Onkyo TX-NR545 vs Onkyo TX-NR535

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      Overview

      Here we are comparing Onkyo TX-NR545 to Onkyo TX-NR535 to reveal their common strengths and weaknesses as well as the differences between them which will help you in making a correct decision before the purchase. The Onkyo TX-NR545 has 7 channel and the Onkyo TX-NR535 has 5 channel and equally powerful amplifiers.


      Onkyo TX-NR545 Onkyo TX-NR535

      Onkyo TX-NR545 was introduced in 2015. It is equipped with 7 channel amplifier with 65 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz and 2 channel driven) power per channel and is capable of 7.1 maximum channel processing. It supports Dolby Atmos, passes 4K/60Hz video signal.

      Onkyo TX-NR535 was introduced in 2014. It is equipped with 5 channel amplifier with 65 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz and 2 channel driven) power per channel and is capable of 5.1 maximum channel processing. It , passes 4K/60Hz video signal.

      Highlights

      • 7.2 Channels
      • 7.1 Channel Processing
      • 65 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
      • Dolby Atmos
      • HDR10
      • 4K/60Hz Passthrough
      • Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet

      Highlights

      • 5.2 Channels
      • 5.1 Channel Processing
      • 65 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
      • 4K/60Hz Passthrough
      • Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these receivers, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Onkyo TX-NR545 and Onkyo TX-NR535.

      PROS

      Onkyo TX-NR545

      Onkyo TX-NR535

      •   Dolby Atmos
      •   DSD via HDMI
      •   Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic.
      •   HDR10
      •   New HDCP Version
      •   Analog To HDMI Upconversion
      •   Wi-Fi
      •   Bluetooth
      •   USB Input
      •   Many RCA Line Inputs
      •   Composite Video Inputs
      •   Component Video Inputs
      •   Ethernet
      •   Analog Tuner
      •   Pandora
      •   Spotify
      •   Independent Power Supply
      •   DSD via HDMI
      •   Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic.
      •   Wi-Fi
      •   Bluetooth
      •   USB Input
      •   Many RCA Line Inputs
      •   Composite Video Inputs
      •   Component Video Inputs
      •   Ethernet
      •   Analog Tuner
      •   Pandora
      •   Spotify
      •   Independent Power Supply

      CONS

      Onkyo TX-NR545

      Onkyo TX-NR535

      •   Low Power Output - 65 W
      •   No Front Wide Channel Support
      •   No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
      •   No DTS:X
      •   No IMAX Enhanced
      •   No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
      •   No HDR10+
      •   No Dolby Vision
      •   No eARC
      •   No 8K Passthrough
      •   Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
      •   1 HDMI Outputs
      •   0 8K Input
      •   No Phono Input
      •   No RCA Pre-Outs
      •   No Digital Radio
      •   No Tidal
      •   Bluetooth 2․1 + EDR
      •   Few Channels - 5.2
      •   Low Power Output - 65 W
      •   5.1 Channel Processing
      •   No Dolby Atmos
      •   No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
      •   No DTS:X
      •   No IMAX Enhanced
      •   No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
      •   No HDR10
      •   No HDR10+
      •   No Dolby Vision
      •   No eARC
      •   No 8K Passthrough
      •   Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
      •   1 HDMI Outputs
      •   0 8K Input
      •   No Phono Input
      •   No RCA Pre-Outs
      •   No Digital Radio
      •   No Tidal
      •   Bluetooth 2․1 + EDR


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Onkyo TX-NR545

      Onkyo TX-NR535

      •   7.2 Channels
      •   7.1 Channel Processing
      •   6 HDMI Inputs
      •   2 Zones
      •   6 HDMI Inputs
      •   2 Zones

      Advantage of Onkyo TX-NR545

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Onkyo TX-NR545 over Onkyo TX-NR535.

