Onkyo TX-SR444

    71
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    USA Taiwan
    Europe, Australia and Asia
    Others

    Highlights

    • 7.1 Channels
    • 7.1 Channel Processing
    • 65 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
    • Dolby Atmos
    • 4K/60Hz Passthrough
    • Bluetooth
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    Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

    Overview

    Onkyo TX-SR444 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.

    We evaluated the a/v receiver and gave 71 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.

    Table of Contents
    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. 2015 Lineup
    4. Audio Section
    5. Video Section
    6. Multi-zone Playback
    7. Inputs and Outputs
    8. Evaluation
    9. Specifications  

    Here is a history of the series, where you can view and compare the main specifications of the receivers.

    Evolution of the series
    Model Year Chann. Power Dolby Atmos DTS:X HDR10 HDR10+ Dolby Vision Pass. Price
    TX-SR494 Image cannot be found
    Compare
    		2019 7.2 80 W 4K
    TX-NR474 Image cannot be found
    Compare
    		2017 5.1 135 W 4K
    TX-SR444 Image cannot be found 2015 7.1 65 W 4K
    TX-NR414 Image cannot be found
    Compare
    		2012 5.1 80 W 1080p

    You can view their side-by-side comparison here: Onkyo TX-SR494 vs TX-NR474 vs TX-SR444 vs TX-NR414.

    Pros and Cons

    In this section we present pros and cons of Onkyo TX-SR444.

    PROs

    •   Dolby Atmos
    •   DSD via HDMI
    •   Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic.
    •   New HDCP Version
    •   Analog To HDMI Upconversion
    •   Bluetooth
    •   Many RCA Line Inputs
    •   Composite Video Inputs
    •   Component Video Inputs
    •   Analog Tuner
    •   Independent Power Supply

    CONs

    •   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 HDR10+
    •   No Dolby Vision
    •   No eARC
    •   No 8K Passthrough
    •   No Wi-Fi
    •   Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
    •   4 HDMI Inputs
    •   1 HDMI Outputs
    •   0 8K Input
    •   No USB Input
    •   No Phono Input
    •   No RCA Pre-Outs
    •   No Ethernet
    •   No Digital Radio
    •   No Pandora
    •   No Spotify
    •   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

    •   7.1 Channels
    •   7.1 Channel Processing
    •   2 Zones

    Onkyo 2015 Lineup

    In 2015 Onkyo released 7 new receivers. Here is the lineup:

    Onkyo 2015 Lineup
    ModelChannelsPowerMax. Ch. Proc.Pre OutsRoom Corr.Immersive AudioHDRZones Price
    TX-RZ900 Image cannot be found
    Compare
    		7.2140 W7.17.2 AccuEQ AdvanceDolby Atmos
    DTS:X    		HDR103
    TX-RZ800 Image cannot be found
    Compare
    		7.2135 W7.17.2 AccuEQ AdvanceDolby Atmos
    DTS:X    		HDR103
    TX-NR747 Image cannot be found
    Compare
    		7.2110 W7.1 AccuEQ AdvanceDolby Atmos
    DTS:X    		HDR102
    TX-NR646 Image cannot be found
    Compare
    		7.2100 W7.1 AccuEQ AdvanceDolby Atmos
    DTS:X    		HDR102
    TX-NR545 Image cannot be found
    Compare
    		7.265 W7.1 AccuEQ AdvanceDolby AtmosHDR102
    TX-SR444 Image cannot be found 7.165 W7.1 AccuEQ AdvanceDolby Atmos2
    TX-SR343 Image cannot be found
    Compare
    		5.165 W5.11

    You can view their side-by-side comparison here: Onkyo TX-RZ900 vs TX-RZ800 vs TX-NR747 vs TX-NR646 vs TX-NR545 vs TX-SR444.

    Audio Section

    7 channel Amplifier

    Onkyo TX-SR444 features 7 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-SR444 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.
    AMPLIFIER
    Channels7.1
    Power Output65 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
    Continuous 6 Ω Rated
    Certified 4 Ω Performance
    Discrete Output Stage Circuitry
    3-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry
    PUSH-PULL Design
    Independent Block Construction (Amp/Preprocessor)
    Bi-amp Capability
    BTL (Bridged Transless or Bridging)

    Speaker Configurations

    Onkyo TX-SR444's 7 channel amplifier can be assigned for different speaker configurations.

