Description
Onkyo TX-NR838: Spellbinding Entertainment with Dolby Atmos
View larger Onkyo Sound is 'Emotion. Delivered.' Now with Dolby Atmos. Drivers don’t judge sports cars on top speed alone. Acceleration, cornering, and braking are equally important. It’s the same with A/V receivers- wattage is an indication of loudness, not sound quality. The real test is current. High instantaneous current realizes ultimate control of the speaker drivers for accurate and musical audio reproduction, from the most delicate piano passages the thunderous roar of an orchestra in full flight. High current is the cornerstone of our amplification philosophy, and no other brand can match Onkyo for dynamic driving power. We don’t just translate signals into sound. We create sound you can feel. Spellbinding Entertainment Destined to intoxicate hi-fi enthusiasts as much as hardcore film and game lovers, the TX-NR838 Network A/V Receiver combines pure analog power with the latest in high-resolution audio and video processing. This heavyweight receiver is built around Onkyo’s “Emotion. Delivered” high- current amplification concept with a massive customized transformer and discrete Three-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry. Hi-fi credentials are cemented with Pure Direct Analog Path, a selectable mode that shuts down all digital circuitry when you’re listening to LPs or other high- quality audio sources. Signals are routed via the phono or analog inputs to the amps for pristine sound that’s completely free of digital noise. Devotees of high-resolution, meanwhile, can stream their network-attached 5.6 MHz DSD or 192/24 hi-res albums using the remote app, while listeners seeking an instant fix can enjoy music from smartphone via inbuilt Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The TX-NR838 is also packed full of cutting- edge features for movies and gaming, with 4K/60 Hz-ready HDMI terminals, HDCP 2.2 compatibility for future Ultra HD premium content, and the sheer power you need for a convincing surround-sound experience. Engineered for Pure Exhilaration Best-in-class high-current capability is achieved with Wide Range Amplifier Technology (WRAT). The design is built around a custom high-output transformer, customized 15,000 μF capacitors, and low-impedance copper bus-plates. Three-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry amplification features a discrete low-impedance output stage with high-current transistors cooled by a heavy-duty aluminum heat sink for instantaneous power and extremely low distortion. Unlike some A/V receivers, the audio and video processors, DAC section, networking, pre-amp, amplifiers, and power supply are all separated to minimize electrical interference on audio signals. The culmination of over 60 years’ audio engineering experience, WRAT preserves the life and character of the master recording while guaranteeing an emotionally moving experience whether you’re listening to compressed digital music, a treasured LP, or a hi-res movie soundtrack.
Dolby Atmos Upgradeable
View larger Dolby Atmos Multidimensional Sound Onkyo is among the first to introduce the exciting Dolby Atmos surround-sound format to home theater environments. Dolby Atmos uses object-oriented mixing to layer independent audio elements through discrete channels, moving three-dimensional sound effects around the theater with astonishing realism. The format adapts to any home theater layout incorporating height channels for a more enveloping soundfield with extremely accurate directional and overhead effects. Ready for Next-Generation Ultra HD Entertainment Five of the receiver’s seven HDMI inputs are based on the latest HDMI specification to support 4K video at 50/60 frames per second and 21:9 aspect ratio for theater-reference movie display. Now you can add thunderous 7.2-channel surround-sound to blockbuster 4K 50/60 Hz games and movies for a breathtakingly realistic entertainment experience. The TX-NR838 also supports the latest HDCP 2.2 DRM copy protection standard via HDMI Input 3 and the main output. Hollywood studios, satellite broadcasters, and internet video streaming services will adopt HDCP 2.2 for future 4K and Premium Studio Content releases. Click for more information about THX
