Why to Buy - Onkyo AV Receivers - TX-RZ70, TX-RZ50, TX-NR7100, TX-NR6100, TX-NR5100

Why to Buy - Onkyo AV Receivers - TX-RZ70, TX-RZ50, TX-NR7100, TX-NR6100, TX-NR5100. This video covers the Onkyo AV Receivers (TX-RZ70, TX-RZ50, TX-NR7100, TX-NR6100, TX-NR5100.) in a way that Ripewave Audio has not presented before in prior videos:
Part 1 - Onkyo TX-RZ50 7.1.4 AV Receiver Review - Part 1 Initial Setup
• Onkyo TX-RZ50 7.1.4 AV...
Part 2 -Onkyo TX-RZ50 AV Receiver Sound Quality, Room Calibration vs. Marantz and Emotiva
• Onkyo TX-RZ50 AV Recei...
Onkyo TX-RZ50 AV Receiver - Part 3 - internal amps, usability, sound modes
• Onkyo TX-RZ50 AV Recei...
Onkyo new Flagship TX-RZ70 11.2 8K AV Receiver vs Integra DRX-8.4, Pioneer ELITE VSX-LX805 + range
• Onkyo new Flagship TX...
Integra Pioneer Onkyo Flagships - In House Review - Part 1 - Overview & First Look
• Integra Pioneer Onkyo ...
Onkyo 2021 8K AV Receivers vs. Pioneer
• Onkyo 2021 8K AV Recei...
Integra 2021 8K AV Receivers vs Onkyo and Pioneer
• Integra 2021 8K AV Rec...
Part 2 - Integra Pioneer Onkyo Flagships - In House Review Initial Setup & Dirac Configuration
• Part 2 - Integra Pione...
Part 3 - Integra Pioneer Onkyo Flagships - In House Review - MCAAC, AccuEQ, Dirac Live 3 Full App
• Part 3 - Integra Pione...
Part 4 - Integra Pioneer Onkyo Flagships - In House Review - User Experience
• Part 4 - Integra Pione...
Part 5 - Integra Pioneer Onkyo Flagships - In House Review - Sound Comparison, Conclusions
• Part 5 - Integra Pione...
#hometheater #onkyo #avreceiver #ripewave

[@bickybickford]

After your in-depth review of the RZ-50 I picked one up and I love it. Thanks

[@ripewave]

Great to hear! - Jon

[@DeadXTZ]

I've had the RZ70 for 3 months now. I'm coming from a 10 year old Yamaha Aventage receiver. The sound dynamics are really brutal in my setup. This thing takes the sound experience to a new level. It's nice that it's easy to set up. Now I'm waiting for a bass control license offer.

[@ripewave]

It is so nice when a component swap out results in real audible improvements. Certainly the room can introduce challenges that not all solutions can handle. Did you run Dirac LIve to achieve the elevated sound experience? - Jon

[@DeadXTZ]

@@ripewave Yes, I use Dirac Live. But only for movies. The 13-point measurement was the best result for me in my room and position. For music like Tidal, however, I use the Pure Audio or Direct mode. This sounded the best to me.

[@ripewave]

Thanks for sharing those details about your Dirac use. Your pure direct approach to music listening is makes sense as there is less need for calibration with lower speaker counts. -Jon

[@DeadXTZ]

@@ripewave yes I use a 4.2 system (without center speaker) but plan to upgrade to 2 Atmos speakers

[@ripewave]

Check out some vintage quadraphonic (4-channel) mixes available today on Blu-Ray.

[@thelonewolf666]

gday John ive had many brands of receiver and by far the rz70 is the best sounding ive ever had-- i tried Marantz, Denon, Arcam etc and i wont be looking for anything better than the RZ70. its smooth, engaging and powerful, dynamic and so punchy, its so amazing sounding--- probably due to dirac, its so engaging and everyone says how amazing it sounds-- i have KEF R900s x 9 and 3 subwoofers and boy--- ill never need a better sounding receiver, being able to adjust bass, treble and subwoofer trims on the fly with the App is just awesome. i have also a DMP A6 Master streamer and there is no difference in sound quality between the A6 and the Onkyo, but i stream thru the streamer rather than the Onkyo as the app etc is easier on the A6 than the Onkyo when streaming i just love it,

[@ripewave]

Great extra review content from an owner. I especially like that you have direct experience with other brands and are most happy with this Onkyo flagship. -Jon

[@jagsandhu6114]

You are rite on....I came back to Onkyo...after selling off my Anthem avm 70/ Emotiva amp. RZ 70 is a no brainer....great avr...drives my SVS ultra towers/Center/Surrounds with ease....and dual Def Tech DN 12 subs

