Onkyo TX-NR787 Least Expensive 9.2CH AV Receiver at under $700?!?

When Onkyo sent me information on their TX-NR787 receiver I honestly thought it was a mistake. Like a big budget movie coming out in October, new receivers with all the latest bells and whistles don’t come out in late spring AND go on sale. Maybe Onkyo has something to prove. Maybe they’re trying to corner the market on receivers with just about everything but a price. In any case, whatever the cause, it’s good for the consumer. To put it bluntly, try and find a THX certified select 9.2 receiver with all the latest 4K video technology, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X for under $1,000. It’s doable, but the selections are few. What if I told you the new TX-NR787 is on sale for under $700? And, it incorporates the newest AccuEQ advanced calibration technology as well. Intrigued? We’re just getting started…

The TX-NR787 is a 9 channel 100 W/Ch (8 Ohms, 20 Hz–20 kHz, 0.08% THD, 2 Channels Driven, FTC) network AV receiver with DTS:X and Dolby Atmos for a 5.2.4 or 7.2.2-channel speaker layout at THX Certified Select theater-reference volume. Alternatively, you can also use the extra channels to drive speakers in Zone 2 and Zone 3.  The THX Select certification guarantees high-volume theater sound in your home. THX Certified Select components are best in rooms where screen-to-seat distance is about 10 ft. (3 m), and the room volume about 2,000 cubic feet (57 m3). The NR-787 also includes DTS Neural:X technology and Dolby Surround which finds cues in legacy soundtracks and upmixes for speaker systems including height channels. Cross-compatibility with Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD® Master Audio technology, and Dolby Digital creates 3D sound for movies on DVD, Blu-ray Disc, or video streaming service.

Note: It's nice to see Onkyo listing full bandwidth power with 2CH driven, 8 ohms per FTC as the primary power spec now. Our persistent complaining paid off :) Onkyo lists the max power consumption to be 750 watts so you know this baby packs quite a punch.

The NR787 has the latest video features as well including rear HDMI inputs, Main Out, and Sub Out pass 4K HDR video in HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision formats through to compatible displays. They support BT.2020 4K video standard, 4K/60 Hz playback, and HDCP 2.2.  Notice ALL of the speaker connections are quality 5-way binding posts. No spring clips. Also, note the detachable power receptacle. Awesome.

AccuEQ Advance

But the most intriguing feature we see on the NR787 is the inclusion of AccuEQ Advance. AccuEQ Advance enhances speaker calibration precision. It employs a three-point measurement system to allegedly remove standing waves from your listening space. Standing waves occur when sound from the speakers resonates with sound reflected from the walls, compromising audio quality and bass response. These acoustic peaks distort the audio image and prevent your loudspeakers from voicing the sound as their designers intended. AccuEQ is designed to let you experience the whole sonic picture without changing your speaker system’s unique personality. The technology is also said to detect and compensate for background noise, such as the hum from an HVAC, to ensure accurate equalization.

AccuEQ eliminates standing waves so the speaker sounds as the designer intended. Higher frequencies are untouched.

One thing that really impressed us is how Onkyo talks about their room correction system only addressing low-frequency room correction as shown in their graph below. It's clear someone at Onkyo is aware of the great research done by Dr. Floyd Toole and Dr. Sean Olive. The room dictates low-frequency performance while the speaker dictates everything above the room transition frequency (about 300-500Hz). Kudos to Onkyo for working their room correction magic primarily below those frequencies.

Simulated Frequency Response of Speaker In-Room Courtesy of Onkyo

Although Audioholics recommends true height channels whenever possible over up-firing height speakers we do realize that this is sometimes not possible. To compensate for that, AccuReflex technology is said to align the phase of up-firing "height" speakers with the sound coming directly from your other speakers. Any delay is resolved so that everything arrives at your ears at the same time. The result is a cohesive reproduction of object-based soundtracks.

The TX-NR787 features a 12 V trigger output for an external component and an IR input for remote-control range extension. It supports IP control and RS232, enabling configuration via PC and integration into a home automation system. An optional rack-mount kit is available to complete your custom install.

Stream Till Your Heart's Content

We also like all the streaming options available on the NR787. Since Chromecast is built in, streaming shouldn't be an issue here. . If you have a device with the Google Assistant built-in, you can control music on the TX-NR787 by voice. It also comes with DTS Play-Fi which allows you to enjoy quality music from online services, media server, and mobile device to any number of compatible products using Onkyo Music Control App. DTS Play-Fi technology can synchronize music in every room, and family members can use their own device to listen in a room or group of rooms. To further support multiroom audio, the NR787 comes with FlareConnect.  FlareConnect shares audio from network and external audio input sources between compatible components. Multi-room playback of LP records, CDs, network music services, and more with supported components and speaker systems shouldn't be a problem. Music selection, speaker grouping, and playback management across the home are built into the Onkyo Controller app.

A premium-quality AK4458 digital-to-analog converter from Asahi Kasei should provide clear sound from compressed, lossless, and hi-res audio (MP3, WMA, FLAC, WAV, OggVorbis, AAC, Apple Lossless, DSD 5.6 MHz, LPCM, and Dolby TrueHD). Onkyo developed Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry (VLSC) to reassemble the audio signal to its original form following processing. Unlike conventional filters, VLSC removes pulse noise generated in D/A conversion.

Conclusion

With their new TX-NR787 9.2 channel THX Certified Select receiver coming in at under $700 on sale and their 7.2 channel TX-NR686 THX Certified Select receiver coming in at under $580 on sale, Onkyo is making a push for true medium to large room (2000sf) feature rich receivers for super low prices. We would have liked to have seen preamp outputs for adding external amplification at least on the TX-NR787 model, so for those of you looking for more power you're out of luck. But, you can't have everything for this price and Onkyo is certainly giving you more than any of their competition at this point. The TX-NR787 is currently shipping at a sale price of $699 and comes with a 2-year warranty. This receiver puts the industry on notice that it's a force to be reckoned with. Onkyo we are paying attention and we are impressed!

If you own this receiver or plan on buying it, please share your experiences in our forum.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.