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|  | Home Onkyo HT-RC180 7.2-Channel A/V Surround Home Network Receiver (Black) | |
|  | |  | | | Onkyo HT-RC180 7.2-Channel A/V Surround Home Network Receiver (Black) | | | | | SKU:
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Usually ships in 1 business days | | | | | | The THXSelect2 Plus Certified HT-RC180 combines the latest home-theater functionality with home-network capability to create a compelling mid-range centerpiece. A rear-side Ethernet port enables the HT-RC180 either to receive and output audio tracks playing on your PC, or to bypass your PC and directly stream internet radio stations such as Rhapsody and Pandora. The HT-RC180 provides five HDMI1.3a inputs to handle a range of high-definition video and audio sources. HDMI compatibility also enables the receiver to upscale any video input to 1080p via Faroudja DCDi Cinema. This 110 W-rated receiver also features Audyssey DSXand DolbyPro LogicIIz, two new surround-sound formats that expand the spatial dimensionality of games and movies. On top of all this, you also have Audyssey room-correction and equalization technologies working to create a well-balanced soundstage, no matter the volume level or the shape of your room. Among the other highlights of the HT-RC180 are a customizable remote controller and a proprietary Universal Port that enables single-cable connection of peripheral audio devices. | | | |
List Price:
| $1,049.00 | |
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| $508.00
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| | Product Details | | Product Length: | 17.12 inches | | Product Width: | 17.13 inches | | Product Height: | 7.81 inches | | Product Weight: | 39.7 pounds | | Package Length: | 22.5 inches | | Package Width: | 21.7 inches | | Package Height: | 13.0 inches | | Package Weight: | 47.0 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 38 reviews |
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| | Features | 110 Watts per Channel at 8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.08%, 2 Channels Driven, FTCTHX Select2 Plus Certified with THX Loudness PlusHDMI Video Upscaling to 1080p with Faroudja DCDi CinemaAudio and 1080p Video Processing via HDMI (5 Inputs and 1 Output)Powered Zone 2 and Zone 3 for Playback of Separate Sources in Other Rooms
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| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 Home Network Powerhouse Jul 28, 2010
After looking hard and long for a network A/V receiver, this was the best component for my setup. It's connected to a LG 55LD650 television and up converts the video signal of everything to 1080p. Sound bumps through crystal clear pumping 135 watts per channel through my BOSE cube speakers. And I love the Internet Radio. I can also play my entire iTunes library connected to my network...
All-in-all, this receiver rocks!
Awesome receiver! Jul 24, 2010
A beast of a receiver and awesome sound! Looks great and performs even better. More features than I know what to do with. Very easy to use and setup. I use the internet radio and Pandora all the time. The video upconversion to 1080p is flawless. Great remote too. No complaints.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Fantastic sound, value impossible to beat Jun 24, 2010
This receiver is a fantastic buy, whether you're evaluating it on its own merits or comparing it to others in its price range. If you're setting up a 3D Home Theater and have the TV or projector for it, this receiver won't meet your needs as it isn't 3D compatible. If not, the value here is impossible to beat.
First, on its own merits: the sound this receiver pushes is fantastic. It has Audyssey MultEQ with up to 6 locations, which automatically customizers speaker and sub levels for the ideal sound across all the locations that you test. It's Ethernet ready, so you can hook it into your network or use Internet radio like Pandora directly through the receiver. It has Dolby PlIIz sound decoding if you want to try front height channels, along with the other sound decoding that you'd expect (DD Plus, TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio).
Side note: the 7.2 means that it has 2 sub outputs, but they're the same signal, so it's basically a a 7.1 system with an internal Y-splitter. This isn't a dig at the receiver, as that's what you're pretty much always going to see on a system with 2 sub outputs until you move to a much higher price point. It's a nice bonus to have it be 7.2 if you want two subs (and you do!), as you don't have the extra clutter of a splitter plugged into the back and you're not really paying more for that feature anyway, but it's not a requirement that should make you rule out 7.1s in your comparisons.
Second, compared to other models in its price range, this receiver is impossible to beat. Just a quick look at two comparable Onkyo receivers - the Onkyo TX-NR708 7.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver (Black) and the Onkyo TX-SR608 7.2-Channel A/V Home Theater Receiver (Black) - shows you what a steal this receiver is. The 608 is a new release, and the 708 is, as of the date of this review, still a preorder.
The 608 is a bit cheaper, but it doesn't have Ethernet - meaning that you can't hook it up to your network or stream Internet radio directly through your receiver, and you'll have to deal with taking the receiver in to a dealer or using a USB thumb drive anytime you need to update the firmware. That lack of Ethernet is something you'll see with most receivers in this price range. The 608 also only has Audyssey 2EQ, meaning that automated speaker customization can only optimize for two locations rather than 6. That's another limitation you'll see with most receivers in this price range. There are a few other missing features, and the 608 is a bit weaker at 100W instead of 110W, but those are the main missing items that were dealbreakers for me.
The 708 is extremely similar to the HT-RC180 but costs a couple hundred dollars more (and isn't out yet). It doesn't upconvert video from component inputs, which may or may not matter to you.
The main gain you get from the 708 (and the 608) is the ability to work with HDMI 1.4a for 3D video. As noted above, if that's what you're after, the HT-RC180 isn't for you, and you'll want to go with something like the 608 or 708. However, if you don't have or plan to have a 3D TV or projector anytime soon, this feature may be irrelevant to you, as it was to me. I opted to save some money by going with a receiver that doesn't do 3D video, as it's still a pretty limited/fledgling technology and if I get a TV or projector that can do 3D in the future, I'll evaluate 3D-capable receivers at that time.
Notes in conclusion: If you don't need 3D video, you won't find a better receiver for this price. For reference, my system as a whole consists of two BIC America F12 12-Inch 475-Watt Front Firing Powered Subwoofers for subs, a Jamo S406 5-speaker system, and a Jamo C400SUR Black Concert series surround speaker pair to make the system a 7.2. The sound quality overall is amazing for both movies and music. You won't be disappointed.
4 of 6 found the following review helpful:
 cdy Jun 17, 2010
Be warned when purchasing an Onkyo unit that you will have hassles if you need to go through their support department. I purchased a unit this past weekend and it was missing the remote. I followed their support process and here are some things to note:
1) I sent a support query about the missing remote. The query included the location and time/date of purchase as well as the serial number (their form requires it).
2) Onkyo replied a couple days later asking me to FAX the original receipt and include the serial number. Note that I had already included the serial number in the support query that they had replied to.
3) A couple of hours later, they wrote back and said they had received my FAX but not the serial number. Note that I had already included it in correspondence to them twice now.
4) Silence for a couple of days.
5) I pinged them in e-mail and no reply
6) I called them today to ask the status. I first got a very rude guy who condescendingly told me I needed to FAX them some information. I said I already had. He then rudely told me to talk to the original woman I've been speaking to and transferred me. I got her on the phone and she acted if I was interrupting her day and mumbled something about how she had already received all of my information. I asked so what's the status? She said "It's been shipped! I just said that!". No, actually you didn't.
Some people may assume I'm one of those demanding rude customers and they were reacting to that. I can assure you I am not. I deal with vendors every day as part of my normal job.
Anyway, YMMV. Just note that you might have a festive experience if you need to interact with their support department.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 I love this Onkyo!! Tips and tricks and network streaming issues solved.. Jun 07, 2010
I was looking at the Onkyo models for a few months, two things I was really wanting network access and preamp outputs. I had my eye on both this and it's big cousin, the Onkyo TX-NR807 7.2-Channel A/V Surround Home Network Receiver (Black). What I really loved was the ability to stream lossless .flac files over the network connection! I set the price watch for under $600 and within a month I had an email saying my target price had been met!! This replaced reasonably high quality separates, an Outlaw home theater processor and a Parasound 5 channel amplifier. I was a little worried about moving away from separates so having the preouts for an amp made me rest a little easier knowing I could continue using my Parasound amp or even higher end down the road if I get a larger living area. So after months of research and waiting I made the purchase! Amazon made everything so easy! It is truly the best shopping experience when it comes to choice and availability.