      Onkyo TX-NR545 vs Onkyo TX-NR535
      More Channels 7.2 vs 5.2
      Higher DAC Specs 384 kHz/32 Bit vs 192 kHz/24 Bit
      More Channel Processing 7.1 vs 5.1
      Dolby Atmos up to with firmware update vs
      Dolby Surround Upmixer vs
      DTS-ES vs
      Music Playback via USB FLAC, WAV, Apple Lossless, WMA, WMA Lossless, Ogg, MP3, DSD, AAC, LPCM, Dolby TrueHD vs FLAC, WAV, Apple Lossless, WMA, WMA Lossless, Ogg, MP3, DSD, AAC, LPCM
      Phase-Matching Bass Boost for Deep Bass and Clear Mid-Range vs
      More Advanced Auto Speaker Calibration System AccuEQ Advance vs AccuEQ
      HDR10 vs
      Analog To HDMI Upconversion Component**, Composite vs
      AirPlay AirPlay vs AirPlay via optional Onkyo RI Dock DS-A5 (sold separately)
      More Optical Inputs 2 vs 1
      More RCA Line Inputs 8 (1 front) vs 7 (1 front)
      More Component Video Inputs 2 vs 1
      More Powered Zones 2 vs
      Deezer vs
      More Speaker Terminals 9 vs 5
      More Large Speaker Terminals 9 vs 5
      Bigger Power Supply 4.3 A vs 3.2 A
      Lower THD 0.08% (20 Hz - 20 kHz, half power) vs 0.7% (20 Hz - 20 kHz, Half power)

      Check out other receivers which are frequently compared to Onkyo TX-NR545.

      Advantage of Onkyo TX-NR535

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Onkyo TX-NR535 over Onkyo TX-NR545.

      Onkyo TX-NR545 vs Onkyo TX-NR535
      Dolby Pro Logic vs PLII
      InstaPrevue Input Source Prevue vs
      More Coaxial Inputs/Outputs 1 vs 2
      More Composite Video Outputs vs 1
      More Component Video Outputs vs 1
      Front A/V Inputs Composite Video, RCA Audio vs USB, Composite Video, RCA audio
      Color-Coded Speaker Terminals vs
      Higher Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel driven, IEC) 100 W (1% THD) vs 115 W (0.9% THD)

      Check out other receivers which are frequently compared to Onkyo TX-NR535.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Onkyo TX-NR545 Onkyo TX-NR535
        DSD via HDMI 2-ch/Multi-ch Input 2-ch/Multi-ch Input
        Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic. AccuEQ Advance AccuEQ
        Wi-Fi
        Bluetooth
        USB Input1 (Rear)1 (Front)
        Many RCA Line Inputs8 (1 front)7 (1 front)
        Composite Video Inputs4 (1 front)4 (1 front)
        Component Video Inputs21
        Ethernet
        Analog Tuner FM/AM FM/AM
        Pandora
        Spotify
        Independent Power Supply22
      WEAKNESSES Onkyo TX-NR545 Onkyo TX-NR535
        Low Power Output65 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)65 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
        No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
        No DTS:X
        No IMAX Enhanced
        No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
        No HDR10+
        No Dolby Vision
        No eARC
        No 8K Passthroughup to 4K/60p (RGB/YCbCr4:4:4/YCbCr4:2:2, 24 bit)up to 4K/60p (YCbCr 4:2:0)
        Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
        Few HDMI Outputs11
        Few 8K Inputs
        No Phono Input
        No RCA Pre-Outs0.20.2
        No Digital Radio
        No Tidal
        Old Bluetooth Version2․1 + EDR2․1 + EDR

      Audio Section

      Amplifier

      Onkyo TX-NR545 Onkyo TX-NR535

      7 channel Amplifier: Onkyo TX-NR545 features 7 channel power amplifier. It is rated at 65 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven).

      5 channel Amplifier: Onkyo TX-NR535 features 5 channel power amplifier. It is rated at 65 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven).

      • WRAT (Wide Range Amp Technology): Onkyo TX-NR545 and Onkyo TX-NR535 feature Onkyo’s Wide Range Amp Technology (WRAT) circuit layout that prevents phase shifting by pushing the roll-off point higher than the listening-level frequency. Amplifying sound without phase shift creates an uncommonly well-focused and realistic audio image. If phase shift occurs and signal timing is not accurate, then neither is the resulting audio image.

      Speaker Configurations

      Onkyo TX-NR545's and Onkyo TX-NR535's amplifiers can be assigned for different speaker configurations.

