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Onkyo TX-RZ50 9.2 Ch THX Certified AV Receiver (with 11.2 Processor) $2149 Shipped (RRP $2699) @ Audio Junction

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This is a real serious stuff for the real home theatre enthusiasts. Compared to the highly acclaimed Denon AVR-X3800H, this one is more powerful (120W vs 105W per ch), has Dirac Live which is the best Calibration software you can have at the moment. IMAX enhanced and THX certification are just icing on the cake.

I had my eyes set on this one over Xmas but I could not get it at this price, I was offered it's clone, the Pioneer VSX-LX505. I have to say the sound quality is on a completely different level compared to my old Yamaha V6A. The Onkyo is much better in that it has individual cross over setting rather than global on the Pioneer. In the US it is hard to even get one in stock.

Alternatively, Audio Junction also has the TX-NR7100 for $1479 (rrp $2299), which is almost identical but with less power (100W per ch) and no preouts, so limited to 9.2, which is adequate for most people with smallish medium sized room. That is the cheapest I can see for 9.2 ch AVR.

https://audiojunction.com.au/onkyo-tx-nr7100-9-2-ch-8k-uhd-t…

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  • +2

    Good deal. I am waiting for a good deal of RZ70 but haven't found any yet.

    • +1

      Same. Need those extra powered channels!

    • +1

      Likewise. Best has been around $4k with 20% off RRP. That's still almost double the cost of the rz50 or Denon x3800. Any chance of a group buy between us by calling around haha

      • +1

        Oof. Maybe pairing an extra 2ch amp with this is the better way to go.

        • Doesn't have independent sub outs though if you have more than one (the rz70 does). But that's an option combined with the Denon x3800, in addition to the amp you'd also have to buy Dirac. I'm building a 7.2.4 system. That's why the rz70 as an all in one unit is tempting.

          Current best deal
          https://www.rio.com.au/product/pre-order-onkyo-tx-rz70-11-2-…

          • @B-Moose: I'm thinking of a 7.1.4 setup for my 6x4.5m ht room. How big is your room? I often have to turn the sub down a bit as it thumps through the house.

            • @Trentgibbo3: Mine is 5.5m X 5m. Initially was doing a 5.2.4 setup but once I decided to shift the seats forward of the back wall thought why not just go for the full 7 ch bed layer.

          • +2

            @B-Moose: I'm not sure if it helps, but I'm running a Marantz Cinema 50 and pairing it with an external amp made it sound a fair bit better as it allowed my larger speakers to produce more bass and for sharp, short sounds to become more uh, fast/pronounced (like gunshots).

            • @AlanHB: Cinema 50 is similar to the denon x3800 hardware? Which amp? That is why I'm looking at rz70 too, is beefier has a bit more power for 11 ch.

              • +1

                @B-Moose: I was not able to compare the x3800 to the Cinema 50 side by side, but the tech specs and diagrams make them look very similar, if not exactly the same to eachother.

                However if you look online some people who have bought the Cinema 50 say that it sounds better than the x3800. It makes it a very confusing choice.

                In the end I just went with the Cinema 50 because it looks cooler and I got a good price ($3k). I bet that I would have been happy with buying either one, but I can say that the Marantz sounds great, and many people say that the x3800h also sounds great.

                For the RZ70 it's a beast, but I'm willing to bet that you'll get a better overall sound if you went with the RZ50/x3800h/Cinema 50 and put the excess cash into an external amp. This is because an external amp won't have a shared power source across all channels.

            • @AlanHB: That does help. Thanks! I don't know if my hearing is good enough to discern some of the differences. Out of curiosity, did you do a blind hearing test between external amp plugged in versus not?

              • +2

                @Trentgibbo3: Not a blind test, but I spent about 2 weeks with the receiver with the external amp, then 2 weeks without, then got the amp back. I was surprised by the difference in sound too, I was very unsure whether external power amps made any difference until I got one.

                Also for what its worth my girlfriend also heard a difference and she's not really into the sound stuff.

                For reference I'm using an Elektra Theatre HD2 for the external amp. Krix Neuphonix/Epicentrix for the fronts. It could be that the higher powers just allow those to use more of their range (well down to 60HZ where their crossover is). If I were running bookshelf speakers the change might not have been as noticeable.

