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Onkyo TX-RZ50 Review (Home Theater AVR)

Rate this product:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 99 30.7%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 120 37.2%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 68 21.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 36 11.1%

  • Total voters
    323
Plus $300 for Dirac w/o the bass management so RZ50 with the power overload fixed for $8-900 w/Dirac is a steal if one one has modest setup w/one sub. What am I missing about the RZ30?
I have yet to see any evidence (anecdotal or objective bench test) that the limp mode is fixed. The firmware change log ambiguously says "Improved Amplifier Power supply sequence" but only Onkyo knows exactly what was addressed.

If you've seen or heard chatter, please share!
 
I have yet to see any evidence (anecdotal or objective bench test) that the limp mode is fixed. The firmware change log ambiguously says "Improved Amplifier Power supply sequence" but only Onkyo knows exactly what was addressed.

If you've seen or heard chatter, please share!
Wondering myself. Hoping for an answer on both the 50 and 30. ;)
 
I have yet to see any evidence (anecdotal or objective bench test) that the limp mode is fixed. The firmware change log ambiguously says "Improved Amplifier Power supply sequence" but only Onkyo knows exactly what was addressed.

If you've seen or heard chatter, please share!
Here is what the manual says
1730304900095.png


 
An industry insider on AVS mentioned that the RZ30 gets the better HDMI board from the RZ70 (and not the one from the RZ50). Looks like the list of improvements keeps growing for the RZ30!
The RZ30 seems to potentially be the first of the next generation, rather than the last of the previous?
 
That's not the limp mode that Amir experienced in his bench tests. What you are showing from the manual is a genuine protection mode!

In the limp mode, the AVR continues to operate at much reduced power. In protection mode, I don't think the AVR operates at all!
Which still begs the question, what is the "protection" mode referred to on the web interface status screen (which has possible status of Off or On) - full shut down protection certainly isn't it, as it would bar access to the web interface!
Hence my assumption that what you refer to as Limp mode is what the status screen refers to as "protection" mode
 
Which still begs the question, what is the "protection" mode referred to on the web interface status screen (which has possible status of Off or On) - full shut down protection certainly isn't it, as it would bar access to the web interface!
Hence my assumption that what you refer to as Limp mode is what the status screen refers to as "protection" mode
It could be that and overlooked, but I'm guessing the 4 ohm mode is triggered via current sensing or heat sensing should the sensor(s) see pre-programmed condidions. I would imagine they have done something for the bench testing, but 4 ohm's is definitely forced at volume below -29dB and forced up to 6ohm at -22 dB when I was playing with some basic PCM streaming. You can hear it click provided you have something streaming, or it can / has sensed audio. Powered zone 2 / 3 still forces it down to 4 ohm, and I never re-tested bi-amping, and based on what I have seen, because it doesn't filter the low end to the main output sockets (fronts) like crossover mode on say my 5010 for example, also will probably keep it in 4 ohm mode. I'll try that further down the line. I think the location of the heat sensor is the reason for this, however if it is used without these variables, as a single zone Home cinema receiver as per main customer base, it will keep in 6ohm mode until any of said conditions are met. It must have some degree of audio sensing like the earlier models too. I still recon it would drop back if you saturate it at the clipping point with a 4ohm load too. I don't have dummy loads to test this.
 
The RZ30 seems to potentially be the first of the next generation, rather than the last of the previous?
More like the cheapest RZ finally made its debut.

Going by the numbering convention, I expect a true next gen model to be something like RZ31 or some other way to differentiate from current gen w/similar tech.
There's nothing on the RZ30 that can't already be found on the RZ70!
 
Look at Page 150.
I posted that above and response was that is not protection mode, unless I'm missing something.
 
I posted that above and response was that is not protection mode, unless I'm missing something.
I think there's a lot of confusion around what Amir calls "limp mode" and what the manual describes as "protection mode". The 2021 models appear to suffer from Limp Mode. The newer models from 2023 on, based on testing from Gene and Amir, do not appear to have Limp Mode anymore. It'd be interesting to see if Limp Mode still exists in the 2021 models post firmware update, but it would require a test bench to find out.
 
So the consensus is, If one buys a new RZ30, 70 or 7100 there is no protection mode or different more forgiving protection mode? What evidence without having to read 60+ pages?
 
So the consensus is, If one buys a new RZ30, 70 or 7100 there is no protection mode or different more forgiving protection mode? What evidence without having to read 60+ pages?

I’m pleased to see Onkyo addressed the issue we discovered in prior models tested (including Integra) that would go into a low power mode after fault protection occurred, which could only be reset by unplugging the unit from the wall rather than a simple power toggle. Instead, if a fault condition occurs with the TX-RZ70, the unit checks the amplifier channels one by one when turned back on. It takes a couple of minutes, but it is probably a good measure to help troubleshoot fault conditions beyond overdriving in a bench test scenario.
 
So the consensus is, If one buys a new RZ30, 70 or 7100 there is no protection mode or different more forgiving protection mode? What evidence without having to read 60+ pages?
RZ70 and 30 do not have Limp Mode. 7100 likely does have Limp Mode.
 
I think jury is still out on limp mode for RZ30. Remember that the RZ70 is a higher end product whose customer base wouldn't tolerate such nonsense. The RZ30 is the baby of the RZ line!
 
I think jury is still out on limp mode for RZ30. Remember that the RZ70 is a higher end product whose customer base wouldn't tolerate such nonsense. The RZ30 is the baby of the RZ line!
I disagree. There is a $900 stereo receiver out there that does not have Limp Mode.
 
I disagree. There is a $900 stereo receiver out there that does not have Limp Mode.
Will you at least agree we don’t have any RZ30 bench tests, let alone pro reviews other than the Andrew Robinson video?
 
Will you at least agree we don’t have any RZ30 bench tests, let alone pro reviews other than the Andrew Robinson video?
Agreed. But I will also point out that no 2023+ released product from PAC exhibits the Limp Mode described in Amir's reviews of older products.
 
Agreed. But I will also point out that no 2023+ released product from PAC exhibits the Limp Mode described in Amir's reviews of older products.
So again, the remaining question is what the firmware update does/doesn't do to protection mode on existing RZ50s. One could save $100s if happy with one sub, no pre-outs and still get Dirac.
 
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