[@chloeleedow7250]

Super easy to overcome the independant subs situation with a Mini dsp or any dsp on the sub out and run a heap of subs individually I think 2 - 4 subs is all you'd never need independent

[@ripewave]

I am a fan of the miniDSP. I had one connected to my vintage processor - did a great job with correction for two subwoofers. -Jon

[@ryanatkinson8075]

I have the RZ70 and RZ50 best bank for buck can't compete especially with dirac included, after owning these for about 3 months now one of my favorite receivers I like how easy it is to change settings on the fly it has bass mid and treble control on the remote you want to change subs or any speaker levels cycle it through remote and actually shows on front display for quick changing on the fly. love the dirac button on rz70 changes 3 profiles on fly or turn off has a cec button to change remote from controlling avr to tv earc if needed. Good for the guy that likes to change setting alot without having to go into a menu all the time to get to it. Menus are more straightforward no setting speaker to large or small to get crossovers just set speaker configuration set your crossover, you want 1 sub or 2 you want subs and main to play bass or biamp main or center etc etc its very straightforward. I could go on and on love this thing.

[@ripewave]

Nice report. Thanks for the additional review to complement the video. -Jon

[@GeorgeD-dm8rz]

I've bought rz70 and coming from yamaha aventage..this thing is a beast. 7.2.2. Biamp fronts. It's amazing

[@ripewave]

Thanks for this feedback. Was it the Dirac Live calibration that made the difference? -Jon

[@TheFrugalAudiophile]

Thanks, Jon, for the in-depth overview. Nice to see that the RZ models now have preamp mode. I may pick up an RZ 50 refurbished. Accessories4less has one for $800 right now.

[@ripewave]

That is an amazing price for the RZ50. If it has factory warranty no worry. -Jon

[@TheFrugalAudiophile]

@@ripewave typically, accessories for less does offer a one-year factory warranty.

[@ripewave]

Nice!

[@off_key88]

Partly due to your review of the RZ-50, I picked one up. Best bang for the buck on Atmos receivers! I love the Dirac Live on this. It is an excellent receiver. The only drawback is lack of power to do the true THX levels on my 5.1.4 setup. But, the money I saved on this receiver means I may opt for an Emotiva BasX A5 or A7 power amp. I think that would give me more dynamic range to hit some of the louder peaks at true power levels. The RZ-50 does "OK" on its own, but it doesn't have the power to do 9 speakers at the amount I need...

[@ripewave]

I agree - a great deal. Using external amplifiers to make up the difference is a good solution if you need more power. -Jon

[@JCOTV]

Im also considering getting an external amp, but what would be best to power on at first? Surrounds and Atmos or LCR?

[@ppsvandijk]

Onkyo RZ50 experience on a 5.1.4 combination: clear sound, delecious sound spreading, perfect sound correction methods and really worth the money. Sadly most movies aren't accomodating to the +4 ceiling speakers set up, but even for that the Onkyo offers sound settings that perfectly compensate for this "problem". My SVS subwoofer (PB1000) has signal through put to an other subwoofer, so no problem with Onkyo's one subwoofer base control.

[@ripewave]

Glad you are having a great experience with your Onkyo TX-RZ50. I agree that native content that provides the full height experience are limited. Upmixing is a great thing. Yes - there are other ways to get the signal to multiple subwoofers. I bet those SVS units give you independent control within their onboard electronics. -Jon

[@danwoodward1527]

Just ordered my rz50 to set up 5.1.4. It’s now on sale for $999. Having it delivered to my local Best Buy store for pickup up next Wednesday. Cant wait!!

[@ripewave]

Nice! -Jon

[@sage11x]

I picked up the 6. Great value and probably the best HDMI section on any amp anywhere near the price. No issues with 4K/120Hz and switches between sources without issue. Plenty of power. But man… the issues. AccuEQ is a mess. Setup never works and when it does no two measurements are ever the same. The sound quality is mediocre. Sound is muddy, bass is bloated and lacks the detail in my lower end Yamaha. Dialogue is obliterated. Never had an issue hearing dialogue with my old receiver but it’s unintelligible here. Had to use their vocal enhancer which is hidden and only accessible on the remote. Remote feels flimsy and cheap even compared to my last Onkyo. OSD isn’t an overlay. Runs super hot. Idk. Really disappointed and not sure what to do now. I actually ended up hooking up my old Yamaha v385 in the meantime leaving 2 unused height channels while I try and decide what to do. I’m out of my return period. Probably end up selling it.

