# Onkyo TX-NR3009 Receiver Review: Discussion Thread



## Dave Upton (Aug 4, 2009)

*Onkyo TX-NR3009 AV Receiver: Discussion Thread*

*For the Full Review: Click Here!*








*Summary*: Onkyo has had its share of ups and downs over the past couple of years with some parts failures and QC issues. All that aside, it can't be disputed that they are the industry leader when it comes to providing the latest and greatest technologies in their products. There were so many features packed into the TX-NR3009 that I wasn't even able to use a substantial portion of them. Next generation technologies like 4k upscaling, Spotify integration and web enabled firmware updates are why Onkyo has such a loyal fan base and continues to inspire people to purchase their product. The TX-NR3009 is everything you could ask for in a current or next generation home theater receiver. It has a well constructed amp section that held up to even the most punishing of material, has features and value-adds that many competitors haven't even begun to think about, and to top it all off has a very reasonable price when all this is taken into account. The TX-NR3009 lists for $2199 USD, which is a very reasonable amount when you consider the massive amount of technology incorporated into this piece of equipment. It's hard to find a better value proposition in this space, and given current competition, the Onkyo TX-NR3009 is probably the best receiver available today for your money. Highly Recommended.










*Highly Recommended*​
*For the Full Review: Click Here!*


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

As always Dave - a great review and a great read. Thanks!! :T

It also reminds me that I need to create a set of tracks to use once I start to audition speakers. :bigsmile:


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

Nice review Dave... and I like the Editor's Choice idea. :T


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## amythompson172 (Jan 16, 2012)

This is a very good review! I think you may have just convinced a buyer!


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Excellent review as always Dave. I'm very happy with my 809 but still find enjoyment in reading reviews of other models and even other brands.


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

"On top of that, Onkyo has addressed a variety of issues from prior generations"

Validates what Ive been telling fellow shackers for some time now about "issues" . Wow what polite way of putting it ! :clap:


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

RTS100x5 said:


> "On top of that, Onkyo has addressed a variety of issues from prior generations"
> 
> Validates what Ive been telling fellow shackers for some time now about "issues" . Wow what polite way of putting it ! :clap:


You're certainly entitled to your opinion however many here hold the Onkyo's in fairly high regard.


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## Dave Upton (Aug 4, 2009)

I think he's referencing the issues with previous gen models dying suddenly. It was a serious issue for Onkyo and a disproportionate number of receivers were affected. That said, this current generation was a redesign and only time will tell how that translates into service issues.


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

Thank you. Its really hard to be honest here without getting elbowed by ppl who have a different opinion (Onkyo supporters) :kiss:


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

I wouldn't say I have allegiance to any one brand as far as AVR's are concerned. Previously I had always owned Yamaha and after extensive research decided to switch to Onkyo. It's still early in the ownership period as I've had it for about 90 days but so far highly impressed. Certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others.


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## RubiconAlpha (Dec 27, 2011)

Thanks for the review. I have been thinking of replacing my Onkyo TX-SR805 with something newer featuring 9.2 due to my in-wall speaker set-up but was wondering how much of a benefit 9.2 is over 7.1. 

If this has already been discussed elsewhere on the forums I haven't found it yet. Please link if I have missed it.

I have a "front wide" issue with a pair of in-wall speakers which I built in but currently can't use with my 805 since it doesn't have a true "A+B" speaker select. Instead it treats it's "B" speaker outs as a second zone and drops the 7.1 down to 5.1 when in use. Didn't know that when I bought it but other than that I have been very happy with my 805.

From the review there is plenty of other reasons to give this receiver some serious thought but for me it being 9.2 could help make it a must buy to fit my unique needs.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

It is a touch off topic here, but I just recently purchased the 809. As you said with the 805, if you use zone 2 and power those with the receiver, it drops the main channels to 5. However, the 809 does come with preouts for zone 2 and zone 3. If you run zone 2 with an amplifier, the AVR is still able to do 7 channels for your main listening area.

I have not set it up yet, but I just finished reading the manual last night and spent a good portion of study on zone 2 / zone 3 so I am pretty certain it is configured to do what you are looking to do.

Hmmm.... reading your post again, this may not be what you were looking to do......


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## smurphy522 (Sep 21, 2010)

This receiver is on my short list!

I am also contemplating the Denon 4311CI (which has Sub EQ HT) as well as the Pioneer SC-57 and Yamaha RX-A 3000. I am leaing towards a refurbished Denon right now due to better Audyssey and video processing powers.


A second sub is in the future so having the Denon's Sub EQ HT might be the deal breaker for me. I note that the Onkyo 3008/3009 have multi-sub outputs with separate level adjust but susepct that since Sub EQ HT is not listed as a featurew the adjustments on the Onkyo's are all manual for the 2 sub configuration. 

