Wednesday, 25 June 2014 09:16
New receiver models from Onkyo with support for Dolby ATMOS
Written by Karl Erik SyltheOnkyo launches two new receiver models in the top range. Both support the new format of Height channels.
Yesterday we published an article that talks about the new format war that is going. There is a competition between Dolby Labs and Auro Technologies, where it is all about getting hegemony over height channels. The format Auro-3D was the first out in the home-market, but we know from the past that Dolby is a hard nail when it comes to audio formats in surround. And Dolby ATMOS now seems to come like a storm with most of the Japanese giants.
Onkyo has a history of being first when it comes to implementing new audio formats - that we remember partly dating back to the time when DPL II came. It was a race that had to be decided by photo finish between Onkyo and Tag McLaren. Photo finish it seems that must be in place this time, too, when Onkyo claims to launch the first receivers with Dolby ATMOS. We'll leave the final litmus test be when the products are on the shelves.
There are two new top receivers TX-NR1030 and TX-NR3030, and flagship processor PR-SC5530, which will initially be equipped with Dolby ATMOS.
But this fall there will be software upgrade to the budget and mid-range models TX-NR636, TX-NR737 and TX-NR838. These would then be given the status of ATMOS-ready, a term used where only two speakers can be used for the four available height channels. We will assume that when the two smallest models will be talking about a 5.1.2 configuration, while the TX-NR838 is tempting to argue that it is likely to be a '7.1.2, partly by external power amplifier for the last two channels via pre-out?
But let's take a look at the newly launched top-range receivers from Onkyo. The smallest - TX-NR1030 obviously replaces predecessor TX-NR1010, while TX-NR3030 is replacing TX-NR 3010. The largest model has 11 amp-channels, allowing a 7.2.4 setup without external impetus. The smaller model TX-NR1030 has however only nine amplifier channels, and must therefore be limited to 7.2.2 or 5.2.4 unless you choose to connect an external two-channel power amplifier, which means that also this model can run 7.2.4 .
Another significant point which separates these two receivers is the youngest TX-NR1030 has 24/192-DACs from Burr Brown, while the TX-NR3030 has seven stereo-DACs with 32bit/192kHz capacity. Otherwise, there are surprisingly small differences in the specifications, in which the given effect is similar for the two models. HDMI 2.0 is of course in place here, as for the smaller receivers launched earlier this spring. The same applies to what you could want into network and streaming capacity. This goes of course also for the flagship processor, which also has full sets of balanced outputs for all channels.
Below we have taken out a comparison of the specifications of the TX-NR1030 and TX-NR3030. But be aware that this applies to U.S. models. From experience we know that there can be differences in the specifications of the models for the European market.
|
|
TX-NR3030 |
TX-NR1030 |
|
Amplifier Channels |
11.2 |
9.2 |
|
Power Watts / Ch (6ohms 1 kHz, 2 Channels Driven, FTC |
160, 0.7% THD |
160, 0.7% THD |
|
Power Watts / Ch (8ohms 20-20kHz, 2 Channels Driven, |
135, 0.08% THD |
135, 0.08% THD |
|
WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology) |
✓ |
✓ |
|
HCPS (High Current Power Supply) |
✓ (Massive High Power Transformer) |
✓ (Massive High Power Transformer) |
|
THX Certified |
Select2 Plus |
Select2 Plus |
|
Continuous 6 ohms Rated |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Certified 4 Ohm Performance |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Discrete Output Stage Circuitry |
✓ |
✓ |
|
3-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry |
✓ (All Channels) |
✓ (All Channels) |
|
PUSH-PULL Design |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Independent Block Construction (Amp / Preprocessor) |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Toroidal Transformer |
- |
- |
|
Independent Power Supply |
2 |
2 |
|
Bi-amp Capability For Front |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Processing |
||
|
Dolby Atmos Ready |
✓ |
✓ |
|
32-Bit Digital Signal Processing Engine |
✓ (Dual DSP for Powerful Advanced Processing) |
✓ (Dual DSP for Powerful Advanced Processing) |
|
Dolby Decoder |
True HD, DD Plus, PLIIz, Atmos |
True HD, DD Plus, PLIIz, Atmos |
|
DTS Decoder |
DTS-HD Master Audio |
DTS-HD Master Audio |
|
Dolby PLIIz |
✓ |
✓ |
|
ONKYO GAME Surround Modes |
✓ (Rock, Sports, Action, RPG) |
✓ (Rock, Sports, Action, RPG) |
|
THX Processing Mode |
✓ |
✓ |
|
AccuEQ Room Calibration |
✓ (with Mic Included) |
✓ (with Mic Included) |
|
Phase-Matching Bass Boost |
✓ (Deep Bass and Clear Mid-Range) |
✓ (Deep Bass and Clear Mid-Range) |
|
Direct / Pure Mode |
