Onkyo USA has
Onkyo TX-RZ50 9.2-Channel THX Certified Network A/V Receiver (Certified Factory Refurbished) on sale for
$959.
Shipping is free (
via UPS ground).
Thanks to community member
newjack for finding this deal
Note, product is a certified refurbished unit.
About the Product- 250W/Channel THX Certified Select RZ Series Dynamic Audio Amplification
- 9.2-Channel Smart AV Receiver
- 4K/120 Enables Gaming Experience
- Discrete Zone 2 HDMI Switching
- 11.2-Channel Processing/Pre-Outs for 7.2.4 layouts
- Built-In Streaming Services
- Built-In Multi-Zone Streaming/Voice Control
- DTS Play-Fi Enabled
- Works w/ Sonos Certified
Warranty 
Top Comments
you won't find anything else with dirac and full pre-outs at anywhere near this price.
https://www.safeandsoun
I saw a comparison photo showing both the insides and the layout is the same (can't find it again). Whether there are component quality differences or whatever, I don't know if anybody has compared to that level of detail.
The back panels are the same. https://imgur.com/a/pqg9CIL The internal layout is the same. The menu system is the same except for the logo. There are slight feature differences that you can learn about if you want to read through all those forum threads.
86 Comments
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Especially when people claim all you have to do is just run it(especially this lite version).
Neither my YPAO nor my Audessey was really that great and needed adjustments, but I'm a 30 year audio guy 🤷🏼
I see too many refurbished deal on it that make me worry. I had Denon and Yamaha in the past and both work fine beyond 10+ years
It has come up often, at least compared to other brands.
I know many others that have other brands like Yamaha & Denon and have had no problems(me included).
Many of them have no interest, that question is one of the reasons(including me).
" Most" have said that Dirac is clearly a better room correction system than Audyssey
Not sure what your criteria is for saying the Denon X3800 is a better unit
From where I sit there are pluses and minuses to either units
If I were choosing, from only those two, it would be the Onkyo used as a pre/pro and the purchase of a separate amp
I acknowledged that Dirac is better by saying that was the big plus of the Onkyo having that included. However, the Denon can add that.
Remember the context that I was replying to somebody who said they already have an x3800 and was asking if it was worthwhile to switch to RZ50. In that scenario, I don't think its worth switching; if Dirac is worth switching for, then just pay the $350 to add it to his Denon that he already has.
For myself, I use external amps so I've been leaning towards the x3800 due to amp disable and also want to add another sub, so the independent subs on the Denon is a plus. But this deal on RZ50 is super tempting.
I acknowledged that Dirac is better by saying that was the big plus of the Onkyo having that included. However, the Denon can add that.
Remember the context that I was replying to somebody who said they already have an x3800 and was asking if it was worthwhile to switch to RZ50. In that scenario, I don't think its worth switching; if Dirac is worth switching for, then just pay the $350 to add it to his Denon that he already has.
For myself, I use external amps so I've been leaning towards the x3800 due to amp disable and also want to add another sub, so the independent subs on the Denon is a plus. But this deal on RZ50 is super tempting.
But you used the the word " most" in your original response to suggest that most would agree with you and for your reasons
I disagree and thus have a different opinion
I would argue that " most" ( including me) that have set up both Audyseey and Dirac would say the the latter is a clear winner
Full disclosure...I dont personally own the AVR in this thread or the Denon X3800
But in my own system, I pulled out a Marantz pre/pro and put in an Arcam pre/pro a couple of weeks ago and there is a clear winner with Dirac
Same room, same speakers, same source material
Which I know means nothing if I dont have sales numbers and actual documented failure rates....
So..that is a nutshell gives you the merit of speculation...
Neither my YPAO nor my Audessey was really that great and needed adjustments, but I'm a 30 year audio guy 🤷🏼
Dirac is more complicated up front ...but no tweaking after the initial set up for me
eARC does offer a bit of "future proofing" if you want high res sound. If you've already got a receiver capable of it (or want to save some $$ and buy an older AVR that does), I'd almost recommend investing in a new TV/speakers instead -- esp. considering the premium prices of AVR's today -- since there's really not a ton "new" here over AVRs from 4 years ago. And in terms of audio formats (Atmos/DTS X/Auro etc) there isn't really anything new at all. As much as I like to keep up with current tech, my next AVR upgrade will be when there's, say, an 8K TV with 8K content in the real world out there.