Any feedback woud be welcome.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

The 3009 has Audyssey MULTEQ XT32 how is that less than what the Denon has. Denon is just advertising that XT32 EQs the 2 sub channels as well there is no difference.


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

I believe they both offer Sub EQ HT.

Here is a list of units that offer it, although Audyssey has not updated the list to include the latest x009 receivers from Onkyo, it is still showing the x008 models.


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## jmschnur (May 31, 2011)

Will the 3009 be compatible with audyssey pro?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

jmschnur said:


> Will the 3009 be compatible with audyssey pro?


I do believe so.


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## Dave Upton (Aug 4, 2009)

jmschnur said:


> Will the 3009 be compatible with audyssey pro?


Yes. The 3009 has every Audyssey feature available today including:

- Audyssey pro compatibility
- Audyssey DSX processing
- Audyssey MultiEQ XT32 which corrects subwoofers as well as the usual suspects. Audyssey SubEQ HT was a product used in boxes like the SVS AS-EQ1, but was never included in the normal MultiEQ XT chips, while XT32 does both.


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## jmschnur (May 31, 2011)

Dave Upton said:


> Yes. The 3009 has every Audyssey feature available today including:
> 
> - Audyssey pro compatibility
> - Audyssey DSX processing
> - Audyssey MultiEQ XT32 which corrects subwoofers as well as the usual suspects. Audyssey SubEQ HT was a product used in boxes like the SVS AS-EQ1, but was never included in the normal MultiEQ XT chips, while XT32 does both.


This is good to know. Is the 3009 currently shipping with the correct firmware for audyssey pro and does the audyssey pro software support it?


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

I know this is probably minor, but one pet peeve I have with Onkyo receivers is their 12V Trigger setup. They are only available in Zone 2/3 modes. I was able to overcome the need for a trigger by getting a 12V adapter and using it in the switched AC outlet on the back of the unit when I had my 906, but now I need two 12V triggers due to the turn sequence and protection products in my system. The Onkyo models can't accommodate my needs any longer. I really don't understand Onkyo's philosophy behind this setup.


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## smurphy522 (Sep 21, 2010)

Sonnie said:


> I know this is probably minor, but one pet peeve I have with Onkyo receivers is their 12V Trigger setup. They are only available in Zone 2/3 modes. I was able to overcome the need for a trigger by getting a 12V adapter and using it in the switched AC outlet on the back of the unit when I had my 906, but now I need two 12V triggers due to the turn sequence and protection products in my system. The Onkyo models can't accommodate my needs any longer. I really don't understand Onkyo's philosophy behind this setup.


Seems to me that Onkyo engineers have higher reverance for their amp section than some advanced users. It would be a great (and suposedly easy) firmware upgrade for their XXX9 line to assign triggers to output on variable modes other than Z 2/3 operation. Oh boy.....so not a fan of that either. One would have to Macro Zone 3 turn on into a main on remote sequence (assuming you aren't using that zone for other purposes).


Thank you for the confirmation about the Sub EQ HT (Audyssey was not clear on their website that all XT32 processors cover that now - they make it seem like a separate feature). Nor does Onkyo cover much detail about the dual sub set-up in their manual.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Sonnie said:


> I know this is probably minor, but one pet peeve I have with Onkyo receivers is their 12V Trigger setup. They are only available in Zone 2/3 modes. I was able to overcome the need for a trigger by getting a 12V adapter and using it in the switched AC outlet on the back of the unit when I had my 906, but now I need two 12V triggers due to the turn sequence and protection products in my system. The Onkyo models can't accommodate my needs any longer. I really don't understand Onkyo's philosophy behind this setup.


As an owner of the 809, I too am running into the trigger issue - what have you done to overcome the issue now Sonnie?


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

I overcame it with a Denon 4311 ... :bigsmile:

I used an AC adapter plugged into the back of the 906 when I had it. 

RadioShack AC Adapter Cat. No. 273-1774

It has interchangeable end tips and I don't remember whether it came with the correct end tip or if I had to buy it separately.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Sonnie said:


> I overcame it with a Denon 4311 ... :bigsmile:


Now that is an expensive solution! :rofl2:



Sonnie said:


> I used an AC adapter plugged into the back of the 906 when I had it.
> 
> RadioShack AC Adapter Cat. No. 273-1774
> 
> It has interchangeable end tips and I don't remember whether it came with the correct end tip or if I had to buy it separately.


Thanks for the link!


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

Well yeah... I was paying for a few extra solutions as well with that one.