Setup...
The receiver arrived from Onecall on a cross country trip in perfect shape! After unpacking it seemed to be a very quality item. Setup was a breeze after a little haggling with my Sony BDP-N460 Blu-ray Disc Player (Black) audio settings, getting Lossless audio took some time. I decided to use component video and coaxial audio for my Directv Hd/dvr Receiver With Built In B-band Converter [hr23] and assigning the inputs were a breeze, I honestly prefer the picture a quality set of components give over HDMI. Plus I knew the highest audio I would get on the directv would be dolby digital so coaxial was fine, and I really don't think the limited choices of 1080p on Direct is any better than 1080i they have on so many channels. On the Blu-Ray you need HDMI to transmit the TrueHD and DTS Master Audio and get a good quality 1080p picture. Also was able to connect a Xbox through component and optical audio, assigning them were a breeze as well. On the analog front I hooked up a cassette player, just for nostalgia really.. I have no plan to really use it to much but it was cool to hook my old high end cassette player up. I read one review and it stated that there are no analog inputs, which is entirely incorrect. There are composite (Yellow plug) and S-Video inputs for DVD, Sat, Game and VCR as well as two assignable component video inputs. As for audio there are red white RCA connections for all those devices as well as a cassette, CD and Phono. I do believe that you cannot play these in zone 2 or 3 though don't quote me on that.
The receiver will program the remote as well by entering the brand with a quick transfer to the remote, my
Onkyo remote will now control my DirecTV HD-DVR, Sony Blu-Ray and even my Xbox360!! It takes a little practice to work the Directv box but all the major functions are there, to get to DVR playlist hit the setup button and then select playlist!
Sound..
The Audyssey setup was very simple and straightforward and changed many setting that I would have never thought could be so wrong, but the sound was great after! I have a small living room so I never have the volume up very loud, sound was very natural and all channels seemed to melt together in the movie watching environment. I have Paradigm monitors bi-wired with a Cambridge Newton series center channel bi-wired and an old Energy 10" powered subwoofer and some old Infinity surrounds I am close to replacing with Def Tech surrounds. The one problem I found using my Parasound amp was speaker buzz. I use a panamax power conditioner so I assumed the interference was isolated to my receiver to amp connections, I used Kimber Kable interconnects which are decent quality but not much shielding from external components that may not be shielded. So on a whim I decided to try the Onkyo's internal amplifier. I once again ran the Audyssey and just what I thought, the buzz disappeared and what a huge difference there was in sound! Both amps sounded great but the speakers really seemed to come alive in movies and sound effects once the Onkyo internal amplifier was connected. The Parasound had a more natural sound which was great, but the buzz was a problem I didn't want to fight after hearing the internal amplifier and how alive it sounded.
All the sound fields can really be confusing to some people, especially if aren't experienced in this type of thing. I can't even begin to go into all the settings but here are so many different options you will be sure to be happy with something there!! I like the Dolby Digital sound on this receiver but I also sometimes prefer the Direct setting on HD satellite programming. All of this is user tastes, that's probably why there are so many different settings. I can tell you that the HD audio sources sound incredible! DTS master audio was the first I tried and was I floored.. sound was so clear and moving!! It really does bring an entire new element to the movie.
Music is the other half of the audio experience, most of my music is played over network from mp3 and lossless audio, mainly live concerts from live bands like the Grateful Dead and Phish. All of this sounds as good as the original recording allows, especially considering half of these are audience bootlegs downloaded online. Studio recordings are candy to your ears on the Onkyo!! These are mixed to be listened in two channel, there are other music settings on the Onkyo but the "direct" two channel and "stereo" settings both sound incredible over the Paradigm studio monitors. The "stereo" setting adds the subwoofer to the mix, but if you have full range fronts then you are fine with the "direct" setting on two channel music. Soundstage is great and both channels seem to intertwine with each other as stereo is supposed to sound.
