Service i saw that too, i may buy
You know I have the same model and I am also running a 7.2 set up I can tell you that the .2 is a mono signal so you'll get the same signal from both subwoofers. Once you connect both subs. So even though it says 7.1 on the configuration once you plug in the second subwoofer it'll come on and give you the same exact sound as one. So the receiver Simmons is 7.1 signal however the .1 and .2 are the same and are not independent from each other.
Jesse Villarreal thank you
I don'y get the whole two sub comments. I've was using two subs back when I had a 5.1 system. It's always been a pre-amp signal, I used to just split it and run two subs. You're using two powered subs, so I've never got this. Just chalked it up to industry advertisement. Anyway a very good review for the most part. Thanks.
Came from an Onkyo TX-NR818, due to the lack of 4K UHD. This 656 does the job pretty well, considering the current prices in the Netherlands (470 euro) and the quality / features this Onkyo has. I'm pretty happy with my upgrade, although my 818 is still one hell of an amp.. I guess technology makes us humans consume like rabbits..
legbreaker lol that is true
upgrading my nearly 5 year old massive 818 due to my own spoiled western consume behaviour.. what a shame bro
legbreaker mate can you please share the basic specs of the speakers that you have connected?...thanks
Overweeg hem ook te kopen. Bevalt ie nog steeds?
no the display will only show 1 sub but it will send sound signal to both subs, thats just the way the display is, alot of receivers are that way
Hi. Thanks the video. I've just buy the same for the HDCP 2.2.
no problem, the receiver is very nice and sound is good, have fun with it. Thanks
This receiver played beautiful through my Bose speakers for about a day. Sound was amazing but I wasn't playing the Annie theme song "Tomorrow". lol Onkyo customer tech rep determined it was defective and one of the HDMI ports crapped out. Also the ARC feature kept shutting off the Samsung television signal (audio and visual) on it's own without any warning. I took it back to the big box store next day. Just purchased a Yamaha RX-A660BL, hoping for something better
Ozzstar wow sorry to hear that , how is the Yamaha?
@mr walton I just purchased it yesterday and set it up, so far so good. Yamaha RX- A660. Plays beautiful, and no issues but it is still early. I only post automotive vids on my Ytube channel otherwise I would do a video on the features. Comes with a factory 3 year warranty. The remote is a little more "busy" than the Onkyo primarily because it is more of a universal remote with lots of control features. For $300 on sale it's a good deal, puts out a lot of sound. Take care - Ozz
Ozzstar I might have to get it to try it out, and that price is great. Thanks again.
i also had the same issue with my pc 1080gtx connected to any of the 2.2 ports. i connected to the port labeled pc and haven't had the same issue since. my xbox 1s is in a 2.2 and has never had that issue of video and sound shutting off followed by a clicking from the receiver. i will never stream 4k from my pc since my tv has all the same apps. or will i ever buy a uhd drive when they come out. i hope its a compatibility issue that could be resolved with a future firmware. pretty happy with it, but interesting to know its happened to others.
Well.. hopefully Onkyo made their hdmi boards better. My old TX-NR818 had major hdmi issues after 1,5 years.. They replaced the whole hdmi board. Besides that, the 818 was and still is one hell of an amp. Hopefully the 656 has a descent hdmi board.. I'm pretty happy with this relatively cheap amp..Would never upgraded my 818, since it lacks 4k UHD throughput.
Thank you for the review.
I run 2 subs with this system and its not a problem. The Problem with this receiver is it isnt HDR compliant.
Most HDR sets wont turn HDR on when connected to this receiver. And on a last note, Samsung tvs seem to have a very hard time playing arc DD or Atmos to this receiver as well.
I havnt had problems with hdr.. the only problem ive had is the hdmi inputs..
I have this receiver (for about 2 years),but i would go to a denon if i decide to upgrade..
The funny thing is, that's the direction Im in now.
@@MrWalton I always have issues with the hdmi inputs on the onkyo..still using it though..but yeah denon i would go next..
Tidal and google Cast will come with a firmware update ..can only imagine it will support the 5.2.2 or 7.2 after update
I'm slowly creating my own home theater in my bedroom cuz out of every one in my family I'm the movie lover so I've got the 4K TV in my room. A regular Blu-ray player, over 300 Blu-ray films and I basically use my XBOX One for every thing. I do have a PS3 but I leave that in the living room for my parents to use my Netflix account. Now I'm ready to invest into a speaker system out of the big 3 that I usually see people have (Onkyo, Pioneer, & Yamaha) I'm going with Onkyo. So my question is would u say this receiver is the best, yet affordable one if I was finally going to start investing into a surround sound system?
