Onkyo TX-RZ30

[Struggaloe Caine]

I don’t think I have ever been so impatient for an ASR review. I’m dying to know if this is a viable alternative to the Denon X3800, excepting the additional subwoofer and pre-outs.

AccuEQ is terrible in my difficult room, but Audyssey works quite well. I imagine Dirac will as well.

I vastly prefer the look and functionality of the Onkyo line. Silly perhaps, but aesthetics matter to me as well, and I don’t enjoy the visual impact of my X3800. I also prefer the Onkyo web interface to that of the Denon, and find the Display of the X3800 to be truly ugly. I just like green and the simple one line display has grown on me.

 

[EWL5]

I don’t think I have ever been so impatient for an ASR review. I’m dying to know if this is a viable alternative to the Denon X3800, excepting the additional subwoofer and pre-outs.

AccuEQ is terrible in my difficult room, but Audyssey works quite well. I imagine Dirac will as well.

I vastly prefer the look and functionality of the Onkyo line. Silly perhaps, but aesthetics matter to me as well, and I don’t enjoy the visual impact of my X3800. I also prefer the Onkyo web interface to that of the Denon, and find the Display of the X3800 to be truly ugly. I just like green and the simple one line display has grown on me.

Sounds like your choice is already made. What will be in the review that will change your mind about the RZ30? Just get one and be done with it!

The 3800 should only be considered at this point if you intend to go all the way to Dirac ART.

 

[billou5767]

I don’t think I have ever been so impatient for an ASR review. I’m dying to know if this is a viable alternative to the Denon X3800, excepting the additional subwoofer and pre-outs.

AccuEQ is terrible in my difficult room, but Audyssey works quite well. I imagine Dirac will as well.

I vastly prefer the look and functionality of the Onkyo line. Silly perhaps, but aesthetics matter to me as well, and I don’t enjoy the visual impact of my X3800. I also prefer the Onkyo web interface to that of the Denon, and find the Display of the X3800 to be truly ugly. I just like green and the simple one line display has grown on me.

i never see amir review good for pioneer and clone

 

[Power Pop 23]

Slickdeals says Adorama in NYC is offering the Onkyo TX-RZ30 AVR for $700 after applying a coupon code at checkout.

Onkyo TX-RZ30 170W 9.2-Channel 8K/4K Network AV Receiver - 2026-01-30

Update: This popular front-page deal is available again. Adorama has Onkyo TX-RZ30 170W 9.2-Channel 8K/4K Network AV Receiver (TX-RZ30BMDC) on sale for $999.99 - $300 with coupon code JHCE9834 at c

slickdeals.net

 

[J. Lohmann]

Can someone definitively confirm for me whether or not there's an option on the RZ30 to leave the sound mode/surround codec in use on the front display at all times, rather than the default volume/input name?

I'm getting conflicting reports about this on sites like AVS and elsewhere, and I'd like to know, as this is a big feature for me and I may consider picking one up before the 2027 travesties from Onkyo come out (those new designs are HORRID).

 

[popej]

 

[J. Lohmann]

View attachment 508146

Yes -- I'm aware that those indicators light up, as well, but I'm referring to the LARGE display of info (as seen in the "6" area). Those small indicators are far too little to see from across the room, and as such I'm talking about a display readout like this:

 

[dlaloum]

Can someone definitively confirm for me whether or not there's an option on the RZ30 to leave the sound mode/surround codec in use on the front display at all times, rather than the default volume/input name?

I'm getting conflicting reports about this on sites like AVS and elsewhere, and I'd like to know, as this is a big feature for me and I may consider picking one up before the 2027 travesties from Onkyo come out (those new designs are HORRID).

No there isn't - but you do have an "info" button on the remote that can pop that information up on your screen...

The Denon X4800H (and up in their range) has a full two line display that shows the source on the first line and the sound mode on the second (as Onkyo's of previous generations used to!).

This type of display functionality seems to be rapidly dissapearing from the market.... the next generation Onkyo examples shown at CEDIA a few weeks back appear to have an even more basic screen - more akin to the Marantz "porthole".... all seems a step backwards to me.

 

[J. Lohmann]

No there isn't - but you do have an "info" button on the remote that can pop that information up on your screen...

The Denon X4800H (and up in their range) has a full two line display that shows the source on the first line and the sound mode on the second (as Onkyo's of previous generations used to!).

This type of display functionality seems to be rapidly dissapearing from the market.... the next generation Onkyo examples shown at CEDIA a few weeks back appear to have an even more basic screen - more akin to the Marantz "porthole".... all seems a step backwards to me.

Thanks. You and I discussed this over at AVS recently.

The info button doesn't help, in my situation, as I don't keep the AVR connected to the screen, and I don't want to have to press the "i" button on the remote every time I want to confirm the correct codec is being processed (after you press the info button, it allows you to, as I understand it, cycle through input name/volume, sampling rate, surround mode, etc., but then reverts back to the default volume/input after a few seconds).

