Onkyo TX-NR609 THX Select2 Plus 7.2 Network Receiver First Look

[admin]

Seeing networking as low as $399 is pretty impressive. Seeing the feature set of the $599 Onkyo TX-NR609 is even more so. We love the Mavell Qdeo upconversion (same as in the new Oppo BDP-93 BD Player), the powered Zone 2, the six HDMI inputs, the front mounted USB that word with iPod/iPhone, and the overlaid on-screen display. The PC input and 4k upconversion will speak to the techie, the room correction and Audyssey Dynamic EQ/Volume and overlaid OSD will speak to the neophytes, and the 3D, 7.2 Channel, and price will speak to those that love buzzwords and deals. If you are planning on buying a receiver, either for yourself or your family, and know that once it is installed it won't be touched until it is replaced, this is a fantastic option.

Discuss "Onkyo TX-NR609 THX Select2 Plus 7.2 Network Receiver First Look" here. Read the article.

 

[kevon27]

Okay.. this AVR make the Oppo-bdp93 look way less interesting.

 

[rnatalli]

I wish Onkyo would start including MultEQ at this price point. I also think the new look is pretty ugly

 

[dalumberjack]

Wonder what their new top of the line (5009 / 3009) receivers will have to make them different from the 08 series?

 

[bwilberg266]

I wish Onkyo would start including MultEQ at this price point. I also think the new look is pretty ugly

I couldn't agree more. One of the big knocks that Onkyo has had against it are its aesthetics. In my opinion they actually took a step backwards with this new design. It's even uglier than before!

As much as I hate to admit that looks would keep me from getting a receiver, these look so bad I don't know how I could bring myself to putting this thing on display. If only I had a rack hidden away...

 

[sm31]

To me it resembles a black box with a digital readout in the middle and a large knob on the right... like most other receivers.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I know including multichannel pre-out on lower model would mean shooting themself in the foot, but I'd still like this to happen one day
I mean the price difference would probably couple of extra dollars

 

[tristanrhodes]

Looking forward to 2011 receivers...

This receiver does look very future proof. (You won't have to upgrade your receiver until you want 8k video, say, in 2020.) Now I just have to decide if I want the newest features, or last-years features at 50% off.

Actually, I am wondering what the value is for many of the features they are trying to add to receivers? I don't want my receiver to be a computer. I already have computers (or xbox, ps3, etc) that do all sorts of amazing things and applications (like Internet radio). I simply need a receiver to switch between inputs and then send that high quality audio and video to my speakers and television (or projector).

My second question is, "When do the other manufacturers (Pioneer, Yamaha) release their new models?".

Thanks!
(BTW, this is my first post on this forum.)

Tristan

 

[aarond]

I know including multichannel pre-out on lower model would mean shooting themself in the foot, but I'd still like this to happen one day
I mean the price difference would probably couple of extra dollars

it appears that yamaha is the only one offering pre outs on mid-priced receivers. I've never been a fan of yamaha, but I'm looking to update my system and it looks like i will be buying the Yamaha RX-V667 and an Outlaw 7125 amp.

 

[Sugarbear]

I know including multichannel pre-out on lower model would mean shooting themself in the foot, but I'd still like this to happen one day
I mean the price difference would probably couple of extra dollars

Me too, man!

it appears that yamaha is the only one offering pre outs on mid-priced receivers. I've never been a fan of yamaha, but I'm looking to update my system and it looks like i will be buying the Yamaha RX-V667 and an Outlaw 7125 amp.

I want preouts to show up lower in the manufacturer lines pretty badly. Denon introduces pre-outs at the 3311, which is too rich for my blood. I can't do Yamaha (stickler for Audyssey) so the cheapest receiver with preouts that I'll consider is the Onkyo 708 (or the soon-coming 709). That plus an Emotiva amp is an AV best buy, imho.

 

[starbux48]

What does WRAT & 3-stage Inverted Darlington buy?

I am looking at buying either the 509 or 609. The 509 does virtually all I would want. Don't care about THX, 7.2 instead of 5.2, HD radio, more watts, etc. But.....the 609 is listed as having the WRAT technology by Onkyo & this "Darlington circuitry". The 509 is selling for $150 less than the 609.

By not having the WRAT or Darlington on the 509 would I even know it?

 

[jeannot]

If that thing had pre-outs, they wouldn't build them fast enough.

 

[jeannot]

This receiver does look very future proof.

Wouldn't future-proof necessitate pre-outs?

 

[starbux48]

Do the WRAT & Darlington make a big difference?

Two things that the 609 has over the 509 are these. It has others like THX too. These are the only two that I don't understand if having them is worth $150 additional outlay. Will the 609 sound that much better with these?

 

[PearlcorderS701]

I had been discussing the new 609 over at Blu-ray.com for some time now, and the controversial element of the company's new direction with their styling -- at first, I couldn't stand it compared to the concave lines of the outgoing 608 and such, but it grew on me as seen on their hi fi separates and now the new stereo receiver we had discussed in another thread. I am still uncertain what I think about the new faceplate on the 609 though...

