onkyousa.com has posted the
official user's manual for the new TX-NR818 receiver, indicating that this new model should be shipping to retailers very soon.
Some interesting tid-bits that might not be apparent just from the
previously available product sheet or the specs and features listed on the website:
1) The On Screen Display (OSD) is available ONLY on the Main HDMI video output.
2) Only the front USB port can be used to connect an iPod/iPhone. Video from iPod/iPhone requires the Apple Composite Video connector and is thus, stricly analogue and low resolution.
3) Speaker connections are strictly 7.1 channel. You can connect up to 11 speakers, but only 7 can ever be active at one time (you can select Surr. Back, Front Height or Front Wide as the 6th & 7th speakers)
4) 9.1 speaker playback is possible by connecting a separate 2-channel amp to the "SB/FH/FW EXT AMP" outputs. 7 speakers will now be powered by the receiver, while the 8th & 9th speakers will be powered by the separate 2-channel amp.
5) 2 subwoofer pre-out jacks are provided, but the same signal is sent to both, so these are NOT stereo subs. Audyssey MultEQ XT32 will calibrate the 2 subwoofers individually though for optimal performance as a MONO subwoofer channel.
6) The Front L/R speakers can be bi-amplified. This will reduce the maximum number of speakers to 5.1 though. Front L/R speakers with no internal crossover circuitry can also be used. The TX-NR818 provides a Digital Crossover option, which is a new feature that I have not seen offered in a mass market receiver before.
7) Interestingly, if you opt to bi-amp your Front L/R speakers or use the new Digital Crossover feature for the Front L/R speakers you CANNOT use the "SB/FH/FW EXT AMP" pre-outs. So using bi-amp or Digital Crossover means you are strictly limited to a 5.1 speaker maximum. You cannot even go to 7.1 using the additional pre-outs and a separate 2-channel amp. Weird.
8) The Main HDMI Output does provide an Audio Return Channel (ARC) connection for TVs with the ARC option. HDMI audio pass through is also supported so that you can put the receiver in standby, but still use the TV's speakers for any HDMI source that is plugged into the receiver.
9) You can play Video from one source while playing Audio from a 2nd source. Just select the Video source first, then select an Audio-only input - such as "CD" or "Phono" - to play audio from the 2nd source while the video from the 1st source continues to be shown.
10) The InstaPrevue video thumbnail feature only works for HDMI inputs 1-4 & AUX. It does not work for HDMI inputs 5-7.
11) Dolby Volume, Audyssey Dynamic EQ & Dynamic Volume, and THX Loudness Plus are all present, but you can only use one of them at a time!
12) Re-EQ(THX) for THX Listening Modes still defaults to "On" every time the power is cycled. What a pain
13) Internal speaker test tones are output at THX Reference Volume setting (0dB on the volume dial), but are meant to read 75dB on an SPL meter that is 'C'-weighted. Really nice to see this spelled out clearly right in the manual!
14) The usual Audyssey "Audyssey Curve", "Front L/R Match", and "Audyssey Flat" EQ options are not listed. Instead, there are only "Audyssey Movie" and "Audyssey Music" EQ options. It is not spelled out clearly, but I would assume that "Audyssey Movie" is the "Audyssey Curve", while "Audyssey Music" is the "Audyssey Flat" setting. I don't know that for certain though.
There is also no clear indication as to how the Audyssey EQ program responds to the THX Re-EQ setting. In the past, if you set your Listening Mode to a THX Listening Mode, Audyssey would default to the "Audyssey Flat" EQ setting, so as not to muck up the Re-EQ filters. Thus, you could "trick" the receiver into giving you a Flat EQ by using a THX Listening Mode and setting Re-EQ to "Off". With the new "Audyssey Movie" and "Audyssey Music" EQ options though, I don't know how the EQ options are managed or how they respond when you are using a THX Listening Mode.
15) The included remote is kinda cool. It has "Activity" macros, kinda like a Harmony remote, and it can "learn" commands from other remotes. Programming it to control other components still relies on the ridiculous "enter a number code from the manual" system though
16) Finally, this looks like a receiver you'll definitely want to connect to your network and the internet via ethernet, or the optional Wifi USB dongle. There are a ton of supported internet music streaming services, wide support for accessing files on your PC or NAS, and darn good support for various audio file formats, including FLAC and Apple Lossless. Video and pictures are not supported though - the network features are all about audio. I'm ok with that choice though
Overall, this looks like a very enticing receiver. It is the lowest cost option for getting the Audyssey MultEQ XT32 program and it has THX Select2 and ISFccc to boot, which are very nice features to have, IMO. I'll have to try and find out exactly what the "Audyssey Movie" and "Audyssey Music" EQ settings mean. I'm hoping there's a way to get the "Flat" EQ setting though, whether that's the new "Music" setting, or the old THX Listening Mode with Re-EQ turned off trick