That's ridiculous, and I agree -- all a big step backwards.

With regard to the two-line aspect -- it doesn't matter to me if there are two lines or one line of info, but I do want all the info to be shown, even if it has to be abbreviated (as it was on the lower-tiered Onkyos and the Denon 2800 I now run):

 

[moodyman100]

Slickdeals says Adorama in NYC is offering the Onkyo TX-RZ30 AVR for $700 after applying a coupon code at checkout.

Onkyo TX-RZ30 170W 9.2-Channel 8K/4K Network AV Receiver - 2026-01-30

Update: This popular front-page deal is available again. Adorama has Onkyo TX-RZ30 170W 9.2-Channel 8K/4K Network AV Receiver (TX-RZ30BMDC) on sale for $999.99 - $300 with coupon code JHCE9834 at c

slickdeals.net

Awesome. Just snagged it for 700 with free ship. Thanks!

 

[rimmi2002]

Hi I am interested in the RZ30. Wondering are there any bonafide reviews on this AVR, on how well it functions as a Preamp. That will be my main purpose to use its Dirac Live / DLBC and then use my own Amp for a 2.2 setup.

Also in the DLBC in here at the same level at the DLBC included in the RZ70 or are there difference levels of DLBC intergration?

 

[dlaloum]

Hi I am interested in the RZ30. Wondering are there any bonafide reviews on this AVR, on how well it functions as a Preamp. That will be my main purpose to use its Dirac Live / DLBC and then use my own Amp for a 2.2 setup.

Also in the DLBC in here at the same level at the DLBC included in the RZ70 or are there difference levels of DLBC intergration?

My Integra DRX3.4 was used primarily as a preamp/prepro.... and it did an excellent job.

I believe DLBC is the same in all the models that support it - and in fact all the Dirac models from Onkyo/Integra share the same DSP processors I believe...

 

[thecity2]

Anyone have thoughts about this vs the Emotiva MR1L which can be found right now for under $1K.

 

[Timcognito]

This guy does and my 50 watt BasX A100 was over sized and under powered. I replaced with Topping Mini 300 and its much better. Also I have the Onkyo RZ30 and like it. My only issue is with CEC conflicts with my Logitech universal remote a common issue all CEC equipped AVRs.

 

[moodyman100]

So I have had some time to play with RZ-30 since I got it from Adorama at an absurdly low sale price. I'm using it as a pre-pro as I already have external amps. (just having pre outs was an incredible value to me. I feel like AVR's now a days don't have pre outs until you approach the $1500 price range) The DIRAC calibration went well (there were some hiccups I worked through-ChatGPT was excellent help here). The result has been phenomenal. Cinema experience for sure (bluray Bladerunner 2049 opening-WOW). I have the RZ-30 paired with a TCL 98" TV via eARC and they have been playing very well together. The weakest link in my chain now is the single Outlaw Audio LFM-1 EX sub. It sounds excellent but is at its limit. I'm eying dual HSU VTF-3 MK5 HP subs to make use of those two independent subwoofers outs on the RZ-30. I'll most likely upgrade DIRAC to the bass enhancement. My system right now is only 5.1. I'll be upgrading to some height speakers soon..at this point I'll tap into the RZ-30 internal amps. This RZ-30 was a phenomenal buy.

​

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

So I have had some time to play with RZ-30 since I got it from Adorama at an absurdly low sale price. I'm using it as a pre-pro as I already have external amps. (just having pre outs was an incredible value to me. I feel like AVR's now a days don't have pre outs until you approach the $1500 price range) The DIRAC calibration went well (there were some hiccups I worked through-ChatGPT was excellent help here). The result has been phenomenal. Cinema experience for sure (bluray Bladerunner 2049 opening-WOW). I have the RZ-30 paired with a TCL 98" TV via eARC and they have been playing very well together. The weakest link in my chain now is the single Outlaw Audio LFM-1 EX sub. It sounds excellent but is at its limit. I'm eying dual HSU VTF-3 MK5 HP subs to make use of those two independent subwoofers outs on the RZ-30. I'll most likely upgrade DIRAC to the bass enhancement. My system right now is only 5.1. I'll be upgrading to some height speakers soon..at this point I'll tap into the RZ-30 internal amps. This RZ-30 was a phenomenal buy.

​

Your weakest link is the TV. Unfortunately, big OLED is not enough prohibitively expensive. I’ll be dead before that changes.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

You do know what you’re doing.

 

[moodyman100]

Your weakest link is the TV. Unfortunately, big OLED is not enough prohibitively expensive. I’ll be dead before that changes.

Not sure about that. I have the 98 QM6K pro. Its in my basement. Its always dark so no brightness issues. I find the picture pretty damn impressive. Also ran some DSE test patterns and I surely expected to see some DSE, considering its a "TCL" TV. Couldn't find any. I purchased this TV from Costco at a pretty low price, 5 year warranty, etc., so the value IMO is huge. Obviously there are better TV's, but at what price point?

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Did your research. Beats a projected.