✓ / ✓ |
✓ / ✓ |
|
Pure Direct Path Analog Mode |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Advanced Music Optimizer |
✓ (Bluetooth Included) |
✓ (Bluetooth Included) |
|
192K/32 Bit DACs |
✓ (TI Burr-Brown 2ch x 7) |
- |
|
192K/24 Bit DACs |
- |
✓ (Burr-Brown) |
|
VLSC |
- |
- |
|
isf Certified Calibration Control |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Connectivity |
||
|
Audio I / O |
7/0 |
7/0 |
|
Phono Input |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Digital Audio IN (OPT / COAX) |
03.mar |
03.mar |
|
Composite I / O |
04.jan |
04.jan |
|
Component Video I / O |
02.jan |
02.jan |
|
Front panel HDMI |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Front-Panel A / V |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Front-Panel Optical |
✓ |
✓ |
|
USB Input |
Front |
Front |
|
HDMI I / O |
08.mar |
08.mar |
|
HDMI 2.0 4K/60 Hz-Capable HDMI Terminals |
✓ |
✓ |
|
HDCP 2.2 Copy Protection Compatibility |
✓ (for Future 4K/Full HD Video Streaming and Broadcast) |
✓ (for Future 4K/Full HD Video Streaming and Broadcast) |
|
HDMI Support for 3D, Audio Return Channel and CEC |
✓ |
✓ |
|
HDMI Support for Deep Color, xvColor, LipSync |
✓ |
✓ |
|
HDMI Support for DVD-Audio, SACD, Multichannel PCM |
✓ |
✓ |
|
InstaPrevue Input Source Prevue |
✓ |
✓ |
|
MHL for Mobile Device Connection |
✓ (Front HDMI) |
✓ (Front HDMI) |
|
Composite two Component Video Upconversion |
- |
- |
|
Analog To HDMI Upconversion |
✓ (from 480i/576i) |
✓ (from 480i/576i) |
|
1080p Upscaling |
✓ (Marvell Qdeo) |
✓ (Marvell Qdeo) |
|
4K (up to 4096 x 2160) Upscaling |
✓ (Marvell Qdeo) |
✓ (Marvell Qdeo) |
|
4K Pass Through |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Multi-Channel Input |
- |
- |
|
Analog Pre-Outs |
11.4 Ch |
11.4 Ch |
|
XLR Pre-outs |
Front Left, Right |
Front Left, Right |
|
18mm Pitch High Grade Pre-outs |
Front Left, Right |
Front Left, Right |
|
Speaker A / + B |
- |
- |
|
Powered Zone 2 |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Powered Zone 3 |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Zone 2 Line Out |
✓ (Fixed / Variable) |
✓ (Fixed / Variable) |
|
Zone 2 Video Out |
✓ (HDMI w / OSD) |
✓ (HDMI w / OSD) |
|
Zone 2 Digital to Analog Audio Conversion |
✓ (NET, USB, HDMI) |
✓ (NET, USB, HDMI) |
|
Zone 3 Line Out |
✓ (Fixed / Variable) |
✓ (Fixed / Variable) |
|
Whole House Mode |
✓ |
✓ |
|
iPod Ready |
✓ (via optional DS-A5) |
✓ (via optional DS-A5) |
|
Airplay Ready |
✓ (via optional DS-A5) |
✓ (via optional DS-A5) |
|
HD Radio |
- |
- |
|
Supports Onkyo Remote App |
✓ (iPod touch / iPhone and Android-Powered Devices) |
✓ (iPod touch / iPhone and Android-Powered Devices) |
|
Internet Radio Capable |
✓ (Pandora, Spotify, Sirius / XM, Slacker, Aupeo!, TuneIn) |
✓ (Pandora, Spotify, Sirius / XM, Slacker, Aupeo!, TuneIn) |
|
Streaming Audio From PC / Network |
✓ (DLNA Home Media) |
✓ (DLNA Home Media) |
|
Streaming Audio Formats |
✓ (MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, FLAC, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, AAC Stereo, Apple Lossless, DSD 5.6 MHz, LPCM, Dolq |
✓ (MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, FLAC, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, AAC Stereo, Apple Lossless, DSD 5.6 MHz, LPCM, Dolq |
|
Streaming Audio From USB memory |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Wireless Network |
✓ (Wi-Fi Certified) |
✓ (Wi-Fi Certified) |
|
Bluetooth |
✓ (Built-in) |
✓ (Built-in) |
|
PC Input (15 pin D-sub) |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Integration Access |
||
|
RS-232 |
✓ |
✓ |
|
IR Input |
✓ |
✓ |
|
IR Output |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Ethernet |
✓ |
✓ |
|
ONKYO-RI System Control |
✓ |
✓ |
|
RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI) |
✓ |
✓ |
|
12V Trigger |
✓ (Zone 2, Zone 3) |
✓ (Zone 2) |
|
Miscellaneous |
||
|
Pre-Pro/Learning Remote |
✓ / ✓ |
✓ / ✓ |
|
On Screen Remote Programming |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Bi-directional Remote Setup via GUI |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Activity Based Remote |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Color-Coded Speaker Terminals |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Hybrid Standby Function |
✓ (two Reduce Power Consumption) |
✓ (two Reduce Power Consumption) |
|
Smart Grid-Ready |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Auto Speaker Calibration W / Mic. |
✓ (AccuEQ) |
✓ (AccuEQ) |
|
OSD Out |
✓ (advanced "Home" GUI) |
✓ (advanced "Home" GUI) |
|
Solid Aluminum Front |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Detachable AC Cord |
✓ |
✓ |
Distributor in Norway is Mono AS
Read more on Onkyo:
Karl Erik Sylthe
Redaktør i Audiophile.no
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Latest from Karl Erik Sylthe
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