![]() ![]() Some say all AV receivers sound the same, others disagree, and we're not likely to settle that argument anytime soon. Sound-quality evaluations of AV receivers (and other amplifiers) are controversial. If you're paying $500 for an AV receiver, you deserve to hear it at its best. That's a shame those features are useful for maintaining volume and tonal balance for late-night listening levels, but they add unwanted processing and limit dynamic range for normal listening. Last year Onkyo's TX-NR616 included the same MultEQ calibration, and the sound balances for the speakers and subwoofer were fine.Īlso frustrating was that after running the MultEQ calibration, the default settings are "Movie" EQ, with both Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume are turned on. There were other quirks - the crossover setting kept changing whenever ran the setup program - and it never quite sounded in balance. We're not sure exactly what the issue was, but to make a long story short, Audyssey kept setting the subwoofer level much too high, no matter how we ran the autosetup. If you're looking for more detailed feature comparisons, check out our giant AV receiver spreadsheet, which compares the TX-NR626 with other 2013 models as we review them. And while AirPlay isn't built in, you can always add that functionality later with an Apple TV, which is arguably a smarter move anyway. The TX-NR626 is one of the few receivers to offer dual HDMI outputs, but unless you have a relatively elaborate home theater with a projector, you won't need them. ![]() It also has analog video upconversion, but you won't need it if all your devices use HDMI. The TX-NR626 is a 7.2-channel receiver, but most buyers won't need the extra functionality that makes possible: surround back channels, powered second-zone audio, and Dolby Pro Logic IIz "height" channels. ![]() The rest of the features are less important for mainstream buyers. The only similar receiver to offer that much wireless functionality at this price is Sony's STR-DN840, which also supports AirPlay. Wi-Fi is also nice because it allows to take advantage of the TX-NR626's networking features without a wired Ethernet connection, including DLNA, smartphone control, firmware updates, and streaming services such as Spotify, Pandora, SiriusXM, Flickr, and Internet radio. Bluetooth is especially welcome, since it's the easiest way to stream music from nearly any smartphone or tablet. The TX-NR626 is also hip to modern tech, including built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |