Onkyo TX-NR535 Receiver
- Supports 4K and Ultra HD passthrough
- Six HDMI 2.0 inputs
- “5.2” sound is really 5.1 with two duplicate subwoofer channels, but it sounds great
- It’s not 7.1 surround, but is the gain between 5.1 and 7.1 worth paying for? For our money, no
- Bluetooth for streaming audio from your phone or tablet or whathaveyou
- WiFi for the streaming audio apps like Spotify, Pandora, SIRIUS XM, and so on
- But no Apple Music app, so burn it all down, I guess
- Onkyo remote app, so you can use your Apple or Android device as a WiFi remote
- If you’re looking for more, the step up receiver is this TX-NR636 with 7.2 surround and a few added features for $450
- Model: TX-NR535
The Magic Price Point
For most of you, this is an ordinary day. But a select few of you are freaking out right now. Because, for some reason, nothing thrills you more than a good home theater receiver for under $200.
We’re not sure why $200 is the Rubicon of receiver hysteria, the tripwire for a feeding frenzy, the acid test for AV freakouts. We just know that whenever somebody puts a quality, name-brand receiver up for sale for less than $200, they vanish faster than cocaine on Wall Street. Seeing a “1” in the hundreds column is all it takes to lure the first-apartment kids and the now-I’m-living-for-me empty-nesters to jump in with both ears.
Of course, we’re not talking about a huge feeding frenzy. Receivers will always be a niche product. but for this niche, $199 or less is the “Make Me Move” number, as long as the receiver is halfway decent.
And this one is all the way decent. This is the kind of receiver deal you usually see on Black Friday, or maybe a few weeks before the Super Bowl. From the eminent home theater specialists at Onkyo, this model has 4k TV support, so it won’t be obsolete in three years. It’s got WiFI, Bluetooth, and Ethernet. It supports 21:9, so even CinemaScope content can be seen at full height. It’s got 5.2 channel sound at either 65 watts at 8Ω or 90-115 watts at 6Ω per channel. And it’s got a crazy six HDMI inputs.
But by now you probably don’t care about all those numbers. Because you’re not looking for a home theater receiver. Or you’ve already seen the number that matters most: $180.
