Onkyo TX-RZ30 Review: A 9.2 Channel Receiver That Beats Its Price
PRICE $999
BECAUSE OF HOW
Good:
Wide soundstage with clear separation
On Screen Menus
Endless Source Options from streaming music (on board) to Sonos Connect
Disadvantages:
Dirac Live setup is very easy—it may require customer support.
Mini Scaler in the app—must go to the on-screen menu
Some menus are outdated—not intuitive—looking like an old computer command line font
CHAPTER
The Onkyo TX-RZ30 is a high-performance AV receiver with the power and precision to deliver crisp dialogue, detailed sound effects, convincing sound reproduction, and an immersive Dolby Atmos experience. With features usually reserved for more expensive models, it stands out as an excellent choice for home theater and music lovers alike.
The TX-RZ30 marks Onkyo’s entry-level model in its RZ-series premium AV receiver. Although it’s not as powerful as the TX-RZ50 or the flagship TX-RZ70, it shares a lot of their DNA. Notably, it also includes a full-bandwidth license for Dirac Live at no additional cost—a feature that was originally an optional extra for the RZ50.
Even more impressively, the TX-RZ30 offers two independent subwoofer outputs, while the RZ50’s two subwoofers are mirrored. At this price point, few competitors offer this level of flexibility.
Most similarly priced receivers from Denon or Yamaha excel at 7.2 channels. To get 9.2 channels on a Denon, for example, you’ll need to step up to models like the AVR-X3700H or X3800H, which usually cost a few hundred dollars more. That extra channel capacity allows the TX-RZ30 to run a full 5.2.4 or 7.2.2 Atmos setup without requiring external amplification.
Dirac is more advanced in time domain correction than Denon’s Audyssey or Yamaha’s YPAO. As it works both in frequency and time phase based on furniture placement in the room rather than room reset.
Features
Most of the RZ30’s features focus on better sound quality and an enhanced surround experience. Onkyo’s Connect app helps with setup and as a quick remote. There are also plenty of sources playing on the RZ30 from the phono to its tuner to several built-in streaming apps and 6 HDMI inputs.
9.2-channel Class A/B amplifier—With enough power to drive 9.2 channels, you can choose your speaker configuration to include height speakers, rear speakers, and one or two subwoofers.
8K upscaling/passthrough—All six inputs can not only pass 4K but can upscale to 8K/60. The 8K input ensures the receiver’s longevity.
Full Dirac Live Bandwidth included—While most devices charge the full bandwidth of a Dirac Live license, it is included in the TX-RZ30. The Dirac Live Bass Control extension is available as an optional extra (see the Dirac website for current prices). Dirac Live is an audio editing system, similar to others such as Audyssey. Where Audyssey and others replace frequency EQ and level correction, Dirac Live improves time alignment and frequency response. It works by using a microphone, which you place in 9 different places around your entertainment area to measure and correct sound problems such as echoes or imbalances caused by the shape of the room, furniture, or other objects that reflect in the low frequencies.
THX Certified and IMAX Enhanced—THX Certified guarantees a standard level of sound quality for movies and TV, and IMAX Enhanced creates a greater theatrical experience in movies for that cinematic experience.
Dolby Atmos Height Virtualizer—If you don’t have body height speakers, this creates the illusion of real height that would be missing when setting up an AVR with separate speakers.
Dual independent subwoofer outputs allow you to change the settings for each subwoofer rather than simply mirroring the same settings as is the case with the mirrored subwoofer ports found on the RZ50.
Stream from AirPlay 2, built-in Chromecast, Bluetooth 5.1, WiFi, and Spotify Connect
Features built-in apps for TIDAL, Amazon Music/Amazon Music HD, and TuneIn Internet Radio. And DLNA Music Server/Windows Media sharing—play from a NAS drive or PC on the same home network. By having these applications built into the receiver, high-resolution music can use the unit’s DAC and play at full resolution.
The RZ30 is designed for ultra-low noise and a wide frequency response (5 Hz to 100 kHz) that supports sound that is much louder than most DACs require.
40 Preset Radio Stations—The tuner supports preset programming of up to forty radio stations spread across AM and FM.
Set up
If you’ve set up an AV receiver before, Onkyo still has an on-screen menu system like models from about 10 years ago. If you plan to manually set volume levels and frequencies for each channel, it’s straightforward.
But, if you want the benefits of Dirac room and placement measurements to customize the receiver specifically for your room, be prepared for a dim setup. I had to redo the setup by myself and with customer support. It took hours.