                If you're unsure you could just grab a used amp off FB marketplace cheap (like a Rotel or NAD) and see what happens.

                • +1

                  @AlanHB: Nice one. Those are some serious speakers. Ive got a much less powerful setup. Elac uni-fi UB5 fronts and then just yamaha ic800s for the surrounds. Think I'll just keep an eye out for the next good deal for now.

                • @AlanHB: Hey, heard what you said. I am thinking of getting a RZ50 with a 11-channel power amp. But my room is only 5.2 by 4.5, I wonder ToneWinner AD-8300PA would be overkill.

                  • @painkillers: Hi dude, getting an external amp for that room size in itself wouldn't be overkill, but I suspect you would not see a great difference for the height speakers or rear surrounds versus using a 5 channel amp for the mains/centre/surrounds.

                    This is because the Atmos and back rears are used the least, often for atmospheric effect or one off sounds while the others do the heavy lifting of the soundtrack.

                    I vaguely recall also reading somewhere that the RZ50 had some limitations on use of external amplifiers, maybe that 2 channels always had to be used for rear surrounds, but I may be misremembering. If that was accurate, you'd want to go for a 7 channel amp at least to power the other 5 speakers on the floor.

                    • +2

                      @AlanHB: Thanks for your message.

                      I might start with an RZ70 which has more power than RZ50 and supports 7.2.4 natively. I could get a power amp anytime if I need more power.

                      PS: I love the 2nd zone feature of RZ70 as I will set a TV in the outdoor living area.

                      • @painkillers: Sure, I reckon it'll be a great unit. Also you have the option of upgrading Dirac to bass control (or maybe ART) in the future. The licenses are pricy but go on sale around black friday.

                • @AlanHB: That's some serious equipment. My setup is inwall focal 300 LCR fronts then krix iw30/ ic32s for surrounds.
                  Will look into the option of x3800 + external amp. Thanks.

                  • +1

                    @B-Moose: Wow you have some sweet gear too. For what it's worth I back Elektra as a company, their after sales support (which is just their maker/owner in his Melbourne house) is top notch.

  • +2

    Objective review and measurement of the TX-RZ50.
    https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/o…

    • The punters didn't seem to impressed there. I didn't see them recommend a better unit at that price point?

    • +1

      I wanted this receiver for a 2.1 setup (hear me out) because its a do everything all in one solution for HDMI processing, streaming as well as amplification (DIRAC correction is a good bonus). Then I read this ASR review and Amir has pointed out that this receiver has a power limiting issue (for speakers that dip to 4ohms). For 8 ohms speakers its fine. I wanted this for my pair of LS50 Metas which are known to be power hungry and dip to 4ohms and below. I went with a Rotel integrated amplifier in the end.

      If you are buying this receiver make sure you have considered the speakers (impedance) you will be pairing this amplifier with.

      • Which Rotel have you got. I paired my LS50 metas with the Rotel A14mk2 and I haven't been wowed by the LS50s. It feels like the speakers are a bit muted and I'm thinking about maybe getting a NAD or Hegel amp with more power.
        Would be interested in your experiences.

        • Hegel would be a good pairing - With Meta's I think you are doing the right thing in upgrading your amp.

        • I've ordered a Rotel S14 (not delivered yet) but the amplifier section of the S14 should be similar to the A14Mk2. Most places were doing a crazy special on it half off $1369 vs $2700 during Boxing Day. I'll update you once I have heard them paired together. I'm surprised you don't like the sound of the A14Mk2 with the LS50 Metas. The A14Mk2 goes from 80w in 8ohms to 140w into 4ohms which ought to be enough power wise. Have you tried using a different DAC instead of the one built into the A14Mk2? NAD should be similar to Rotel in terms of sound (punchy weighty forward sound) but if you want more finesse definitely the Hegel H120/H190 but at that price you're spending twice the cost of the LS50s. It would be cheaper to sell the LS50s and buy R3 Metas for a much bigger and overall better sound.