That said, boy is this company pushing the envelope now with regard to value to performance ratios -- could you ask for anything else (beyond MultiEQ which someone else brought up and some other tweaks) at this price point? If I upgrade from my 605, it will be to a higher level in Onkyo's lineup for sure, but the 609 is definitely destined to be another best seller in their range...

Speaking of aesthetics, I have always loved this company's design -- something about the plain, boxy, all-business look of the products' real aluminum faceplates and ridiculously overbuilt tactile feel of the controls and knobs is very appealing to me, and always has been, whether the products are stereo/two channel or home theater/multichannel...

 

[PearlcorderS701]

I am looking at buying either the 509 or 609. The 509 does virtually all I would want. Don't care about THX, 7.2 instead of 5.2, HD radio, more watts, etc. But.....the 609 is listed as having the WRAT technology by Onkyo & this "Darlington circuitry". The 509 is selling for $150 less than the 609.

By not having the WRAT or Darlington on the 509 would I even know it?

If I am not mistaken, all Onkyo amplification products (receivers included in that) boast their "WRAT" (Wide Range Amplifier) design -- it's not exclusive in the 600-series and up; I believe the 500-line has it too...

That said, jean is correct about the preout situation -- but this has always been a pandora's box situation that I have argued for and against in many a thread...here's the scoop: You would think that at a price point like Onkyo's "600 series" of receivers, taking into consideration their relatively low power output specs, that these units would come with preouts as a no-brainer, so the user could add amplification down the road...however, on the flip side of that coin, the company also knows that at this level of the game, not many buyers are even aware of what "external amplification" is or means, nor would they looking to add more power to their systems -- so, in some ways, it makes sense that Onkyo doesn't include this feature in this level of receiver.

But...then again...there ARE enthusiasts like me who wanted to stay within a certain budget who bought a model from the 600 range (in my case, the 605 when it came out) who could now definitely benefit from adding external power but don't have the preouts to do it...in my case, I'd like to keep the processing and features of the 605 and use it as a pre/pro, but add a lot more power to feed my Polk RTi12 mains...but I can't do it with the 605...

 

[jeannot]

Can anyone explain what WRAT is technically, beyond an acronym?

What Range does that refer to? Frequency? Dynamic? Headroom?
Is it about the power supply, the amp topology?

Or is it like "push-pull", a term that can be used for virtually all amplifiers with a + and - power supply?

 

[jeannot]

When I ask why the 609 does not have pre-outs, I'm not being honest, because I know why. Fact is, the pre-out circuitry and connectors cost about $3, and we could probably see the empty holes on the PCB with the traces for these components... They have to sell the higher models, simple as that.

These companies could probably produce a receiver with virtually all the processor features any of us would want (and a headphones-class amplifier), for $400 and still make money. A fair argument is that the money they make with the bigger models probably financed the R&D for the lower ones. In understand all that.

I am just expressing frustration, and I do apologize about that. I just can't get over the $3 thing :-(

 

[Sugarbear]

...

That said, jean is correct about the preout situation -- but this has always been a pandora's box situation that I have argued for and against in many a thread...here's the scoop: You would think that at a price point like Onkyo's "600 series" of receivers, taking into consideration their relatively low power output specs, that these units would come with preouts as a no-brainer, so the user could add amplification down the road...however, on the flip side of that coin, the company also knows that at this level of the game, not many buyers are even aware of what "external amplification" is or means, nor would they looking to add more power to their systems -- so, in some ways, it makes sense that Onkyo doesn't include this feature in this level of receiver.

But...then again...there ARE enthusiasts like me who wanted to stay within a certain budget who bought a model from the 600 range (in my case, the 605 when it came out) who could now definitely benefit from adding external power but don't have the preouts to do it...in my case, I'd like to keep the processing and features of the 605 and use it as a pre/pro, but add a lot more power to feed my Polk RTi12 mains...but I can't do it with the 605...

Absolutely right. I have a 606 which I LOVE (while I cross my fingers hoping that the HDMI board doesn't give out), and it would be absolutely killer with pre-outs. I may upgrade this year just to get them and, if you're looking for pre-outs, the 708 (or soon-coming 709 and RC370) are the best bang for the buck by far.

I'm secretly hoping that Denon lets pre-outs trickle down lower in their AVR series this year but, if not, I'll have a new Onk on the way.

 

[jeannot]

I'm secretly hoping that Denon lets pre-outs trickle down lower in their AVR series this year but, if not, I'll have a new Onk on the way.

I always found ironical that the large and powerful receivers (the ones you don't need an external amp for) come with pre-outs, and the cheap and powerless receivers (the ones you DO need an external amp for) come without.

Hopefully, competition will inject some sense into this, thanks to people who will go for the brands with that feature.