Onkyo SKS-HT540 7.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System

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Onkyo SKS-HT540 7.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System
	Manufacturer: ONKYO Customer Rating:   List Price: $349.00 Sale Price: Too low to display Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours Free Shipping Available Available On:

Product Description

The missing piece to your home theater puzzle is this 7.1-channel speaker package from Onkyo. The perfect addition to your DVD player and home theater receiver, the SKS-HT540 provides all the speakers you need to enter the all-enveloping world of surround sound. 130W output, 2-way bass reflex front, center and surround speakers provide the soundstage. The earth-shaking 230W powered subwoofer provides the impact. All provide the cinema experience in your home.

Product Details

• 130 watts total output on 2-way bass reflex front, center, and surround speakers
• Bass reflex powered subwoofer with 230 watts output
• Front and center 2-way speakers feature 5" diaphragm woofers and 1" balanced floating tweeter
• Surround speakers feature a 3 1/8" cone woofer and a 3/4" balanced dome tweeter
• Subwoofer construction includes a 10" cone driver

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Customer Reviews

Great Sound at a great price!

Review Date: January 2, 2007

Reviewer: Jalen Anthony Krupa, Reno, NV USA

I spent a good 2 weeks looking for a surround sound speaker system for my home theater. I was only looking to spend around $300 and I really wasn't expecting to find anything great at that price. But then I continued to hear wonderful things about Onkyo speakers and I had to try them out. I purchased them here on Amazon for $280 ($230 + $50 for shipping). The speakers were nicely packed and arrived farily quick. The speakers not only look great but they feel as though they're high quality. No one would ever guess that these speakers cost under $300. Especially when you hear them. They sound amazing. Movies sound great along with video games, (xbox 360). The speakers let you hear all the action, and the sub-woofer lets you feel every explosion. Onkyo's SKS-HT540's Surround Sound Speaker System is a treat to listen to and you will not be dissapointed with this purchase. A 7.1 speaker package with a 230 watt powered sub-woofer for under $300? That's a great deal! Only downside, (and I've read this in other reviews about these speakers) is that they don't sound great when listening to music. They don't capture the full sound that tower speakers would. Which makes sense, so if you're going to listen to music with these speakers, you may feel a little dissapointed. If it's just movies and video games... You'll be happy. I will say this about hooking up surround sound speakers (and this goes for all of them), when you first plug in everything, you have to configure your receiver to get the best possible sound out of your speakers. For instance, treble, bass and speaker size are going to dramatically change the sound of your theater. So, if when you first hear these speakers and you're not satisfied with the sound... You didn't set them up right, because my system sounds incredible once I dialed everything in.

Best speakers in this price range.

Review Date: December 19, 2006

Reviewer: A. Sabbi, VA USA

These are absolutely the best speakers for the price. Everything comes packed in a rather big and heavy(72lbs) box. The speakers are well packed in this big box. The build quality and finish is excellent. Especially, the subwoofer is huge and sounds sweet, it turns on and off automatically. I am surprised that they included such a big subwoofer at this price. I hooked these speakers to Sony-STR-DG800 receiver. All the speakers have spring clips(cheap) to connect the speaker wire. Speaking of the speaker wire, the supplied speaker wire is also cheap. And for the price I paid, I absolutely don't have any complaints about that. All the surround speakers are wall mountable. The bottom line, I am very satisfied with these speakers and recommend to anyone not very particular about the size.