    • Dolby Atmos Configurations: The following speaker configurations are supported for Dolby Atmos:
    • 5.1.2 with internal amplifier.
    • Configurations without height channels: There are also other speaker configurations available which do not include height channels:
    • 5.1, 7.1 with internal amplifier.
    Onkyo TX-SR444
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    Dolby Atmos

    Onkyo TX-SR444 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: 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.
    DECODING
    Dolby Atmos
    Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
    Dolby Atmos Music
    Dolby TrueHD
    Dolby Digital Plus
    Dolby Surround Upmixer
    Dolby Pro Logic
    Surround EX
    DTS:X
    DTS Neural:X
    DTS Virtual:X
    DTS Neo Neo:6
    DTS-HD Master Audio
    DTS-HD High Resolution Audio
    DTS 96/24
    DTS Express
    DTS-ES
    IMAX Enhanced
    Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer

    Sound Processing

    • Advanced Music Optimizer: Compressed music enhancement in Onkyo TX-SR444 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-SR444 comes with AccuEQ Advance room correction system and includes the calibration microphone.

    • 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-SR444 features 4 HDMI inputs. It has 1 output.

    • 4K/60Hz Passthrough: All inputs pass up to 4K/60p (RGB/YCbCr4:4:4/YCbCr4:2:2, 24 bit) video signal.
    • Analog To HDMI Upconversion: The a/v receiver supports video upconversion, so you can connect your analog Component and Composite video sources and Onkyo TX-SR444 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-SR444 is able to pass 3D video through HDMI.
    Onkyo TX-SR444
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    VIDEO FEATURES
    HDR10
    HDR10+
    Dynamic HDR
    BT.2020 color space
    Dolby Vision
    HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma)
    HDBaseT Compatible
    Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC)
    HDCP Version2.2
    QMS (Quick Media Switching)
    ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode)
    VRR (Variable Refresh Rate)
    QFT (Quick Frame transport)
    3-D Ready
    Video Signal Passthroughup to 4K/60p (RGB/YCbCr4:4:4/YCbCr4:2:2, 24 bit)
    Video Signal Upscaling

    Multi-zone Playback

    Onkyo TX-SR444 offers multi-zone playback which allows you to play different input sources in 2 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 5 channels will be left for main zone amplification.
    ZONES
    Number of Zones2
    Powered Zones 2
    Zone 2 Outs
    Whole House Mode
    RS-232C Interface
    +12V Trigger Output0
    Remote (IR) Input/Output0 / 0

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    >

    Inputs and Outputs

    Audio

    • Analog Line Inputs: There are 7 line inputs for analog audio connection.
    • Digital Inputs: 2 optical inputs and 1 coaxial input are available for digital audio connection.
    • Headphone Output: There is a 6.3 mm (1/4") headphone output jack on the front panel.

    Video

    • HDMI:
    • Inputs: 4   Outputs: 1
      8K Inputs: 0
    • Composite Video: Connect you VCR, Laserdisc player and other old video equipment with composite video cables.
    • Inputs: 3   Outputs: 0
    • 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-SR444 supports up to 480i/576i resolution on Component video connectors.
    • Inputs: 2   Outputs: 0

    Front A/V Inputs

    • Composite Video, RCA Audio
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    TERMINALS
    HDMI Inputs4
    HDMI Outputs1
    8K Inputs
    USB Input
    USB DC Out Port 5 V, 1 A
    Optical Inputs2
    Optical Outputs
    Coaxial Inputs1
    RCA Line Inputs7 (1 front)
    RCA Line Outputs
    XLR Line Inputs
    Phono Input
    Multi-Channel Input
    RCA Pre-Outs0.1
    XLR Pre-outs
    Composite Video Inputs3 (1 front)
    Composite Video Outputs
    S-Video Inputs
    S-Video Outputs
    Component Video Inputs2
    Component Video Outputs

    Onkyo TX-SR444 Evaluation

    We evaluate Onkyo TX-SR444 and give score of 71 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
    71

    Amplifier

    GOOD
    73

    We give Onkyo TX-SR444 a score of 73 for Amplifier features.

    •   7.1 Channels
    •   Low Power Output - 65 W
    •   Independent Power Supply

    Audio Features

    GOOD
    78

    We give Onkyo TX-SR444 a score of 78 for Audio Features features.

    •   7.1 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

    Video Features

    AVERAGE
    67

    We give Onkyo TX-SR444 a score of 67 for Video Features features.

    •   No HDR10
    •   No HDR10+
    •   No Dolby Vision
    •   No 8K Passthrough
    •   Analog To HDMI Upconversion

    Connectivity

    AVERAGE
    64

    We give Onkyo TX-SR444 a score of 64 for Connectivity features.

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

    Zones

    GOOD
    77

    We give Onkyo TX-SR444 a score of 77 for Zones features.

    •   2 Zones

    Radio

    AVERAGE
    66

    We give Onkyo TX-SR444 a score of 66 for Radio features.

    •   Analog Tuner
    •   No Pandora
    •   No Spotify
    •   No Tidal


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

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