View larger Reference-Level Sound in Your Home THX certification guarantees the same high-volume, low-distortion sound of a commercial multiplex theater in your own listening space, with high-resolution studio-master soundtracks reproduced precisely as the director intended. Your TX-NR838 Network A/V Receiver has passed more than 2,000 laboratory bench tests across 75 categories and covering 14,000 individual data points to ensure that every aspect of audio performance meets rigorous THX standards for theater-reference sound. THX Select2 Plus is recommended for medium-sized rooms where the screen-to-seat viewing distance is about 3–4 m (10–12 ft. ). Universal Support for Wireless Audio Streaming Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Inside The TX-NR838 has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology built in. For network audio, use the remote app to stream music stored on your smartphone and to locate and stream hi-res audio from any network-attached DLNA-certified device (such as a PC or NAS). There are no hidden adapter costs, no need for close proximity to an Ethernet wall socket, and no long runs of unsightly cable just to enjoy a stable network connection. The receiver also has Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR on board. Pair up and stream whatever audio is playing on your compatible device, from MP3s to albums on YouTube. Audio streamed via Bluetooth is enhanced with Onkyo’s Advanced Music Optimizer, a DSP mode that restores compressed files to close to their original fidelity for beautifully full and natural sound. Easy for Everyone Engineered for Hi-res Audio Onkyo A/V receivers are engineered for universal hi-res compatibility and ease of use. It’s now remarkably easy to enjoy albums mastered in high-resolution that you’ve downloaded and stored on your computer or media server. The remote app very quickly locates the 192/24 and 96/24 high-resolution audio files on your network-attached storage devices and sends them via DLNA to the receiver with zero loss in quality. Almost every hi-res and lossless format is supported, from gapless FLAC and WAV to ALAC and WMA. The TX-NR838 also handles 5.6 MHz DSD and Dolby TrueHD formats for the ultimate in depth and clarity. With surpassing DSP power, high-quality TI Burr-Brown D/A conversion, and Onkyo’s low-distortion amplification, hi-res music on your home theater is not only easy to enjoy, it sounds absolutely fantastic as well. Enjoy Blu-ray Movies, Cable TV, and More On a Zone 2 Display
View larger Share Your HD Video Sources in Two Zones The HDMI Sub Out can be used to connect your A/V receiver to a second display in another room. Now you can route 1080p content from the media players in your home theater room via the receiver and play it back in Zone 2. Enjoy your favorite Blu-ray Discs, cable TV shows, and other HD content in the kitchen, den, or bedroom with easy playback control via smartphone or tablet.
Features
- THX Select2TM plus certified for theater reference sound
- 4K/60 Hz-Capable HDMI terminals for ultra HD entertainment
- Supports HDCP 2.2 copy protection for future 4K streaming, broadcasting, and premium studio content
- Zone 2 HDMI output for HD video in a second room
- Built-in Wi-Fi certified wireless LAN capability and Bluetooth version 2.1 + EDR capability with advanced music optimizer DSP technology
Customer Reviews
Full Featured, Future-proof Receiverjoetagaz
The first thing you'll notice when your TX-NR838 shows up is the weight - the receiver is almost 35 pounds and when you toss in the packaging, remote, etc. the box is pushing 40 pounds. When you unbox the TX-NR838 you'll see where all that weight is located - this thing is big. It measures roughly 17 inches wide by 8 inches high by 16 inches deep. Make sure you have room for this in your entertainment center and, since it's going to run a bit warm, you want some extra space for ventilation.This is a serious feature-packed receiver. Onkyo seems to have thought of everything for the more serious audiophile out there. The 838 was released recently along with the 636 which I also own so, when appropriate, I'll try to contrast the two receivers.Set-up - as with most receivers these days, set-up is pretty straight forward. While the back of the receiver may intimidate some people everything is well labeled.I have a cable box, a phono, an Oppo BD player, a Wii, an XBox 360 and an Amazon Fire TV connected. For speakers, I'm using Aperion Audio 7.1 in the main room and I have a pair of stereo speakers in zone 2. When I first set it up I connected it to a Sony HDTV in the main room but I later added a Panasonic in another room (more on this later). After I connected everything I plugged it in, and hit the power button. I plugged in the included mic and AccuEQ started up. I used AccuEQ when I set up the 636 and once again I was pleased with the automatic settings. I was also able to easily connect to my home WiFi and I paired my iPad and a Nexus to the 838 via Bluetooth with no problems.Documentation - OK, I get it, Onkyo doesn't want to send a big manual along with the receiver but the documentation they send is a bit lacking.Read more ›
Great receiversThomas P