      • Dolby Atmos Configurations: The following speaker configurations are supported for Dolby Atmos:
      • Onkyo TX-NR545: 5.2.2 with internal amplifier.
      • Onkyo TX-NR535: Not supported.
      • Configurations without height channels: There are also other speaker configurations available which do not include height channels:
      • Onkyo TX-NR545: 5.2, 7.2 with internal amplifier.
      • Onkyo TX-NR535: 5.2 with internal amplifier.
      • Dolby Atmos

        Onkyo TX-NR545 supports Dolby Atmos. It is a cinematic audio format in which sounds exist as individual entities, called audio objects. In Dolby Atmos, any sound can exist as an independent audio object, free of channel restrictions. They can be precisely placed and moved anywhere in your room, including overhead, to flow above and around you in three-dimensional space. Through the use of audio objects, overhead sound, and all the richness, clarity, and power of Dolby sound, Dolby Atmos turns your room into an amazing place for entertainment. The format supports up to 128 simultaneous independent audio objects in a mix for rich, realistic, and breathtaking sound. It recreates the director's original concept through descriptive metadata to provide customized playback for home theater and delivers sounds above you through overhead speakers, special upward-firing Dolby Atmos speakers, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar.

        • Dolby Surround Upmixer: Onkyo TX-NR545 supports Dolby Surround Upmixer. If the content is not mixed in Dolby Atmos then the Dolby surround upmixer will expand the audio to all channels including ceiling speakers. The upmixer has replaced the Dolby Pro Logic II family with improved upmixing algorithms.

        Sound Processing

        • Compressed Music Enhancer: Onkyo TX-NR545 and Onkyo TX-NR535 feature Compressed Music Enhancer which enhances the quality of the music files with lossy compression.
        • Advanced Music Optimizer: Compressed music enhancement in Onkyo TX-NR545 and Onkyo TX-NR535 is done by Onkyo’s Advanced Music Optimizer. While MP3 or AAC files may sound fine through the headphones of your portable digital player, the limitations of these files can be exposed when played back through a quality home entertainment system. This is because a significant amount of high-frequency bit information is lost during the file-compression process. To counter this, Onkyo has designed the Advanced Music Optimizer to compensate for lost bit information and improve the quality of compressed audio signals. This results in a clearer and more expansive sound. Also included in this technology is a loudness correction feature that further improves the audio character of compressed files.

        Room Calibration

        Onkyo TX-NR545 comes with AccuEQ Advance and Onkyo TX-NR535 comes with AccuEQ room correction system.

        • AccuEQ: First, AccuEQ detects the presence of speakers and evaluates the impedance of each. Next, it pinpoints their distance relative to the main listening position using the mic and sets suitable sound-pressure levels. Then it selects the optimal crossover frequency so that deeper bass rolls smoothly off to the subwoofer. Finally, AccuEQ performs frequency response equalization based on room-acoustic and speaker data collected via microphone. The sound-field is now tailored around the listening position, resulting in a more immersive and realistic in-film experience.

      Video Section

      HDMI

      Onkyo TX-NR545 and Onkyo TX-NR535 come with 6 HDMI inputs. It has 1 output.

      • 4K/60Hz Passthrough: On both receivers all inputs pass up to 4K/60p (RGB/YCbCr4:4:4/YCbCr4:2:2, 24 bit) video signal.
      • Analog To HDMI Upconversion: Onkyo TX-NR545 supports analog to HDMI Upconversion, so you can input your analog video sources and output them digitally via HDMI. This means that you will need only one HDMI cable to connect to your TV.
      • HDCP 2.2.0 Copy Protection: Onkyo TX-NR545 is HDCP 2.2.0 compliant which is a requirement for 4K/HDR copy-protected content transmission.
      • 3D Ready: Both receivers are able to pass 3D video through HDMI.

      HDR (High Dynamic Range)

      Onkyo TX-NR545 supports HDR10

      Onkyo TX-NR535 does not support HDR.

      High dynamic range video has greater dynamic range than standard dynamic range (SDR) video with brighter whites and deeper blacks. The result is greater contrast and more details in dark and bright areas, better color and depth.

      • HDR10: HDR10 uses the wide-gamut Rec. 2020 color space. It sends static metadata via video stream to the TV which calibrates its screen brightness and color according to that. HDR10 supports 10-bit color which corresponds to 1024 shades of the primary RGB colors. It is technically limited to a maximum of 10,000 nits peak brightness, however common HDR10 contents are mastered with peak brightness from 1,000 to 4,000 nits.

      Inputs and Outputs

      Audio

      • Analog Line Inputs and Outputs: There are 8 pair of line inputs on Onkyo TX-NR545 and 7 pair of line inputs on Onkyo TX-NR535 for connecting sources with analog outputs. There are also 1 pair of line outputs on the receivers.
      • Digital Inputs: 2 optical inputs and 1 coaxial input are available on Onkyo TX-NR545 and 1 optical input and 2 coaxial inputs are available on Onkyo TX-NR535 for digital audio connections.
      • Headphone Output: There is a 6.3 mm (1/4") headphone output jack on the front panel of each receiver.

