Onkyo has three new THX certified AV Receivers
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted June 5th 2010 5:33PM
posted June 5th 2010 5:33PM
Onkyo Debuts 3 New THX Certified Network Receivers with Audio Streaming and Multi-Room Functionality
06/02/10 - UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ, 6/1/10 -- Onkyo, a world-renowned name in quality home entertainment, announced the release of three new mid- and upper mid-range network A/V receivers for 2010: the TX-NR1008, TX-NR808, and TX-NR708. Each of these models is THX® Select2 Plus™ certified and offers the latest processing and user-friendly features to support multi-room set-ups, network audio streaming, iPhone®/iPod®-compatible USB, and fully immersive 3D capable home theater with multidimensional surround sound to match.
All of these models have seven of the latest HDMI® 1.4a connections, specifying compatibility with the new 3D video formats, which promise to bring an exciting new dimension to movies and games in the home. These new receivers are also compatible with the mandatory formats for 3D broadcast content of "Side-By-Side (Half)" and "Top-and-Bottom" 3D video formats.
HDMI is also the conduit for 1080p video upscaling of all video inputs, regardless of native resolution, via Faroudja DCDi Cinema™. On all three of the new Onkyo receiver models, DCDi Cinema works to remove jaggies during the video signal deinterlacing process, resulting in smooth progressive-scan video images.
Each of these network receivers includes a rear-panel Ethernet port that links it directly to the internet or to a home PC. Users can then enjoy superior fidelity from a wide range of audio file types, including MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, FLAC, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, and LPCM. They can also access a range of different streaming Internet radio services, from Pandora®, Rhapsody, vTuner, and Sirius Internet Radio®, and newly expanded services from Napster, Mediafly™, and Slacker™ internet radio.
The Ethernet connection brings the added convenience of easy firmware upgrades, which enhance the unit's functionality going forward. Each receiver is also Windows® 7 compatible and DLNA 1.5 certified to allow audio streaming from other network-enabled equipment throughout the home.
Audio processing on all three models includes the studio master-quality of the industry's two leading lossless codecs, Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio™. Complementing these are the expanded surround dimensions of Dolby® Pro Logic® IIz and Audyssey DSX™. The former provides the option of adding extra height channels for improved ambience, while the latter adds either height or width channels. With the 7.2-channel TX-NR808 and TX-NR708, these extra channels replace the surround rear channels. With the 9.2-channel TX-NR1008, meanwhile, users have a host of different speaker configurations to choose from.
This flexibility extends to multi-room set-ups. Onkyo's new A/V receivers open the door to distributed audio in up to three rooms in the home. With the TX-NR708, users can take advantage of a powered Zone 2 or a Zone 2 line out. Meanwhile, the TX-NR808 provides a powered Zone 2, along with pre-outs for Zones 2 and 3. Finally, the TX-NR1008 can deliver 5.1-channel surround sound in the main room, plus fully powered stereo audio of two different sources in Zone 2 and Zone 3.
Along with the two extra amplifier channels and one extra HDMI output, the TX-NR1008 offers further advantages over its two siblings. It is equipped with advanced ISF video calibration controls for independent optimization and fine-grained adjustments of every video source. And it sports an extra 192 kHz/24-bit Burr Brown DAC to handle the heavy demands of multi-channel audio processing.
Each of the three Onkyo models includes a full suite of Audyssey equalization and room-correction technologies to ensure optimal audio performance in any environment and at any volume level. Chief among these is Audyssey MultEQ®, which corrects for time and frequency-response problems caused by room acoustics, and which calibrates speakers for optimal audio balance throughout the listening space.
All three receivers have an iPhone®/iPod®-compatible front-side USB port that allows on-screen display of album art and navigation via the included remote. Other noteworthy features shared by this trio include an analog RGB input for video content from a connected PC; PLL jitter-cleaning circuit technology; and Onkyo's new overlaid graphical OSD for seamless adjustment of settings during a viewing session.
The TX-NR1008 and TX-NR808 include Onkyo's bi-directional and customizable preprogrammed remote control to simplify the process of programming all the components in the system.
With these latest releases, Onkyo looks to consolidate its position as a provider of the most up-to-date home entertainment features backed by rock-solid performance and intelligent design.
The Onkyo TX-NR708 and TX-NR808 will be available at the beginning of July with suggested retail prices of $899 and $1,099 respectively. The TX-NR1008 will ship to dealers at the end of July and will have a suggested retail price of $1,399.