          • +1

            @bindok: Congrats on the S14 deal, that sounds like a great pickup.
            I found I need to crank the Rotel to about 65-70 before I start getting any "clarity" from the speakers. I come from the headphone world so I'm not sure if I'm asking too much from speakers at this price point. But I'm wanting more mid-range and high-end sparkle, and more separation. I think they image quite well and what they do produce has great tonality.
            The bass is definitely lacking which a lot of people have said. I'm not a bass-head so I'm surprised just how much I miss some punchy, quick bass.
            The R3 metas definitely looks great. It also might be that the KEF signature just isn't for me, although all the reviews I read and the try-out made me think I would enjoy the LS50s more than I do.
            Hoping you get more immediate joy out of the LS50s than I have so far. Lemme know how it goes!

            • @bumgodrums: I know the LS50s need decent amount of power, but I thought the A14Mk2 should be sufficient. I demoed them at a store in SA and they were hooked up to the A14Mk2 and sounded pretty good. They do lack bass but I'm coming from Q300s and I'm not a bass head I think they have enough low end if you have enough power to give them. I find when I connect them to my Yamaha receiver the receiver needs to be cranked up to 75% of the volume to have a decent and full sound. I also have an older Marantz PM5004 amplifier lying around (about 45 watts) and I need to crank it to 60-70% for it to sound nice. Fingers crossed the S14 drives them with ease I'll let you know.

              I love headphones too (have Audeze LCD2Fs, Focal Clears, couple of Senns and my current daily driver the Audeze Maxwell. There's no way the LS50s come close. I think you would have to pay a lot (a whole lot) more to get similar sound from speakers.

            • @bumgodrums: The S14 got delivered. It needs to be cranked up to about 50% for the music to starting sounding fuller. I think this is how the LS50s are, meant to be heard at a louder volume? I found the S14 quite articulate and engaging. I listened to it for about 4 hours yesterday, but a couple of songs did sound a bit off (Cranberries - Linger didn't sound too punchy, almost muted like you mentioned in your post).

              The songs that sounded awesome (with this S14 + LS50 pairing to my ears) -
              Layla - Acoustic Live at MTV Unplugged
              Speak Softly Love - Best Acoustic Voices
              Lateralus - Break of Reality
              Don't Fear The Reaper - Mike Masse, Jeff Hall
              No One Knows - Queens of the Stone Age
              Nomad - Iron Maiden

              I think the LS50s can be quite revealing and really show when a song has not been mastered / recorded properly. Other things of note (about the S14) -
              1. The amplifier gets really hot to the touch (being Class AB and 80w into 8Ohms)
              2. There's a max power setting in the menu (Your A14 may have something similar which may make your amp sound fuller)

              Still early days and a couple of months later I might add on a subwoofer (thinking Rel T7/x) to give it a little more low end grunt. Let me know if you need anymore info.

  • -3

    I am waiting for a good deal on RZ80 but wait, they have not manufactured it yet.

  • If you really like HT but not enough to spend any time researching equipment and differences, what would be a reasonable budget to set and what sort of thing that would buy ? I heard buying used is generally a good idea. As with all electronics, I assume there’s some sort of “sweet spot” which gives you a pretty good system, and anything you invest extra on top of that doesn’t add benefits proportional to the cost - for the average buyer

    • +2

      The problem with used equipment is that it may not have the latest decoders eg. Atmos/DTS-X. So keep an eye out for that.

      The other major advantage of this one compared to used older model is the inclusion of Dirac Live calibration system. I used it and its way better than YPAO with Yamaha, and Pioneer's own MCACC.

      Its hard to defined the sweetspot. Its a bottomless hole. You can always spend more to get better sound. The Yamaha V6A was said to be a very good entry level machine. But regardless of how good it is, its always better to have 5.1.4 than 5.1.2 for a full atmos experience. But whether to go up to 7.1.4, it depends on your room size. IMO it didnt make that much difference as my room isnt that big. The RZ50 will give you that option to upgrade. But NR7100 will give you most of the sound effect byvsabing you extra $700.

      • +3

        The way I would define sweet spot is if 95% of the people who visit me thinks: wow, that HT sounded great and I what he paid for it doesn’t sound insane

        • -2

          Lmao no matter what number over 200$ is going to sound insane for people visiting. Good luck.

          • +1

            @Jofzar: Mate most people buy sonos stuff for thousands of $ and don't bat an eye lid.

          • @Jofzar: Yes. Just getting an av unit, 2 fronts, a centre, a sub, is going to be very good imo. Entry level.

        • Username checks out.

