Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater ONKYO TXSR501 vs TXDS595

OKAY - You convinced me.

I fold

Y'all can read some more useful threads.

Thanks for the input.

Its always good to ask questions.Never be afraid to ask,we are all here to help each other.

I have read that some reviewers think the 501 is detailed but somewhat laid back - so it would match the M22s well I take it.

Don, your first line in this thread sums it up; relax. Among other points that could be made, that list of watts at "clipping" isn't really at clipping; it's at an arbitrary 0.3% distortion which is below audibility on music and far, far below actual clipping. The numbers are fairly meaningless, in particular when they relate to all channels driven simultaneously. The statement from HiFi Choice that this is what happens in "real life" is nonsense. Driving all channels simultaneously at full power for at least five minutes(which would satisfy the FTC reg)can be done in the testing lab but would never happen in usage in the home.

One last gasp

JohnK - you don't think the inability of the 501 to change size on speakers when in multichannel mode is significant? I am guessing it is not a big deal but might swing me toward the 595.

I will probably decide based on which features are more important to me. I now do have a couple months to play with it cause my in laws, to whom I will give the lesser receiver, are moving in November and don't want it till then.

Don, if by "multi-channel mode" you mean when the six analog inputs are being used for DVD-A or SACD, then there's very few receivers that provide for bass management with those sources. It's done either in the player or a separate device such as the Outlaw ICBM. For other situations the 501 can set the main or all speakers small/large by choosing the various subwoofer modes .

It does seem funny that the 595 which came out in 2001 I think has this bass management in 5.1 channel mode but the 2002 or 2003 501 does not have it in 5.1 or 6.1 mode.

I am trying to think if this will come in handy. I have some SACDs that have no sub track - so bass management in the receiver would be good since the management in my dvd/sacd player is not great. Crossover is unchangeably set to 200hz for dvd-a and 120hz for SACD I have been told.

Again - I have no idea where it is set at in the Onkyo 595.

Okay, Don, now that it's clear that by "multichannel" you didn't mean DVD-A/SACD, but just the regular 5.1 video DVDs, note that the 501 does have bass management for this. Page 25 of the manual points out that when you select subwoofer mode 1 it plays the low frequencies(selected by the crossover frequency as detailed on page 26)of all channels. Although it doesn't use the common small/large language, it has to be read between the lines, and when the sub plays the low frequencies of all channels that's the same as saying all the speakers are set small.

Hmm - I will have to reread your post and the directions again. I actually did mean DVD-As and SACDs that come in 5.1 or 4 or 5 channels. I didn't know there was a difference between these and other 5 channel material. Maybe you mean stuff encoded in DTS or some other acronym that gets translated into 5 channels?

I meant the stuff that comes through the six cables that run between the dvd/SACD/DVD-A player and my receiver.

Thanks for the input - somehow this is slow in sinking in. I think I missed the stereo electronics 101 class.