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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Five Stars for a well-rounded and feature-rich 5.2 surround receiver
By A. Dent
I found Onkyo's TX-NR525 to be an excellent pick to power up and manage our living room media center for as long as you're not looking for a 7.2 solution in which case you may want to consider the Onkyo HT-RC460 7.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver (Black). The TX-NR525 has the ability to control everything physically connected to it and it seamlessly reaches out to other devices on our home network and beyond, to the Internet. The temptation to go over every single feature I am aware of is strong but receivers have become complex, multi-featured machines and there's a comprehensive manual that does that. I will therefore talk about what the HR-RC460 did as I tested it and what I found impressive or not so much, useful or less so, feature-rich or overwhelmingly complex or complicated. This could mean that I may not speculate about features that some may find worth discussing at some length and accept it as inevitable but I wasn't able to test hands-on. My hope is that the setup I used for my test drive is not unlike what most typical users are likely to have.
The TX-NR525 was tested as a 5.1 surround system. I did not set a second zone. Directly attached to it via HDMI were a TV, a satellite box, a WD media hub, a Blu-ray/DVD player and a gaming console with the last three having their own Ethernet connections. A security camera system was attached through a component video cable. The receiver was connected to the Internet via a Ethernet cable which in turn talks to a router over the power lines. The receiver and everything hard-wired to it were set to be operated with a Harmony universal remote control.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Right out of the box, Onkyo's receiver is not unlike the one (by Sony) I've been using for the past 4 years ant it's very much like the HT-RC460 which is the receiver I'm using because I happen to have a set of 7.2 speakers:
- 5.2 surround: one extra woofer and speakers of anything between 6-16 Ohms
- 2 zones
- supports nearly all types of I/O: composite video and analog audio, coax, optical, HDMI (more ports with 8 in, 2 out, the higher v1.4), AM and FM antennae.
- numerous sound processing modes with some new ones such as Dolby Pro Logic IIz and DTS Neo:6 decoding
- video resolution beyond 1080p to cover 3D and 4K (the resolution used in movie theaters)
And if the above appear to be only minor enhancements or features (4K video?) that no one is likely to need 'today', here are some brand new capabilities that should easily justify upgrading from an older model.
- Ethernet
- DLNA
- Overlaid on-screen menus
Whether the above are significant upgrades it depends on each individual's needs. I will discuss them below and explain why they matter to me. What follows is my experience with the product during my week-long test drive.
PACKAGING AND CONTENTS
Besides the receiver's body I found a CD that holds the manual as a .pdf file, the remote control and its 2 AA batteries, the AM/FM antennae and the special-purpose mic with a very long wire used to calibrate the speakers. This receiver does not come bundled with speakers or speaker wires or any other accessories.
The contents are well protected inside the box and I know that they are so because UPS subjected the package to some extremely rough treatment and yet everything inside turned out to be Okay.
INSTALLATION
No, it wasn't easy and it took q while to get things going but Onkyo providing a set of sticky, color-coded labels for the speaker wires helped a lot my connecting a set of 5.1 existing speakers to the new receiver.
Some of the HDMI inputs are pre-labeled as Cable/Satellite, Game, DVD, Computer and that made setting the HDMI connections easier and easier to document.
Once the wiring is done the receiver can automatically calibrate the speakers using the supplied, special-purpose calibration mic. A full auto-calibration round completes in less than 10 minutes.
If the box was connected to the network it's likely through the Ethernet wire it will suggest a firmware update. After than... there are many paths.
You may complete the setup using the provided remote control and the receiver's own display or you may take advantage of the on-screen menus feature which is a lot more efficient. The on-screen menus make it easy to integrate the receiver into an universal remote control. I am currently using it with a Harmony 900. Alternatively, I can use an Android tablet with the Onkyo remote app installed and I do use it, especially when I play content off the Internet or other devices on my home network but more about that later.
My setup didn't take advantage of some of the more advanced features that HDMI 1.4 implements such us the Ethernet channel that would allow the receiver to share its Internet link with other connected devices such as network-capable TVs, Blu-ray or media hubs or the audio return channel that can send the audio signal from a playback device such as the TV back to the receiver.
