The Official Onkyo TX-NR525 Thread

[solarrdadd]

well howdy boys and girls, crazy old Uncle Solarrdadd here. looks like Onkyo has released a new 2013 line of receivers. i had a TX-NR509 in my bedroom and loved it, but, my daughter is going off to grad school soon and i wanted her to have something nice; a big girl receiver so she can get rid of the computer speaker/receiver system she currently has!

much like the 509, i didn't want to spend a ton of money on a receiver for the bedroom, another 509 would have done the trick. having said that, i saw the information that onkyo had about the new line-up that they would be releasing. i could tell that the TX-NR525 was going to fit the bill to a "T". here are a couple of shots of the front and back it's very onkyo'ish in the styling which is what we've come to expect.


front:

Onkyo_TX-NR525_Front.jpg


rear:


Onkyo_TX-NR525_Rear.jpg

if you have had the 509 or simiular model, they you have kinda had this one, except for a bunch of nice new features that onkyo has thrown up in there, such as:

•6in/1out HDMI Support for 3D Video and Audio Return Channel
•4K Passtrough Function from Compatible Source Devices via HDMI®
•Network Capability Delivers Internet Radio and Network Streaming
•Playback of Audio Files Through Local Network
•Picture-in-Picture Input Source Preview with InstaPrevue™ Technology
•Direct Digital Connection of iPod/iPhone via Front-Panel USB Port
•Supports Onkyo Remote Apps for iPod touch®/iPhone® and Android Devices
•Audyssey MultEQ® for Room Acoustic Correction
•Zone 2 Line-Out for Distributed Audio Playback in Another Room

now, while all of those features are nice, the bolded ones are the most important to me (cause i don't have nor probably will while this thing works, a 4K TV! ) i do have a large library of music on a NAS and i use to use an external DAC and transport to be able to stream anything above 96/24 because most of the older model onkyo receivers & pre-amps, well, that was there limitation via network or usb. well all that's changed!

tonight, i was streaming everything from MP3's all the way up to 192/24 audio some streaming at close to 6800kbps. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL (it's like an infomercial, sham-wow cause i can do this all day!) this entry level player (as it's called) streams DSD and Dolby TrueHD (192/24 for DTrueHD files only) files via ethernet from my NAS. yep, you heard me, DSD & DTHD streaming, right outta it's entry level box.

i listened to:

Gregory James's: "Cult of Beauty" album's selection "Sarasvati" with the displayed streaming as DSD 1BIT @ 2822.4MHZ

Man, did that sound incredible; my two channel has never sounded so good in that room! onkyo is bringing the ability for folks of all price ranges, an opportunity to listen to and truely enjoy all types and levels of audio resolution. i do salute them for this. oh, and the best part, i got it for just under $350 sonova.....!

for the most part, i'm very happy with the receiver. yes, it could use a nip-tuck here and there, but, again, i'm very happy. i suspect that the things i'm picking at can and will be taken care of in a firmware update that should be either their first or maybe second release when they get to it.

i have to say, that once again, i've stuck with onkyo and not regretted it. they have made another "bang for yer buck" line of receivers and i think they've got real hits on their hands.

i wish them much success with this new line. i do recommend them for folks on a budget who still want to be able to enjoy what cost $ hundreds or thousands in stand alone DAC's. now before anyone goes off at that statement, does this mean that these onkyo's sound as good or better than DAC's that cost 2 & 3 $K, i'm not saying that, i am saying that it sounds good and does it's job and will help the everyday man get into this hi-resolution audio thing as a start to see (or rather hear, pun intended) what they have possibly been missing and really be able to determine if they like it (at such little cost) and aspire to move on and even up later on to some "Big Boy, Grown Up DAC" stuff later!

hey, for some of us, this will be all the DAC we need. it's plenty for me, in my bedroom.

i'd very much like to hear what other's have to say. i do only ask that we please be respectfull of others when we reply or post and notice the name of the thread is NOT "let's bash and hate to death onkyo" so, i have no problem with folks not happy with them, but this thread is about the 525 and not all of onkyo so please lets try to keep it on topic.

enjoy people, please give til it almost hurts but, remember, play nice with the other kids!