Onkyo has announced four new AV receivers, with prices starting at £250.
Onkyo TX-NR609 Onkyo TX-NR609
The new range brings 4k video capability to the AV receiver market, and promises network audio streaming at a lower price-point than before. The TX-NR579 offers both features for £450, while the £350 TX-NR509 offers audio streaming.
Top of the range so far is the 7.2-channel TX-NR609, which will retail for £500. It comes with THX Select2 Plus certification, and Onkyo claims it’s the first home cinema receiver in the world to use the Marvell Qdeo video processor, which offers video upscaling to a maximum of 3840×2160 pixels (4k) resolution.
It has built-in networking via Ethernet or wirelessly via an optional UWF-1 USB adapter, which endows all Onkyo’s network-capable receivers with IEEE 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi connection.
The TX-NR609 also has front-panel USB port for direct digital iPod/iPhone connection, and can play back media from USB memory devices.
It features six HDMI inputs, a powered Zone 2 facility, analogue RGB video input for computer connectivity, and two separate subwoofer outputs. Other features include Audyssey DSX decoding, 2EQ, Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ, and there’s a new easy-set-up GUI too.
The TX-NR579 (£450) is a 7.1-channel receiver, and comes without the 609’s THX certification, PC video connectivity, Audyssey DSX and second subwoofer preout. It has four HDMI inputs.
The 5.1 TX-NR509 (£350) offers a non-powered Zone 2 output, and drops the Audyssey DSX and Pro-Logic IIz as well as the 4k video scaling.
Bottom of the bill is the TX-SR309 (£250) which loses the networking, Zone 2 and Audyssey features, and comes with just three HDMI inputs.
The TX-SR309 goes on sale at the end of this month, with the RX-NR509 following soon after, and the two pricier models will be available towards the end of March.