OPERATION
The word of the day is 'flexibility', or you can be as sophisticated as you care or dare or you can let the receiver do what it thinks it's best for you and probably get 95% of what you would if you spent hours tweaking and trying out settings individually. The manual enumerates everything, feature by feature and there are many features, some very useful, quite a few such us image adjustments, redundant. The other word of the day is comprehensiveness.
When it comes to audio, Onkyo's receiver supports just about any standard in existence and it will do its best to provide you with the optimal output. You can set it all to 'auto' or you can tell it what to do whether you are listening to music, playing a game or watching a movie. You can tweak with individual speakers. Same for video. You can play with individual settings all you want and if the end-result doesn't look nearly as good as the defaults you can quickly revert back to the default settings and then try it again.
I'm using a Harmony and I didn't use it myself extensively but the remote control has the capability to control everything at the entertainment hub. The manual explains how to do it and has hundreds of codes for the various brands and models.
FEATURES
Like for most receivers, dealing with HD TVs, cable or satellite boxes, Blu-ray players and gaming devices is 'base business', especially when they are connected through HDMI. Onkyo's receiver does it well and so do most other receivers. But this is not all that Onkyo does.
But then you connect the HT-RC460 to your home network and a world of new possibilities opens up.
While AM and FM radio are still supported, Onkyo's receiver can and will get your local Internet-broadcasting stations. The vTuner service will get you that but you can also play any station in the world and you can search by location (continent/country/city), genre (available inside each country as well), popularity and so forth. I had no idea until a couple of days ago that my favorite Electronica radio was broadcasting from Romania.
But that's not all. Besides radio stations, the TX-NR525 supports a number of services, including my favorite, Pandora which comes loud and clear and so far commercials-free. Other services include SiriusXm, Slacker, AUPEO!, last.fm, Spotify, MP3tunes, Rhapsody and I suspect that additional ones may be added through future firmware upgrades.
And there are more features. You can play iPhone content via the dedicated port easily accessible on the front.
I suspect that there are many other features I didn't notice or I didn't find to be interesting enough to mention here but someone else would view as very important but I'm going to stop because there's the big .pdf manual that discusses almost everything.
PROS AND CONS
The big pros for this receiver are, in my view:
- Seamless network/Internet integration that unlock so many interesting features and capabilities
- On-screen (and it can be TV or phone or tablet screen) menus which overlay over the existing video display.
- Extreme flexibility in configuration from the 'let Onkyo figure it out for me' level to very detailed tweaking.
As for cons. Well... the manual is not the most user-friendly in the world but I can live with that. The Android remote control app while great and very easy to use needs an urgent update because the 'phone' resolution does not scale well on a 10-inch tablet and it seems to prevent the Android device from going to sleep even when the app is not in the foreground. Also, the warranty is a little too restrictive and appears to discourage on-line purchases - see below.
MY RATING
Warranty-related issues aside, I am very pleased with this receiver. It does everything I expect from a receiver and then it does more and better. In other words, it exceeded my expectations which qualifies it for a 5 stars with flying colors rating.
_________________________________________________
WARRANTY AND SUPPORT
I did not weigh in warranty and service when I rated the receiver as a 5 star. Depending on where you buy your receiver from a brick and mortar dealer or online, you may be very happy with Onkyo's warranty or less so.
The receiver's warranty is for 2 years, parts and labor which is a good thing. There are lots of exclusions, nothing unusual, ranging from you altering the product, it being damaged by things connected to it or you using it for commercial purposes. If you bought this online or you are planning to do so, consider the following:
- Save your receipt AND the original box because you are going to need them both if you are to ship the receiver for warranty repairs.
- Onkyo's warranty only covers units purchased from an authorized dealer. Onkyo considers Amazon to be authorized dealer but... don't forget: receipt, box.
- My understanding is that you will be paying for shipping the receiver to Onkyo but they will be covering shipping when returning the box back to you.
- There are no quick replacement/cross-shipping provisions so be prepared to do without if your receiver breaks down and needs repair.
- If, after reading the above you are concerned about warranty service you should consider purchasing your receiver from a 'brick and mortar' authorized dealer because then all you need to do is take the box back to the dealer and you won't have to worry about paying for shipping and keeping the original box.
Onkyo made a great receiver but they should consider improving their support for online purchases because other sellers of electronic devices do much better. When a monitor and a rather large laptop I purchased online broke both makers sent me a box and a pre-paid shipping label. I understand why the makers of complex devices would rather have us buy from dealers, because they don't need to worry about direct user support, but online purchases are a reality and other makers of electronics provide much better/friendlier support to their online customers.
