Audio is backbreaking . There are lots of wires and plugs and swearing . That ’s why HDMI receivers , with their promises of sound recording and television over one cord , make us so excited .
For today ’s Frankenfight , two 7.1 HDMI receiver compete for that extra spot in our heart home dramatics . Onkyo ’s TX - SR674 is a worthy competition , but how will it get along against Denon ’s AVR-2307CI ? Hit the jump to find out what the expert at CNET , Sound & Vision , AV Guide , Home Theater HiFi , and the Gadget Guide have to say about these two just - over-$500 system .
Setup
The Onkyo sport an automatize apparatus organization , which uses a supplied microphone to measure out loudspeaker distance , talker degree , and to perform the Audyssey room discipline . As soon as you stop up the microphone in , the Onkyo goes directly into its setup menu . From there it is only a matter of following a uncomplicated lot of prompts to make out the setup . ( 4 )
One thing that I could not change was an input ’s name , and thus I was stand by with the generic Video 2 for my TiVo . ( 4 )
[ Denon ] has the supplied mini - mike and automobile - setup routine that most receiver northwards of about $ 500 feature film today … after running it … I check the results with a sound - press level time against my own trial seed as well as the receiver ’s own national test noise . Result : very good . Channel grade were all within ±1 dB of what I ’d have rig manually , and crossover selection and distances were spot - on . ( 1 )
Unlike Denon ’s execution of the Audyssey organization that require the user to start the setup program six time from six different positions in the room , Onkyo ’s analyzes the elbow room ’s acoustic from just three positions . ( 5 )
Why HDMI ?
… a digital audio recording cable’s length is still required to broadcast Dolby and DTS multichannel audio from the thespian to the liquidator . But Onkyo ’s TX - SR674 liquidator have all of the HDMI features one can readily ask … (Dolby Digital , DTS , CD and DVD - Audio , and uncompressed PCM soundtracks ) and all HD television formats ( including 720p , 1080i , and 1080p ) . Additionally , the TX - SR674 is capable of convert analog component , composite , and S - Video germ signal to HDMI , which means you ’ll need to hightail it only one cable from your video source to the recipient and another from the receiver to your TV . ( 5 )
Through HDMI , the Onkyo takes full reward of the newfangled high - solution audio frequency format available on Blu - ray and HD DVD.(4 )
The [ Denon ] TX - SR674 does pass Dolby Digital , DTS , and linear PCM ( LPCM ) soundtrack via HDMI . LPCM compatibility means you could get the uncompressed HD - DVD or Blu - shaft of light soundtracks . ( 5 )
My Comcast cable box seat still resist to pass signal to any constituent identifying itself as an HDMI repeater ( will they ever deport the assure microcode update ? ) , and since the 2307CI does so , like nearly all A / V receivers , I was restricted to the set - top ’s component output … ( 1 )
Sound
Super Speedway is an IMAX moving picture about capable - steering wheel racing in the U.S. , and it features muckle of very impressive in - car camera and sound workplace . This create very trashy transit where you have the locomotive clamor over a 10000 of blow and rattles from the road haphazardness and the railroad car itself . The Onkyo surpass at these scenes , giving me the dynamic one would expect from being in a race car , while resolving the subtle item of the soundfield . Overall , I was very impressed as to how well the Onkyo reproduced this film . ( 4 )
[ The Onkyo ] could in many ways hold its own congener to an expensive 200Wpc reference telephone receiver . And in some respects really sounded advantageously … only at the extreme volume point did the bigger receiver ’s power advantage become apparent . ( 6 )
[ The Denon ] receiver go first - rate on every medicine or film program I tried : fresh , dynamic , transparent . Top - quality recordings ( 1 )
In regard to the audio , I enjoyed the [ Denon ’s ] “ Night ” feature that pump up the centre channel , letting you hear characters speak to each other while keeping music and sound upshot down a bit ( which is dandy for apartments or when you have a baby sleeping elsewhere in the house ) . ( 2 )
A muckle of 100 - James Watt - per - television channel receivers do n’t feel all that hefty , but the AVR-2307CI surely did . We even subjected it to the ultimate test by running our Dynaudio verbalizer set to Large , because that setting generally vocalise best , but make far greater power requirement . The Denon did n’t mind one bit . ( 3 )
Video
[ With the Onkyo ] the incoming parallel signals are automatically deinterlaced — converted from 480i to 480p — if the HDMI input signal on the connected TV ca n’t handle 480i resolution , something very common in HDTVs sell before 2006 … ( 5 )
[ The Denon ] does n’t offer Delaware - twine ( 480i to 480p transition ) , so all of the analog video recording remains in its native firmness of purpose … including such common devices such as VCR , camcorders , television iPods , and older game console — it ’s 480i . Furthermore , the AVR-2307CI ’s onscreen display establish only at 480i resolution over the HDMI connexion as well … other 480i limitations — the lack of First State - interlacing and the dearth of onscreen presentation at HD answer over HDMI — imply the AVR-2307CI ’s HDMI compatibility is questionable with the many older and some current HDTVs that ca n’t receive 480i video via their HDMI inputs ( 3 )
Result : [ Denon had ] no onscreens via HDMI in my system ( 1 )
Direct comparisons of my best video root on their component part outputs direct - to - screen versus the Denon ’s converted - to - HDMI version showed the born-again picture to be slightly — very slightly — softer and , I felt , a hair less concentrated ( 1 )
Denon hack one too many corners for those looking for robust HDMI and mellow - def supporting ( 3 )
Extras : Neural Sound ( both have )
neuronic surround ’s primary merchandising point is that it is the codec being used by XM for the XMHD duct , which bid full 5.1 surround … My experience using Neural environs on the XMHD communication channel was broadly speaking positive … tot up a nice sentience of spaciousness that is often lacking in XM broadcast … . When I used Neural [ unsupported channels ] , everything ended up in the nerve center communication channel , and it was a significant downgrade from listening in stereoscopic photograph or using DPL - II Music . ( 4 )
Extras : iPod Docks ( both have )
[ The Onkyo ] supports [ their ] 2nd - coevals DS - A2 iPod dock , which can treat video iPods and provides its own remote and onscreen display . ( 6 )
[ Denon ’s ] iPod docking facility ferment fairly well . The audio desegregation is great . You just plop your iPod into it , transfer source to VCR2 , and navigate all your iPod fare on your tv set . The playlist title and artists do get write out off as only so many characters jibe on a TV screen , but I could well find my playlist of favorites and hit play … . The iPod telecasting integration is n’t nearly as smooth … as the Denon unit ca n’t navigate iPod Video menus on your TV … (2 )
Extras : Zone 2 Speaker Outputs [ both have ]
or else of the usual B-complex vitamin speaker outputs , the [ Onkyo ] features stereoscopic photograph Zone 2 loudspeaker outputs , which can be feed a dissimilar source — say , XM wireless — while the main 5.1 system is take on a DVD . ( 5 )
[ With the Denon ] there ’s not only a set of B speaker system output , you’re able to also transfer the two Surround Back channels for use as Zone 2 speakers . ( 3 )
Winner : Onkyo TX - SR674
The Onkyo and Denon models here are very close in features and operation , but Denon ’s lack of 480i support over HDMI will be nothing but hassle for anyone with an high-definition television that is just a few years older . The only distinct feature that could make the Onkyo well would be to support the HDMI 1.3 standard ( as opposed to the 1.1 that both example here use) … and we ’d take a few more HDMI comment , too .
Onkyo TX - SR674
Denon AVR-2307CI
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DenonOnkyoReceivers
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