SKS-HT540

Review Date: February 18, 2009

Reviewer: N. L. Steele, Springfield, IL

I've had the SKS-HT540 speakers for about a week and am using them paired with an Onkyo TX-SR606 receiver to play movies from a Phillips DVP 5960 upscaling DVD player via HDMI and music from an older Sony 5 disc changer with stereo outputs as well as for video-gaming on an Xbox 360 via the optical output. The box these come in is gigantic, and you would think it's a small refrigerator, but that's good packing for shipping as they arrived completely undamaged. The size and wattage are the same as Onkyo represents them; the guy that claims the fronts are smaller than listed is way off base. The speaker wire that comes with them is crap as is to be expected (buy your own 16 AWG and you'll be fine); even the most expensive set ups don't come with nice wire, and most don't come with any wire so put a plus in the Onkyo box. I'm currently only using the front three speakers as well as one of the surrounds and the subwoofer, because I have a pair of 5" driver bookshelf speakers that are better voice matched as surrounds for 5.1 sound with the front three, I put the surround speaker in there as a 6th channel for 6.1. I'll say the surrounds are substantially weaker than the front three (my AVR set its cutoff at 120Hz vs. 80Hz for the front three and the sound that comes from it is noticeably thinner than the fronts and my other surrounds; this is reasonable since it's a 3 1/8" driver and .75 tweeter, and its sound would likely be less noticeable mixed in with the other four of its kind). The one other negative I can cite for the subwoofer is that it doesn't have a phase switch so if you find you're having trouble with resonance, you're going to have to place it differently. Those negatives aside, this speaker set is so much better than its price would indicate (I got it refurbished for $219 elsewhere online). The subwoofer puts out surprisingly tight bass and powerful LFE effects for movies. The front three speakers and subwoofer alone would be worth the money paid so the additional surrounds are bonuses in my mind. Movies are fantastic, surround imaging transitions are very smooth, highs and lows are equally well handled, and the subwoofer has more power than I can use in an apartment. I can feel the bass vibrating the furniture and occasionally creating a slight breeze in its direct line. My movie collection has come alive and I've started hunting down well mixed 5.1 sound tracks to audition (Master and Commander and Saving Private Ryan are great; The Indiana Jones Trilogy is nice; the X-Men movies are starting to seem better even with the weak writing of the last one). I had assumed that movies would be well handled, but that I would be sorely disappointed with music through these. I couldn't be more wrong. Varying back and forth between Prologic modes, direct handling, and stereo that allots below cutoff bass to the subwoofer I've been extraordinarily pleased with the sound on my favorite jazz (Coltrane's Blue Train; Miles Davis Kinda Blue; Getz & Gilberto; and some Woody Herman) bluegrass (Rounder Record's 25th anniversary 2 disc) and other variously chosen others that I hoped would tax the system and show its flaws (Dire Straits; Jethro Tull; Cyprus Hill; Grieg's Peer Gynt; Ray Charles the Atlantic Years). I've been playing these at half volume (for reference, I play movies and TV below half and my wife gets miffed), and it's like I'm in the studio or venue with the musicians. I've heard key chatter on the saxophones, Stan Getz's breathiness on his tracks, Joao Gilberto's voice wavering at the deep registers... the detail is phenomenal to me (granted I'd never label myself an audiophile). I'm discovering layers of information I'd never known was there in my CDs. The sound is warm and oddly sweet to my ears. I haven't found a passage or instrument that can make the front three stumble and I've tried hard. They do a very nice job at reproducing dialogue in movies and male voices as well (a weak spot for many smaller satellite packages with small drivers). In short... Pros -Excellent front three and subwoofer -Excellent music and movie reproduction (from these speakers) -Excellent dialogue reproduction (even male voices) -They look kind of pretty and are great in proportion to a 46" screen (I'll try and post a pic) -Surprisingly tight and powerful bass from the sub for its price -Astonishing price for all of this together (turnkey 7.1 ain't cheap anywhere) Cons: -Weak surrounds comparatively, but still as good or better than many other satellite systems -Thin wire included (but many don't even include wire so not much of a con) -Sub has no phasing switch In total, I couldn't be more pleased or feel I got better value for my money. If you're looking for inexpensive entry into a 7.1 system as I was, you can't go wrong with this.

AWESOME!! don't waste money on small satellites with small sound!