    • It depends on your requirements mate, but if you want to kinda dip your toes in to see if it works for you and your place, you could try:

      • some used Dali Concepts (not sub) or Krix (whatever you can find inc sub) for the bed layer.
      • a Denon/Marantz/Yamaha AVR made in the last 10 years

      If you watch the market you could have something like the above sorted for under $1000. It would be a perfectly fine 5.1 system too that could last 10 years+.

  • Nice. What does ‘IMAX enhanced and THX certification’ mean in reality?

    • That the receiver is compatible to IMAX and THX certified movies and speakers

    • Means 0 chance you'll find any content for it.
      I like Aura3D, but again 0 content… but at least the upmixing sounds great.

      Content is still mostly DTS and Atmos.

      • I understand DTS X and Dolby Atmos are file formats that the system can decode. Are IMAX and THX have their own formats that this receiver can decode?

    • +2

      THX certification is simply a minimal level of (in this case, audio) performance that the unit is able to reach, and maintain. There is no processing involved, it is simply a list of performance requirements that the unit needs to be capable of in order to achieve certification. It is entirely possible for a unit to exceed THX requirements, but not be certified.
      In today's environment, it is more of a marketing gimmick than anything else. Take it as not much more than "this unit probably isn't complete crap".

      IMAX Enhanced is a bit more complex. Basically, though, an IMAX-enhanced movie has processing applied to enable insert IMAX is awesome publicity spiel and you will need a TV that also supports IMAX Enhanced for full benefit.

      What does it mean in reality? For THX certification, bugger all really. Back in the day it was a stamp of approval for highly capable equipment; nowadays since Lucasfilm sold off THX the certification gets thrown at anything and everything and is basically meaningless.

      IMAX Enhanced is potentially more useful, if you watch any content (Disney+ has some imax enhanced contect) that is encoded as such and have a TV that supports it. It uses DTS-X as its audio encoding format, which is essentially their version of Dolby Atmos. Its vision encoding is probably surpassed by Dolby Vision. The main thing different you will encounter is the different image format. They use a 1.9 ratio image, compared to a 2.35 ratio for "normal" widescreen, so you get more image on your screen and less letterboxing. Whether you think that is an improvement or not can be personal - some directors film so that the image works for both ratios, so that you don't lose anything by using one or the other.

      • +1

        And yes, I was bored at work! :D

        • Thank you. THX meaning "this unit probably isn't complete crap" make sense.

          It doesn't seem that IMAX Enhnaced actually adds anything that isn't already part of DTS X audio or HEVC video. In the IMAX Cinema movies are usually presented in 1.43:1 or 1.90:1, but by the time they get to Bluray they get cropped to 1.78:1, which is 16:9.
          Oppenheimer 4K Bluray 1.78:1 this is the same asepct ratio as TV shows. Nothing special.

          This guy pulls it apart on reddit:

          There's a very interesting article here where someone actually tried to unpack what exactly it is that IMAX Enhanced does, because on paper there is zero reason it should do anything. DTS:X is capable of 11 channels of full range audio without IMAX, so theoretically there's nothing it should be able to add with it considering it's not a separate sound mix.

  • This is only good if your speakers can make use of it
    If you are like me and have just decent sets of Yamaha ns ic 400s and 600s then I doubt you will hear a difference

    • Yep, True the speakers you use are the major part of the equation

    • +1

      Agree. Its important to get some speakers that can handle the power with good sensitivities. I would look for something at least 6ohms and sensitivity of 90dB.

      Dont have to spend thousands though, there are many good deals to be had second hand on FB. Unlike AVR, speaker hasn't changed that much and they last longer so i dont mind used.

      • -3

        Buying used speakers you not only get a risk of unstable sound and quality as you don't see its internal condition, but also can welcome cockroaches and other new to your house forms of life.

      • Yes and no - still get what you pay for really - decent speakers still costs very good $ even 2nd hand as they are also normally very well looked after - not hard to go well over $10k a pair for good speakers 2ndhand.

  • +3

    I have this receiver and it's fantastic. Unfortunately I didn't get a deal like this price.

    • +1

      From a budget audio snob: What's fantastic about it? I have a class A amp I assembled, and it sounds impressive. I also acquired a Fosi 100w TI amp for $100, and I was like wtf – how does it sound so good and better than many reputable prosumer amps? (https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/f…) hook a unit up to your L/R preouts and it may surprise you.

