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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
47 of 49 people found the following review helpful.
Needs More Firmware Updates
By Brandon
While the TX-NR818 is a great AVR for the price and does the basics flawlessly, it does have some issues that need to be addressed. On the good side of things, this Onkyo sounds wonderful. I was skeptical upgrading from a TX-SR805 that this would be able to compare to that unprecedented beast, but it has. Although the 818 does sound generally a little quieter than the 805, I could hardly call it underpowered and a little boost to the volume (or use of IntelliVolume) fixes that issue. Overall, the sound is more balanced with a much tighter and well defined bass response and a more defined soundfield. I mark this down to the new Audyssey MultEQ XT32 that really does make a huge difference in compensating for room acoustics and helping to tune the subwoofer in a bit.
Picture processing is superb as well. While I don't use it to process the PQ of my Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player, I do use it to up-scale the signal from digital cable box/DVR from 1080i to 1080p and also apply some mild noise reduction, and my overly compressed cable has never looked better. There is a caveat, however. There seems to be an HDMI handshaking issue with the 818 and my Motorola digital cable box causing it to be forced down to 720p every time I start up. This means whenever I turn my cable on I have to manually dig down into the menu system and switch the output resolution back to 1080i.
Now, the biggest disappointment is the networking features. I was really hoping to be able to use the 818 to stream all my ALAC and FLAC audio files from my networked hard drive and finally box up all of my CDs, regaining all that physical space (I have A LOT of CDs -- over 6,000). Alas, the Onkyo doesn't support gapless playback -- not via DLNA, not via your "home network" not even from a USB drive. WHAT?! Try listening to classical music, a concert disc, Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto, or Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Mood without gapless playback -- it's torture. Denon has already updated their AVRs to support gapless playback streaming, what's wrong with Onkyo? Even with the glaring issue of missing gapless playback aside, the Onkyo 818 had problems playing back streaming media, be it from my networked hard drive or via the internet (Pandora, etc.) -- and this was over a WIRED Ethernet connection, not wi-fi (more on that later). Streaming media playback had a lot of dropouts, and, while I could live with the occasional dropout from something like Pandora -- it is the Internet after all -- frequent drop outs playing music from my own hard drive over Ethernet is unacceptable. Getting back to wi-fi -- if you plan on using this over your network via wi-fi (with Onkyo's UWF-1 adapter or some other compatible adapter) don't. The Onkyo doesn't allow "home media" streaminng (read a networked hard drive/DLNA server) via wi-f. It also limits the sampling rate of streaming Dolby TrueHD lossless media over wi-fi to the unusual 68kHz.
In the end, as an AVR, the TX-NR818 absolutely rocks with great sound and picture processing, all the traditional AVR features, but it falls down with one of the main draws of the latest crop of AVRs, and that's the networking. They need to update the firmware to fix these flaws fast.
52 of 58 people found the following review helpful.
Onkyo's Powerhouse Receiver
By BeyondHD
I'm going to be honest, this is my first Onkyo receiver. As a owner of other great receivers from Denon & Yamaha, I was looking for a new powerful receiver, the Onkyo TXNR818 was just what I was looking for. Is 1 of 4 high-end audio receivers from Onkyo (2012), this is a 7.2ch receiver with 135w x 7ch of pure muscle. It packs the latest surround formats including the new DTS NEO: X and has the latest Audyssey MULTEQ XT32 calibration tool on which you'll get outstanding performance and some improvements over the original MULTEQ. At this price range Onkyo was able to put as many features as possible including; THX Select 2 Plus Certified, HDMI Support for 3D Video, 9.1 Pre Outs for audio and future expandability, Dual Core Video Engine with HQV Vida and Marvell Qdeo Processing just to name a few.
