Onkyo PR-SC5508 THX Certified Processor First Look

A

admin

Audioholics Robot
Staff member
As we'd expect from Onkyo, they've managed to shoehorn just about every feature on the market into this their new PR-SC5508 pre/pro. Onkyo's budget offerings have been impressing us lately with the number and quality of the features and the PR-SC5508 is no different. To start with, it has THX-Ultra 2 Plus certification, it is network-capable, and supports 9.2 channels of audio through either RCA or XLR outputs. The HDMI 1.4a inputs means you won't have to worry about 3D integration, the multiple zone support including video output for Zone 2 means the processor can grow with you, and the Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room correction means you'll get the best sound you can from your speakers and room.


Discuss "Onkyo PR-SC5508 THX Certified Processor First Look" here. Read the article.
 
adk highlander

adk highlander

Sith Lord
Hmm. Looks like the replacement for my 885 has landed. The street price should be significantly lower.:D
 
M

mrjktcvs

Audiophyte
For what purpose? Zone 2/3?

I have a CD recorder and a DAT. For something in this price range to exclude that is ridiculous, especially when back panel real estate is being wasted by no less than 5 composite video inputs .
 
Seth=L

Seth=L

Audioholic Overlord
I have a CD recorder and a DAT. For something in this price range to exclude that is ridiculous, especially when back panel real estate is being wasted by no less than 5 composite video inputs .
What's a composite video?:D
 
Z

ZeGhostbear

Junior Audioholic
Thanks for posting this product alert. Onkyo has you to thank for retaining a customer. Started looking for something to replace my TX-NR905 receiver that is now only serving as a pre-pro. I was getting ready to switch to the Marantz AV7005 as I did not want to bother with trying to find someone to sell me the Integra 80.2. I would have been willing to pay the full MSRP for the Marantz and I do not think the street price for the Integra would have even come close. The MSRP on the new Onkyo is high again, but I am sure to find some heavy discounts online as usual for Onkyo.

Anyone interested in more details should download the manual and prodcut sheet from the Onkyo International site. Cannot post links yet, so just google: onkyo pr-sc5508 manual
 
G

geogherkins

Audiophyte
No Onkyo USA information yet - any news?

Any Onkyo insider lurkers with knowledge? Posting to this thread to see if anyone has any knowledge regarding the release of the PR-SC5508? The press release indicated availablity in September and I'm pretty sure Onkyo wants to get models into the retail stream prior to the year-end holiday buying season... So what is the scoop? Thanks.
 
adk highlander

adk highlander

Sith Lord
It is out. The Onkyo Pro dealer I purchased my 885 from has them in stock. They do not list the price on the web and I am not calling for fear I may do something I cannot afford right now.:rolleyes:

There are no dealers listed on Onkyo's web site for Wisconsin. Here is a link to the dealers listed for your region.
 
zildjian

zildjian

Audioholic Chief
Did anyone here ever buy one of these or look into them greatly? The back panel looks impressive. I have been hoping for a Marantz AV8005 to be announced since the AV7005 seems to have buzzing problems according to adk's experiences he's shared with us, and I'd like to have a pre-pro with balanced inputs to use with my Oppo BDP-95. I had a stereo analog only Onkyo receiver around 20 years ago. It's still in the basement somewhere! Maybe this unit would be worth reconsidering Onkyo once again.
 
Z

ZeGhostbear

Junior Audioholic
mini review or upgrade story

I actually received mine last week. Have been meaning to do a little write-up, so here goes nothing:

The ONKYO PR-SC5508 pre-pro is replacing my ONKYO TX-NR905 receiver, which showed me for the first time what a huge difference proper amplification can make. The rest of the living room setup consists of a pair of Paradignm Studio 60 v.4 tower speakers, an Emotiva XPA-5 five channel audio power amplifier (XLR), an SVS PC-13 Ultra DSP subwoofer (XLR), an OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray player (HDMI), an Asus O!Play HDP-R1 media player (HDMI), a Logitech Squeezebox Duet (optical), a Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR cable box, a Panasonic TC-P54G10 plasma television (HDMI), all hooked up to an APC H15 power conditioner. I would say I do about 80% movies and 20% music on that system.

I upgraded to the external amplifier last year, so the AVR was doing pre-pro duty only. Considering how it runs very hot even without providing amplification and given the HDMI handshake issues, I was looking for a replacement. I ended up picking the PR-SC5508 over the Marantz AV7005 that admittedly looks much more beautiful, but has fewer of the latest features that I value.

A lot of people are worried about two things in the Onkyo line-up: heat, clicking noise. Sorry to say that both are still there, but much less pronounced.

Compared to the 905 it has no vents in the front section, where I guess the amplifier resides in its brother the TX-NR5008. But the rear section where all the processing resides still gets very warm. Overall less hot. I prefer to run everything without active cooling as the fan noise bothers me, but the paranoid can always add a fan I guess.

