Best Onkyo AV Receiver for You – 2022 Edition!

It’s hard to know which AV receiver to buy. Sometimes you can narrow it down to a specific manufacturer but still not know what exact model to buy. Fear not! If you are looking for the best Onkyo AV Receiver and don’t know which to buy, we’ve picked out the best they make. Not for your specific speakers or size room, but for how you will use them. As Onkyo releases more AV receivers, we’ll be updating this article. So let’s begin and discuss the best Onkyo AV receiver, 2022 edition!

Criteria For The Best Onkyo AV Receiver for 2022

With any best list, setting criteria is critical. But I also realize that people have different wants and needs, so I don’t think choosing a single AV receiver as “best” is the way to go. Instead, I will try and select the best receiver for your needs. That could include budget, feature-rich, no-frills, and flagship models for the hardcore enthusiast. 

Availability and Pricing

Ok, so I know this will be a hit-or-miss proposition depending on where you live. A quick search of retailers and e-tailers shows more “out of stock” than “in stock” at the checkout. A chip shortage is impacting electronics everywhere, so you may base your decision on what you can get your hands on. That said, check frequently or set alerts to tell you when your model is in stock. Unless you need something now, be patient and wait for the best model for your needs. 

Also, pricing is highly variable. I’ve listed the MSRP as given by Onkyo. Expect that many of these receivers will be on sale from time to time. At this writing, some of these are! Also, check out Accessories4Less.com for refurbished units with full manufacturers’ warranties.

Best Onkyo AV Receiver For People on a Budget

Getting into a home theater on a budget can be hard. You can save some cash and get used speakers, but I recommend getting a newer AV receiver with a few (but not all) bells and whistles.

The Onkyo TX-NR494 7.2 channel A/V receiver at $429 hits that spot. At 80wpc (Watts Per Channel), it has plenty of power for almost any speaker you own. It has Atmos and DTS:X, so you can quickly move to a 5.2.2 setup in the future or upmix with their height virtualizer. No, it doesn’t have HDMI 2.1, but you can still get 4k/60 HDR passthrough. So, this might be the right fit if you don’t have any next-gen game consoles. That said, it is light on streaming options – as in none! So if you want more than Bluetooth connectivity, you may need to look a bit higher in the Onkyo lineup.

Onkyo AccuEQ handles room correction. It’s not the best on the market, but it’ll set your speaker trim and distances correctly. At $429, it’s hard not to recommend the TX-SR494 as the best Onkyo AV receiver for 2022 for people on a budget.

Best Onkyo AV Receiver for Small Rooms

Ok, so even though Atmos is popular, some enthusiasts a) don’t have an ideal space for Atmos/surround sound or b) don’t want Atmos. So for these enthusiasts, I think the Onkyo TX-SR393 should fit the bill.

Ok, so let’s address the elephant in the room. The SR393 is the most basic AV receiver that Onkyo offers and is light on connectivity and features. But it has basic features for 5.2 surround sound and provides the flexibility to be configured in 3.2.2 if you could do Atmos and don’t have space for surround speakers.

At 80wpc, it’s got plenty of power for most setups, and it has 4k/60 passthrough, so all but next-gen game consoles or devices will work fine with this AV receiver. So at $329, I crown the TX-SR393 as the best Onkyo AV receiver for surround sound!

Best Onkyo AV Reciever For Gamers

If you are in the market for an Onkyo AV receiver for next-generation gaming, rejoice! Onkyo has four (!) AV receivers with multiple HDMI 2.1 ports. The RZ50 (11.2 channel), TX-NR7100 (9.2 channel), TX-NR6100 (7.2 channel), and TX-NR5100 (7.2 channel) are priced at $1399, $1099, $799, and $599 respectively. I’ll mention that only ports 1-3 allow for 4K/120 passthrough, and it is only 40gbps (as opposed to the full 48gbps that is allowed via HDMI 2.1). That said, I have the TX-NR7100 and have no issues gaming in 4k/120 on my Xbox Series X.

All of the receivers have plenty of power, and all but the 5100 are THX certified. THX is just a fancy way of saying that it has more than enough power for your speakers, and has to meet a standard, so you can be sure you are getting quality sound.

For my pick, I am choosing the TX-NR5100. I am going to assume that after you have picked up a new console or gaming rig plus a good display to show off 4K/120, money might be a bit tight. That’s why I chose the TX-NR5100 as the best Onkyo AV receiver for 2022 for gamers. It’s got all the HDMI 2.1 goodies, plus it won’t break the bank at $599. Don’t fret about the lack of THX certification. The 5100 has 80wpc, so you won’t have any issues powering your speakers.

Best Onkyo AV Receiver For Atmos

Atmos has taken the audio world by storm in the last five years. Now, movies get released with excellent and immersive Atmos and DTS:X tracks that fill your room with sound. But having this comes at a price, and if you want the best experience, you need to have an AV receiver that can deliver. So this means that my choice for the best Onkyo AV receiver for Atmos is the TX-NR7100 9.2 channel AV receiver.

Not only is it THX certified with 100wpc (into 8ohm), but it also has HDMI 2.1. Yes, it is only 9.2 channels, but I think that most enthusiasts with smaller rooms will be pleased with 5.2.4. Oh, and did I mention that it has IMAX Enhanced?

Plus, like the RZ50, it comes with Dirac Live room correction, ensuring you have the ultimate control over your system and your sound! At $1099, it is the second most expensive AV receiver in the Onkyo lineup. But compare it to other similar receivers in the market and $1099 is very reasonable!

Best Onkyo AV Receiver for Demanding Enthusiasts/Audiophiles

Ok, so I am sure that most Audiophiles will thumb their noses at using an AV receiver for a music setup. I won’t get into that debate. I think that an AV receiver is more than adequate for any setup. Since I have the TX-NR7100 for my setup, I am tempted to recommend it. The 7100 has 100wpc and is THX certified. On top of that, it has a decent phono stage, a must for any turntable lover, and a capable onboard DAC. Oh, and it has pretty much every streaming music service built-in.

But ultimately, I have to give the nod to the Onkyo RZ50 as the best Onkyo AV receiver for demanding enthusiasts/audiophiles. Why? It has all the features of the 7100, 120wpc (into 8 ohms), plus a set of full pre-outs. While I don’t think you need an external amplifier for most home theater or music setups, the RZ50 gives you the option.

On top of this, the RZ50 makes for solid futureproofing. It is HDMI 2.1, has 11 channels of processing, and a full set of pre-outs that allow you for expandability and flexibility in future configurations. As I mentioned above, it has pretty much every streaming service and option available including Bluetooth and Airplay 2.

Finally, just like the 7100, you get the choice of Dirac Live or AccuEQ. Dirac Live gives the demanding enthusiast the ultimate control over every aspect of your setup. You can use the built-in curves, download others, or make your own. If you want the most control over your system, plus some futureproofing, the RZ50 is your best choice. And at $1399, it is the most reasonable “Flagship” model on the market.

Our Take

Choosing “the best” for anything is challenging. Budget, features, and availability play a part in our decisions. Deciding what is best for you is just as much of a challenge. We hope that we were able to give you some solid choices based on your use case and arm you with some sound logic.

So let us know in the comments below, did you choose an Onkyo receiver in 2022? What model and what are your thoughts!