(June 2, 2019) Onkyo has announced two new 2019 receiver models. The all-new TX-NR696 ($599) and TX-NR797 ($699) are both Certified THX Select and carry IMAX Enhanced status, making them the first Onkyo products to launch under IMAX’s relatively new industry program.
“Our partnership with IMAX ensures that our customers will continue to enjoy cutting-edge entertainment experiences from their home theater system,” said Don Milks, Director of Marketing & Product Localization for Onkyo & Pioneer USA. “With IMAX Enhanced content soon to be released, the launch of these two great AVRs is ideally timed.”
The TX-NR797 is a 9.2-channel receiver that delivers 100 watts per channel (8 ohms, 1kHz, .08% THD, 2ch driven), while the TX-NR696 offers 7.2-channels of output at 100 watts per channel. According to Onkyo, several improvements kick the receivers’ sound quality into overdrive, including a shortened signal path and robust grounds on the HDMI board and an isolated network board. The company has also taken steps to isolate the AVRs’ quad-core SoC board from analog audio signals while installing robust power-supply lines to deliver clean power from the receivers’ custom High-Current Low Noise Power Transformer.
Onkyo has endowed both receivers with a DSP-controlled “Vocal Enhancer.” This feature provides a five-step adjustment of vocal frequencies to improve dialog intelligibility. Settings for this feature can saved along with preferred volume settings for a more pleasant start-up experience. Additionally, sound can be room-customized using Onkyo’s AccuEQ Advance 9-point room calibration suite.
Immersive audio takes center stage with both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support. Owners will also find access to both Dolby Surround and DTS Neural:X up-mixers for enhanced realism of legacy audio content. Dolby’s Atmos Height Virtualizer is also included, giving owners a virtualized height-channel experience when using non-immersive speaker layouts.
Both the NR696 and NR797 support Hi-Res audio, offering coverage of 384kHz/32-bit multichannel D/A conversion, DSD (up to 11.2 MHz), and FLAC, WAV [RIFF], AIFF, and ALAC to 192 kHz/24-bit. Owners will also find access to streaming services such as Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, TIDAL, Deezer, and TuneIn.
Streaming-wise, music can be sourced using Works with Sonos, Chromecast, AirPlay 2, DTS Play-Fi, FlareConnect and Bluetooth.
On the video-front, included HDMI inputs and outputs support modern 4K video requirements, including HDCP 2.2, 4k/60p, and wide color BT.2020. Coverage of High Dynamic Range extends to HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision.
For more information about either reciever, visit Onkyo on the net.
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