Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.
Overview
Onkyo TX-NR929 was introduced in 2013. It is equipped with 9 channel amplifier with 135 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) power per channel and is capable of 11.1 maximum channel processing. It passes 4K/30Hz and upscales up to 4K/30p (Marvell Qdeo) video signal.
We evaluated the a/v receiver and gave 84 overall score out of 100. Our ranking system is based on the amplifier specifications, audio and video features, connectivity, multizone capabilities, radio and many other details.
Onkyo TX-NR929 features 9 channel power amplifier. It is rated at 135 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) and is able to drive 4 ohm speakers.
WRAT (Wide Range Amp Technology): Onkyo TX-NR929 features 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.
THX Select™2 Plus certified
Onkyo TX-NR929 is THX Select™2 Plus certified. This means that it is ideally suited for a room where the screen-to-seat viewing distance is approximately 3 to 4 meters, and the room size is approximately 56 cubic meters.
THX™ Certification: THX™ Certification offers optimal performance, superior quality and seamless integration. THX works with partners from the ground up, so that certified products deliver professional quality audio-visual experiences right out of the box. They only certify the very best products with uncompromised quality, performance and consistency. They ensure that THX certified devices play well with lower performing devices and components. THX listening modes make the receiver to have one speaker set up for movies, music and games. They are tested for power output, bass management, signal-to-noise ratio and feature THX Loudness Plus, Boundary Gain Compensation, Timbre Matching and RE-EQ.
Power Output: Power output is tested to ensure the receiver accurately plays source material at THX Reference Level in every input and mode and at every sampling rate for all possible playback combinations selected by the listener.
Frequency Response: THX has strict requirements for frequency response to ensure that you hear all the details in high-resolution tracks, ensures dialog in movies, and vocals in music are clear while maintaining deep, impactful bass output that doesn’t overpower the listening experience.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: THX tests the signal-to-noise ratio to ensure the unit is designed to have low noise performance with very little to no audible hiss from the speakers.
Bass Management: THX requires an 80Hz crossover point in the setup menu to ensure proper bass management in every THX Certified AVR. This setting confirms that the subwoofer handles low frequencies, freeing up the loudspeakers to handle mids and highs.
THX Loudness Plus™: THX Loudness Plus™ is a volume control technology featured in THX Certified Dominus, THX Certified Ultra and THX Certified Select AV Receivers, and preamplifiers that automatically adjusts the front-to-back speaker level relationship as you turn the volume down. With THX Loudness Plus, home theater audiences can now experience the rich details of surround sound at any volume level.
Boundary Gain Compensation: Sitting near a wall may result in increased acoustic levels at the lower frequencies. BGC corrects the way low frequency sound is perceived when seated near a wall. This results in a more accurate bass response.
Timbre Matching: Your ears hear different tonal qualities in sounds coming from different directions. Timbre Matching restores the frequency balance between your front and surround speakers ensuring seamless and smooth panning between the front to back of the room.
RE-EQ: Many movie soundtracks are mixed in studios for playback in large cinema auditoriums with an array of speakers. When played on home systems, they may appear abrasive and edgy. Re-EQ establishes a more accurate tonal balance when enjoying movies in your home.
AMPLIFIER
Channels
9.2
Power Output
135 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
Front Wide Channel Support
WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology)
VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry)
Optimum Gain Volume Circuitry
THX™ Certification
Select™2 Plus
Continuous 6 Ω Rated
Certified 4 Ω Performance
Discrete Output Stage Circuitry
3-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry
All Channels
PUSH-PULL Design
Independent Block Construction (Amp/Preprocessor)
Bi-amp Capability
BTL (Bridged Transless or Bridging)
Speaker Configurations
Onkyo TX-NR929's 9 channel amplifier can be assigned for different speaker configurations.
Configurations: Available configurations are:
5.2, 7.2, 9.2 with internal amplifier.