This one would be a great start . U will not be disappointed.
Did you ever find out if this receiver can run 2 subwoofers?
i own the same system, you can have both subs connected and working make it in essence 7.2, or in my case 5.2.2. i do understand by it being native and having its own bass singal. but there are no movies that support that. so having it mirror the same bass but at the opposite corner of the room works great.
Reverse the phase of the sub in the rear and it will sound even better!
can you connect a monitor to the amp in hdmi and receive youtube ect like a computer thank you
Yes you can, it has audio return.
@@MrWalton so the amp has vga card inside to produce picture
@sparrowshandmadebbqs4144 I'm sorry no it has no vga. I have a smart monitor so I watch from my monitor all the time. Sorry for the confusion.
just ordered this.
im not sure you will actually get 170 watts per channel, especially on a unit that weighs 22 pounds.
I bought the same receiver. For some reason I can't get to the set up screen. Can you explain how you get the set up screen the tv. I'm also trying to set up my cross over. I set up my Center at 120HZ and Front is set up at 80HZ. I'm not sure what S and H settings are? Thanks Mr. Walton.
Frank Di Giovanni S= Surround (7.2) H= Height (5.2.2) but from what iv read here the 2 for the subs are just mirrored and play the same base.
Does the dual HDMI outputs display the same image on two screens if you wanted?
Derek Mirza yes it does
Thanks for the review
Hi Mr Walton,
I always listen to internet radio via TuneIn, my question is now if you can set the receiver up so that when you power it on, it automatically starts playing my radio station without me needing the push a button / changing a setting.
Hi there Mr Walton if you want to listen to the internet and then turn it off off the amplifier will always remember the last radio station failing that add it to your favorites on that machine it is very simple hope that helps
so it has been almost 2 years, was there a firmware update to address this issue?
Are you still using this receiver or have you upgraded. I was thinking about getting something better. What would you recommend under $600?
Hello, Sorry for the late reply. I have upgraded since. I'm going to do a video on it and a few more upgrades. Under $600 I would say the Yamaha RX-v6a . Great product and does 8k.
ONKYO TX NR 656 and HARMAN KARDON 171S...i like deep bass receiver...which one you think is better
I have not tried hk yet
$628, lol, u got taken for a ride!
I have 4 subs connected using Y adapters, so you can contact many as you want.
You're welcome.
the sub outs are the same signal both are working trust me
To be fair have brought the TX nr656 connectivity is excellent but sound is average and I agree when you use the room calibration microphone the sound is flat even with auto EQ off and very good floor standards I have the first generation TX nr609 and the TX nr 579 and I must say to say there are older receivers absolutely blow the 656 out of the water I think the problem is they have took the dynamic volume off and they have taken the dynamic EQ off that makes a major difference when playing all the material especially on music if you want this amplifier to run at its best do not set the amp up via the microphone do it all manually also I have noticed the music optimisation does not stay on everytime or should I say every other time I power it on even though the music optimizer sale on it's actually gone off
Me personally if you want connectivity it is excellent but anybody that knows about hi-fi home cinema it is always sound first personally I think they could have put to HDMI Less and kept the old audyssey microphone setup like I say if this receiver had a dynamic EQ dynamic volume wouldn't be too bad in fact it would be excellent but let's be fair if you have spent £1, 000 on some decent floor standing speakers they will make an Amstrad sound decent come Onkyo I expect better couple Les HDMI and please use your Odyssey as the new microphone is a pile piss
U have some very good points
hI, Do you know how to find the setting for fronts, and rears to be Fullband?
Does it support Dolby Vision?
No it doesn't.
It has dolby vision passthrough
That's a nice looking receiver but aren't you worried about the hardware failures with Onkyo receivers? HDMI board problems and other technical issues. I've been doing some research and I've read about people from different countries complaining that their Onkyo receivers didn't last a year or even a few months due to hardware failures.
Im not too much worrid ive had my tx-nr809 for a while with no problems plus i always buy extended warranties so it would cover it lol
I would imagine Onkyo would have ironed out those problems by now.
Hi Magic, i would be really greatfull to hear back from you; i was at best buy tonight looking at this receiver, because it has two Sub out jacks i was thinking of getting two, one in the corner one in front, but you say it wont Operate TWO, is this true?? the Marantz i'm looking at is $1000.00 not sure i am up to spending that right now....Thamks
Yea it will play both subs in all listing modes except atmos, for me it was a big deal because the extra sub helps alot with movies in atmos, hope I answered your question.