      The Onkyo brand is obsolete. Despite Amir's disapproval (https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/o…), I find its measurements to be acceptable.

      So, considering the price and Dirac, it's not bad, but those are the only two commendable aspects.

      Initially hesitant to invest in a Dirac license for my AVR (Marantz C40), I've now crafted my ideal target curve, and the sound is exceptional.

  • How do you use these devices if there are other people living within 20m? Having 100W+ speakers and such a receiver would you just turn it on 20% of power? Or you would prefer to make your neighbors hate you? I mean within the allowed time of the day. I heard of someone selling his house due to neighbor's loud music.

    • +3

      If you live in an apartment or one of these new housing developments where you have breakfast with your neighbor through the window then better to just stick with a soundbar.

    • +1

      Have a HT room - media room - music room - decent sound insulation - from double detached walls - mass loaded vinyl - double or triple 16mm+ gyrpock with green glue etc.
      Can even be detached man cave (converted and lined shed) to purpose built granny flat etc.

      If in an apartment - well - not really aimed for that market - for that can refer to the *cough 'quality' sound bars ..

    • You'd be surprised how much the sound doesnt carry outside. Even the bass is muddled. If you have multiple driveways separating your house from others, its not too bad. Having your speaker room opposite their house with just a side walkway inbetween, is not going to make a happy neighbour. I have gone outside when an action scene is going bananas with bass and explosions. Sound can barely be made out. I have a 5.2.2 setup that can literally shake the house. My closest neighbour whos lounge is about 15-20m from my setup says she thinks I'm as quiet as a mouse lol. Never hears any noise from me. Also movies are different theres no rhythmic or repeated bass thumps like music. Its sporadic and much less often for the bigger bass and heavy sound.

  • +2

    Rio Sound and Vision has it for $2199 I'm sure they might match if you are in Melbourne

  • ordered this from KlappAV on boxing day for $2159 delivered… which I thought was a good deal.

  • I have a decent HT system Onkyo/Jamo (Less than 2 times last year). sadly it hardly gets used these days. we use the oled + Soundbar in the master bedroom or Projector in the living room much much more or Tablets. Will likely fire it up once Gozilla Minus one hits streaming/Bluray.

    • Would assume the Projector has its own HT setup..

  • How much is the Dirac Bass Control license?

  • +1

    I have Integra DRX-3.4 (very similar with dirac live) which I got for 2k on release and has been impressive.

  • Will this be good enough for Focal 948

    • From a budget audio snob:

      Short answer: No.

      AVR amp and DAC stages are subpar in anything under $5k. The RZ50, sans DSP, would resemble a shrill $50 eBay amp. In your situation, consider acquiring the RZ50 for its AV switching and DSP, particularly Dirac. Then, match the DSP/decoding with a quality 2ch amp(s) board like Purifi 1ET400A. Purifi doesn't directly sell to consumers, so you can approach a Euro integrator, or there's March Audio in Aus; as far as I know, Alan March assembles and tests the amps.

      For DACs, people have their preferences; I prefer AKM, while others think ESS is the way to go. If you're only listening to movies and you are not that discerning, the RZ50 should be fine. Anyway, everyone always acclimatizes to their audio. I even got used to the audio from my OLED TV (has room correction using the TV remote mic) for a while.

      • Thanks. I'll have to continue my search. I'd prefer an all in one unit like the naim uniti but cheaper

  • Expired?

  • Great deal for an AVR plus Dirac Live for a basic setup. If you don't foresee yourself running four subs in the future, this will do. Even then, you could add a miniDSP but that requires time and work. For those looking to go the extra mile though, Denon X3800H is the way to go as it can utilise Dirac Live and Dirac Bass Control to optimise multi-subs (for the lazy enthusiasts), albeit for a 'small' fee.

    • +3

      The fee wasn't that small.

      • I guess one man's small is another man's $800

  • +2

    Check out Rio or Klapp AV for those looking at a sub $4k RZ70

  • Looks like its expired. I wonder if its because end of year sale ended at 5pm or they ran out of stock. But i suppose if you can them as ask for the price, say you just missed it, they might honor it. No harm in asking

  • What’s the stereo performance for music like on this?

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