0403WHC31 Onkyo TX-NR801E

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Onkyo TX-NR801E # Amplifier/Receiver

ONKYO TX-NR801E 1,000

Onkyos latest amplifier boasts Net-Tune technology that could put it at the top of the home cinema game
eres a strange one. While Onkyos latest home cinema amplifier is very good, people are praising it, not for its performance, but for a specific feature it offers. The TX-NR801E is no slouch in its own right; THX-Select approved, it delivers 135W to each of its seven channels, sports a brace of 192kHz, 24-bit digital audio converters (one per channel), high-definition TV-ready wideband component video inputs and more. But its the Net-Tune component that really attracts the attention. Net-Tune is a sophisticated distributed audio system that allows a user with a PC or a XiVA-based music server to connect the TX-NR801E as a network receiver. Removing the language of the multi-room installer, this means the amp can access, play and support recordings stored on a PC or music server in a variety of forms (MP3, WAV or WMA files, as well as uncompressed music content) and can even access Internet
Radio channels if your server PC is connected to a broadband internet connection. The really clever thing about Net-Tune, as it relates to the TX-NR801E, is its flexibility; it is driven by the on-screen display, allowing you to control the server source (such as a PC playing internet radio stations) using the TV set as a display. It also allows connection of other Net-Tune or XiVA-based products such as Onkyo, Cyrus or Imerges network terminals, or the Imerge or Marantz music servers and these can be connected by wired or wireless Ethernet (theres a port on the rear of the TX-NR801E, but no Wireless connectivity as standard. As wireless standards are ever-changing, you have to add your own wireless Ethernet transceiver as an extra option).

Fine tuning

Onkyo has been on a steep learning curve in attempting to discover which Ethernet components work seamlessly with the Net-Tune products,
What Home Cinema March 2004

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The TX-NR801E has typical Onkyo sound quality; beefy, dark and powerful.and sounds appear boldly controlled and brooding
but even wired directly to a conventional PC network its clear just how far the brand has come in making home music server systems a practical reality for any home cinema enthusiast. It sounds good, too; the latest, higher-sampling versions of MP3 and WMA are very musical and easy to listen to. Its not entirely transparent, and you can hear the drop in quality between compressed audio and CD, but neither is it so unpleasant that you cannot listen to MP3s through a decent system. Although really useful in its own right, Net-Tune is effectively a free add-on to an already well-specified amplifier. The TX-NR801E would still prove popular even if Net-Tune were not fitted to it and thats what separates it from all the other network audio products on the market; they rely on distributed network audio as their main feature, but its just one of the goodies on the Onkyo. Theres all the latest home cinema surround sound formats from Dolby and DTS (barring Dolby Pro-Logic IIz, of course that is only just appearing on really high-end separates), along with THX enhancements. And it has the extensive colour-coding of speaker terminals (and phono sockets) that makes setting up Onkyo products much easier than most. Instead of facing a row of red and black speaker terminals, knowing that each channel has a distinct colour code should make speaker connection and speaker cables much easier. The TX-NR801E also comes with a host of digital inputs and outputs and a damn fine AM/FM tuner. The TX-NR801E has typical Onkyo sound quality; beefy, dark and powerful. Sounds appear boldly controlled and brooding, but not so brooding that the Onkyo sounds like some form of angry teenager. It simply sounds solid and there, with a very physical presence. If you play Gladiator at a decent level, Russell Crowe sounds like hes really in the room, gruffly battling with your rubber plant. The processor is well sorted. It has that channel-to-channel authority that makes the room disappear, and the speakers integrate beautifully. Switching between the internal processing and the Onkyos processor with a copy of Saving Private Ryan (DTS) highlights just how good this amp is. Bullets dont just whiz around your head; they seem to shoot by outside the room, too, giving you a full and visceral sense of what a battlefield might really sound like.

and it is musical enough to cope with The Stone Roses without overawing the performance. It may lack the bouncy freedom and effortless dynamic changes from soft to loud of a dedicated stereo hi-fi amplifier, but it comes really close. The Onkyo TX-NR801E enters a packed market, but still has a lot to offer. Network audio may prove to be The Next Big Thing. But even if you never intend to use the Net-Tune aspect, this THX-fuelled powerhouse is good enough to offer a fine alternative to the Denons, Yamahas and Pioneers of this world. WHC TEST SCENES

Taking it easy

And setup is made even easier thanks to the comprehensive manual, decent remote handset and good on-screen display. It may lack the automated setup of Pioneer models, but it is no more or less complex than any Denon or Yamaha amp of a similar price. Net-Tune can add a level of complexity to the installation (especially when using Wireless Ethernet) that may make those without PC Networking experience pull out hairs in despair, but even here Onkyo seems intent on making the process as painless as possible.