The clicking is audible every time you switch processing modes. (It emanates from the unit itself, not the speakers.) This can happen when you switch inputs or pause playback, all depending on your actual setup and settings. E.g. only some devices stop supplying an audio signal when you pause. This sound has bothered me in the 905 when I first bought it, but I have to say that I got used to it and I no longer consider it an annoyance. Nevertheless I am happy to report that the clicking noise is much less pronounced in the 5508, much softer.

I like the cosmetics of the 5508 which are very similar to the 905. A lot of the clutter in the front is hidden under a door panel which has been slightly redesigned. Much cleaner look than its distant cousin, the Integra DHC-80.2, which looks absolutely horrible (keep it ouf of sight in a rack somewhere).

But how does it sound? Fantastic! I auditioned a number of new movies on it, including "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole", and one familiar Blu-ray, "Zombieland". Not that the 905 sounded terrible, but there is a definite improvement. I love the balanced XLR cables though they probably change very little compared to the RCA cables. Most of the difference I would ascribe to Audyssey Sub EQ HT (part of every Audyssey MultEQ XT32 unit) and Audyssey Dynamic EQ.

Let me back up a little bit and describe what I was doing frequently. A lot of the time I did not feel that there was good balance across the entire dynamic range. Whenever I was missing the bass, I would either increase the gain on the subwoofer or increase the overall volume. The former could lead to bloated bass and the latter to earbleeding levels of everything else. I felt like I had to do this too often for the various sources and material, but accepted it as a necessary evil. After the change of equipment, I no longer have to mess with that! Everything sounds much richer and the blend is really smooth (sorry, don't have measurement equipment...yet).

Can't wait to go to 9.2 in the dedicated home theater room and try out Audyssey DSX. These guys really know their processing.

Hope this helps at least some of you with your purchase decision and causes at least a few cases of upgraditis :D
 
B

Brahms

Enthusiast
Ive read at some site where it was discussed about this model to doesn't have "true" XLR outputs?

Do you have idea what that would mean?
 
Z

ZeGhostbear

Junior Audioholic
Ive read at some site where it was discussed about this model to doesn't have "true" XLR outputs?

Do you have idea what that would mean?
What they were probably pointing to is the fact that they are not fully balanced outputs, but that is the case with a lot of XLR equipment. While a fully balanced device chain from end-to-end is nice, my XPA-5 is not, so there really is no point in looking for a pre-pro that is. The XPA-1 monoblocks would be an example of a fully balanced design. So you only get the benefit of being able to do longer cable runs without worrying about picking up signal noise and the bragging rights of showing professional looking gear to your friends. Good enough for me.
 
T

tjf120

Audioholic Intern
Are these on 'national backorder' right now? I've been looking for one, can't find one online.....
 
P

PENG

Audioholic Slumlord
Did anyone here ever buy one of these or look into them greatly? The back panel looks impressive. I have been hoping for a Marantz AV8005 to be announced since the AV7005 seems to have buzzing problems according to adk's experiences he's shared with us, and I'd like to have a pre-pro with balanced inputs to use with my Oppo BDP-95. I had a stereo analog only Onkyo receiver around 20 years ago. It's still in the basement somewhere! Maybe this unit would be worth reconsidering Onkyo once again.
The AV7005 is selling so well that many dealers are having hard time keeping any in stock, with that many sales within a short time frame, there bound to be some trouble reports on forums. So far I have read about a few that are related to power frequency hums. Mine is as quiet as my 4308 and my other amps. If you want balanced inputs for the Oppo 95 you could get an AV8003 now for about the same price as the AV7005. To me, unless you must use long runs of interconnects there is no benefits in using XLR connections. In fact, for some unknown reasons, every professional reviews with lab measurements show better cross talks and S/N numbers for unbalanced connections.
 
Z

ZeGhostbear

Junior Audioholic
Are these on 'national backorder' right now? I've been looking for one, can't find one online.....
I don't think it is on backorder. Onkyo is using a more restrictive distribution channel strategy with the 5508 compared to lower models, the 3008 for example. Not sure what they are hoping this will achieve besides higher margins, but I was not able to find this through the usual online channels. I do not think this will help the brand. Almost as bad as trying to buy the sister brand Integra or Onkyo Pro. You will have to get in touch with dealers directly.
 
T

tjf120

Audioholic Intern
That is an odd strategy. I called a couple of the approved online dealers from their Onkyo USA page...no one had any in stock....
 
surveyor

surveyor

Audioholic Chief
I purchased the Integra DHC-80.2. It is extremely similar but with a different face or front- the back is identical. I just ordered it. I hope it performs well!
:)
 

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