Onkyo TX-NR545 7.2 Channel Receiver Review
AV receivers are mostly eyed by people who want to enjoy awesome music quality and cinematic experience without leaving their houses. Onkyo AV receivers are popular with such entertainment seekers who want no compromise with audio and visual quality of media they consume. The Onkyo TX-NR545 is the smaller sibling of the company’s TX-NR646 model, aimed at buyers with modest budgets. However, it would be incorrect to deem it as an entry level AV receiver, since it packs in enough features and delivers impressive performance, albeit at lower price point. The device comes close to the pricier sibling TX-NR646, both in feature and performance fronts.
Design: Sleek & Stylish
The Onkyo NR545 sticks to minimalism and elegance as far as design is concerned. It will not make the guests in your house roll their eyes in wonder, but it is not drab looking either. The blackish glossy exterior will gel with your home décor and other appliances in the bedroom. Most of the buttons and dial controls are at front while the back part is where ports are located. The master volume, power switch and mic ports are at the front of the device. It looks rather clean and minimalistic.
One look at the remote, and you can feel where the Onkyo 545 lags behind the costlier siblings in the lineup. The remote control looks dated with numeric keypad. However, it is not tedious to use. If you do not like the plain looking remote, there is a better alternative. Download the Onkyo control app and then use the Smartphone or tablet to control the receiver. It supports both android devices and iOS based ones.
Connectivity: Ticks Most of The Boxes
As far as connectivity goes, the Onkyo TX-NR545 hits the sweet spot. Except finicky buyers, most consumers are bound to be satisfied with available connectivity options in the AV receiver. At the rear side of the 7.1-channel AV receiver, there are 7 RCA inputs, three digitals, two components and an Ethernet port. A USB port is there as well.
Like most of the contemporary AV receivers, the Onkyo 545 has plenty of HDMI ports. There are 6 HDMI inputs and all of these are compatible with 4K (UHD) standard. However, three of these and an HDMI output are HDCP 2.2 compliant. The good thing is the receiver also supports 4K HDR content.
As a matter of fact, Onkyo was among the leaders in adopting wireless connectivity standards like Bluetooth and WiFi. So, it is only natural that the receiver will have support for both. The icing on the cake is its support for Apple’s AirPlay service. It is a boon if you have iOS devices at home and you want to stream content from those devices to the receiver. Web streaming lovers need not be upset since the Onkyo TX-NR545 supports major service providers like Spotify and Pandora.
Features
Onkyo makes AV receivers loaded with loads features and the Onkyo 545 has oodles of features. You can think of it as a future proof device, more or less.
- Audio formats- This AV receiver from Onkyo is capable of playing back most audio and video file formats, from nearly all types of sources. It will lay back files in formats like mp3, FLAC, WMA, WAV, Apple Lossless etc. You may also use a streaming stick like Amazon Fire Stick or Google Chromecast. The AK4458 DAC converter ensures quality loss and distortion does not take place.
- Dolby Atmos- Audio lovers can vouch for the impact technologies like Dolby Atmos can create. Listening to music or watching movies with this tech enabled leads to a cinematic experience at home. The Onkyo TX-NR545 does a great job of deploying this technology. It supports Dolby Atmos up to 5.1.2 channels.
- HDMI with HDCP, 4K- To watch the latest 4k movies in full glory, support for HDR is required and this AV receiver has it. While only three HDMI inputs have HDCP 2.2 support that should be adequate for most users.
Setup & Calibration
Onkyo has deployed its new and proprietary AccuEQ calibration system for its devices. The Onkyo 545 also has it and using it is simple. You will only need a few minutes to do the calibration and the manual is also there.
Performance: Packs in Solid Punch
There is no point in bringing home a feature packed AV receiver that performs below expectation. However, this model from Onkyo is an impressive performer and does full justice to the brand image. The surround sound is truly immersive and adding Dolby Atmos to it takes the listening experience to a new level. You can check out those blue ray movies which have sound track with varying notes to experience it in the best way. However, competitors from stables of Sony and Panasonic offer punchier bass and mid range notes. The Interface menu is still Spartan and requires polishing.
Other factors to consider
Onkyo NR545 consumes 60 watts of power in no sound mode while in standby mode power consumption is a measly o.1 watt. The company offers a 2 year warranty for this AV receiver. At 8.6 kg, it is quite compact.
