Onkyo TX-RZ610 7.2Ch A/V Receiver

I looked around to buy a receiver. I couldn't decide. Denon or Onkyo. Both are excellent. I couldn't decide what I a) needed and b) wanted. To establish a datapoint, I tried the Apple HomePod as that datapoint.. That failed miserably when I learned , within a few hours, just how poor it really is. Audio quality sucks, software is even worse (incomplete and missing). In total frustration, I came back to a full up AV receiver mentality. When I found this, I looked twice in disbelief at the price. I read all the reviews about Onkyo again. It seems the older NR series had problems. This is a RZ series and doesn't have any of that. I pulled the trigger. I've had it a whole day now and am beyond satisfied. BUILD QUALITY / PACKAGING: Exceptional and exactly as you'd expect from top-shelf product. The RZ series has a longer warranty than the NR series due to the higher grade components. (we don't get longer parts & labor warranty for free. it must be better built) SETUP: Follow the quick start guide 1. Hook up everyting (speakers, HDMI, network) 2. Put the batteries in the remote 3. Plug it in and turn it on CONFIGURATION: Setup was painless. I took my time, editing the port names, and was running within 20 minutes. I did the prudent step next which can be done at any time but I did now before I forget. Checked for firmware update. There was one. This took quite a lot of time (30 minutes) . It sits at 0% and 30% for a while. Let it. When it came back online (it cycles), perfect. AUDIO QUALITY: I grabbed a cheap set of Polk T15's ($69) just to have something to connect to it. I like that timbre. Either my sense of 'good' is skewed or this unit is that good. It makes the T15's sound incredible. It didn't take long for me to find the limits of the T15 though. (completely expected in a $65 pair of bookshelf) I ran the ATV 4K into it. Perfect remap of 7.1 audio to 2.0 and still perfectly clear. Ran all my weakness-finding songs through it. This is how I found the limits of the T15. The Onkyo was fine. I confirmed by plugging in Sony MDR-7506 and my MDR-7509. Crystal clear. The S20's are on order (grab them quick if you want good mains.. They sell out fast!). Maxing out the S20 will be much harder if I even can. Sub and center are next. SUMMARY: If I need to replace it, I'll be surprised. I'll likely want some fancy new feature (native 8K someday?) before I need a new receiver. 2019-07-07 Update: Upon hearing the S20's, the timbre of the T15's would not work. I returned them and opted for the S15's. I completed the 5.1 configuration by adding the Polk HTS-10 and S30 (center). (Now 2x S20 front, S30, 2x S15's, and HTS-10). My Onkyo continues to serve flawlessly. So much so that I pulled my Kenwood KD-4100 turntable out, tearing it down and revitalizing it (thorough cleaning, fresh lubricant, new belts, re-calibrate all mechanical travel distances, and stylus pressure to less than a gram - digital scale). When I played the first vinyl through the Onkyo, I was blown away. That which we used to think sounded so good was immediately put promptly in its place. No crackles except for imperfections in the vinyl itself, audio crisp and perfectly imaged by the DSP. To anyone with a vinyl collection, wondering if it's worth breaking out that old turntable and washing the vinyl? Do it. Your younger years will come flying back at you in a way you never imagined and so glad you took the time to do it.