Review Date: April 11, 2007

Reviewer: Kaio, Santa Monica, CA

i carefully read reviews and researched these speakers before buying and im NOT disappointed. i was looking to replace a 7.1 setup from Denon that had small stylish satellie speakers. well, the sound matched the speakers -- SMALL! yes, these Onkyos are a little larger than most common surround sets. but big sound resonates best from bigger speaker cabinets. if the Bose concept is so great, why dont movie theaters and rock concerts use tiny little speakers?? bottom line -- because you cant get the same big sound and resonance from tiny speakers. sound is based on vibration, and bigger speakers give bigger sound vibration. these Onkyos have full rich sound with deep bass and great highs as well. a lot of speakers can handle mid-range and bass fine, but fall by the side when it comes to higher registers. i often listen to Native American music with flutes and rich high tones. these Onkyos reproduce the full spectrum of these elegant flutes in full detail. and the price cant be beat. you wont be disappointed!!!

For the price, these are superior speakers

Review Date: April 13, 2008

Reviewer: Turtle in the City, Pittsburgh, PA

Once you realize, Home-Theatres-In-A-Box (HTIBs) just won't do because their sound quality is mediocre at best, you realize that separate speakers and AV receivers run the gamut from reasonably expensive to unbelievable. And buying 7 speakers and a subwoofer can quickly cost you over $2000 dollars. When I was looking at putting together a home theatre system, I wanted an AV receiver with future compatibility that was also fully featured (I settled on the Onkyo TX-SR605). For speakers, I wanted reasonably priced quality. Despite the fact that these speakers were originally part of a HTIB they are of surprisingly good quality for the price. The Onkyo SKS-HT540 7.1 speakers are neither stylish nor ugly. They are functional looking with black wood grain cabinets and removable covers. I like their looks because they are classic and not flashy. I wanted quality over looks. When it comes to low-to-medium priced speakers, stylish looks usually mean a drop in performance and sound quality. These speakers don't try to look trendy, they just produce great sound. If you're going for styling in your speakers to match your decor, look elsewhere. Another feature of the Onkyo SKS-HT540 speakers is that they are large. And I mean large. These would not be too small to be used in a huge great room. I have them in a cramped little apartment, but I love them anyway. You need large speakers to produce fuller, deeper sound and these have no trouble doing that. The speakers are well made in that they have wood cabinets. Read up about materials and you'll learn this is great; most HTIBs and speakers at this price are usually made with plastic cabinets. The Onkyo SKS-HT540 use spring clips as connecters, which don't give the best possible sound, but few speakers in this price range offer banana clips. Overall, the Onkyo's give surprisingly clear, deep, and rich sound for the price. These are very affordable speakers that give great sound. Sure there are speakers that give better sound, but they will cost you over a $1000. These speakers are the best quality sound you can get for the price. (And Cnet agrees. Check out their review.) They are powerful and the sound they produce is realistic and varied. I use my 7.1 system to play video games on my XBox 360, PS3, and PC gaming system. This is where these speakers really shine. Few DVDs or Blu-Ray discs take advantage of 7.1 yet, but many games do. Guns and explosions sound insane! on these speakers. I mean it. The subwoofer is huge and provides plenty of sound for a room of up to 800 sq feet. I've heard musical instruments I didn't even know were there in my music while listening on these speakers. I'm an audiophile and I'll admit there are much better speakers out there, but not for anything near this price. So if you want an affordable surround sound system these speakers are it. Get them now. Oh and the included subwoofer cable is kind of short (8ft). I bought an extension for about $5. Very worth it.

These sound great.... what a deal.

Review Date: July 19, 2007

Reviewer: BWX,

An amazing deal, they sound great, if a little large in size.. but I think that might be part of the reason they sound so nice, the larger size. Best deal in America for a 7.1 set of speakers that can handle serious power. Hooked up to a Yamaha RX-V661 7.1-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver Very nice combo, and both great values for the $$. I took one of the 3 main speakers apart today to see the drivers and how it was put together. I took some pics and tried to upload them to show people what I saw, but after uploading them, Amazon through up a general "we are experiencing technical difficulties" error. I will keep trying to upload the pictures.. hopefully they will be in the user pics soon. They seem to be very well put together, and the speakers look pretty beefy. On another note, I do not agree with one of the earlier reviews that state these do not sound good with music.. they sound amazing with all kinds of music. Now my receiver has a plethora of functions and adjustments that allow me to fine tune the sound that comes out of them, but the way I have them adjusted, the speakers sound great with music, movies, TV shows, etc..

