ONKYO TX-RZ50 9.2CH Network A/V Receiver (2021)

Product Information

Last film we tested and we could not close this review without it is one of our favorite films of all time, The Lord of the Rings. This time we decided to try our the Two Towers and obviously the battle of Helm’s Deep was the obvious choice. Amplifier Assignment: The AV receiver's 9-channel amplifier can be configured in a variety of ways to match your type of speaker setup. eARC receives uncompressed surround sound signals including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X via the HDMI connection with your compatible TV Ultimately, you’ll be impressed with the convenience and quality of either of these AVR’s. We hope this comparison has helped you decide which is the right choice for your home theater! Related AV Receiver Comparisons and Guides: The TX-RZ50 seems to be using an updated version of this Panasonic HDMI 2.1 chip which allows up to 40Gbps of bandwidth in three of its HDMI ports and this includes all the signals with a 4K@120Hz configuration including Xbox Series X. Just to confirm this we indeed connected an Xbox series X and our test TV indicated that we were getting 4K@120Hz with VRR at 40Gbps signal bandwidth. During our session we didn’t experience any HDMI signal loss or any other connection issues indicating that this AV receiver is truly the first that offers a problem-free HDMI 2.1 gaming experience.

For our next test we felt a bit nostalgic so we tried out Jurassic Park in 4K UHD, yes the original film that is still as impressive as it was when it originally came out and features a DTS:X mix that can put to shame many recent productions.

Specs

Dirac Live advanced speaker calibration system helps fine-tune your system to best match your room's acoustics (microphone included) Is this an AV receiver that could replace what most probably a hardcore audiophile would choose to drive his expensive HiFi speakers? Most probably not, but this doesn’t change the fact that the Onkyo is an amazing handler of anything that has to do with music. Either it be some hardcore heavy metal or some delicate classical music the TX-RZ50 will masterfully output everything you throw at it. But it’s not just action movies that benefit from the Onkyo TX-RZ50’s advanced surround sound technology. Even more dialogue-driven movies like “The Shawshank Redemption” sounded fantastic. The prison scenes were particularly impressive, with the sound of the prison gates clanking shut and the chatter of the inmates coming through loud and clear. Conclusion DTS Play-Fi allows you to enjoy high-quality music from connected online services, networked media servers, and your device library over Wi-Fi ®to any number of compatible products using the Onkyo Music Control App for iPad, iPhone, and Android smartphones/tablets. DTS Play-Fi can synchronise the music in every room. Each member of your family can use their own device to listen to their music in a room or group of rooms. DTS Play-Fi lets you structure a comprehensive multi-room ecosystem that satisfies virtually any need.

THX Certification Select means that the TX-RZ50 meets the tough standards set by THX for high-volume, low-distortion sound. Awarded to only the finest AV receivers, the TXRZ50’s powerful and dynamic cinema sound keeps you on the edge of your seat. For those of you with too loud or too low warnings with your subs in the PC DIRAC app, this is a great workaround if you have a calibrated USB mic: Closing our review we can definitely say that the Onkyo TX-RZ50 sets new standards in its category and it’s the unit that most other brands should look for when they will prepare their next releases. May this be the beginning for better days for Onkyo as they have proved time and time again how capable they are at creating amazing audio entertainment products. With a 5.2 channel cinema system in play, you can use the spare channels to add two additional powered zones. Zone 2 and Zone 3 can either be synced with the main signal for ‘party’ sound or play from separate sources – giving the TX-RZ50 true multi-room appeal. Passive outputs for Zone 2 and 3 are also available should you already have amplification or active speakers in place. Fire up REW after volume calibration and finding the loudest speaker in DIRAC, then adjust the sub's amp gain to match it and add 10dB.

only valid for Zone 1/Zone 2 will only produce 4K120 resolution when two separate HDMI sources are used. Works with SONOS certified

In terms of design and build quality the TX-RZ50 follows on the footsteps of its predecessors. It features the same exterior shell and many of the same high quality internal components with a few changes here and there which means only good things as Onkyo had always included good quality hardware in their premium RZ series in general. Only the remote remains a cacophony in an otherwise amazing orchestra and Onkyo should really up their game in this regard. Audio Quality And although this is a feature some of the other brands also utilize what seems a first in such commercial AV receivers is the addition of aptX and aptX HD codecs for far better streaming quality than the usual SBC we have seen being used. Closing this part of our review what we can say is that the TX-RZ50 kept almost everything we saw in the previous RZ releases and added even a few more to the mix. The obvious highlight is Dirac Live and this is a huge one in our books. So kudos to Onkyo for including such a high profile calibration system along with the rest of the updates making this receiver one of the most feature complete we have tested so far.

Product Research

As for its wireless capabilities there is built-in WiFi (802.11ac) to connect to wireless and local networks while it also supports Bluetooth streaming. The TX-RZ50 comes with Bluetooth 4.2 but the most interesting aspect of its Bluetooth capabilities is that other than the usual SBC transmission the Onkyo has also included AptX along with AptX HD which is not something we have seen in most other commercial AV receivers. supports Bluetooth transmission for sending audio from the receiver to Bluetooth-enabled headphones What Dirac Live does is to correct both the timing and amplitude aspects of sound coloration using a mixed-phase correction filter throughout the listening area, not just a particular zone. Correction is performed automatically using the proprietary app for smartphone or tablet and it can improve staging, localization, clarity, voice intelligibility, and bass response. Hi-Current Amp Design w/ Discrete Output Stage: The unique elements of Onkyo's Dynamic Audio Amplification system comprise high-current, low-impedance architecture with discrete output stage circuitry & custom audio capacitors for instantaneous high-current power and precisely control of your loudspeakers for dynamic, accurate sound.