The pioneer sc91 is not bad on price and the sound is much better than the onkyo plus it will play 5.2.2
ok thanks.
paul stone can u post a pic showing 5.2.2, its not that i perger the pioneer it just sounds better lol they are in two different levels of av receiver thats it the onkyo doesn't sound bad just not as good lol
What kind of aTV do you have it connected to? What is the resolution?
It's connected to the LG qned 4k tv.
Why does it say 170 watts on the sticker on the front of the receiver and eveverything else says 100 watts?
170 watts/channel will be the maximum output to speakers that can handle 6 ohms, while 100 watts/channel will output to those speakers that can only handle 8 ohms. Most budget speakers will be in the 8 ohm range
my main receiver is a pioneer not even a high end one and the sound is noticeably more alive and bass is much better than the onkyo 656 ,so can i ask what equipment have u been using befor the onkyo? I have also had an onkyo nr806 which is a older model and the bass on that one was better also. In short I can only compare to stuff ive have in the past and in doing that the sound is good but not great. when i review new speaker i will try the 656 on them to see if you are rite. Thanks
+paul stone I'll try that
+paul stone I have not tryed yet on vacation lol but i will ipdate as soon a
s i try
I am interested in purchasing an Onkyo TX 656 I wonder does it work well for I have heard that many who bought Onkyo and they said they had a lot of problems with the ONKYO
I went to Yamaha dealer in my country and the have the 646 on sale for $446 and the 656 for $672. They are identical but the 646 no HDR.
Also, asian version do not have Upscale feature and they are both 160w per channel.
anyhow, how did it go when you turned off the auto eq? how is the base now ?
Kindly advise on the best surround speakers that is compatible with Onkyo-TX-NR656.
Thank you in advance.
Kenya.
Klipsch speakers. I run 2- R28F, 1- r25c, 2-rp500SA, and 1- r12sw. Sounds PHENOMENAL.
Hi, is available any kind of surround simulation for headphones like silent cinema in yamaha or dolby headphones in harman kardon?
How Did you put these applications ?
Hi. I wanted to know if the TX-NR656 have Zone 2' video'? Like can you hook up two systems like a Xbox and PS4 on two separate screens with 'zone 2' audio? Like if having a two video game system LAN party with the NR656?
Thanks in advance.
Jermaine Walker yes u can ,it's easier using the phone app , change from main to zone 2 than choose ur output.
Okay, just making sure - I can view two sources at once. Like playing two game systems each on
its own screen (using both HDMI main & HDMI sub).
And will be able to hear both audio sources (both Main front(L&R) & Zone 2(L&R)?)
(I don't think it was mentioned anywhere but on the Sony STR-DN1070 it's openly stated for multi-room)
No. It has no Multi-room Video & there's no Multi-room HDMI Output. Only Multi-room Audio. If I could post a pic in the comments I'd show you. All you have to do is Google it, look at the specs on Crutchfield in comparison to another receiver & you'll see all that info plus more.
I have a simple question; I know you said you are not using the second hdmi out. I just want to know if it you can get different input one the second hdmi.
Yes u can play 2 different sources
Hi MrWalton,
Just got this toy today and I am having challenges making it work In Zone 2 work using the Spotify app?
I have my stereo speakers hooked up via audio cable to the back of the receiver, however I hear no audio at all. Am I missing something?
My speakers are a pair of Bose 161
Thanks!
Have u tried the phone app and change zone 2 to Spotify
Mr Walton thanks for your reply. Had to make some tweaks and finally made it happen.
Is it normal that I can not change the audio EQ for zone two when connected via cable!
I don't think so, I'll check on mine to see
Mr Walton Great! Let me know your findings.
Just buy a Y-Adapter and combine the two subs.
It has 2 sub outs but when playing atmos it only plays one and for the price I didn't want to have to keep putting the adapter on lol
+DOMINICK WALTON So It's only when Atmos Is enabled that the second sub out stops working?
+Raphael Victorian yes sir
+DOMINICK WALTON So It's a defective receiver. Did you swap It out?
It wasn't a defective receiver that's just how onkyo set there speakers up I think, with the pioneer I reviewed it had the setting for 5.2.2 the onkyo only did 5.1.2
Does your 656 "click" when watching TV and surround sound changes?
