The past few years have been tough if you’re receiver shopping. Both TVs and receivers have added features at the rate of a few major updates per year. Lately, things seem to have calmed down, at least on the audio front. Still, when you’re shopping, it’s best to think about the future, and in that case, Onkyo’s new TX-NR787 9.2-channel network A/V receiver appears to have you covered.
The TX-NR787 pushes up to 100 watts per channel eight ohms or 220 watts per channel to six ohms speakers. As mentioned above, the receiver delivers 9.2 channels standard but also supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object-based audio in 5.2.4-channel or 7.2.2-channel formats. These use ceiling mounted or upward-firing speakers to add height in addition to standard surround sound channels, making for even deeper immersion. And if you’re concerned about those power claims, rest easy as the NR787 earns THX Select certification.
Speakers bouncing sound off of the ceiling can lead to phase issues, which can leave your setup sounding thin or hollow. Fortunately, the TX-NR787 includes AccuReflex, found in plenty of recent Onkyo A/V receivers, which automatically keeps sound aligned, making for great sounding object-based surround sound. This is part of Onkyo’s AccuEQ Advance room calibration, which does plenty more to help make setting up your home theater system a breeze.
Whether you have a new TV or are thinking about buying one (start with our 4K TV buying guide), the TX-NR787 supports all the features you need, including 4K / 60p passthrough with support for the most popular high-dynamic range (HDR) formats: Dolby Vision, HDR10, and Hybrid Log Gamma. Along with these, BT.2020 color space, 4:4:4 color sub-sampling, 24-bit color, and HDCP 2.2 are supported on the six HDMI outputs found on the rear of the receiver.
Like the TX-NR686 and TX-NR585 receivers released in April, this receiver supports wireless multiroom audio in a variety of formats using the built-in Wi-Fi. Supported technologies include DTS Play-Fi, FlareConnect, and Apple AirPlay, along with support for Google Chromecast. Bluetooth is supported as well, along with a number of built-in streaming services including Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal, and TuneIn.
The Onkyo TX-NR787 is shipping now and retails for $800. If you’re looking to gain a little more knowledge before you buy, check out our receiver buying guide and our ultimate surround sound guide.
