I’m wanting to get the Onkyo 7.2 THX surround sound system since I’m getting a UHD TV and a 4K capable desktop, but it’ll be my first journey into surround sound systems. Does anyone have any tips or advice, need to know stuff, or suggestions on what is best/affordable and what NOT to get and what things to know when picking a system ?
Since you’re getting a brand-new setup, make sure the receiver is HDMI 2.0a compliant (HDR, 4K, etc.). I have a Yamaha receiver from only a few years ago, which passes 4K signals, but not HDR. So be careful about that. You may as well get one that supports Dolby Atmos and the new object-oriented DTX standard (don’t remember the name). If the receiver can adjust itself to the acoustics of the room, using a microphone and test signals, it’s a nice feature to have. Be careful with your speaker placement. Some say that you should make sure the wires are all the same length (or at least that each pair is the same length), but that’s debatable.
Have fun!
Agreed with all of that though automatic audio calibration features of most receivers takes care of wire length issues (not that humans could really tell the difference) and some placement issues.
I would look into Atmos speaker systems (or add-ons) as well if you have a flat ceiling you can bounce sound off (or can put actual height speakers up). It can be a notable upgrade for any UHD with a dynamic soundtrack.
Your best place to ask about specific equipment or combinations is going to be on avsforum, especially since it sounds like you are using your PC as the media source. The HTPC forum will address a lot of possible issues around possible image and sound considerations/concerns/limitations (like there is no UHD Blu-ray player or software yet).