Onkyo Bows Two New AV Receivers - One Is THXÆ Select Certified
Audio and video components abound within an industry that is saturated with feature-laden components said to out perform the competition. Standing out from the crowd however is one manufacturer that has offered high quality, affordably-priced electronic components for over 40 years. Onkyo Corporation - highly regarded for their outstanding audio video receivers, now introduces two new models that will further solidified their position as a market leader in this product category. The TX-DS777 and TX-DS676 are each equipped with Dolby Digital and DTS discrete 5.l-channel digital surround, as well as with 5.1 multichannel inputs that ""futureproof"" them via compatibility with any forthcoming new digital-multichannel formats or players. The TX-DS777 sets a new standard for value-high-end An/ design, and is Onkyo's first to conform to Lucasfilm Ltd.'s new THXÆ Select standards - rigorous requirements that ensure state-of-the-art home-theater quality in moderate-sized rooms. These specs demand top performance in all areas including substantial power delivery from all channels into real-world speaker loads, and extremely accurate cinema-modes surround-decoding with very low noise and high dynamic range. As a THX design the TX-DS777 of course also incorporates the unique THX surround circuitry, including surround-channel timbre-matching and Cinema Re-EQ to better match soundtrack tonal balance to the home theatre environment. (The TX-0S676 includes the Re-EQ feature, but is not THX-certified overall.) ""The THX Select program is very much in step with Onkyo's product-design philosophy,"" says Onkyo U.S.A. Senior Vice President, Mark Friedman, ""that is providing a high confidence factor for music and home-theater fans who must consider value as much as performance. Just as Onkyo led the way in bringing the original THX program [now THX Ultra] to more accessible products, we're delighted to be in the beginning stages of this program. THX Select strongly reinforces the kinds of products, and the level of performance we've offered all along."" continues Friedman. The TX-DS777 produces 105 watts per channel to all five channels in its surround modes, with 852 loads from 20 Hz to 20 kHz at less than 0.08% THD; TX-DS676 amplifier quality is identical at an 85-watt level. This is in sharp contrast to most A/V receivers, which rate surround power at a single frequency, usually with far greater distortion. Much of the credit goes to Onkyo's high-current, low-impedance-drive power amp topology. This combines massive power-supply layouts with all-discrete-device output stages with over-engineered current capabilities for a degree of effortless dynamics and deep, punchy low end rarely heard from receivers of any cost. Onkyo's outstanding Wide-Range Amplifier Technology, with low-feedback circuit topology that promotes crisp transient response and open, airy reproduction, is another important building block. To support this impressive amplification with the highest possible audio quality from digital sources such as DVDs, CDs, and DTV or DES broadcasts the TX-DS777 incorporates superb-precision 96 kHz sampling/24-bit digital-to-analog converters for all channels, with a new-generation 96/24 digital interface for full compatibility with the latest digital sources. The TX-DS777 also supplies highly accurate 48/24 analog-to-digital conversion, ensuring the best-possible surround quality from analog sources as well. The TX-DS676 employs 24-bit A-D and D-A circuitry. The TX-DS777 combines high-speed, 24-bit DSP processors from Motorola and Crystal Semiconductors for a very powerful DSP ""engine"" that implements highly accurate Dolby Digital and DTS discrete-5.1 -channel surround, as well as performing digital-domain Dolby ProLogic of outstanding quality (the TX-DS676 employs Crystal DSP). The TX-DS777 and TX-DS676 also use their digital processing capabilities to create more than 20 newly refined music- and enhanced audio-for-video surround modes, using Onkyo's proprietary, ""High-Definition DSP"" algorithms. Both enable useful user-adjustments including the ability to disable all processing to the front channels. With four fully assignable digital inputs--two optical and two coaxial-electrical - aII of which automatically accept Dolby Digital, DTS, or PCM bitstreams (stereo or Dolby Surround-encoded), the TX-DS777 and TX-DS676 provide ample flexibility for the growth of even elaborate systems. There are even optical-digital outputs for recording use. Equally key, the TX-DS777 and TX-DS676's discrete-5.1 multichannel inputs stand ready for signals from a decoder-equipped DVD player or an external component, whether they carry Dolby Digital or DTS Digital Surround - or a new generation six-channel format such as DVD-Audio or SACD. Each new model supplies five audio-video input positions, all with S-Video facilities as well as for video-monitor and record-outputs; two are full A-V tape-loops for recording components. Both the TX-DS777 and TX-DS676 feature an all-new, full-system remote controller. This highly ergonomic design includes multi-brand learning capabilities, and an intuitive joystick control for navigating native and source-component on-screen menus; it also features improved graphics and bright backlighting for easy visibility under real home-theater conditions. High-current, banana plug compatible speaker outputs serve all channels, while all channel pre-outs plus main-channel preamp inputs present the TX-DS777 and TXDS676 with unexcelled expandability. Their bright, large fluorescent display is redesigned for improved readability, and each new receiver benefits from Onkyo's widely respected radio-frequency expertise with a sensitive, high-selectivity FM/AM tuner equipped with 40 random-access presets and FM auto-tuning. User-customizable radio preset and input names, battery-free memory backup, 90-minute sleep-timer, and newly designed ""lntelli-Volume"" master-volume control are just three of the remaining refinements. The Onkyo TX-DS777 and TX-DS676 are constructed on heavy, anti-resonant, all-metal chassis with a solid, heavy-gauge front panels and special non-resonant feet. Available: September 1999 Manufacturer's suggested price: TX-DS777: $1,049.95 TX-DS676: $829.95 For more information, contact Mark Friedman at 770 867 6300.