Onkyo TX-NR545 – Specifications
Amplifier
| Model | Onkyo TX-NR545 |
|---|---|
| No. of Channels | 7.2 |
| Power Watts/Ch (6 Ohms, 1kHz, 1 Channel Driven, FTC) | 115, 0.9% THD |
| Power Watts/Ch (8 Ohms 20-20kHz, 2 Channels Driven, FTC) | 65, 0.7% THD |
| WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology) | YES |
| H.C.P.S. (High Current Power Supply) | Yes - Massive High Power Transformer |
| THX Certified | NO |
| Continuous 6 Ohms Rated | YES |
| Certified 4 Ohms Performance | NO |
| Discrete Output Stage Circuitry | YES |
| 3-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry | NO |
| PUSH-PULL Design | YES |
| Independent Block Construction (Amp/Preprocessor) | NO |
| High-Grade Toroidal Transformer | NO |
| Independent Power Supply | YES- x2 |
| Bi-amp Capability For Front | NO |
Processing
| Model | TX-NR545 |
|---|---|
| Dolby Atmos | YES |
| 32-Bit Digital Signal Processing Engine | YES |
| Dolby Decoder | Atmos, True HD, DD Plus |
| DTS:X | NO |
| DTS Decoder | DTS-HD Master Audio |
| ONKYO GAME Surround Modes | YES - (Rock, Sports, Action, RPG) |
| VLSC for Noiseless Audio Processing | NO |
| THX Processing Mode | NO |
| AccuEQ Room Calibration | Yes - Advanced |
| Phase-Matching Bass Boost | YES - For deep and clear mid-range |
| Direct Mode | YES |
| Pure Mode | NO |
| Pure Direct Analog Path Mode | NO |
| Advanced Music Optimizer | YES - Bluetooth Included |
| 384K/32 Bit DACs | Yes - Asahi Kasei AKM4458 |
| 192K/24 Bit DACs | NO |
| 192K/32 Bit DACs | NO |
| ISF Certified Calibration Control | NO |
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Connectivity
| Model | TX-NR545 |
|---|---|
| Audio I/O | 8 / 0 |
| Phone Input | NO |
| Digital Audio IN (OPT/COAX) | 2/1 |
| Composite Video I/O | 4 / 0 |
| Component Video I/O | 2 / 0 |
| Front Panel HDMI | NO |
| Front-Panel A/V | L/R/V |
| Front-Panel Optical | NO |
| USB Input | YES - Rear |
| HDMI I/O | 6/1 |
| HDMI 4K/60 Hz- Capable HDMI Terminals | YES - HDR Support |
| HDCP 2.2 Copy-Protection Compatibility | YES - 3 IN 1 OUT |
| HDMI Support for High Dynamic Range | YES |
| HDMI Support for 3D, Audio Return Channel and CEC | YES |
| BT.2020 Support | YES |
| HDMI Support for Deep Color, x.v.Color, LipSync | YES |
| HDMI Support for DVD-Audio, SACD, Multichannel PCM | YES |
| InstaPrevue Input Source Prevue | NO |
| MHL for Mobile Device Connection | NO |
| Composite to Component Video Upconversion | NO |
| Analog To HDMI Upconversion | YES - 480i/576i |
| 1080p Upscaling | NO |
| 4K (up to 4096 x 2160) Upscaling | NO |
| 4K Passthrough | YES |
| Analog Pre-Outs | Subwoofer (x2) |
| XLR Pre-outs | NO |
| 18mm Pitch High Grade Pre-outs | NO |
| Speaker A/+B | NO |
| Powered Zone 2 | YES |
| Powered Zone 3 | NO |
| Zone 2 Line Out | YES - Fixed |
| Zone 2 Video Out | NO |
| Zone 2 Digital to Analog Audio Conversion | YES - NET, USB |
| Zone 3 Line Out | NO |
| Whole House Mode | NO |
| Made for iPod, iPhone, iPad | YES |
| Airplay | YES |
| Supports Onkyo Remote App | YES - iPod touch/iPhone & Android-Powered Devices |
| Internet Radio Capable | YES - Pandora, Spotify, Sirius, Slacker, TuneIn, Deezer |
| Streaming Audio From PC / Network | YES - DLNA, Home Media |
| Hi-Res Streaming Audio Formats | YES - MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, FLAC, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, AAC Stereo, Apple Lossless, DSD 5.6 MHz, LPCM, Dolby TrueHD |
| Streaming Audio From USB memory | YES |
| Wireless Network | YES - Wi=Fi Certified |
| Bluetooth | YES - Built-in |
| PC Input (15 pin D-sub) | NO |
Integration Access
| Model | Onkyo TX-NR545 |
|---|---|
| Pricing | Check Price |
| RS-232 | NO |
| IR Input | NO |
| IR Output | NO |
| Ethernet | YES |
| ONKYO-RI System Control | YES |
| RIHD (Remote Interactive Over HDMI) | YES |
| 12V Trigger | NO |
Miscellaneous
| Model | Onknyo TX-NR545 |
|---|---|
| Pre-Pro/Learning Remote | YES/NO |
| On Screen Remote Programming | NO |
| Hybrid Standby Function | YES - To reduce power consumption |
| Smart Grid-Ready | YES |
| Auto Speaker Calibration W/Mic. | YES - AccuEQ - Advanced |
| OSD Out | YES - Advanced "Home" GUI |
| Solid Aluminum Front | NO |
| Transparent High-Grade Speaker Terminals | NO |
| Detachable AC Cord | NO |
| Warranty | 2 Years |
Summing It All Up!!
In the final analysis, the Onkyo TX-NR545 comes across as a versatile, power packed and capable AV receiver that will satisfy needs of most users with elan. The device is compact and user friendly. Setting it up should not be a problem for anyone and the enhanced AccuEQ calibration system is a breeze to use. The feature list, for a device priced reasonably is pretty long. Dolby Atmos adds to the music listening experience, beyond doubt. The new DAC converter eliminates distortion of audio even at high volumes and audio file support is good. You also get support for latest video formats like 4K HDR. The abundance of HDMI ports are ideal for movie buffs and some of them are compliant with HDCP 2.2. There are a few drawbacks like a dated looking remote and a plain interface, but those are not really deal breakers.
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