One universal truth regarding consumer electronics is that good things come to those who wait. When new technologies make their debut, sometimes it’s best to wait for the dust to settle before parting with any of your hard-earned money. Spectators watching HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc battle it out will eventually see one format prevail; the decision of which format to support will eventually be made for them. This is also true when dealing with A/V receivers. If you were thinking about getting a new receiver last year, but decided to wait and see how HDMI might affect the landscape—good call. Over the last twelve months, HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) has established itself as the new connection standard for the high-def age. The evidence is Onkyo’s TX-SR604—a highly capable, seven channel receiver with HDMI switching and a list price of just $599.
The TX-SR604 sports a traditional Onkyo look and feel, giving the receiver a rather conservative look and a well-designed front panel. Surround decoding options include all of the usual suspects while power output is rated at 90 watts for each of its seven channels. None of that is apt to turn heads, but the big news is rooted in two welcome features: HDMI switching and automated speaker calibration.
The TX-SR604 features two HDMI (v1.1) inputs and one HDMI output capable of passing any HD signal, whether it’s 720p, 1080i or 1080p. This means that if you’re using a high-def cable/satellite tuner and an upconverting DVD player, you could theoretically run a single HDMI cable to your display to support both devices. This is a big deal at this price point and kudos to Onkyo for delivering affordable HDMI switching to the poor and huddled masses. Although the TX-SR604 will upconvert composite and S-video inputs to component output, it will not upconvert them to HDMI. For that you’ll need to step up to the 604’s big brother, the TX-SR674.
The other big story here is the TX-SR604’s automated speaker and room calibration software—what Onkyo calls “Audyssey 2EQ.” After plugging in the supplied microphone and pressing a few buttons, the receiver took over and ran through its battery of tests to determine the proper settings for speaker size, location and crossover. According to my Radio Shack sound meter, it did a fine job and only the center channel needed a +1 dB bump when it was done—impressive, to say the least.
Also worthy of note is the fact that the TX-SR604 is iPod-friendly. Connecting Onkyo’s optional DS-A2 iPod Dock ($109) allowed me to control my tunes (with on-screen display) using the receiver’s remote; the iPod also charges while docked. For iPodders, this is a must-have accessory.
Connected to my Definitive Technology ProCinema 1000 speaker system, the TX-SR604 performed admirably on all of my usual sound tests. My favorite film test—the final gunfight in Kevin Costner’s underrated Open Range—was an absolute delight to listen to. From booming shotgun blasts to the high-pitched noise of breaking glass, the TX-SR604 handled the finale with ease, delivering the raw intensity this scene generates when you’ve got the proper hardware connected.
My only complaints were in the user interface department. Specifically, I wasn’t crazy about the remote’s button layout and that it wasn’t backlit. Also, I prefer the ability to assign a device’s component video and digital audio inputs from a single menu screen; the TX-SR604 allows for the former but makes you use a front panel button to assign the latter. Considering the price, these gripes can easily be called nitpicks. Overall, Onkyo has put together a feature-laden receiver at a price that’s hard to beat.
The TX-SR604 sports a traditional Onkyo look and feel, giving the receiver a rather conservative look and a well-designed front panel. Surround decoding options include all of the usual suspects while power output is rated at 90 watts for each of its seven channels. None of that is apt to turn heads, but the big news is rooted in two welcome features: HDMI switching and automated speaker calibration.
The TX-SR604 features two HDMI (v1.1) inputs and one HDMI output capable of passing any HD signal, whether it’s 720p, 1080i or 1080p. This means that if you’re using a high-def cable/satellite tuner and an upconverting DVD player, you could theoretically run a single HDMI cable to your display to support both devices. This is a big deal at this price point and kudos to Onkyo for delivering affordable HDMI switching to the poor and huddled masses. Although the TX-SR604 will upconvert composite and S-video inputs to component output, it will not upconvert them to HDMI. For that you’ll need to step up to the 604’s big brother, the TX-SR674.
The other big story here is the TX-SR604’s automated speaker and room calibration software—what Onkyo calls “Audyssey 2EQ.” After plugging in the supplied microphone and pressing a few buttons, the receiver took over and ran through its battery of tests to determine the proper settings for speaker size, location and crossover. According to my Radio Shack sound meter, it did a fine job and only the center channel needed a +1 dB bump when it was done—impressive, to say the least.
Also worthy of note is the fact that the TX-SR604 is iPod-friendly. Connecting Onkyo’s optional DS-A2 iPod Dock ($109) allowed me to control my tunes (with on-screen display) using the receiver’s remote; the iPod also charges while docked. For iPodders, this is a must-have accessory.
Connected to my Definitive Technology ProCinema 1000 speaker system, the TX-SR604 performed admirably on all of my usual sound tests. My favorite film test—the final gunfight in Kevin Costner’s underrated Open Range—was an absolute delight to listen to. From booming shotgun blasts to the high-pitched noise of breaking glass, the TX-SR604 handled the finale with ease, delivering the raw intensity this scene generates when you’ve got the proper hardware connected.
My only complaints were in the user interface department. Specifically, I wasn’t crazy about the remote’s button layout and that it wasn’t backlit. Also, I prefer the ability to assign a device’s component video and digital audio inputs from a single menu screen; the TX-SR604 allows for the former but makes you use a front panel button to assign the latter. Considering the price, these gripes can easily be called nitpicks. Overall, Onkyo has put together a feature-laden receiver at a price that’s hard to beat.
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