3 Pioneer models / baseline quantity
8 Onkyo models / 3x baseline quantity
9 Marantz models / 4x baseline quantity
11 Yamaha models / 4x baseline quantity
14 Denon models / 8x baseline quantity
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Which I know means nothing if I dont have sales numbers and actual documented failure rates....
So..that is a nutshell gives you the merit of speculation...
I personally had to consistently tweak Audyssey...subs..center..tweak tweak repeat...Then I listen to another source and have to tweak again
Dirac is more complicated up front ...but no tweaking after the initial set up for me
Neither my YPAO nor my Audessey was really that great and needed adjustments, but I'm a 30 year audio guy 🤷🏼
You read often people say if you have a difficult/bad room/environment you need Dirac.
The reason isn't because running it fixes that difficult/bad environment(no RC correction can do that)!
It's the ability to see and adjust/tweak/correct the results.
People also often say it has a higher learning curve.
The learning is why and how to make those adjustments/tweaks.
Audyssey changed that in 2017 when it introduced that ability with the Editor app and now MultEQ-X.
Anyone that claims all you have to do is run Dirac(especially this lite version) and all is fixed probably doesn't know what they are doing.
I don't know anyone that just runs Dirac and call it good.
You read often people say if you have a difficult/bad room/environment you need Dirac.
The reason isn't because running it fixes that difficult/bad environment(no RC correction can do that)!
It's the ability to see and adjust/tweak/correct the results.
People also often say it has a higher learning curve.
The learning is why and how to make those adjustments/tweaks.
Audyssey changed that in 2017 when it introduced that ability with the Editor app and now MultEQ-X.
Anyone that claims all you have to do is run Dirac(especially this lite version) and all is fixed probably doesn't know what they are doing.
I don't know anyone that just runs Dirac and call it good.
Seems like know we quite a different set of people?..( including the people that have posted here on slick deals about their actual experience)
I set up a Dirac equipped unit with the full suite recently in my home( swapped an Audyssey equipped unit)
Maybe one additional step in the set up over audyssey
But to your statement...I just ran Dirac and called it good
Much better than Auddysey in every way performance wise
Imaging, nuance of sound, bass control, and channel separation are on another level versus Audyssey
Many had the same experience as I had with Audyseey with tweaking and tweaking and tweaking and then rerunning it and repeating the cycle
None of that with Dirac
Seems like know we quite a different set of people?..( including the people that have posted here on slick deals about their actual experience)
I set up a Dirac equipped unit with the full suite recently in my home( swapped an Audyssey equipped unit)
Maybe one additional step in the set up over audyssey
But to your statement...I just ran Dirac and called it good
Much better than Auddysey in every way performance wise
Imaging, nuance of sound, bass control, and channel separation are on another level versus Audyssey
Many had the same experience as I had with Audyseey with tweaking and tweaking and tweaking and then rerunning it and repeating the cycle
None of that with Dirac
If true I would suggest buying a lottery ticket!
Reading all the forums I believe you're the only I have ever heard that didn't tweak their results!
Especially on this which doesn't include bass management.
Lucky you! 👍🏻
If true I would suggest buying a lottery ticket!
Reading all the forums I believe you're the only I have ever heard that didn't tweak their results!
Especially on this which doesn't include bass management.
Lucky you! 👍🏻
Lucky the whole group of us...right?...
I dont know what forums you read?...and you mentioned something quite the opposite in your intial statement about a " set and forget" type of deal with Dirac
One can buy the bass management, if desired
Curiously...what specific Dirac equipped units have you set up in your own home, that you have found so challenging to set up?
Lucky the whole group of us...right?...
I dont know what forums you read?...and you mentioned something quite the opposite in your intial statement about a " set and forget" type of deal with Dirac
One can buy the bass management, if desired
Curiously...what specific Dirac equipped units have you set up in your own home, that you have found so challenging to set up?
"Dirac is more complicated up front ...but no tweaking after the initial set up for me"
If you do no tweaking, what's the complicated part to Dirac?
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"Dirac is more complicated up front ...but no tweaking after the initial set up for me"
If you do no tweaking, what's the complicated part to Dirac?
There is an additional step with Dirac
With Audyssey I tweaked and tweaked and tweaked and then would rerun it
Then repeat the cycle overtime
You can understand one additional step up front versus tweaking it for months and the big difference there is between the two
But you did not answer my question...curiously......