Onkyo TX-SR494 (Australian and Asian versions)

Onkyo TX-SR494 was introduced in 2019. It is equipped with 7 channel amplifier and is capable of 7.1 maximum channel processing.

We evaluated the Receiver and gave 46 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.

Amplifier score is based on power ratings, minimum impedance load, power supply, transformer type, total harmonic distortion, damping factor, signal to noise ratio and other small details. Audio score depends on the number of channels, front wide channel support, maximum channel processing, support of audio formats, DAC specifications, room calibration algorithm... Video score is based on HDR, Dolby Vision and video signal passthrough and upscaling, analog to HDMI upconversion. Connectivity score is defined from all wired and wireless inputs and outputs, internet and bluetooth connections, HEOS, SONOS and others. Multizone score depends on the number of zones with their outputs. Radio score is evaluated form digital radio support and analog tuner with its frequency range, signal to noise ratio, harmonic distortion...

In this section we present pros and cons of Onkyo TX-SR494.

Amplifier

Onkyo TX-SR494 has 7 channel amplifier and delivers 80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) and also has a stable performance at 4 Ω load.

Video Features

The Receiver has 4K passthrough up to 60p and 4K upscaling. It can bypass HDR10, Dolby Vision.

HDR10

High-dynamic-range (HDR) video has greater dynamic range than standard-dynamic-range (SDR) video with brigter whites and deeper blacks. HDR10 was announced on August 27, 2015, by the Consumer Technology Association and 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 up to 1000 nits of brightness and 10-bit color which corresponds to 1024 shades of the primary RGB colors.

Dolby Vision

Dolby Vision is an update to HDR10 by adding dynamic metadata that can be used to more accurately adjust brightness levels up to 10,000 nits maximum brightness on a scene-by-scene or frame-by-frame basis and supports up to 12-bit color depth (4096 shades of RGB) and 8K resolution.

Dolby Atmos and Dolby Surround upmixer

Onkyo TX-SR494 supports Dolby Atmos with its Dolby Surround upmixer. It can be configured upto 5.1.2 channels using internal amplifiers.

Dolby Atmos is the first cinematic audio format in which sounds exist as individual entities, called audio objects. In Dolby Atmos, any sound - the helicopter, a car screeching around a corner, a melodic bird call - 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. You'll feel like you're inside the action, in ways you've never experienced before.

Dolby Atmos for the home represents every sound in the original cinema mix as an audio object. Extensions to the Dolby Audio™ codecs, along with an advanced scalable algorithm, allow Dolby Atmos to be delivered via Blu-ray Disc and streaming media. A spatially-coded substream is added to Dolby TrueHD or Dolby Digital Plus. A Dolby Atmos audio/video receiver (AVR) adapts the cinema experience to your home theater from seven speakers to as many as 34 in 24.1.10 configuration, recreating the original artistic concept. 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.

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.

DTS:X and Neural:X upmixer

Onkyo TX-SR494 supports DTS:X with its Neural:X upmixer. It can be configured upto 5.1.2 channels using internal amplifiers.

A technique used in DTS:X is similar to the one used in Dolby Atmos. Instead of a fixed number of channels, DTS:X defines object locations from the listener in polar coordinates. An a/v receiver then dynamically renders sound according to the current speaker configuration. The speaker layout employed by DTS:X is the sum of Dolby Atmos and Auro-3D. It has standard 7.1 channel base layer, a 5 channel height layer above the base layer on the front and side walls, and 3 rows of speakers on the ceiling.

DTS Neural:X is a new upmixer that can take non DTS:X content and upmix it to the DTS:X speaker layout. It has replaced the DTS Neo family with improved flexibility.

Advanced Music Optimizer

Compressed music enhancement in Onkyo TX-SR494 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 Correction

Onkyo TX-SR494 comes with AccuEQ room correction system and includes the calibration microphone.

Connectivity

Onkyo TX-SR494 can also connect to bluetooth devices via built-in bluetooth adapter. It has 4 HDMI inputs and HDCP 2.3 (via future firmware update) copy protection.

Front panel has no inputs.

Here we list all the available features and specifications of Onkyo TX-SR494.

BASICS
Brand	Onkyo
Model	TX-SR494
Type	A/V Receiver
Country	Australia and Asia
Release Year	2019

AMPLIFIER
Channels	7.2
Front Wide Channel Support	✖
Dynamic Audio Amplification	✖
Non-Phase Shift Amplifier	✖
VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry)	✖
Optimum Gain Volume Circuitry	✖
THX™ Certification	✖
Continuous 6 Ω Rated	✔
Certified 4 Ω Performance	✔
Discrete Output Stage Circuitry	✔
Independent Block Construction (Amp/Preprocessor)	✖
Bi-amp Capability	✔
BTL (Bridged Transless or Bridging)	✖

AUDIO
Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Engine	32-bit Digital Signal Processing Engines
DAC	AKM
Maximum Channel Processing	7.1
Air Studios Monitor Certification	✖
Dolby Atmos	✔
Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization	✔
Dolby TrueHD	✔
Dolby Digital Plus	✔
Dolby Surround Upmixer	✔
Dolby Pro Logic	✖
Dolby Digital EX	✖
THX Listening Modes	✖
DTS:X	✔
DTS Neural:X	✔
DTS Virtual:X	✔
DTS Neo	✖
DTS-HD Master Audio	✔
DTS-HD High Resolution Audio	✔
DTS 96/24	✔
DTS Express	✔
DTS-ES	✔
IMAX Enhanced	✖
Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer	✖
PCM	✔ 2-ch/Multi-ch Input
Music Playback via USB	✖
High Resolution Music Playback via USB and/or Network	✖
DSD via HDMI	✔ 2-ch
DSD via USB	✖
DSD to PCM Converter	✖
USB DAC	✖
Jitter Reduction	✖
DTS Dialogue Control	✔
Dialog Enhancement	✖
Dialog Normalization	✔
Dialogue Lift	✖
Tone Control	✔ Front L/R Channels
Compressed Music Enhancer	✔ Advanced Music Optimizer
High-resolution Music Enhancer	✖
THX Processing Mode	✖
Audyssey Dynamic EQ	✖
Audyssey Dynamic Volume	✖
Audyssey LFC	✖
Audyssey Sub EQ HT	✖
Audyssey DSX	✖
Phase-Matching Bass Boost	✖
Direct Mode	✔
Pure Audio Mode	✖
Pure Direct Analog Path Mode	✖
Virtual Speakers	✔ T-D (Theater-Dimensional)

