So - Is it worth it?
The setup turned out to be quick and easy — but the real payoff happened when we put that first DVD in the player and turned on the system. Going from the sound of our TV's little speakers to surround sound was an incredible experience.

Action films came alive. Planes zoomed from behind and roared overhead. Explosions shook the floor (thanks to the subwoofer) and sounds had more presence in general. Exciting as it made action flicks, the biggest advantage of surround was that it brought me into the middle of every kind of film. The expanded soundfield gave depth to even the quietest scene. Distinct sounds from the back surrounds, such as crickets chirping or other ambient noises, made settings more natural.

Even our oldest films benefited from the new system. Several of our early DVDs lack a 5.1 soundtrack, but no matter. Using its Pro Logic II Movie setting, the Onkyo receiver enhanced the stereo sound that was there, and created a surround mix. Although not as full-sounding as true surround, it was a noticeable improvement over the original stereo, and added greatly to the enjoyment of the viewing experience.

Music, maestro!
The increasing popularity of SACD and DVD-Audio formats demonstrates the appeal of listening to music in surround sound. You don?t have to replace your music collection, though. You can enjoy enhanced sound with the CDs you already have.

Using the Pro Logic II Music setting, the receiver took the stereo mix from my CDs and distributed the music throughout the speakers in a surround mix. The Onkyo HT-S760 also provided a variety of preset soundfields through which I could run audio. (Other brands have similar capabilities, although the number and names of these different modes vary.) In Onkyo?s Orchestral mode, my classical recordings sounded great, with a spaciousness that made me feel as if I were in a concert hall. The Unplugged setting was better for acoustic music, and kept the sound mostly in the front speakers. Studio Mix worked for most everything else, pulling me into the middle of the music. TV Logic helped the sound from broadcast TV programs, giving it a little more space than before. All Channel Stereo spread the stereo image across all the speakers, making it perfect for entertaining; no matter where I wandered in the room, the stereo mix remained constant.

The Onkyo HT-S760 at home.

The results are in
For me, the Onkyo HT-S760 home theater audio system was well worth the investment. I?ve gained new appreciation of films I?ve known for years, and I get more out of the new DVD movies that we rent. I can now revisit my CD library, listening with a better perspective, and in some cases hear details that were lost in our old two-channel stereo setup.

By asking three basic questions before starting, I had everything I needed to set up the system at hand. Thanks to user-friendly instructions, it was all done in a few hours. Setup wasn?t the nightmare I feared it would be, and now we enjoy the latest DVD blockbusters in a whole new way.