Good price for a good product

Review Date: March 17, 2008

Reviewer: Jeremy Smalley, Louisville KY

These speakers are awesome with Onkyo TX-SR605 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black), I adjusted the EQ to an audio CD and the sound is amazing for movies as well. Plenty of sound as long as you know how to set them up right. I was amazed with the size of the speakers. This is my first 7.1 system for home theater, but I have a stereo in my car that is pretty amazing by itself. But the Onkyo setup is awesome when watching movies, gaming, or music. The speakers give a great all around sound and I am glad I bought them. Only problem I have is that people sleeping get woke up.

Unbeatable

Review Date: October 28, 2008

Reviewer: T. Sibley, Vancouver, WA

Is there really any better deal out there for a 7.1 speaker package?? I think not! Not only are these speakers ultra-affordable but they are of excellent quality as well. I hooked them up to my Onkyo 605 receiver and the sound quality was immediately evident. I played Resistance: Fall of Man on my PS3 (which is 7.1 capable) and it was amazing! The "wall of sound" effect in my living room was awesome. It literally felt like I was in the game. I then put the movie Speed (blu-ray) on and it was again amazing. The level of sound coming from the surround speakers was what I was most impressed with. I guarantee there is NO better deal out there on this same type of system. Sure you can fork over $1000+ for a premium system but honestly, who needs to do that?

Excellent for my first home theater setup.

Review Date: January 7, 2009

Reviewer: A. W. Foote, Peru,IL USA

I've never had a surround sound system when I was growing up, so I don't claim to be an expert on speakers. I decided to get a surround sound setup recently and didn't want to spend a whole lot so after a lot of searching these appeared to be the best deal I could get. I have them hooked up to an onkyo tx-sr706 and they sound great. I'm sure when I get the money I will buy nicer speakers, but for less than $300 I don't think I could have made a better choice. The only warning I have is that they are big compared to htib speaker sets, but that was not a problem for me. J&R music and computer world has a video review of these that gives a good sense of the size of them.

Excellent cost-performance

Review Date: January 9, 2009

Reviewer: Smeagol, Lubbock, TX

If you have $1000+ taste, and a $1000+ budget, these speakers are not for you. If you want to build a solid home theater to watch movies with family and friends, take a good hard look at these. The subwoofer has decent but not exceptional oomph. The surround effects are terrific. The only reason I'd "outgrow" these speakers is if the kids dump orange juice on them. It may be a little while before you actually see many BluRays with real 7.1 audio, but it'll show up eventually. With heavy CGI movies, it can't be all that hard to calculate 2 more channels.

So many speakers, so little time

Review Date: December 2, 2008

Reviewer: C. Perez Jr., Kissimmee, FL

It's been about 2 years since I purchased this system and to be honest they still pump it out the same way they did on day 1! When I got them it was a steal at $500! Now look at them. By far the best investment if you're going all out for an entertainment center. I'd say I'm a gamer before anything else. It's what I do and when I'm sitting smack in the middle of my living room and I'm surrounded by 7 speakers and a subwoofer behind my couch just blasting me from every direction I know that I made a good decision to buy this system. I always thought it was corny for people to say "it feels like you're there," well now I know what they mean. The immersion is beyond expectation especially for those high action games where there is noise and things going on everywhere you litterly feel like you really are there! (No, it still sounds corny, but hey, it's true!) (Que the wife) When the game turns off and it's time for a movie there is no difference. The voices are right where they belong. If they're talking off screen and you got the volume up high then get ready to be startled by the split second you think someone is in your house because that's how real these things work. Coupled together with the sub practically right next to us you're placing yourself there in the scene. (I know, still corny.) I have multiple things going into it. My PS3, XBox 360, Wii, cable box and the add on to connect the Ipod. And the receiver recognizes every input itself. It decodes that the PS3 is Dolby and so on. Although I do feel that the music coming from the Ipod can be a bit better(I don't know what it is there, the dock, the Ipod, or the system) it certainly is not a deal breaker. Also, there are some systems out there with a HDMI connection. At first I was divided on which to get, with or without. I went with this one because I figured why would you want to mix the video through your audio and possibly lessen the quality of it? I mean I have no idea how it would come out maybe better maybe not, but if that's a reason for you thinking twice about getting this particular system don't let it burst your bubble because to me it's working perfectly fine without it. I know I could honestly say that even though I have all these components going on in my man cave it wouldn't be what it is without this system... And the 12 miles of speaker wire I needed to connect it all together.