The Onkyo TX-NR838 Receiver is a high quality product. I have used Onkyo receivers for over 10 years and 3 other family members also have them. My old first Onkyo receiver is being used by one of them and it still works great.The Basic manual that comes with the 838 will give you the very basics in placement of speakers and connections for your components such as the CD Player, DVD, TV, etc. I suggest good speaker wire, 16 gauge or so and banana plugs. The receiver has high quality connections for the speakers, unlike another brand that I tried and sent back at one time. If you follow the directions, all will likely be set up and work fine in a couple of hours, if you are newly connecting everything. It only took me half an hour since the speakers, etc. were already placed and wire run to the receiver area. One thing to be aware of is that in order to use the zones with sound only, the Onkyo receivers have always required an analog connection as well as the digital. It's a double connection such as RCA connecters and HDMI from the same source. This gives one the ability to listen to audio from a source using analog only or both, such as using zone 3 to run a separate wireless headset as I use. By using Zone 3 for my headset, anyone else in the room may listen to the speaker system and we both have separate volume controls. In other words, my wife who has good hearing will listen to TV at her desired volume and I , with poor hearing, will use the headset. If I was to plug in the headset into the front of the receiver, all brands of receivers, then shut off the room speakers. When TV program dialog is clear we both just use the room speakers. It is also easy to have the receiver set up the volume for each speaker by plugging in the mic that comes with the receiver.Read more ›
One of the best receivers I've ever usedTimothy W. Long
This is a huge receiver that replaced it's smaller brother, the Onkyo TX-NR636. The TX-NR838 weighs close to 40 lbs and over 8" tall so make sure you double check the dimensions before ordering. I have a fairly large glass entertainment center and the top of this receiver almost touches the shelf.The selection of HDMI inputs is good. I had to choose some weird things for my PS4 - Bluray, and my AppleTV went on the STB connection. My previous TX-NR636 had the same issue. It would be nice if I could rename them. Maybe there's a way but the documentation is so sparse, it's hard to tell.All that aside, this is a fantastic receiver with power to spare. I'm dual amping my fronts and they sound great. They sound even better when I use the bypass feature. That takes music and stops any kind of digital manipulation from occurring. This would probably be great if I had a phonograph but my SACD's do sound amazing. Also, my FLAC files sound awesome even streaming over bluetooth.This receiver is "future proof" and can do 4K ultra as well as upgradeable Dolby ATMOS.Music and movie sound is delivered with authority and there is none of the holding back I've had with other receivers. I mention this because I have had receivers, even Onkyo receivers, that did either of those very well, but not both. My previous benchmark for receivers was my old Yamaha 900. The Onkyo TX-NR838 has surpassed all of my expectations.
Excellent Unit - Very Happy with PurchaseR. Sunderland
Spent a lot of time researching this purchase, I wanted something that would last as long as my previous Onkyo which was purchased back in 1998. The old one did not have the features a modern unit has, so it was time to upgrade. Having all the inputs is great, HDMI (front and back, two out), optical and coax audio, and all the other connections. Powered zone 2 is great, have a Bluetooth transmitter attached and can now have wireless audio outside. Integrated wireless networking with all the built-in apps and the ability to define your own. The UI is much improved, very easy to use. The physical design is very simple with clean lines and just the necessary controls exposed, everything else is nicely covered by the sturdy front flap. It supports phonographs and has the Pure Audio option. I had no problem setting it up, making the conections, and configuring all the options. Very pleased. The only problems are the DLNA freezes mid-track (probably a Windows problem) and there is no power out connector. For the future, I plan on adding some speakers to my home audio, repurposing the ceiling speakers, and taking advantage of the Dolby Atmos feature.Something else I like is the way audio and HDMI pass-through is handled. I was concerned making this purchase about how the HDMI signals would be handled if the unit were turned off. The unit allows you to configure one HDMI input for pass-through to either the main or sub HDMI outputs when the unit is off. Also, the unit picks up the audio when it is on, but the audio is passed through to the TV when the unit is off (this is configurable as well, but this is how I chose to set things up).A software upgrade was available once I got it connected to the network.Read more ›
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