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>> Brush your teeth, it's the law! <<
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Solid AV receiver!
By Arnold Hilvano
Onkyo has finally did it! The HDMI lag issues they use to have from previous models like txnr 515,616,460,717, 818,etc.when doing a receiver pass through has finally been resolved and this newer model doesn't have that problem.The 6 HDMI inputs are very responsive, every quick, and very consistent. Great job Onkyo! The sound quality of this receiver is superb...Audyssey MultEQ is amazing. I was able to try and compare both Yamaha's YPAO vs Audyssey MultEQ and in my opinion Audyssey MultEQ wins! With Audyssey, all the movies and the music that I played sounded so real and very clear plus the bass management was superb! This receiver is 3D ready, 4k pass through and has overlay menu setup. The remote control is programmable and it has the ability to control your TV, Blu ray, DVD and Cable/Satellite. My suggestion is take the time to program everything with it so you only need one remote for everything. Overall, I am very happy with this receiver and I highly recommend it!
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Has most of what you ask for and expands if needed.
By Courtland J. Carpenter
I've always been curious how many people use all the 7.1, 8.1 etcetera, use all these surround sound speaker arrays in their home. A full media room is a relative rarity for a typical house, and since the standard in the past has always been two speakers, how'd we get to so many. Here we have a 5.2 system, maybe a little more than needed but at least modest by today's standards. It has what I think is the right combination in inputs and outputs. For old tech several composite inputs, and three component inputs. For most modern day devices and a connector for having all this way are the HDMI inputs, which it has six defined for most any combination of devices. It has an Ethernet port as well, for web connectivity and this can be extended to wireless with purchase of a dongle for a modest price. The price is a bit higher to extend to bluetooth by adding a similar dongle, but this is only necessary if you tend to use a lot of wireless inputs. There is a wired input for tablets and smart phones in the front panel, so this may not be necessary.
Sound quality seems great, I only have a 2.1 set of speakers to connect to, a Boston Acoustics set also a recent Vine product, but they worked great. I really like that I can connect my Sony BluRay, my Playstation3, my laptop, my TV, and my ROKU to the unit. It has picture in picture to view the screens of all these devices individually, only I'm not sure how good that feature really is, unless you are employing multiple tuners for live broadcasts. The remote is nice a huge array of codes in the back of the CD manual allows connection for cable boxes, dishes, tape decks, CD/DVD players, TV's etcetera. I had four remotes I used on my table, and this has condensed them to two. I still don't have an answer for my file streamer/player. Still, it is better than four or five to have to deal with.
This appears to be a well build machine, very attractive front end, and easy to manually switch between devices. It also has a special function for those houses wired for sound. I couldn't test it, but the second zone sound supports another 2.1 speaker system remotely, if your home is so wired, you can move the media/living room sound to a bedroom, kitchen, basement or other extended room. After I ordered this I noticed the Vine had a similar priced Denon on the newsletter as well. Denon is a little bigger name in the sound world to me than Onkyo, although my first CD changer was an Onkyo unit. Still, this unit is more attractive, and better laid out on the rear panel than the Denon, so it's probably had I been in a store and compared, this is still the unit I would buy.
One thing I'd like them to fix and that's the setup guide manual. It's all well and good that they want to save trees and such by making the manual online or on CD, but I like to have a nice glossy pictorial set-up sheet when connecting everything. I don't like having to print sheets out and not everyone has the right PC setup to print or view a manual like this. Just because you are AV oriented, does not mean you have a computer, some people don't like them, and the lack of documentation here without a PC is disturbing. Overall, a nice product and very functional without the extreme prices of the higher end units. Expandable for the most important features, but basic if that's all you need.
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Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
TX-NR525 5.2 Channel Network A/V Receiver
More Features & Better Sound
TX-NR525 delivers exceptional surround sound for games, movies & music.
It is Wi-fi & Bluetooth Ready, and, of course,
has the most internet radio & streaming services available.
Wireless & Bluetooth Ready
Stream Audio From Virtually Anywhere & Anything
Plug the optional UWF-1 Wireless LAN Adapter into your TX-NR525's front USB port and get reliable wireless access to your local network.
