AV Receiver Reviews

PRICE $1,599

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Equipped with Dolby Atmos, primed for DTS:X
Abundant clean, dynamic power
AirPlay, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi all on board
Versatile, usable, hi-res-ready streaming options
Minus
Only two height channels, whether powered or line
Failed to stream DSD recordings

THE VERDICT
Plenty of performance and features, and solid human factors, with an emphasis on core audio quality, at fair “flagship” pricing.

Producing a test report on a “flagship” A/V receiver is always a bit of a high-wire act. On one hand, the receiver represents the top of the line: Maximum power, maximum features, and maximum performance are all expected—and generally delivered. On the other hand, cruiser-class designs rarely offer much of real importance that a model two or three jumps down any given maker’s line doesn’t also do quite competently—and for roughly half the price, which means it’s the model that most folks eventually buy. This leaves the hapless reviewer with the unenviable choice of either damning with faint praise or condemning excellence for its expense.

For years, Onkyo has been known for decent, dependable gear – nothing super fancy, mind you, just good, respectable, hardworking stuff. That's not to say Onkyo's AV receivers are plain-Jane, stripped-down jobs, however. The company's newest introduction, the $599 TX-SR605, is a perfect illustration of how the opposite is true. Sure, it sports a faceplate that, after you get past the various logos and (thankfully removable) stickers splashed across it, is not much different – and often less exciting – than that which you'll find on any of a hundred other receivers. But, as the logos and marketing stickers attest, behind the average-looking façade lies a feature and performance package that should put the TX-SR605 on the short list of anyone who's currently in the market for a mid-priced AV receiver.

If you want bang for your buck, look no further.

The great thing about technol-ogy is that everything eventually becomes affordable. The latest generation of A/V receivers certainly demonstrates this, and the Onkyo TX-SR606 exemplifies the extraordinary features and performance capabilities of AVRs under $600.

Price: $599 At A Glance: First THX-certified 3D-capable AVR • HDMI 1.4a includes all current 3D formats • Width or height processing via Audyssey DSX

THX and 3D

Many tributaries feed the mighty Mississippi. South of the Twin Cities, the Minnesota River gushes in. In Wisconsin, it is joined by the St. Croix River, the Black River, the La Crosse River, the Root River, and the Wisconsin River. Then come the Rock, Iowa, Skunk, Des Moines, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Platte, Arkansas, Yazoo, and Atchafalaya rivers—all gliding in until the increasingly vast Mississippi ends its epic American journey at the Gulf of Mexico. I’m typing out all of this for two reasons. Contemplating the American landscape is an awe-inspiring pleasure—and pleasure is what I’m all about.

Price: $1,000
Channels/Power: 7x105W
Decoding: DD, DD EX, ProLogic IIx, DTS, DTS-ES Discrete/Matrix/Neo:6/DTS 24/96
Ins and Outs: Two coax and five toslink digital audio, one 7.1-channel analog, two HDMI (spec 1.1), three component video, RS-232, three 12V triggers
Highlights: THX Select2, XM Satellite Radio ready, iPod dock ready, EZSet automated setup and EQ, transcoding of composite and S-Video to component video, multi-source/multi-zone, learning backlit remote

New! Improved! Whiter whites! Brighter brights! We've heard it all before -- no fewer than 10,000 times.

Long ago, I used to sell audio/video gear for a living (not a very good living, I might add).