If only I could afford it...
@FORDY
FORDY, I must say that this was my main thought before I even saw your comments. I know it's probably Ben, Richard, and the other staff's responsibility to bring you the news of all this new technology. However, this stuff is expensive. I am gainfully employed, and who in the world can afford this beautiful technology? Oh, I know. That 5-10% of the upper class here in America and around the world. I sure know the middle class can't afford this expensive stuff. Wait....I thought there wasn't a middle class anymore. It's the haves and the have-nots. No, it's the rich and poor. And I fall in the category.
I have a question for Ben. If anything, a challenge. Would you please conduct a pole asking people here what they can afford and can't afford when it comes to home theater audio, televisions, and the likes of these media center boxes that are popping up all around the place? I would really like to see the outcome. Or you could do one that really ask how much are some of your readers making in salary? The reason being why I ask this is because we keep seeing so many devices and such, but I never hear about people purchasing this stuff. Anyway, nice receiver.
@blckman
lol. My income is lower-middle class, even when combined with my wife, yet I can still afford two car payments, a house note, pay all the bills and still afford to spend up to two grand a year on the HT.
I am FAR from the upper 10%.
I think the problem is most people dont manage thier money properly.
@blckman Lots of middle class folk spend that every single month on their mortgage. In fact the average mortgage in the US is 2x that.
It's all about priorities.
Some people spend $1800 a month on their mortgage some of us have enough spending money to buy 12 new 'unaffordable' receivers every year.
@LazarusDark
Yeah, but I'm 15.
I don't have anything like a "low-middle class income".
I don't even have enough income to have to pay tax on it. (About £10K this side of the pond I think - UK)
For my age, and amount of wealth, I handle it very well. I can afford, and have bought, a hell of a lot more than a lot of people I know who earn a lot more than me (my age still).
You should see my fantasy portfolio.. such a shame my parents wont give me a truckload of real money to shift around on the stock market...
So anyway, my point is, don't make such snap judgements on people.
"Oh he can't afford a £1.4K AVR - he must be s**t at handling money"
If I rephrase it, I could "afford" it, it'd just take too long to get there. It'd take me just short of two years to get enough for it, unless I can get another job soonish.
And the advantages aren't enough over the £300 STR-DN1000 that I recently bought, to make a two year save, buying nothing else, worthwhile.
@FORDY What are people worried about.. Just leave it up to Obama and the liberals. They are socializing America so if you can't afford a $1500 receiver, the government will pay for it for you (and raise our taxes even more - damn bastards..)
Socialism means receivers for us all..
@kevon27
As I said, I'm in the UK.
@FORDY easy dude. please note my response was to blckman
@kevon27 What does Obama have to do with receivers it'd funny yah republicans don't seem to care about other socialized institutions like public school, libraries, parks, the mailing system, jus because it's a Blackman I'm the white house he has it has to be bad... Stick to rating electronics... and bush messed everything up
It seems to me the 708 is a lot more expensive than the 608 for just a little more power, a few more inputs (only one more HDMI, among others), and Internet music streaming. MSRP for the 708 is $899 vs $599 for the 608.
I was wondering how the 708 would turn out price/specs wise, but it seems the 608 really hits the sweet spot.
I wonder why all the new 80x and 90x models are no longer THX Ultra2 certified like the old 805/905?
How does Onkyo consistently make the ugliest receivers? I know I know.. I shouldn't care what it looks like - only what it's capable of.
But I look at those gorgeous Denon/Sony ES receivers and can't bring myself to consider Onkyo. >_<
This may finally be the Onkyo for me. I've been holding off because all previous models require some sort of sacrifice. But the new 1008 seems to finally address all of my wants: 9.2, 2xhdmi out, multichannel input AND preouts. Along with all the normal features and 135w/ch. I can't imagine where I'd ever find 6 hdmi devices to fill the inputs though.
Faroudja DCDi is only legendary in the sense that it is old.
Give me AnchorBay any day.
Correct me if i am Wrong But..
THX certification is something Onkyo [for that matter any company] has to pay for. It's not a process of any type, It's just a license to say it sounds good enough for George Lucas.
You can find a better sound Receiver without THX Cert.
That's not even hard to do...
So why does it still exist?
I mean, i would rather Onkyo [or whoever] didn't spend the money to put that logo on the Unit. Rather move that savings forward, or put that money into making the receiver better.