Before I let you know how this receiver performs , there are some minor drawbacks you should know. First, this receiver lacks AirPlay Support, wi-fi and bluetooth (a wireless and bluetooth adapter is sold separately) which I found inexcusable at this price; take note Onkyo, the new Sony STR-DN1030 offer these great features for a unit half the price. Second, the remote control is not fully backlit and while the GUI display is easy to navigate is far from the quality of those found on Yamaha or Denon receivers, in fact its a shame that it has a low resolution GUI and the icons are very ugly. This is one heavy receiver, over 40 pounds, 17 inches (wide) x 17 (depth) x 7 1/2 (heigth), is even deeper than my Def Tech StudioMonitor 65, so a very strong space in your entertainment center should be considered. Another thing that capture my atention was that the volume knob felt a bit loose and to soft. For some strange reason every time you adjust the tone controls the receiver cuts the audio for about a second, this issue has been reported in some forums.
Movie Performance:
There are a lot of Blu Ray movies that can be used as reference for audio and video, Battle LA & MI: Ghost Protocol are an example of pure surround madness. The alien invasion sounded clean, powerful and robust. The battle scene on the highway bridge is spectacularly loud and bombastic, the DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack rattles walls with a thunderous, authoritative low end. The rear effects are discrete and precise, generating an immersive 360-degree soundfield. The explosion of the Kremlin in MI:GP will shake your ground, and talked about the sandstorm scene in Dubai, you better have some goggles like Tom Cruise had. The sound of the wind and sand particles moving across my living room was an experience. 03/16/2013 Update - Listen to these other BD chapters; Transformers Rise of the Fallen / the fight in the forest is simply awesome and crunching, Looper / sweet deep bass in chapter 13, Minoroty Report / the force wave shotgun, one word Boombastic!!!. The 2012 version of Red Dawn sounded magnificent, the fire fight scenes and explosions are a thrilling experience and the TXNR818 will make you run for cover. Also Air Force One is almost two decades old, back in 1997 it was impresive on the DVD format and now the Blu Ray version is no exception. It's still has one of the most powerful and engaging surround sound mixes ever recorded, believe me.
Music Performance:
Listening to Jason Mraz's The Freedom Song (live) sounded natural, the TXNR818 rendered it all very clearly and in distinct with excellent separation of the instruments, you can close your eyes and literally feel the music right in front of you, also the voices are heard clean and vivid. I love Latin jazz so there is nothing better than listening to Eddie Palmieri's Album CD "Arete". Congas and timpani discharge have a fascinating sound and to some extent may feel natural bass that emit between the clash of the Palm of the hand and the leather of the congas, the detail that capture the TXNR818 is amazing. Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon is a powerful rock album, from the opening clock sounds to Mason drums to Syd guitar solo, "Time" sounded just stunning on the 818.
In conclusion the TXNR818 is a great overall receiver, it has excellent video performence, powerful clean sound and plenty of inputs. So far I have been playing with this monstrous AVR for over seven months and I have done 2 firmware updates with no problems to report. I could be talking about other great features, like ISF calibration tools, XT32, DTS Neo: X, THX and more, but I'm the kind of person that will tell you to test this great AVR for yourself and make your own judgement. Some people have complaint about faulty units, but make sure you buy one from an authorize dealer to avoid any upset. Onkyo has done a great entrance in the audiophile world, and even that there are plenty areas were Onkyo can improve, they have done an excellent job to have a truly high-end receiver below the $1,000 mark.Like they say "High-End Home Theater Performance Starts Here" and sure it does.
50 of 56 people found the following review helpful.
I am impressed!
By Richyi
Years ago, after researching and much reading I decided that Denon receiver was the best.
The old model, AVR 3808CI, 130 Watt, 39lb, only had 4 HDMI so I started looking to update to a new receiver.
The first thing I turned to was another Denon AVR-2312CI with 7 HDMI inputs, 105 watts per channel, Air Play etc for $924 inc tax at local Best Buy.
First thing I noticed was how light it was compared to my older Denon. Heavy does not mean better but in amplifiers, the important component is the power transformer and a robust transformer will be heavy.