[@ripewave]

Something is definitely wrong. I did not experience such issues with AccuEQ or Dirac with the TX-RZ70 or TX-RZ50. When you say you had the "6" which model is that, the TX-NR6100? I can't speak for that model as I didn't test in house. If that is your model, it explain why you calibrated with AccuEQ as that model doesn't include support for Dirac. I can see why you are looking to offload given your bad experience. What speakers are you driving? It could be a speaker incompatibility. -Jon

[@Mark-hb5zf]

Big fan of my NR7100. My Yamaha's HDMI port got wiped out by lightning a couple of years ago and wasn't interested in the direction Yamaha was headed.

[@ripewave]

While I tend to be loyal to brands, they can loose me if they start heading in a direction which is not aligned with why I liked them in the first place. -Jon

[@Audiomainia2310]

Hi John - you stated Dirac Live is available across all models - that is incorrect. Only the RZ series and the TX NR7100 have Dirac Live built in. No other models support Dirac.

[@ripewave]

Thanks for the correction

[@halshaw8056]

The newer versions of the 5100 have binding posts for all the channels.

[@ripewave]

I will have to take a look - thanks for pointing out. Glad to hear they made that upgrade. Much nicer. -Jon

[@madcrabber1113]

I have heard many warranty issue nightmares which is unfortunate. I hope they are addressing that now. Time will tell.

[@ripewave]

While my out of the box experience was positive, I have heard similar reports. Those were mostly within the first year of production. Have you heard anything recently? -Jon

[@petminders4274]

I had two Onkyo receivers both lasted less than three years each no way will buy another one

[@ripewave]

That is fair. Such an experience would scare me off as well. I understand that quality was an issue around the time of owner transition. The hope for the rest of us, is that now Premium Audio Company has now owned for a while, they have addressed those issues. -Jon

[@arielrodriguez6980]

Does the RZ70 automatically display the surround mode and keeps it displayed as an example Atmos, unlike the RZ50?

[@ripewave]

Comparing the descriptions within the manuals of the TX-RZ50 and TX-RZ70, I see the same front panel display with the same capabilities. Each indicate the surround mode with a very tiny icon (unreadable unless up close with your glasses on). For the larger display they say the following: Displays various information of the input signals. • "DialogNorm: X dB" ("X" is a numerical value) may be displayed when software recorded in Dolby lineage or DTS lineage audio formats is played. For example, if "DialogNorm: +4 dB" is displayed, the source being played is recorded with 4 dB plus the THX standard level. If you play it with the THX standard level, lower the volume by 4 dB. Jon

[@ggdfggdfgdffgfddg34]

Friend, please tell me if I want to watch mostly movies in the e-ac3 and ac3 audio codec, this is Dolby, and if I have speakers with built-in amplifiers that have optical and Aux outputs. In this case, does it make sense for me to buy an expensive receiver like a Yamaha, since you say it has the best sound, but my speakers have built-in amplification and they can only receive a signal from the receiver. Or is the Onkyo tx sr494 for $350 enough for me? And in general, I don’t know whether channel control will work with active speakers?

[@ripewave]

Your logic makes sense. However, the problem is that brands don’t offer high quality components for pre-outs in units with lower output amplifiers. Processor separate models are often more expensive than models with amplifiers. A few exceptions may suit your need. I would suggest to look at Emotiva processors but those too are over $1,000. -Jon

[@Gustavo-en3uv]

Hi John. Thank for you videos and reviews. Do you think I will find better audio over all, if I upgrade my old receiver tx rz 1100 to the new rz70? What do you think. Thanks.

[@ripewave]

Maybe not. The TX-RZ1100 has 140Wx9 amplifiers while the TX-RZ50 has 120Wx9. You may need to jump to the TX-RZ70 (140Wx11). While the amplifiers are similar to what you have, it does add Dirac Live support. You may be better to skip the current round and wait for the next generation to see if the enhancements are greater. -Jon

[@mauriciob8260]

on EBAY some sellers offer the TX-RZ70 for 1899.00 (new ) do you think will be a good upgrade for my Denon X3800H🤔, love your channel

[@ripewave]

Yes - I was able to hear a sonic improvement and Dirac Live is included in the price. The Denon model is 9.4 while the Onkyo is 11.2. If you can use more speaker channel without going beyond 2 subwoofer, the RZ70 also has that advantage. Thanks for listening to this channel - glad you enjoy the content. -Jon

[@tulio3571]

Hi there , can i install an eq to the tx-rz70 ? thank you

[@ripewave]

For Dirac LIve calibrations, you may modify the filter curve (as with other Dirac implementations). However, it is not a manual PEQ feature set whereby you can use external tools (REW, etc) to enter in customer EQ filters. -Jon

[@buki231]

I have txnr7100 and have noticed a strange behavior with height channels. Hardly hear any sound from heights when selecting front and rear heights. I have bookshelf speakers on front wall and back wall mounted with swivel brackets. If I chose dolby speakers(ceiling bounce) I hear plenty of sound with dolby atmos 4k ultra blurays. I'm assuming the volume to heights is elevated to account for ceiling bounce with dolby enabled heights. Doesn't explain why there is little sound standing on a ladder with my ear close to height speakers when playing atmos tracks with front and rear heights selected.