Along the way, I found out that I had to turn the volume up to 80. Although the room was quiet, I could get the message that there was a lot of noise. Next, the process involved starting with the automatic calibration of the speakers. I learned that it is important to use a test tone to test each station. When the tone played on the channel, it had to stay in the green part of the bar scale.
The first time I set up the Dirac, this solved the problems and the process, which took about 20 minutes, was complete. After adding the front height speakers, I wanted to set it up again. The second time I stopped before it was successful, I manually changed the channel levels.
Once I connected the antenna to the FM stations, the tuner picked up most of the local stations and it was easy to store them in memory by pressing the memory button on the remote control twice.
While the remote is full of buttons, I enjoyed the direct access to change treble, vocals, and bass levels. If a show or song needs a boost or cut in level, I can customize it with a fast or slow boost +/- 10 dB. It was very easy to make changes, I found myself adjusting each song as I went from hip hop to ballads.
Working
Initially, I tested the TX-RZ30 with a 5.1 speaker setup consisting of Definitive Technology’s bipolar front towers and surround speakers. While it sounded great, and the surround was immersive, the Onkyo receiver really shined when I added the SRS bookshelf speakers as front height.
In the battle scene at the beginning of Saving Private Ryan, I heard nuances and details of the sound that I had not heard before with 5 speakers or with the Klipsch Flexus Core 300. Along with the effects, there was the sound of bubbles and the movement of water as the soldiers fell into the water, the thunder of the bullets hitting the bodies, and the choking as they hit the bell.
In the classic Chinese stage, the House of Flying Daggers, not only was I surrounded by a bowl of beans being thrown around a circle of drums, I could hear different tones as the beans hit each drum and variations as the beans ricocheted and hit another drum. As the dancer pulled out the long cloth from her sleeves, there was a subtle “whoosh” from the wind that would create it. When he took out the sword, there was that bright metal slide.
The Apple TV chat enhancer muted the sound when listening to F1 through 5 speakers. It helped to raise the level of singing. When I added the height speakers, the voices were clearer and didn’t need any dialogue enhancement, producing sounds like the sloshing of dirt when the car skids, the crack of the car’s body breaking, and the screeching of tires as it rolls.
The clarity of the words in the music was even more evident in the music. I listened to my high-resolution 24-bit/192kHz music playlist on the Apple TV and the Onkyo delivered more emotion and music than I usually hear from those speakers. Joni Mitchell’s voice had a bit more oomph, and I could feel the breath behind every note as if she was in the room with me.
Likewise, I never heard Prince’s vocal dynamics as I did in When Doves Cry and Purple Rain often jamming vocals and instruments together.
Going from ballads to Just Keep Watching from the F1 movie, I wanted to turn up the bass for more power and pumping and I could easily raise the bass decibels on the remote.
Another highlight was the 50th anniversary remix of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here on Spatial Audio. It starts quietly with the voices of the radio from the left surround, then comes the guitar dancing across the room from the front right speaker and slowly the music spreads to all the speakers and I am happily surrounded by music and sound.
The conclusion
The Onkyo TX-RZ30 delivers premium performance at a mid-range price. Its combination of 9.2 channel amplification, including Dirac Live room correction, dual independent subwoofer outputs, and extensive broadcast support make it one of the most compelling receivers in its class.
There are many sources to choose from including built-in music services that deliver high-resolution music, as well as AirPlay and Chromecast and Bluetooth from other devices. The quick equalizer adjustment allows you to switch from listening to high res music to an action movie to FM radio to vinyl on the turntable.
With more channels and flexibility than similarly priced competitors—and performance on par with more expensive rival models—the TX-RZ30 proves that great sound doesn’t have to come at a premium price.
SPECS
Dimensions:
Height: 7 inches; Width: 17-1/8 inches; Depth: 15-1/16 inches
Weight: 25.4 lbs
Channels
9.2 channel section A/B dividing amplifier
Power
100 Watts per channel at 8 ohms
Inputs and Outputs
6 x HDMI inputs
2 x HDMI Outputs—Primary output with eARC and secondary output for Zone/Sub.
Analog Audio: dual 6-level RCA analog stereo inputs and dual RCA phono inputs
Audio Formats
High quality native music formats: FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF up to 24-bit/192 kHz
Surround sound formats
Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Neural:X, Dolby Surround upmixing
Video
HDMI version: HDMI 2.1a with HDCP 2.3
HDR formats: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+
Video passthrough: 8K/60 Hz and 4K/120 Hz passthrough
WiFi and connectivity
2.4/5 GHz, Ethernet LAN
Apple AirPlay 2, Built-in Chromecast, Bluetooth v5.1, Spotify Connect, Works with Sonos
Compatible with Google Home smart assistant