Upon hooking up the 2312, my first listening test was disappointing. Not much better than my former Denon and perhaps not as good. So I returned the 2312 to Best Buy and start my search again.
After extensive search, the Onkyo line interested me the most.
Initially, I was attracted to TX-NR717 125 watts and 7.2. Then I chanced on to TX-NR818.
It is 135 watts, 9.2, 40lb and more electronic features stuffed into it than you can imagine! I was a little concerned because the more stuff they put in, more chance of conflicts, bugs and nagging problems.
The NR818 is the latest model and some websites list it but not available yet.
I found one at Amazon and I decided to order one for $1099 and with LAN adapter and 12 sets of banana plug it came to $1151.
Now here is the bottom line. After setting up the Receiver with Sony DVD/CD player, Time Warner DVR, XBox 360, PS3 and Apple TV, I put in my favorite CD and turned it on.
When I heard the sound, my initial reaction was WOW! I looked at my wife and she agreed the sound was fantastic! The best way that I can explain the sound is it's clear, clean, pristine. And without going through the speaker set up routine, my Aperion speaker system with center channel and a sub-woofer put out a sound I never heard before and all channels well balanced!
One surprising extra to the NR818 is the video. When I view Time Warner programs, I have to say "man look at that color!" The rendering of all the colors are 100% improvement! Focus is sharper, all the color seem more true to life. Red are redder, blue are bluer and the flowers and trees pop out at you.
As you can see, I am very impressed with Onkyo NR818. There are tons of features and adjustments that I have not tested and tried but my initial impressions are that they will all work well.
If my comments need updating, I will here.
In the meantime, I'd certainly recommend Onkyo NR818 as one of your consideration.
Richyi
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Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
High-End Home Theater Performance Starts Here
 Why Onkyo Makes Perfect Home Theater Sense for You:
|
 Hear Precisely What The Director Intended THX ensures what you hear through this Onkyo is precisely what was recorded. Select2 Plus certification is specified for rooms where the screen-to-seat viewing distance is ten to twelve feet, and the room volume is around 2000 cubic feet. To achieve THX certification, the TX-NR818 had to meet the most demanding standards for home cinema audio quality and performance. |  Access Endless Music Possibilities Onkyo network receivers, which are also wireless LAN ready, have access to the most internet music content services, including: Pandora®, Slacker™, SIRIUS XM®, Last.fm, vTuner, Rhapsody, Spotify, and AUPEO!. You can even connect to DLNA servers on your network. Internet connectivity also makes firmware updates simpler than ever. |
 Easy, Live Source Selection This AVR incorporates InstaPrevue visual port management technology, making input source selection much easier. InstaPrevue provides a live video thumbnail of the available content on your devices connected via HDMI. |  Watch Your Smartphone Content on TV The front-panel HDMI port is designed for the connection of mobile phones and other portable electronic devices using the new MHL standard. MHL allows you to display full 1080p video and still images on your HDTV with up to 7.1 channels of surround sound. Use the receiver's remote to control playback from your phone as it receives a handy recharge. |
 Free Apps: Seamless Control & Streaming The Onkyo Remote App 2 for iPod touch/iPhone∗¹ and Onkyo Remote for Android∗² and Kindle Fire provide an intuitive way to operate Onkyo network A/V receivers. Control input sources, adjust settings, and play audio stored in your device wirelessly (Android and Kindle Fire only) using the application's interactive graphical display. The remote apps are available separately as free downloads. |  Powered Zone 2/3 and Zone 2/3 Line-OutsYou can assign Front High or Front Wide channel outputs to power speakers in two other rooms of your home. You can play music in the main room and Zone 2- or, alternatively, Zone 3- at the same time, or play a different audio source in either room. Use your stereo amp to power one of the rooms and enjoy any audio source from the receiver in all three zones simultaneously, controllable with Onkyo Remote Apps for iPhone and Android phone, and Kindle Fire. Integrated house-wide entertainment is now a reality. |