[@ripewave]

I suggest that you begin to troubleshoot by running each of the speaker test tones to eliminate the soundtrack being the issue. If all the tones are audible with the right speakers - adjust the level so the same volume is heard from the main listening position for each speaker. Then look at playback settings. If some channels failed with the test tone, then something else is wrong. If not the level, and you hear nothing, then move the speaker wire to a channel the worked. If you hear something on the other channel, it is not the speaker or wire but the channel output. If that fails it could be the speaker or the wire - swap those out with another known good wire and speaker….etc. -Jon

[@Wurlyscope]

I’m very much interested in buying the TX-RZ70 but the damping factor of the outputs of the power amplifiers is not indicated in the manual. Do you have that info? Thanks.

[@ripewave]

Very few receivers from any brand post damping factor values. You typically need to move to amplifier separates for a brand to include that data. -Jon

[@Wurlyscope]

@@ripewave That’s one of the reasons i choose the Yamaha RX-A8A. With a damping factor of 140 min, the A8A is a good contender.

[@ripewave]

That is an area Yamaha pays attention to. -Jon

[@Wurlyscope]

@@ripewave thank you for taking time to respond. I really appreciate it.

[@agordon7369]

Looking at replacing a faulty Denon x3600 and am leaning toward MRX1140, RZ70 or Sony7000es I’ve got a room with a low ceiling and am looking at running 7.2.4 what would be your recommendation. I’m worried about room calibration due to the ceilings and being in a concrete basement. Thank you

[@ripewave]

The Sony may be able to accommodate the low ceiling better than the others. For correcting the harsh reflections of the concrete surfaces, I would focus on the RZ70 as I trust Dirac more for that. -Jon

[@agordon7369]

@@ripewave thank you for your expert advice

[@ripewave]

Your welcome

[@TheNLHAZE]

What's the out put on the RZ50 pre out put / voltage etc.?? Thanks in advance 👍👍

[@ripewave]

The details on the pre-out voltage is not clear. While one retailer states- 1 V rms/470 ohms (Subwoofer pre-out) 200 mV rms/470 ohms (Zone 2/Zone B line-out) I am reading reports of at least 2V output. -Jon

[@TheNLHAZE]

@@ripewave Thanks for your time sir I love the AV pre-outs however do Not put out from what I have tested put out the full potential or amount of power for, proper amplification.

[@marconista5390]

Gday sir jon, im saving money for avr onkyo tx-rz70 or Yamaha a8a, how about the sound quality of 2 ch stereo music listening which should i pick up? Your opinion etc. is much appreciated.

[@ripewave]

Both the Yamaha A8A abd Onkyo RZ70 are top tier 2-channel performers. While I preferred the Yamaha sound in my environment better, you may be safer with the Onkyo as the Dirac Live room calibration will give you more control over tuning over YPAO. -Jon

[@marconista5390]

​@@ripewavethanks a lot sir jon, i prefer also the Yamaha bcoz I'm worried the hdmi board issue of onkyo's avr in the past.

[@ripewave]

Each Brand has had HDMI board problems in the past. Both Yamaha and Onkyo seem to have resolved. What you May be saying is that you trust that Yamaha will have fix correctly. -Jon

[@buki231]

I have the nr7100 and ordered the rz50 from Amazon. Do you think it will be a noticeable difference? I have SVS ultra fronts and center.

[@ripewave]

I can say cosmetically, the. TX-RZ50 has a nicer finish and style - similar, but a noticeable improvement. Judging only by specifications and the better power supply and components, there is a chance of sounding better too. I just have not evaluated the NR series to know for sure. -Jon

[@buki231]

@@ripewave Thanks for the reply! subscribed

[@tommyaustin4094]

Nice video. If I’m using external amps for all 11 channels, would you say the RZ50 is probably a better play than the RZ70 from a $$$ perspective? Thank you for all of your awesome videos.

[@shawnblackmur7887]

@@tommyaustin4094​​⁠I have the same question… I’m thinking it’s a better plan to add an external amp to the RZ50 as the external amps are good for decades and a receiver may be outdated in 8-10 yrs.

[@tommyaustin4094]

@@shawnblackmur7887 I bought the 50 and it sounds incredible with my external Emotiva amps. Using the receiver to power Atmos.