Networking (and issues with networking)
As far as network usage it takes some patience to get everything setup and perfect. Plus it helps to have some experience in computers and setting up networks and media servers and libraries, etc. The RC-180 does stream .flac files but the manual also tells you to use widows media player to stream. But without a codec WMP will not play or decode .flac, so it will not work out of the box as the manual suggests. I already had the codec installed on my media server so it did stream sort of, but I have read complaints online about it not working from other owners. Still, I did run into issues, I had breaks in music often, sometimes the music would just stop. I am running everything wireless and it states that a hard wire is recommended but his is not an option for me (I'm not stealing the neighbors connection either). I have a D-Link DAP1522 Xtreme 4-Port GigaBit Selectable Dual Band Draft 802.11n N Duo Wireless Bridge/Access Point wireless bridge at my entertainment center running 802.11N with three other components connected, two being an Xbox360 and Blu-Ray. The Xbox and Blu-Ray never have any problems streaming HD video so I knew it was possible. After some research I found there are tons of DNLA based programs you can use to do this besides settling for Windows Media Player, which we know anything Windows is going to have issues. So after going through these I found a program program called Asset UPnP, I think Asset was created with the audiophile in mind but to say the least this thing saved my Onkyo!! Once setup everything streamed perfectly, I streamed the Beatles in 24bit flac at 2880kbps perfectly!!! The onkyo even tells on the screen the file type and bitrate you are playing. There are also codecs you can add to Asset UPnP for obscure file types like .shn, .ape and .ogg. Asset decodes and sends the file as a pcm wav file so it is still lossless. I had thousands of tracks encoded in .shn lossless that I can now stream to the onkyo without issue!! There may be other programs you use to stream, t is worth it to get flawless performance out of the Onkyo.
Internet radio is also used with my network connection. I have a Sirius radio in my car and now stream to the Onkyo. This is where I have the most issues with the Onkyo, stations don't seem to connect and the Onkyo will move the next station. It is a little annoying and I hope to figure out why that is happening. I really think it is a problem on the Sirius end rather than the Onkyo? I haven't messed with the other stations extensively enough to verify if these issues are inherent on all the streaming radio formats. I had never heard of VTuner until this purchase, but it streams thousands of terrestrial radio stations from all over the world and the Onkyo will search and find local radio stations to stream off of. I was listening to my local rock station for a few minutes, but it doesn't interest me enough to test to long. Also Pandora works fine for me as well so I am partial to think it is a problem with the sirius to onkyo working.
Tips and tricks
Use Asset UPnP to stream from your network connected computers
Use the Mode button to change CONTROL of sources on the remote without changing the source on the receiver
Controlling the DirecTV to see your recordings hit the setup button and then select playlist!
Hope you enjoyed my extensive review.. feel free to respond with any comments or tricks you have learned!
Mica
North Carolina
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Consumer Reports said that while no single retailer scored excellent in all shopping categories, Amazon.com and Crutchfield.com came closest.
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Consumer Reports Says: Buy HDTV at Amazon!
Washington, D.C. (July 2010) -- When it comes to price, Consumer Reports says shoppers are most likely to find the best deals online. And the publication called three ecommerce sites "standouts" in this year's Consumer Reports ratings of electronics stores: Amazon.com, Crutchfield.com and B&H (bhphotovideo.com)
The magazine's survey was based on more than 38,000 purchases of electronics, including flat-screen TVs, between January 2009 and June 2010. The report indicated that online stores consistently offered better prices. (The magazine's full report can be found in its July 2010 issue.)
"Buying online can be better," the magazine said in a press release. "The higher-rated electronics retailers in Consumer Reports annual reader survey are Web sites. Readers who bought online rated their overall satisfaction at 90 out of 100 -- higher than those who bought in a store. Additionally, many Web merchants offer free shipping, even on TVs, which could spare the hassle of struggling to fit a bulky carton in the car or paying a local store for delivery."
Consumer Reports said that while no single retailer scored excellent in all shopping categories, Amazon.com came closest.
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