Onkyo today unveiled four new budget friendly A/V receivers priced from $400 to $800. The new lineup from lowest priced to highest includes models TX-SR353, TX-NR555, TX-NR656 and the THX Select2 Plus certified TX-NR757. The last three receivers bring high-current Dynamic Audio Amplification and state-of-the-art features to the mid-range with Dolby Atmos decoding and are DTS:X-ready. They also support 4K UltraHD video and 4K upscaling; AirPlay, and Wi-Fi, with Google Cast, Tidal music streaming and the new FireConnect multi-room audio technology soon to come via firmware update (summer 2016).
FireConnect Powered by Blackfire is a stable wireless protocol that sends any audio source connected to the receiver — from vinyl to streaming audio — to an optional Onkyo speaker or another FireConnect-compatible product in another room.
Also debuting in these three receivers is Onkyo’s AccuReflex, part of the company’s AccuEQ calibration suite. The technology adjusts the phase of sound bounced off the ceiling by up-firing speakers so that it syncs perfectly with sound from the other speakers to create a more accurate Dolby Atmos experience. Together with AccuEQ to eliminate standing waves, surround-sound is precisely balanced for supreme clarity.
TX-NR757 THX SELECT2 PLUS AV RECEIVER
The TX-NR757 7.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver features THX Theater Reference Sound, 180W of high-current power and patented VLSC high-frequency pulse-noise removal technology for crystal clear sound. Processing for lossless and Hi-Res Audio is handled by a state-of-the-art AKM 384 kHz/32-bit D/A convertor. Easily bring audio to another room with multi-zone support including multiple speaker connections for Zone 2 (2A/2B).
The TX-NR757 looks to the future with HDCP 2.2-compliant HDMI inputs supporting 60Hz UltraHD and Full HD video with 4:4:4 color space and High Dynamic Range (HDR). The receiver was also designed with custom integration in mind with RS232, 12v trigger, IR input and more on board.
TX-NR656 & TX-NR555 NETWORK AV RECEIVERS
The 7.2-Channel TX-NR656 packs 170W/Ch while the 7.2-Channel TX-NR555 boasts 140W/Ch for powerful home theater experiences. Both receivers let music lovers take advantage of the full-scale stereo power through Google Cast, AirPlay, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth streaming music from mobiles and PCs, while Onkyo’s own remote app streams everything from MP3s to hi-res audio stored on a media server. Digital music benefits from noise-free 32-bit D/A conversion with VLSC, while discrete non-phase-shift amps provide a sense of clarity and depth.
Both receivers also feature powered Zone 2 speaker terminals and support the latest in UltraHD entertainment with HDCP 2.2-compatible HDMI terminals passing 4K/60 Hz/4:4:4/HDR video through to the latest TVs for display. The TX-NR555 has 6 HDMI inputs and 1 output, while the TX-NR656 features 8 in and 2 out.
TX-SR353 AV RECEIVER
The powerful yet affordable TX-SR353 5.1-Channel A/V Receiver is engineered front-to-back to streamline and enhance daily entertainment. It features full support for 4K video (4K/60 Hz/HDR/4:4:4/HDCP 2.2) via four HDMI inputs, decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio common to Blu-ray discs, and video up-conversion via HDMI to reduce TV connections to a single cable.
A redesigned and clearly labeled rear panel and simple remote controller make initial setup and daily operation easy, while AccuEQ room acoustic correction ensures clear stereo imaging and equalized surround-sound. Once connected, the TX-SR353 acts as a hub for all your AV sources, from the latest 4K media players and game consoles to legacy DVD decks and VCRs, and adds 140W of dynamic audio power from five discrete analog amplifiers.
Music lovers will appreciate Bluetooth technology for wireless audio from most mobile apps, with Advanced Music Optimizer restoring lost bit information to compressed music. A USB input handles MP3s, while analog/digital terminals are available on the back panel to connect other audio players.
