Onkyo Readies Networked Receivers
Onkyo announced the release of two new high-end network AV receivers, the TX-NR5008 and TX-NR3008, with more up-to-date and user-friendly home theater features and THX Ultra2 Plus certification, company officials said.
Onkyo announced the release of two new high-end network AV receivers, the TX-NR5008 and TX-NR3008, with more up-to-date and user-friendly home theater features and THX Ultra2 Plus certification, company officials said. Both receivers support network audio streaming, multiroom configurations, iPhone/iPod playback over USB, and 3D-compatible home theater functionality.
Each model comes with eight HDMI 1.4a inputs, with compatibility specified for an Audio Return Channel and 3D video. Both mandatory video formats for 3D broadcasting–side-by-side (half) and top-and-bottom–are supported.
The receivers have dual HDMI outputs for connecting to two HD displays simultaneously, plus HQV-Reon VX, which enables 1080p upscaling of all video inputs, regardless of source resolution, according to the company. Both also include ISF video calibration.
An Ethernet port in back supports firmware upgrades and links the receiver/controller directly to the Internet or to a home PC. Users can access streaming Internet radio through Pandora, Rhapsody, Napster, Slacker, Mediafly, Sirius Internet Radio, and vTuner, or play back PC-based audio files, including FLAC, MP3, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, WMA Lossless, AAC, and LPCM. The receivers are also Windows 7 compatible and DLNA 1.5 certified to ensure compatibility with other network-enabled equipment.
Both receivers support 9.2 audio channels. The 9-channel configuration allows users to take advantage of the expanded surround dimensions of Audyssey DSX or Dolby Pro Logic IIz. Support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio is also included, and Burr-Brown DACs allow the Onkyo models to handle the heavy demands of multichannel audio processing, company officials said.
Both receivers include a full suite of Audyssey room-correction and equalization technologies. The TX-NR5008 and TX-NR3008 let users play a 5.1-channel source in a main room, along with fully powered stereo audio of two different sources in Zone 2 and Zone 3. On top of that, users also have the option of Zone 2/3 pre outs and Zone 2 video output.
The receivers feature separate transformers for audio and video processing, with the TX-NR5008 also adding a massive toroidal transformer and 22,000 uF capacitors, a feature more typical of separate component amplifiers, according to the company.
Other features shared by both models include an analog RGB input for video content from a connected PC; a backlit and customizable remote controller; HDMI Thru, which allows users to watch programs when the receiver is not turned on; and Onkyo’s new overlaid graphical OSD for seamless adjustment of settings during a viewing session.
The Onkyo TX-NR3008 and TX-NR5008 will be available in August with suggested retail prices of $2,099 and $2,699, respectively.