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## smurphy522 (Sep 21, 2010)

It does not look like the 809 12v trigger issue can be "fixed" with an AC adapter as there are no aux outlets. A pretty simple way to provide switched outlets w/out trigger would be getting a "green" power strip. There are many companies out there who offer these now. They sense a master power draw (the receiver) and then switch on one or a set of outlets on the strip based on the master signal.

If you are not using the zone 2 or 3 section of the 809 I suppose you could macro a start-up scenario in a programmable remote. Page 78 of the 809 manual goes over Macro programming of the receiver's remote. It notes that modes cannot be changed but I don't think Onkyo counts a zone activation as a "mode".

Good luck!


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## smurphy522 (Sep 21, 2010)

To get back on track with this being a 3009 thread I have another comment or confirmation.

BTL mode is noted in the specification however it is not noted in the manual. Only details for Bi-Amping are given, see page 51. I could find no reference to BTL in the manual. It would be tremendous feature and was in previous Onkyo AVRs. I will ask in the US Onkyo forum whether or not BTL is still a supported feature or just a misprint.


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## smurphy522 (Sep 21, 2010)

smurphy522 said:


> To get back on track with this being a 3009 thread I have another comment or confirmation.
> 
> BTL mode is noted in the specification however it is not noted in the manual. Only details for Bi-Amping are given, see page 51. I could find no reference to BTL in the manual. It would be tremendous feature and was in previous Onkyo AVRs. I will ask in the US Onkyo forum whether or not BTL is still a supported feature or just a misprint.


Well to answer my own query:

The specification list generated in this review would have one believe that the following features are available on the TX-NR3009:

Toroidal Transformer
BTL Capability for front
DTS Surround Sensation Speaker/Headphone...
Digital Audio Out
Speaker A/B
XM Radio Ready

The above listed features are not included or available on the TX-NR3009. It is that way the list was generated off of Onkyo's website that led to that confusion. Onkyo lists all features possibly available for the flagship and then either checks them off or not.

:hissyfit:Shucks:hissyfit:
BTL (Bridged Tied Load) wold have been a great feature to have!


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## magic (May 23, 2011)

Out of the listed items I wouldn't use any of them 
Ok maybe the toroidal psu  

Jmo


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## jmschnur (May 31, 2011)

magic said:


> Out of the listed items I wouldn't use any of them
> Ok maybe the toroidal psu
> 
> Jmo


Yes the toroidal psi, ESP. If you use the amp .


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## Ovation123 (Mar 6, 2011)

Digital audio output was an important consideration for me, which resulted in my excluding any Onkyo that fit my budget in my recent upgrade. Of course, for anyone who doesn't need such an output, the Onkyo lineup offers a number of good options.


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## bigjbk (Jan 28, 2012)

I had a NAD pre amp and amp for 5 years. While they were bare bones, they were extremely reliable and handled everything we threw at them. And the Headroom...Wow.


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## dowop (Nov 28, 2011)

I purchased the 3009 3 weeks ago. I really like it .
I am trying to figure out if I should use HDMI through as I have read it consumes a lot of power in standby. I do have a expensive cooling fan unit plugged into a smart strip along with the receiver. The fans will not turn off when I have HDMI through enabled because the unit is still drawing a lot of power(I guess). When HDMI through is not enabled everything works fine but when the you start the receiver up it does go through the HDMI startup proceedure. I guess my main question is since I dont use the HDMI through for anything does it hurt to just leave it disabled?
Sorry if I the post sounds confusing. I am 66 & trying to learn.


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## f0zz (Dec 1, 2011)

Might be nice to see the 3009 compared to the 5009. Is the 5009 worth the extra cash? 

I'm hoping so, as I have the 5009 still in its box.


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## climber07 (Apr 26, 2012)

I have listened to the NR3009 on a pair of RTi A9 speakers from Polk Audio. I had the store set up the speakers in both normal and bi-amp mode using the AVR. The difference was incredible with regard to bass. I was wondering if you could answer a question concerning the crossover function of the AVR in bi-amp mode? 

I was curious if the crossover can be set to allow a pseudo "active bi-amp" setup with the menus in the receiver? Can I set the highs at a given frequency crossover on the front high output? How about the low (subwoofer) front inputs? Can it be set to filter the high frequency and drive only the low frequency signal or is it configurable at the low crossover point? I am curious about true RMS output power with four channels driven (bi-amp) and thought the power would be closer to the rated 140W per channel if the crossover worked like a true electronic crossover separate.

I haven't purchased the receiver yet, but am researching the options.