Price and Availability
- Onkyo TX-SR353 $399 (mid-April)
- Onkyo TX-NR555 $599 (mid-April)
- Onkyo TX-NR656 $699 (mid-April)
- Onkyo TX-NR757 $799 (May 2016)
Comparison & Specifications
| TX-SR353 | TX-NR555 | TX-NR656 | TX-NR757 | |
| MSRP | $399 | $599 | $699 | $799 |
| Amplifier | ||||
| # Channels | 5.1 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| Power Watts/Ch (6 Ohms 1kHz, 1 Channel Driven, FTC) | 140, 1.0% THD | 140, 1.0% THD | 170, 1.0% THD | 180, 1.0% THD |
| Power Watts/Ch (8 Ohms 20-20kHz, 2 Channels Driven, FTC) | 80, 0.08% THD | 80, 0.08% THD | 100, 0.08% THD | 110, 0.08% THD |
| Dynamic Audio Amplification | – | ✓ (for Clear and Realistic Sound) | ✓ (for Clear and Realistic Sound) | ✓ (for Clear and Realistic Sound) |
| H.C.P.S. (High Current Power Supply) | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Non-Phase Shift Amplifier | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| THX Certified | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Continuous 6 Ohms Rated | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Certified 4 Ohms Performance | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Discrete Output Stage Circuitry | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry | – | – | – | – |
| PUSH-PULL Design | – | – | – | – |
| Independent Block Construction (Amp/Preprocessor) | – | – | – | – |
| High-Grade Toroidal Transformer | – | – | – | – |
| Independent Power Supply | – | – | – | – |
| Bi-amp Capability For Front | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Processing | ||||
| Dolby Atmos | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 32-Bit Digital Signal Processing Engine | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dolby Decoder | True HD | Atmos, True HD, DD Plus | Atmos, True HD, DD Plus | Atmos, True HD, DD Plus |
| DTS:X | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DTS Decoder | DTS-HD Master Audio | DTS:✓, DTS-HD Master Audio | DTS:✓, DTS-HD Master Audio | DTS:✓, DTS-HD Master Audio |
| ONKYO GAME Surround Modes | ✓ (Rock, Sports, Action, RPG) | ✓ (Rock, Sports, Action, RPG) | ✓ (Rock, Sports, Action, RPG) | ✓ (Rock, Sports, Action, RPG) |
| VLSC for Noiseless Audio Processing | – | ✓ | ✓ Fronts | ✓ |
| THX Processing Mode | – | – | – | ✓ |
| CinemaFILTER | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AccuEQ Room Calibration | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ w/ AccuReflex | ✓ |
| Phase-Matching Bass Boost | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Direct/Pure Mode | – / – | Yes/No | Yes/No | Yes/No |
| Pure Direct Analog Path Mode | – | – | – | – |
| Advanced Music Optimizer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 384K/32 Bit DACs | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 192K/24 Bit DACs | ✓ | – | – | – |
| Connectivity | ||||
| Analog Audio IN | 3 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Phono Input | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Digital Audio IN (OPT/COAX) | 1 / 1 | 2 / 1 | 2 / 1 | 2 / 1 |
| Composite Video I/O | 2 / 1 | 2 / 0 | 2 / 0 | 2 / 0 |
| Component Video I/O | – | 2 / 0 | 2 / 0 | 2 / 0 |
| Front Panel HDMI | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Front-Panel A/V | – | 1 (Analog) | 1 (Analog) | 1 (Analog) |
| USB Input | ✓ (Front) | ✓ (Rear) | ✓ (Rear) | ✓ (Rear) |
| HDMI I/O | 4 / 1 | 6 / 1 | 8 / 2 (main/sub) | 8 / 2 (main/sub) |
| HDMI 4K/60 Hz- Capable HDMI Terminals | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| HDCP 2.2 Copy-Protection Compatibility | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| HDMI Support for High Dynamic Range | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| HDMI Support for 3D, Audio Return Channel and CEC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| HDMI Support for Deep Color, x.v.Color, LipSync | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| HDMI Support for DVD-Audio, SACD, Multichannel PCM | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Analog To HDMI Upconversion | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 1080p Upscaling | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4K (up to 4096 x 2160) Upscaling | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4K Passthrough | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Analog Pre-Outs | Subwoofer | Subwoofer (x2) | Subwoofer (x2) | Subwoofer (x2) |
| Speaker A/+B | – | – | – | – |
| Powered Zone 2 | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ and Zone 2 A/B |
| Powered Zone 3 | – | – | – | – |
| Zone 2 Line Out | – | ✓ (Line/Pre) | ✓ (Line) | ✓ (Pre/Line) |
| Zone 2 Video Out | – | – | – | – |
| Zone 2 Digital to Analog Audio Conversion | – | ✓ (Net) | ✓ (Net/SPDIF) | ✓ (Net/SPDIF) |
| Zone 3 Line Out | – | – | – | – |
| Whole House Mode | – | – | – | – |
| Made for iPod, iPhone, iPad | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airplay | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Cast | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Supports Onkyo Remote App | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Internet Radio Capable | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spotify Connect Support | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tidal | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Streaming Audio From PC / Network | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hi-Res Streaming Audio Formats | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Streaming Audio From USB memory | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wireless Network | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ (Built-in) | ✓ (Built-in) | ✓ (Built-in) | ✓ (Built-in) |
| Integration Access | ||||
| RS-232 | – | – | – | ✓ |
| IR Input | – | – | – | ✓ |
| IR Output | – | – | – | – |
| Ethernet | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ONKYO-RI System Control | – | – | – | – |
| RIHD (Remote Interactive Over HDMI) | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 12V Trigger | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Miscellaneous | ||||
| Pre-Programmed Remote | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Hybrid Standby Function | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Smart Grid-Ready | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Speaker Calibration W/Mic. | AccuEQ | AccuEQ | AccuEQ w/ AccuReflex | AccuEQ |
| OSD Out | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Solid Aluminum Front | – | – | – | – |
| Transparent High-Grade Speaker Terminals | – | – | – | – |
| Detachable AC Cord | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Warranty | 2 YEARS | 2 YEARS | 2 YEARS | 2 YEARS |
Remote Controls
Left: Onkyo RC-928R Remote for TX-SR353 only
Right: Onkyo RC-911R Remote for TX-NR receivers