StaticLullaby91 when changing channel it does but no other time
Mr Walton Got mine this week and noticed it too. Looks like if you put it into pro logic mode while watching TV itll stop clicking.
Make certain everything (each component) is well grounded.
hey if you watch movies dolby atmos 7.1 to 5.1 speakers there is a problem to this?
There is no problem for me I didn't get 5.2.2
When will the HDMI Board fail?
Mainly the 6 series were the ones that the DTS HDMI packed up on
Wow Man great Review ! Thank You Sir 🎸 London Drugs Has a Deal.. this review Helps , God Bless You Sir. ⛪ Thanks Again . - uncLe MyLes + 😇 & happy Easter .. 🌻 ( edm. Alb. Can. )
RECC: Remotes need to be backlit or glow-in-the-dark; it should be illegal to produce them otherwise!
you need to read up more on Dolby Atmos. I was hoping you had bought it for that reason. 7.2 stands for 7.1.2. 7 surround speakers 1 sub and 2 height speakers. hopefully you figure this out and correctly set up your speakers to take full advantage of Dolby Atmos and dtsx. really curious how the budget receivers perform
eric baldon yes I understand how atmos works and the 7.2 but pioneer has it as 5.2.2 with that I have the 2 subs and 2 ceilings, onkyo doesn't break it down like that.
I must say that the remote control for the onkyo sucks pretty badly
ThePanamanianMike I use the mobile app and Logitech harmony remote most of the time.
the asian version is 160w per channel :(
You obviously don't know much about audio or doing research before buying. This receiver clearly states 5.1.2. The middle number always refers to how many sub woofers you can hook up. The last number is the number of ceiling speakers.
This is copied right off the Onkyo site.
TX NR656:
Dolby Atmos speaker setups: What the 5.1.2 description means
[5] This refers to the number of traditional surround speakers (front, center, and surround).
[.1] The middle number refers to how many powered subwoofers you can connect to your receiver.
[.2] The final number refers to how many in-ceiling or upward-firing speakers are in your Dolby Atmos® setup.
No i understand the numbers, but if it has 2 subs I would like to have 2 different channels, my Pioneer is a 5.2.2, thanks
Can barely hear u.
love onkyo
A review about audio with terrible audio LOL
thorinbane really
thorinbane why the negative post? As long as u can hear that's all that matters on a review, next time I'll do hi-fi audio just for you . Thanks
Yes really, need to be able to hear your review, otherwise its just sorta showing the unit. Presentation matters. Exp when it comes to the audio about audio. I don't talk about guitar tone while using a 1980 Fisher Price Cassette Tape Player. LOL next time just bring the mic closer and bring up the gain on your DAW. I don't need tube quality but I do need to go from youtube video to youtube video without having my ears blasted out on one channel and wondering if my speakers are operating on the next.
Lol, Tidal sucks. Just didn't catch on like it was suppose to
That's Tru but you can definitely hear the difference in quality
Really, what quality are they putting over iTunes? Not being smartass bc don't know a lot about it but seems like Apple would be on top of it.
hey my man, I just bought the same receiver. Why is air play skipping? Weird bc everything else works good.
What did you do with your pioneer sc-91? This onkyo is trash, it has no where near the build, power or sound quality that the pioneer 91 has. The pioneer also has way more options, except dts:x, and dts:x doesn't sound good anyway, at least not any where as good as Atmos. The onkyo also gets way hot. The pioneer you can run all day at high volumes and it never breaks a sweat. The pioneer is also way heavier than the cheap, light 656. The pioneer has class D amp, which is way more efficient, a better control panel, and better phone app as well. That 170w per channel is a lie also, study up ms. Walton, it's maybe, maybe 75W per channel. You went from a pretty high end receiver, with the 91, to a basic, cheap, low end junkie 656. Good luck with that.
David G I use the sc91 as my main receiver, I figured that out a while ago .
Mr Walton oh ok, cool, have a good one
Mr Walton waste of $630 though, could've copped some speakers with that loot
it's actually 100W, 2 channels driven at 8ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, .08%THD. Pretty good stats. Looks like you need to study up too David.
You got ripped off. You should of did your research and made sure that room calibration was for 2 independent subs. They're run in parallel. Dummy. For $600 your not gonna get that. You gotta reach deeper in your pockets and step up to a higher end onkyo rz or higher end marantz/denon. Do research next time you buy and do a video on something.
Could you say the same but a bit kinder? Or is this the way you normally make friend?