Specifications

16
PREMIUM TECHNOLOGY & USER INTERFACE
I
n today’s fast-paced, mass-produced world, quality may sometimes seem like a myth of the past. Well,
not at Onkyo. On these two pages you’ll find our state-of-the-art technology and user-friendly design give
you quality you can not only hear, but also see and touch—down to the last detail. From the pure, dynamic
sound of our future-ready WRAT amplifiers, to our incredibly straight-forward user interface, each receiver
has been comprehensively designed to meet your home theater demands—today and tomorrow.
A DVANCED A MPLIFICATION Recent
formats like DVD-Audio and Super Audio
CD pose high-frequency reproduction
challenges that extend beyond the
traditional means of amplification. To
meet these challenges and ensure future
capability, our engineers developed Wide
Range Amplifier Technology (WRAT), a
collection of three costly circuit design
refinements that guarantee a flat frequency
response through 100 kHz, lower distortion
for a higher signal-to-noise ratio, and high
instantaneous current capability. In short,
WRAT gives you sonic reproduction so
real, you’ll not only hear it, you’ll feel it.
Low Negative Feedback Design
Typical amplifiers use a technique called
negative feedback (NFB) to lower distortion.
Although NFB is the most cost-effective
way to reduce noise at lower frequencies,
large amounts of NFB severely inhibit an
amplifier’s transient response (the ability
to respond to large signal gains, i.e., explo-
sions and musical finales), and in contrast,
actually distort sound at high frequencies.
Our approach: through extensive
research, and by utilizing audiophile-grade
parts throughout the amplifier section, our
engineers were able to improve the open-
loop frequency response, and thereby
reduce the amount of NFB needed to
barely measurable amounts. The result:
distortion-free output at any frequency, and
a flat frequency response up to 100 kHz,
perfect for DVD-Audio and SACD.
Closed Ground Loop Circuits
In the amplifier business, protecting your
ground potential (voltage) is critical. If
the ground potential fluctuates during
playback of a movie soundtrack or musical
performance, you wind up with unpleasant
noise reproduction.
Most amplifiers make great efforts to
protect the ground potential from external
factors, but fail to look internally for one of
the largest causes of noise in the ground
potential—the open-loop circuit.
In an open-loop circuit design, all circuits
are connected to the power supply via one
loop. Inevitably, due to transients and other
energy flow factors, a small amount of noise
can build in each circuit. Individually, the
amount of noise in one circuit is minimal.
Collectively, however, if they all share the
same loop, the noise multiplies exponentially.
Onkyo’s innovative closed circuit design
allows each circuit to go and return
directly to the power supply, canceling
any individual circuit noise, and keeping
the ground potential free of distortion—
which, for movie and music fans, translates
into a listening experience that is remarkably
dynamic and incredibly realistic.
High Instantaneous Current Capability
(HICC)
Typical audio signals are not simple varying
voltages. Audio signals are extremely com-
plex, and consist of a wide range of frequen-
cies and amplitude levels. After the amplifier
outputs such a signal to a speaker, the speaker
itself accumulates energy. When the speaker
reflexes, it sends energy back to the amplifier.
The amplifier must immediately be able to
supply a large amount of high-current to
cancel the speaker’s reflex energy, and
instantaneously send out the next signal. The
same high current is also necessary to handle
speaker-impedance fluctuations, which can
on occasion, force an amplifier to provide
four to six times its usual current load.
As you might expect from a leader in
amplifier design, the instantaneous current
capability of even Onkyo’s least expensive
WRAT amplifiers
is far better than
that of conventional
amplifiers with
two to three times
the listed power
rating. So you
get increased
dynamic range,
clearer sound and
greater impact.
Simply put, more
sonic boom!
W HERE R EAL P OWER C OMES F ROM
Watts, watts, watts—that’s all those “other”
makers can talk about. If you want to see
where real power comes from, pop the hood
on any Onkyo receiver (actually, you can’t
“pop” it off—the anti-resonant cover is
securely fastened to the thick-gauge,
reinforced-steel chassis by a multiple of
machine screws to resist vibration). Under
the hood, you’ll see instantly why any
equally-rated Onkyo receiver will out-power
those so called “high watt” receivers, espe-
cially in low-impedance driving capabilities
(that good stuff you need to enjoy movies
with a bang). All of our receivers incorporate
huge isolated power supplies and large,
custom-made, high-capacity filter capacitors.
They work in tandem to ensure you’ll
always have ready the large
amounts of instantaneous
high-current power neces-
sary for driving “difficult”
low-impedance speakers