Posts Tagged ‘Onkyo TX-NR3007 review’
Onkyo have introduced several new AV receivers and amongst them is the TX-NR3007. It has entered the market place towards the top of the midrange, so it isn’t cheap. The company has actually claimed this and its two other partners in crime are their high end elite units; however, comparably their pricing is no where near some of the high end units. Have we found a massive bargain of the century? Just what are you getting for your money? Does it pack the punch you would hope a unit of this price would pack, or is it a bit of a wimp that just would not be able to hurt a fly? We have been lucky enough to have the Onkyo TX-NR3007 here for review so we can share our findings with you, so you can decide.
Design
Onkyo like the retro look for their AV receivers and the Onkyo TX-NR3007 is no exception. They always remind us of the old style video tape player, but we like it. This is a heavy chunky unit, finished in black, and featuring a regimented row of buttons along the middle, above which sits the LED display screen. This is a good size and the display is easy to read with clear text in a white finish.
We thought the rectangular power button was an unusual choice for this unit with all the other controls being circular, and this just may be the biggest styling feature that gives this unit the retro classic look. The back panel isn’t as structured as some we have seen. There is very little structure and formation to the myriad of jack points. There is a range of color, which at first glance looks confusing, but on closer inspection they have tried hard to make sure everything is well marked for easy identification.
Features
Onkyo are fans of the 9.2 channel AV receiver and the Onkyo TX-NR3007 is another cracking example, offering 2 more channels that the classic 7.2 channel unit that is the industry standard in the mid range or above class. Each of the 9.2 channel packs a whopping 140 watts, which really is impressive and helps create fantastic sound combinations thanks to the two supporting technologies, Dolby Pro Logic and Audyssey. That certainly isn’t where the technology stops, as the unit also comes complete with contributions from DTS-HD Master Audio as well as Dolby TrueHD. The clever technical guys at Onkyo have neatly packed a vast array of top range technologies into this little black box, and we are impressed.
The Onkyo TX-NR3007 is another network ready unit that can be connected via an Ethernet cable. We are still waiting to see a wireless version from Onkyo as this does make it much easier to use internet radio or web content, as with wired technology the PC and AV receiver need to be close together which can be a pain for some home setups. That said we are happy to see the network technology, and Onkyo have also added a USB port on the front of the unit meaning that you can plug other devices in, such as an MP3 player for example. Connectivity has been well thought out here. The iPod technologies are present, and you can use the USB port to connect your iPod or iPhone or for full functionality you can purchase the iPod docking unit, again always disappointing when these aren’t given away as part of the pack.
Picture quality isn’t an issue, and all formats gave rise to stable images that were crisp and clean. We were more than happy with the color shown, and that included our upscaling tests, where older formats are played through the unit and cleaned up before the image is shown – clever technology that is coming in as standard of units at this level, so we did expect it to be there. However, not all companies have it perfect, but thankfully Onkyo seem to have it sorted.
ADVANCED FEATURES
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THX® Ultra2 Plus™ Certified
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DTS-HD Master Audio™, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio™, Dolby® TrueHD, Dolby® Digital Plus Decoding
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HDMI™ Version 1.3a to Support Deep Color™, x.v.Color™, LipSync, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD, Multichannel PCM, and CEC
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DSD Direct for Super Audio CD
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Audio and 1080p Video Processing via HDMI (1 Front/6 Rear Inputs and 2 Outputs [Main/Sub])
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HDMI Video Upscaling to 1080p with HQV Reon-VX
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Massive Transformer and Two Separate Transformers for Audio and Video Processing
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New Custom-Designed, Large-Size Transistors to Drive High Currents
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Push-Pull Amplification Design with Three-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry
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Burr-Brown 192 kHz/24-Bit DACs (PCM1796 x 6) for All Channels
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Ultra-Low-Jitter PLL (Phase Locked Loop) Circuitry to Improve Audio Quality
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Three TI (Aureus™) 32-Bit DSP Chips (DA830 x 1, DA788 x 2) for Advanced Processing
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VLSC™ (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry) for All Channels
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ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) Video Calibration
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Audyssey DSX™ and Dolby® Pro Logic® IIz for New Surround Channels
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Audyssey MultEQ™ XT to Correct Room Acoustic Problems and to Calibrate Speakers
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Audyssey Dynamic Volume™ to Maintain Optimal Listening Level and Dynamic Range
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Audyssey Dynamic EQ™ for Loudness Correction
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Dolby® Volume for Reference-Quality Listening Experience at Any Volume
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Network Capability for Streaming Audio Files (MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, FLAC, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, LPCM)
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Internet Radio Connectivity (Last.fm* and vTuner)
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Certified with Windows 7 and DLNA Version 1.5
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Bi-Amping and BTL (Bridged Transless) Capability
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Powered Zone 2 and Zone 3 for Playback of Separate Sources in Other Rooms
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Zone 2 Monitor Output (Composite)
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Universal Port for Single-Cable Connection of Optional Onkyo Dock for the iPod or DAB+ Radio Tuner
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4 DSP Modes for Gaming: Rock, Sports, Action, and RPG (Role Playing Game)
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2 Independent Subwoofer Pre Outs
AUDIO & VIDEO FEATURES
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200 W/Ch at 6 O, 1 kHz, 1 Channel Driven, IEC
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H.C.P.S. (High Current Power Supply) Massive High Power Transformer
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WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology)
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Linear Optimum Gain Volume Circuitry
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DTS Surround Sensation® Speaker/Headphone Technology
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Neural-THX® Surround Decoder
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Music Optimizer™ for Compressed Digital Music Files
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Theater-Dimensional Virtual Surround Function
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RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI) for System Control
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Direct Mode and Pure Audio Mode
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Front-Side Auxiliary A/V Input (for Camcorders, Game Consoles, etc.)
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USB Port for an MP3 Audio Device (Audio Only)
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Component Video Upscaling (Up to 1080i)
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Component Video Switching (3 Inputs and 1 Output)
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Color-Coded, 9 Multichannel Pre Outs
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6 Digital Inputs (3 Optical and 3 Coaxial)
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Independent Crossover Adjustment for F/C/S/SB/FH/FW (40/50/60/70/80/90/100/120/150/200 Hz)
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A/V Sync Control Function (Up to 250 ms in 5 ms Steps)
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40 FM/AM Random Presets with RDS (PS/RT/PTY/TP)
OTHER FEATURES
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High-Rigidity Flat Chassis (1.6 mm Thick)
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4 S-Video Inputs and 1 Output
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5 A/V Inputs and 1 Output
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Monitor Outputs (Component, Composite, and S-Video)
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3 Audio Inputs and 1 Output
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Phono Input
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Machined Solid Brass, 19 mm-Pitch Audio Inputs (CD and Phono)
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Color-Coded 7.1-Multichannel Inputs
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RS232 and IR (In/Out) Connectivity
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12 V Trigger Out (Zone 2/Zone 3)
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Onscreen Display (OSD)
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Aluminum Front Panel and Volume Knob
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Firmware Updates via Ethernet and USB
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Compatible with RI (Remote Interactive) Dock for the iPod
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Bi-Directional, Preprogrammed, and Customizable RI Remote Control with Backlight, Onscreen Setup, Mode-Key LEDs, and Macro Presets for Four Activities