 Three High Performance Sound Expansion Systems: Audyssey DSX®, Dolby® Pro Logic® IIz, and DTS Neo:X™When additional High or Wide channels are added, their directional and ambient effects are fully enveloping. These three expansion systems offer you freedom to choose your preferred speaker setup. Audyssey DSX expands 5.1 sources to include Wide or Height channels. The Dolby system adds Height channels and stereo source expansion, while DTS Neo:X offers Wides or Heights. |  Audyssey MultEQ XT32: You'll Hear The Difference Audyssey's top-of-the-line room correction suite equalizes the sound to suit the unique acoustics of your listening space. High-resolution filters are applied to all channels- including subwoofers- based on information collected from more than 10,000 individual control points across eight measurement positions. |
| |
 Apple TV- FriendlyHave an Apple TV? The Onkyo remote is preset to control Apple TV. Use it with your Onkyo Network AVR. It's all integrated, and it all works together beautifully. |  Direct Digital Connection: The Cleanest Your iPod Can Sound The front-panel USB port lets you play MP3 and AAC stored in an iPod/iPhone, and MP3, WMA, AAC, and FLAC audio files stored on a flash-memory device, and you can use the system's own remote for track selection and playback. Your music will sound much cleaner and clearer, as the audio signal is transported in digital rather than analog form through the direct digital connection. |
 Save Power With Hybrid Standby Hybrid Standby provides 'HDMI through' functionality while the receiver sleeps, so you don't have to fully power up to watch a Blu-ray or play a game using just your TV's sound. The receiver also maintains a local network connection when on Hybrid Standby mode, so you can switch the unit on at any time using the Onkyo remote apps for iPod touch/iPhone and Android, and Kindle Fire. | |
Comparison Data
TX-NR818 | TX-NR717 | TX-NR616 | TX-NR515 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Output (per channel) | 135 W | 125 W | 115 W | 100 W |
Channels | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 |
THX Certified | Select2 Plus | Select2 Plus | Select2 Plus | — |
3D-ready: HDMI In/Out | 7+1/2 | 7+1/2 | 7+1/2 | 7+1/2 |
WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Surround Sound Formats | DTS Neo:X, Audyssey DSX, Dolby Pro Logic IIz, Dolby TueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio | Audyssey DSX, Dolby Pro Logic IIz, Dolby TueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio | Audyssey DSX, Dolby Pro Logic IIz, Dolby TueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio | Dolby Pro Logic IIz, Dolby TueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio |
Audyssey Room Calibration | MultEQ XT32 | 2EQ | 2EQ | 2EQ |
Cloud Audio Streaming | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Internet Radio & Wireless Ready | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Remote App for iPhone / Android / Kindle Fire | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
HDMI 4K Video Upscaling with Qdeo | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| HQV® Vida™ VHD1900 Video Processor | ✔ | - | - | - |
Video Upconversion (Analog to HDMI) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
InstaPrevue Technology | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
MHL (Mobile High- Definition Link) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Multi-Zone Playback | Powered Zone 2/3, Zone 2/3 Line-outs | Powered Zone 2/3, Zone 2/3 Line-outs | Powered Zone 2, Zone 2/3 Line-outs | Powered Zone 2, Zone 2 Line-out |
WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Hybrid Standby Energy Saving State | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
On-Screen Display via HDMI | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p |
USB Ports | 2 (Front/Rear) | 2 (Front/Rear) | 2 (Front/Rear) | 2 (Front/Rear) |
isf Calibration | ✔ | - | - | - |
Pre-outs | 9.2 | 7.2 | - | - |
RS-232 Port | ✔ | - | - | - |
Independent Block Construction | ✔ | - | - | - |
© Copyright 2012 Onkyo USA Corporation. All rights reserved.
∗¹Compatible with iPod touch (3rd generation or later) and iPhone 3GS or later. All models require iOS 4.2 or later. ∗² Requires Android OS 2.1 or later.
Onkyo features and specifications subject to change without notice.
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