CALIBRATION
Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic.	✔ AccuEQ

VIDEO
HDR10	✔
HDR10+	✖
Dynamic HDR	✖
BT.2020 color space	✔
Dolby Vision	✔
Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG)	✔
Quick Media Switching (QMS)	✖
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)	✖
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)	✖
Quick Frame Transport (QFT)	✖
3-D Ready	✔
Video Signal Passthrough	up to 4K/60p (RGB/YCbCr4:4:4)
Video Signal Upscaling	✔ 1080p to 4K
Analog To HDMI Upconversion	✖
isf Certified Calibration Control	✖

CONNECTIVITY
MHL Input	✖
FireConnect	✖
FlareConnect	✖
Chromecast Built-In	✖
DTS Play-Fi	✖
Works with Amazon Alexa	✖
Works with SONOS	✖
AirPlay	✖
Apple Product Connection	✖
Remote App	✖
InstaPrevue Input Source Prevue	✖
Ethernet	✖
Ethernet Switch	✖
Wi-Fi	✖
Bluetooth	✔ SBC, AAC
HDBaseT Compatible	✖
Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC)	✖
HDCP Version	2.3 (via future firmware update)
HDMI Inputs	4
HDMI Outputs	1
USB Input	✖
USB DC Out Port	✔
Analog Audio Line Inputs	3
Analog Audio Line Outputs	✖
Phono Input	✖
Optical Inputs	1
Optical Outputs	✖
Coaxial Inputs/Outputs	1 / No
Composite Video Inputs	✖
Composite Video Outputs	✖
S-Video Inputs	✖
S-Video Outputs	✖
Component Video Inputs	✖
Component Video Outputs	✖
PC In	✖
Multi-Channel Input	✖
Analog Pre-Outs	0.2
XLR Inputs	✖
XLR Pre-outs	✖
Front A/V Inputs	✖
Speaker A/B	✖
Headphone Out	✔ 6.3 mm

ZONES
Zones	2
Powered Zones	✔ 2
Zone 2 Outs	Zone B Pre/Line Out
Whole House Mode	✖
RS-232 Interface	✖
+12V Trigger Output	0
Remote (IR) Input/Output	0 / 0

MISC
On-Screen Display	✔
GUI Languages	9
Detachable Power Cord	✖
uport	✖
ONKYO-RI System Control	✖
RIHD (Remote Interactive Over HDMI)	✔

RADIO
Analog Tuner	✔ FM/AM with RDS
Presets	40
Digital Radio	✖
Internet Radio	✖
Pandora	✖
Spotify	✖
Tidal	✖
Deezer	✖
Napster	✖
SiriusXM Internet Radio	✖

CONSTRUCTION
Solid Aluminum Front	✖
Speaker Terminals	7
Large Speaker Terminals	2
Color-Coded Speaker Terminals	✖
Transparent High-Grade Speaker Terminals	✖
18mm Pitch High Grade Pre-outs	✖
19mm-Pitch Audio Inputs	✖
Gold plated RCA terminals	✖

POWER
Power Supply	AC 220-240 V, 50/60 Hz
Independent Power Supply	✖
H.C.P.S. (High Current Power Supply)	✖
Toroidal Transformer	✖
Power Consumption	480 W
Standby Power	0.2 W

GENERAL
Dimensions (W x H x D)	435 mm x 160 mm x 328 mm 17-1/8" x 6-5/16" x 12-15/16"
Dimensions of Package (W x H x D)	525 mm x 240 mm x 405 mm 20-11/16" x 9-7/16" x 15-15/16"
Weight	8.2 kg (18.1 lb 10 oz)
Weight of Package	10.5 kg (23.1 lbs)
Warranty	2 Years

SPECS
Maximum Effective Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel driven, JEITA or IEC)	160 W (10% THD)
Rated Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel driven, IEC)	135 W (1% THD)
THD	0.08% (20 Hz - 20 kHz, Half power)
Input Sensitivity and Impedance (Line)	200 mV/47 kΩ (1 kHz, 100 W/8 Ω)
Rated Headphone Power Output	80 mW (32 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)
S/N Ratio (Line, IHF-A)	109 db
Frequency Response (Analog In)	10 Hz - 100 kHz/+1 dB, -3 dB (Direct)
DSD Sampling Rates via HDMI	2.8 MHz
Bluetooth Version	4.2
Bluetooth Frequency	2.4 GHz
USB Terminal	5 V, 1 A
FM Frequency	87.5 MHz - 108.0 MHz
FM 50 dB Quiet Sensitivity (IHF, 1 kHz, 100% MOD.)	Mono: 1.0 µV (11.2 dBf)
AM Frequency	522/530 kHz - 1611/1710 kHz

* - 480i/576i and 480p/576p only
** - 480i/576i only
*** - no 1080p/24 upconversion
**** - 1080p signal is not converted