      Video

      • HDMI:
      • Onkyo TX-NR545
        Inputs:
        6   Outputs: 1
        8K Inputs: 0.
      • Onkyo TX-NR535
        Inputs:
        6   Outputs: 1
        8K Inputs: 0.
      • Composite Video: Connect you VCR, Laserdisc player and other old video equipment with composite video cables.
      • Onkyo TX-NR545
        Inputs:
        4   Outputs: 0.
      • Onkyo TX-NR535
        Inputs:
        4   Outputs: 1.
      • Component Video: Component video connection gives you the higher quality video compared to the composite video connection. So in case your old DVD player and other equipment do not have an HDMI output but have Component video output use this connection over the composite one.
      • Onkyo TX-NR545 supports up to 480i/576i resolution on Component video connectors. resolution on Component video connectors.
      • Onkyo TX-NR545
        Inputs:
        2   Outputs: 0.
      • Onkyo TX-NR535
        Inputs:
        1   Outputs: 1.

      Front A/V Inputs

      • Onkyo TX-NR545: Composite Video, RCA Audio
      • Onkyo TX-NR535: USB, Composite Video, RCA audio

      Onkyo TX-NR545

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      Onkyo TX-NR535

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      Evaluations

      We evaluate Onkyo TX-NR545 and Onkyo TX-NR535 and give them scores of 79 and 71 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new receiver is added to the database.


      Onkyo TX-NR545

      Onkyo TX-NR535

      OVERALL
      79
      OVERALL
      71

      Amplifier

      Onkyo TX-NR545

      Onkyo TX-NR535

      GOOD
      73
      •   7.2 Channels
      •   Low Power Output - 65 W
      •   Independent Power Supply
      GOOD
      71
      •   Few Channels - 5.2
      •   Low Power Output - 65 W
      •   Independent Power Supply

      Audio Features

      Onkyo TX-NR545

      Onkyo TX-NR535

      GOOD
      81
      •   7.2 Channels
      •   No Front Wide Channel Support
      •   7.1 Channel Processing
      •   Dolby Atmos
      •   No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
      •   No DTS:X
      •   No IMAX Enhanced
      •   No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
      •   DSD via HDMI
      GOOD
      70
      •   Few Channels - 5.2
      •   5.1 Channel Processing
      •   No Dolby Atmos
      •   No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
      •   No DTS:X
      •   No IMAX Enhanced
      •   No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
      •   DSD via HDMI

      Video Features

      Onkyo TX-NR545

      Onkyo TX-NR535

      GOOD
      80
      •   HDR10
      •   No HDR10+
      •   No Dolby Vision
      •   No 8K Passthrough
      •   Analog To HDMI Upconversion
      AVERAGE
      66
      •   No HDR10
      •   No HDR10+
      •   No Dolby Vision
      •   No 8K Passthrough

      Connectivity

      Onkyo TX-NR545

      Onkyo TX-NR535

      GOOD
      80
      •   No eARC
      •   New HDCP Version
      •   Wi-Fi
      •   Bluetooth
      •   Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
      •   6 HDMI Inputs
      •   1 HDMI Outputs
      •   0 8K Input
      •   USB Input
      •   Many RCA Line Inputs
      •   No Phono Input
      •   No RCA Pre-Outs
      •   Composite Video Inputs
      •   Component Video Inputs
      •   Ethernet
      •   Bluetooth 2․1 + EDR
      GOOD
      78
      •   No eARC
      •   Wi-Fi
      •   Bluetooth
      •   Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
      •   6 HDMI Inputs
      •   1 HDMI Outputs
      •   0 8K Input
      •   USB Input
      •   Many RCA Line Inputs
      •   No Phono Input
      •   No RCA Pre-Outs
      •   Composite Video Inputs
      •   Component Video Inputs
      •   Ethernet
      •   Bluetooth 2․1 + EDR

      Zones

      Onkyo TX-NR545

      Onkyo TX-NR535

      GOOD
      77
      •   2 Zones
      AVERAGE
      64
      •   2 Zones

      Radio

      Onkyo TX-NR545

      Onkyo TX-NR535

      EXCELLENT
      93
      •   Analog Tuner
      •   Pandora
      •   Spotify
      •   No Tidal
      EXCELLENT
      90
      •   Analog Tuner
      •   Pandora
      •   Spotify
      •   No Tidal


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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