Front Wide Channel support: Onkyo TX-NR929 supports front wide channels. With the presence of two front wide speakers you can enhance the front surround stage. The following speaker configurations are available for front wide channels - 9.2.
2-ch Bi-Amp: Onkyo TX-NR929 allows you to bi-amp up to 2 main channels simultaneously. During bi-amplification two amplifiers are used for one speaker. One amplifier powers the midrange and tweeter section of the speaker and another amplifier powers the low frequency woofers. Each amplifier is less loaded and performs better. In order to use this feature speakers must have 2 pairs of connectors.
Onkyo TX-NR929
Audyssey DSX
Audyssey DSX allows you to augment a standard five-channel home theater with either two Front Wide or two Front High speakers. The Wide channels create an expansive soundstage and bring out convincing directional effects. Alternatively, Height channels can add a vertical dimension to movie and game soundtracks.
DECODING
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
Dolby Atmos Music
Dolby TrueHD
Dolby Digital Plus
Dolby Surround Upmixer
Dolby Pro Logic
PLIIz
Dolby Digital EX
Surround EX
also known as Dolby Digital Surround EX
DTS:X
DTS Neural:X
DTS Virtual:X
DTS Neo
Neo:X
DTS-HD Master Audio
DTS-HD High Resolution Audio
DTS 96/24
DTS Express
DTS-ES
Discrete 6.1, Matrix 6.1
IMAX Enhanced
Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
Sound Processing
Audyssey: Onkyo TX-NR929 comes with Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume.
Dynamic EQ: selects the best possible frequency response and surround volume levels moment-by-moment. This ensures that the bass response, tonal balance and surround impression remain constant despite changes in volume. This is the first technology that carefully combines information from incoming source levels with actual output sound levels in the room, a pre-requisite for delivering a dynamic volume solution.
Dynamic Volume: Your Listening experience can be greatly diminished when there are significant shifts in volume between television programs, commercials and within the program material itself. When this happens you must constantly adjust the volume to maintain your desired listening level. Audyssey Dynamic Volume monitors the volume of program material moment-by-moment and automatically adjusts it, maintaining the desired listening level for all content while optimizing the dynamic range to preserve impact.
Advanced Music Optimizer: Compressed music enhancement in Onkyo TX-NR929 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-NR929 comes with Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room correction system and includes the calibration microphone.
Audyssey Room Calibration: Audyssey is an acoustic measurement technology which automatically restores the acoustic distortion caused by the acoustic behaviour of a room with only a push on a button. Audyssey equalization provides an clear, accurate, natural sound with voices and dialog that become focused and intelligible, restoring the musical balance. Musical instruments and sound effects become precisely localized and the surround soundstage is made seamless and enveloping.
Video Section
HDMI
Onkyo TX-NR929 features 9 HDMI inputs. It has 2 outputs: 1 Main and 1 Sub/Zone2.
4K/30Hz Passthrough: All inputs pass up to 4K/30p video signal.
4K Upscaling: Onkyo TX-NR929 can upscale up to 4K/30p (Marvell Qdeo) from HDMI and analog sources.
Analog To HDMI Upconversion: The a/v receiver supports video upconversion, so you can connect your analog Component and Composite and PC video sources and Onkyo TX-NR929 will output them via HDMI. This means that you will need only one HDMI cable to connect to your TV.
HDCP 2.2 Copy Protection: All inputs and outputs are HDCP 2.2 compliant which is a requirement for 4K/HDR copy-protected content transmission.
3D Ready: Onkyo TX-NR929 is able to pass 3D video through HDMI.
Onkyo TX-NR929
VIDEO FEATURES
HDR10
HDR10+
Dynamic HDR
BT.2020 color space
Dolby Vision
HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma)
HDBaseT Compatible
Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC)
HDCP Version
2.2
QMS (Quick Media Switching)
ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode)
VRR (Variable Refresh Rate)
QFT (Quick Frame transport)
3-D Ready
Video Signal Passthrough
up to 4K/30p
Video Signal Upscaling
up to 4K/30p (Marvell Qdeo)
Multi-zone Playback
Onkyo TX-NR929 offers multi-zone playback which allows you to play different input sources in 3 different rooms.