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## Driver_King (Sep 19, 2009)

As far as I'm aware, although I could be wrong, the only settings in the Onkyo's that you can control for bi-amping is on/off. If you're asking if the Onkyo can discern between high and low, then yes. The optimal settings should be applied automatically once you run Audyssey. If you're still researching, don't forget to check out the Audyssey MultEQ XT32 in the 3009. Not many other receivers have it but it is frankly more revealing than HD audio codecs themselves.


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## climber07 (Apr 26, 2012)

Thank you very much for the reply. I have pulled the trigger on the Onkyo TX-NR3009. It will be powering a set of Polk Audio RTi A9s, a CSi A6, two FXi A6s, and a powered 12" 250W JBL sub. I played around with some of the settings at Frys the other day because noone was around to help me. So I helped myself... LOL 

I found that you can set the front L/R to power the low (bass) and the front highs to power the highs. I will be able to set the crossover to 120 Hz for the highs as the speakers have a crossover set to 125 Hz. 

BTW, I've heard so many negative things about "passive" biamping with two channels on AVRs. Maybe the negativity is due to the fact that most speakers don't require more power. However, I found that the RTi A9s are a little power hungry and benefit tremendously from biamping with the AVR. 

I can't wait to play with the Audyssey MultiEQ 32. :T


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## Driver_King (Sep 19, 2009)

Happy to hear the good news! That sounds like an excellent setup you've got going there. I understand better now what you were saying and yes, bi-amping is perfect for those speakers as they can consume a lot of power. MultEQ XT32 is an amazing feature. It takes a bit of time to do just right with all of the eight measurement positions but the end result is nothing short of unbelievable. Good luck with the setup!:T



climber07 said:


> Thank you very much for the reply. I have pulled the trigger on the Onkyo TX-NR3009. It will be powering a set of Polk Audio RTi A9s, a CSi A6, two FXi A6s, and a powered 12" 250W JBL sub. I played around with some of the settings at Frys the other day because noone was around to help me. So I helped myself... LOL
> 
> I found that you can set the front L/R to power the low (bass) and the front highs to power the highs. I will be able to set the crossover to 120 Hz for the highs as the speakers have a crossover set to 125 Hz.
> 
> ...


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## utahsavages (Apr 29, 2008)

The Onkyo 3009 is what I'm considering as a replacement for my Emotiva UMC-1. The Emotiva works fine, after 5 or 6 firmware updates, but I'd really would like to try XT32 with my dual subs.


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## Driver_King (Sep 19, 2009)

utahsavages said:


> The Onkyo 3009 is what I'm considering as a replacement for my Emotiva UMC-1. The Emotiva works fine, after 5 or 6 firmware updates, but I'd really would like to try XT32 with my dual subs.


Audyssey's SubEQ HT technnologies coupled with the 32x the bass filters with with XT32 makes for an incredibly pleasurable experience. Bass in your listening environment will be about as smooth as it ever will be with XT32, especially with dual subwoofers.


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## climber07 (Apr 26, 2012)

Driver_King said:


> Audyssey's SubEQ HT technnologies coupled with the 32x the bass filters with with XT32 makes for an incredibly pleasurable experience. Bass in your listening environment will be about as smooth as it ever will be with XT32, especially with dual subwoofers.


You guys are getting me all excited.:bigsmile: I can't wait for my items to arrive. Pics and thoughts will follow soon. :hissyfit:

:edit:

Got my stuff... It took two days, but the old Bose system is boxed up and the new one set up and playing. I am very impressed with the Onkyo NR3009. It is super easy to navigate the menus and has lots of power. The Audyssey MultEQ® XT32 calibration is quite impressive. It is reminiscent of the Bose Adapt IQ test with the high pitch pings and poinks. I played Transformers - Dark Sid of the Moon and the opening scene was incredible! I cannot believe how detailed and rich the Polk speakers are. I'll give some more impressions and thoughts after I get some sleep.


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## climber07 (Apr 26, 2012)

Driver_King said:


> As far as I'm aware, although I could be wrong, the only settings in the Onkyo's that you can control for bi-amping is on/off. If you're asking if the Onkyo can discern between high and low, then yes. The optimal settings should be applied automatically once you run Audyssey. If you're still researching, don't forget to check out the Audyssey MultEQ XT32 in the 3009. Not many other receivers have it but it is frankly more revealing than HD audio codecs themselves.


After using the NR3009, I realize that you cannot separate the upper and lower channel to each biamped speaker the way you can with separates. The system recognizes the speaker as a full range speaker, but I read that the front high only send a high frequency signal to the speakers anyway. So in essence, the amp is automatically performing electronic crossover to the upper freq on the biamped speakers. 

Regardless of the details, the biamp setup makes a world of difference on the RTi A9 speakers. They are power hungry, but perform very well with the biamp configuration.


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