Of course my horse...

Review Date: March 16, 2009

Reviewer: Nathaniel Bruce, Florida Keys, USA

So I paired these speakers with the Onkyo TX-SR606 receiver and it's pretty much the sweet bomb diggity. I got a PS3 and a Hitachi 52" Plasma, and DirecTv HD, and these speakers just complete the whole package. It took me about 3-4 hours to properly run all the wiring and I am dreading taking it all out when I move but, it's definitely worth it. I bought better speaker wire as the speaker wire is pretty thin. (Think dental floss.) Anyways I originally ran the speakers with the supplied wires and now I think I have like 12 or 14 gauge. I honestly cannot tell a difference. If I had to do it again I would have saved the 60 some dollars I spent on speaker wire and used it towards something else. Blu-rays maybe. I did have quite a time mounting the surround speakers as they are pretty hefty and they are designed to hang flat against the wall. Flat against the wall doesn't work in my house as the living room is oddly shaped. I bought some speaker mounts from best buy and I had to rig some makeshift brackets as I was worried the speakers wouldn't stay on the mounts. (You can't see them though so it's cool.) If you have a perfectly square room or something similar don't worry. The mounts on the surround sound speakers look like something you would hang a picture or painting with. Long story short... These are the speakers you want, they rock. Do whatever you have to to get these: rob, steal, kill, sell your 1st born, it'll be worth it.

Best Speakers for the Money HANDS DOWN!!!!

Review Date: November 15, 2009

Reviewer: Grizzz,

Dont listen to any of the reviews that say these speakers do not work extremely well with music. i have a Pioneer vsx-919 receiver and just tweaking the speakers one by one will produce amazing results the clarity is insane for movies as well as music, look no further! i researched for 2 weeks looking for good quality speakers and i found these.i tested these puppies out with my receiver and i cant believe how good they sound. word of advice dont make up your mind about how good they sound till you learn how to tweak them. and as far as the wires that the speakers bring i wouldnt change them. regardless if there a tad bit small they still handle the speakers well so no need to buy bigger wires. BUY THE SPEAKERS, the only buy without any cons and for the money you wont regret it!!

Excellent Buy!

Review Date: October 30, 2007

Reviewer: J. Allen, Nashville, TN

When it comes to the best bang for your hard-earned buck the Onkyo SKS-HT540 speaker system is where its at. I could not believe that Amazon is offering this package for such a great price. If you want great sound and are on a budget then this is the system for you. I didn't have a ton of money to spend but I still wanted to get a speaker set that sounded good. After much research into several different speaker systems from Onkyo and other companies I finally decided to go with this one hoping that I wouldn't be disappointed. Let me tell you that I am glad that I did, no buyer's remorse here. Go to Onkyo's website and check the specs for this system against others. You will find that they hold up against systems that cost three times as much. If I had to point out one thing in the entire package that wasn't just awesome, I would have to say that would be the subwoofer. Even though its supposed to be a little over 200 watts it seems a little underpowered for my tastes. Don't get me wrong, its not crap, it actually has a very clean sound to it. I just prefer a lot of booming, loud bass. All in all, I love the sound of the system as well as its classy looks. (P.S. These speakers go great with the Sanus line of black powder-coated metal speaker stands.)

Great Speakers

Review Date: November 22, 2007

Reviewer: Joel D. Purcell,

I am not a certified audio guru of anything like that, but I am completely satisfied with these speakers. They produce wonderfully full sound and great bass. This system is the best system for the money, and better than some speakers that cost more. If you are looking for good speakers, that happen to be affordable, get these and you will not regret it.