Zone 2
Powered Zone 2: You can use the unit's 2 amplifier channels by connecting Zone 2 speakers directly to the speaker terminals. The remaining 7 channels will be left for main zone amplification.
HDMI Output: Onkyo TX-NR929 offers HDMI output for Zone 2. This means that it can send two different HDMI signals to two displays.
Audio Line Output: If you have a dedicated integrated amplifier for Zone 2 you can connect it to the a/v receiver via line outs by sending fixed signal and then control volume on the Zone 2 amplifier.
Zone 3
Powered Zone 3: You can use the unit's 2 amplifier channels by connecting Zone 3 speakers directly to the speaker terminals. The remaining 7 channels will be left for main zone amplification.
Audio Line Output: If you have a dedicated integrated amplifier for Zone 3 you can connect it to the a/v receiver via line outs by sending fixed signal and then control volume on the Zone 2 amplifier.
ZONES
Number of Zones
3
Powered Zones
2 and 3
Zone 2 Outs
HDMI, RCA Line Out
Zone 3 Outs
RCA Line Out
Whole House Mode
RS-232C Interface
+12V Trigger Output
2 (Zone2, Zone 3)
Remote (IR) Input/Output
1 / 1
Check out the receivers which are frequently compared to Onkyo TX-NR929.
Phono Input: There is an MM phono input with built-in phono stage for connecting the moving magnet cartridge output of the turntable directly to the a/v receiver.
Analog Pre-Outs: Onkyo TX-NR929 has 11.2 preamplifier outputs which allow you to connect the a/v receiver to the external power amplifier. You may want to use a high quality external amplifier for certain channels, usually for front L/R and center, and use the a/v receiver to power the rest. Also, Onkyo TX-NR929 has 11 channel processing but has only 9 channel amplifier, so it needs the external amplifier connected to the analog pre-outs in order to reach the maximum speaker configuration.
Analog Line Inputs: There are 7 line inputs for analog audio connection.
Digital Inputs: 3 optical inputs and 3 coaxial inputs are available for digital audio connection.
Headphone Output: There is a 6.3 mm (1/4") headphone output jack on the front panel.
Composite Video: Connect you VCR, Laserdisc player and other old video equipment with composite video cables.
Inputs: 5 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-NR929 supports up to 1080p resolution on Component video connectors.
We evaluate Onkyo TX-NR929 and give score of 84 out of 100. We also give separate scores for 6 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.
OVERALL
84
Amplifier
EXCELLENT
94
We give Onkyo TX-NR929 a score of 94 for Amplifier features.
9.2 Channels
High Power Output - 135 W
THX™ Certification
Independent Power Supply
Audio Features
GOOD
81
We give Onkyo TX-NR929 a score of 81 for Audio Features features.
9.2 Channels
Front Wide Channel Support
11.1 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
AVERAGE
66
We give Onkyo TX-NR929 a score of 66 for Video Features features.
No HDR10
No HDR10+
No Dolby Vision
No 8K Passthrough
Analog To HDMI Upconversion
Connectivity
EXCELLENT
89
We give Onkyo TX-NR929 a score of 89 for Connectivity features.
No eARC
New HDCP Version
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
9 HDMI Inputs
3 HDMI Outputs
0 8K Input
USB Input
Many RCA Line Inputs
Phono Input
RCA Pre-Outs
Composite Video Inputs
Component Video Inputs
Ethernet
Bluetooth 2․1 + EDR
Zones
EXCELLENT
91
We give Onkyo TX-NR929 a score of 91 for Zones features.
3 Zones
Radio
EXCELLENT
88
We give Onkyo TX-NR929 a score of 88 for Radio features.
Analog Tuner
Pandora
Spotify
No Tidal
For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure
ZKelectronics is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon (.com, .co.uk, .ca, etc) and any other websites that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.