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

WARS A BEACH
Playing this film through the Onkyo with full DTS surround sound makes Omaha Beach seem larger and more dangerous than ever before

Coming up roses

Even stereo sound is well sorted often the bte noire of integrated home cinema amplifiers. It is precise and detailed, with a good sense of three-dimensionality,

FIGHTING IN THE RAIN

The contrast between the pitter-pat of raindrops and the dirty great thumps of cannon-fire is beautifully delineated through the Onkyo

GOOD POINTS

Powerful THX-chummy sound, easy standard setup and a network audio client turns this amplifier into a true multimedia nerve-centre

BAD POINTS

Net-Tune complicates setup. Some may find sound too bolted down

OVERALL

Net-tune technology is very appealing, and this amp has plenty to offer in terms of performance

RATINGS

Style Ease of use Features Build Sound Value Overall #########$ ########$$ #########$ #########$ #########$ ########$$ #########$

033 EHC 23 Onkyo Amplifier

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>>Reviews Amplifier
Connect the TX-NR801E up to your PC and enjoy any music file stored therein, be it MP3, WAV or WMA

Onkyo TX-NR801E

Fancy some music from the internet? Jason Glenn has just the receiver for you
NKYOS SECOND NET-TUNE COMPATIBLE receiver opens up a whole new era of convenience for internet music fans. It has been possible to enjoy music from the internet for a long time, of course. You just needed to download the material, burn it onto a CD or DVD and then play it through a CD or DVD player. Net-Tune makes this a thing of the past. You can connect your receiver to your PC and enjoy any music file stored therein, be it in MP3, WAV or WMA format. You can also access internet radio stations and enjoy them on your home cinema speaker system, resulting in an infinite source of material.
What we like about this amplifier Net-Tune compatibility Audio quality Connectivity What we dont like about this amplifier Some may prefer a warmer tone Initial setup is tricky The remote is drab
68 ESSENTIAL HI-FI & HOME CINEMA
This is exciting and innovative, but it is only part of the story with the Onkyo TX-NR801E, which is also a full-blown THX Select certified 7.1 AV receiver. This beast is seriously specified, with 7 x 135W of muscle, all the formats you could wish for (including THX Surround EX) and an AM/FM RDS tuner for radio broadcasts. The downside of all this functionality is that setup is something you may well need a little help with. The Net-Tune system can be tricky to set up by yourself. The good news is that it is easy to use when its installed. Connectivity is excellent, with multiple digital and analogue audio options, together with component, S-video and composite video switching. And if youre not keen on the extra channels in a 7.1 setup, you can use the unwanted rear channel amps to drive a pair of speakers in a second room. The component output also features upconversion, meaning that you can receive a component signal from both composite and S-video inputs. The speakers are connected by colour-coded binding posts, but unless your speakers have the same colour-coding there is little benefit in this
other than to make the rear of the receiver look rather pretty. All of this comes packaged in the sort of monolithic silver casing you would expect, with a hefty weight reading of 17.3kg. Its a shame then that the remote is such a drab grey affair, but it is easy to operate which is the main thing. It only seems right to consider the Onkyo as an internet music provider first, as this is its most interesting feature. The Net-Tune system is certainly impressive, but you need to be careful with your sources. Low-quality broadcasts and music files will be exposed by a proper receiver and speaker system and we found that anything below 128Kbps is simply not good enough quality. Switching to movie sources on DVD, this receiver delivers a startlingly clean and forthright performance. It clearly delineates between channels and sound effects are precise in their presentation. This may not appeal to those who like to get a nice warm feeling from their amps, but will appeal to many. The receiver also does its best work in 7.1 mode, completely immersing you in the performance. After this, regular 5.1 can seem a little sterile, but 7.1 does mean spending more cash on extra speakers.

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Key Features THX Select 7.1 channel receiver 7 x 135W amplification Dolby Digital/EX, DTS, DTS-ES, DTS Neo:6, DTS 96/24, THX Cinema, THX Surround EX, Dolby Pro-Logic II decoding 39 DSP modes Net-Tune client software and hardware AM/FM RDS tuner Connections 3 x electrical digital audio input 4 x optical digital audio input 2 x optical digital audio output 7.1 channel input 5 x AV input with composite and S-video support 3 x audio-only stereo input 2 x stereo audio output 3 x component video output 3 x S-video output Component video output (upconvertible) Net-Tune Ethernet socket AM/FM antennae connection Analogue out from all channels 7 x speaker binding post connection Headphone socket Dimensions 435(w) x 175(h) x 459(d)mm

Electrical digital audio in
Component Ethernet Speaker Pre-outs Antenna video out connection terminals
Optical digital audio in 5.1 analogue audio inputs Optical digital audio out Stereo audio inputs AV in/out (including S-video) Component video in
On music sources the TX-NR801E also does well, which is important given the Net-Tune element. Again, the precision of the delivery may not be to everybodys taste, but it does a formidable job on all types of music. The fact is that this Onkyo is a very impressive receiver indeed. Judged solely as a home cinema provider it delivers an authoritative performance. Add to this the unusual (for an AV receiver) musicality and you have a winner. The Net-Tune capability is the cherry on top. It is fun, easy to use (once set up) and opens up a huge new source of material.

Verdict

Onkyo TX-NR810E

Sales Web www.onkyo.net

EASE OF USE LOOKS FEATURES SOUND VALUE
VERDICT A terrific receiver with a cutting edge feature the Net-Tune function is innovative and timely; a real magnet for techno enthusiasts.

Overall

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