Onkyo Warranty --Upgrade to Integra 5.4 offer due to lack of parts

[sfmarine]

So My RZ820 came with a 3 year warranty. I purchased it in 2019 as a leftover from Huppin's. The 820 debuted in 2017 and has 7 channels. One of my HDMI ports failed and I let it go for a while (because I was still able to use the other ports), but finally got around to contacting Onkyo. They no longer work out of New Jersey and most repairs are outsourced now. They provided me with a few local people in my region and I found someone with good reviews.

The tech told me it could be a while because of all the backorders and supply chain issues. After almost three months without a surround setup, I received a forwarded email today from Onkyo. They basically said that due to the abundance in part delays the parts are backlogged with no ETA.

However, they offered me a very attractive and tempting offer ...

To exchange my current unit with a refurbished Integra DRX 5.4 with an additional extended warranty. The Integra has 9 channels and came out last year, so this would be a pretty sweet upgrade. Not a fan of refurbished models, but this is direct from Onkyo and dealing with the source is always ideal.

I still prefer the clean look of the RZ series.

It still seems like the Integra is the way to go as it is currently one of their flagship models.

Especially considering my receiver is from '17 and was discontinued a while ago. It also means I’ll get my surround system back probably within a few weeks vs likely a year.
Thoughts?

[TripleHBK]

Take the upgrade. I have the Onkyo RZ-830 from 2019 and so I definitely understand the appeal of the older unit, but I'd say upgraded model and additional features along with another fresh warranty makes this deal well worth the change. They all fall under the same umbrella company and use the same parts in many cases as well and so performance wise things should remain in line with what you had.

[SlaughterX]

Sounds like a no brainer to me...

[sfmarine]

Originally Posted by SlaughterX

Sounds like a no brainer to me...

Thanks..forgot to update the thread.
Everything went well and they overnighted the Integra which was a surprise.

[SlaughterX]

How does it compare to your previous one?

[sfmarine]

Originally Posted by SlaughterX

How does it compare to your previous one?

The Integra is 9 channels vs 7, so that itself is a nice upgrade and I will be taking advantage of that with some Atmos height speakers. The Integra is 120 watts per channel and the RZ is 130-Odd how it went down on the former.

The Integra has Dirac Live which can be beneficial along with IMAX Enhanced with its dynamic range of theatrical sound mixes. It's also an 8K receiver so it's nice for future proofing. Everything is gold plated which is nice touch as well.

I still prefer the look of the RZ overall and its two Optical ports. A bit bummed it only came with one optical port. The Onkyo's volume knob felt very premium and weighted to me. The Integra one is quite meh.

Still pleased with the outcome. If I waited for those parts to come in I probably would have been a year or more without my surround setup. This option got me back up and running within 3 months and it cost me nothing.

[SlaughterX]

How does it sound though? Is there a noticeable difference in power and how it actually drives your speakers compared to the Onkyo?