The optional UBT-1 Adapter produces superb wireless sound quality approaching that of CD audio, due to aptX® enhancement codec and improved capabilities of Bluetooth Version 3.0. Plug it into a USB port and send audio wirelessly from a range of electronic devices.
Music from Everywhere
Sounds Even Better Through an Onkyo
The TX-NR525 has the most popular music streaming and internet radio services, which you can browse using the free app. You can also stream audio stored on your iPhone® or Android device directly to your receiver.
HDMI for High Resolution Playback
6 HDMI Inputs Let You Watch Pretty Much Anything
The TX-NR525's six HDMI inputs take surround sound formats from Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio™, and supports 3D video. The single output has an Audio Return Channel, so you can boost your TV's sound through your receiver.
Also, this receiver will passthrough 4K resolution from source devices (like a Bluray player) to an appropriate display.
Quick & Easy Remote App
Makes Control Easy & Convenient
The Onkyo remote app for iPod touch®/iPhone® and Android devices is a convenient way to control your home entertainment from anywhere within wireless range. The app has a clear graphical interface to control playback, adjust settings and handle content across multiple zones.
Find the Onkyo Remote App for your Kindle here.
Clearer Sound for Your Mobile Music
Your Library Never Sounded Better!
The TX-NR525 features two USB ports to connect iPod/ iPhone and mass storage devices loaded with music. The direct digital connection carries signals to the receiver in digital format and gives a noticeable boost to audio quality.
The Foundation of Onkyo Sound
WRAT: Wide Range Amplifier Technology
From the quietest passages to booming explosions, Onkyo's exclusive technology enhances the audio of your movies, music and games like never before.
Deep, Defined Bass
Powerful Bass AND Clear Vocals
Onkyo's Phase-Matching Bass optimizes low frequencies while preserving mid-range clarity. This means that powerful bass plays back with clear vocals; it doesn't overpower them.
Audyssey Technology for Awesome Sound
Auto-adjustments for Optimal Sound
Audyssey MultEQ® room-correction technology delivers clear, well-balanced, natural sound.
Audyssey Dynamic EQ® maintains consistent bass, tonal and surround sound effects at different volume levels.
Audyssey Dynamic Volume® automatically compensates for volume fluctuations, for example during loud commercial breaks.
Overlaid Menus
For Quick Adjustments on the Fly
The Quick Set-Up button on your remote puts menus over the program you're watching to switch inputs or change a settings without interrupting your viewing.
Similarly, the Home Menu button calls up simple icons for choosing a media source and menus for system settings.
Comparison Data
TX-NR727 | TX-NR626 | TX-NR525 | TX-SR313 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Output (per channel) | 110 W | 95 W | 80 W | 65 W |
Channels | 7.2 | 7.2 | 5.2 | 5.1 |
THX Certified | THX® Select2 Plus™ | — | — | — |
HDMI In/Out (3D-ready & ARC: Audio Return Channel) | 7+1/2 | 6/2 | 6/1 | 4/1 |
Wi-Fi-Certified Wireless LAN Capable | Built In | Built In | Ready | — |
Bluetooth Audio Streaming | Built In | Built In | Ready | — |
4K Pass-Through (from compatible source devices) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
4K Upscaling (Qdeo™ Processing by Marvell ) | ✔ | ✔ | — | — |
Surround Sound Formats | Dolby TueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio Audyssey DSX, Dolby Pro Logic IIz | Dolby TueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio | Dolby TueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio | Dolby TueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio |
Audyssey Room Calibration | MultEQ® | MultEQ® | MultEQ® | — |
Phase-Matching Bass Enhancement | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
Internet Radio | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
Remote App for iPhone / Android / Kindle Fire | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
Video Upconversion (Analog to HDMI) | — | — | — | — |
InstaPrevue Technology | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) | ✔ | ✔ | — | — |
Multi-Zone Playback | Powered Zone 2, Zone 2/3 Line Outs | Powered Zone 2, Zone 2 Line Out | Zone 2 Line Out | — |
WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — | |
Hybrid Standby Energy Saving State | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
Overlaid On-Screen Display (OSD) via HDMI | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | Text |
USB Ports | 2 (Front/Rear) | 2 (Front/Rear) | 2 (Front/Rear) | 1 (Front) |
© 2013 ONKYO USA Corporation. All rights reserved. Onkyo features and specifications subject to change without notice.
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