Onkyo Debuts First THX 3D-Ready Home Theater Receiver
By Rachel Cericola
It looks like Onkyo will soon release its first 3D-capable products -- and they are surprisingly affordable.
The company just announced three 3D-ready receivers and three 3D-ready home theater systems, which should trickle in between March and May. All six products will be priced between $299 and $599 and support HDMI v1.4 connectivity, which means 3D goodness for your (compatible) video display and Audio Return Channel capabilities.
Other features on both the receivers and HTiB systems include support for lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio bitstreams and 192-kHz/24-bit Burr-Brown PCM1690 DACs. Each product also boasts HDMI Thru, which allows content to pass through to the TV, even when the receiver is in standby mode.
First up is the TX-SR308 5.1-channel receiver, which is coming in March for $299. We should see the 7.1-channel TX-SR508 ($399) and the 7.2-channel TX-SR608 ($599) in April.
The TX-SR608 includes support for a second subwoofer and THX-Select2 Plus certification.
The TX-SR608 looks pretty impressive, boasting love for a second subwoofer as well as THX-Select2 Plus certification. Other highlights include Audyssey DSX dimensional sound processing for Dolby PLIIz, a PC input, Faroudja DCDi Cinema technology, and a front HDMI input.
If you're looking to upgrade the rest of your setup, Onkyo has the
HT-S3300 ($379) HTiB package arriving in March, with the
HT-S5300 ($599) to follow in April. Each package has a receiver and a subwoofer. The S3300 will have five speakers, while the S5300 has seven, as well as an iPod dock. Both systems can also support lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.
Those that can wait a few months will get 3D treatment via the
HTX-22HDX ($349). Expected to ship in May, this system uses a combination subwoofer and 3D-ready A/V receiver, along with two front speakers. Apparently this one is so compact because it's got Onkyo's own Theater-Dimensional processor to produce all of the surround effects without rear speakers. It also has three HDMI v1.4 inputs, four audio modes for gaming, outputs for extra speakers, and support for HD audio formats.
Although Onkyo hasn't gotten too specific on other features, the company says some of its receivers come with as many as six HDMI inputs, front-panel connections, Sirius Satellite Radio support, and Onkyo's own proprietary Universal Port (U-Port) connector for HD Radio and iPod docks.
Where to Buy:
