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I have had AV receivers and preamp processors from Sony ES, Yamaha, Sherbourn, and Marantz. In fact, the Onkyo PR-RZ5100 was purchased with the intent of replacing my Marantz AV7702. I had never owned an Onkyo processor, but knew I had 30-days to return it if I didn't like it. All I can say is that I just sold my AV7702. The RZ5100 is phenomenal. Marantz always seems to be the brand to which all other prepros are compared, so I was eager to see how the Onkyo stood up. I do like Marantz products, I have a UD7007 blu ray player that I absolutely love. Being honest however, I can say that for the 4-years I owned the 7702, I always thought it was overrated, as I was never blown away by it's performance -- a little bit of a let down. It had actually replaced a Yamaha unit, and at that time I felt like it was a step backwards. The RZ5100 is better in just about every aspect. Immediately upon unpacking, I was impressed with the stout build quality of the RZ5100. It is literally a full 10lbs heavier that the 7702, that's a lot! Thumping on the top of the case with a knuckle, the RZ5100 responds with a solid thud. Doing the same to the 7702 and you get a thin, tinny rattle. Another nice, but often overlooked feature, are the feet. The bases of the feet on the RZ5100 are cork. This is a very nice feature that prevents leaving marks on furniture or other components, they also allow the unit to slide easier when positioning. This is a minor feature that is typically only seen on high-end boutique brands. The Marantz uses standard issue block rubber. Aesthetics are subjective, and I have always found the latest Marantz gear to be rather attractive, but I really love the look of the RZ5100. It has a very strong, industrial-like presence. The hockey puck sized volume knob reassures that this unit means business. My room is equipped for 7.2.4 surround. I am using balanced outputs to a pair of monoblock power amplifiers, and one 9-channel amp. Set-up was very straight forward, about what you'd expect from a modern prepro. I DL'ed the latest FW via-WiFi and got started. Onkyo's proprietary room correction software, AccuEQ, was much easier to use, requiring only one mic position vs. the 6 (I believe?) required by Audyssey XT32 software liscensed by Marantz. Similar to Marantz, AV-philes seem to gravitate to Audyssey as the benchmark room correction software. While Audyssey is commendable, both AccuEQ from Onkyo and YPAO from Yamaha, both provided better audio mix in my theater. YMMV. I guess my point here is, don't believe the hype. There are other room correction software programs out there that are as good, or possibly better than Audyssey. One may wonder if the premium price paid for Marantz AVRs & prepros has more to do with covering their licensing fee to Audyssey, and less to do with the units themselves? Something to think about. The RZ5100, just like every other top tier AVR or prepro comes chock full with the latest multi-zone capabilities, as well as a multitude of streaming options. The RZ5100 can be the start of a new Sonos hub in your home, or be integrated into an existing one, a nice feature. It also is a DTS Play-Fi licensed device, for another wireless whole house audio option. I am mentioning these features because they are nice and of high value. That said, I have not used them, and cannot comment on their performance. My unit will strictly be used as a prepro for HT and 2ch audio music listening. I must say, one of my favorite features of the RZ-5100 is the tone control knob right on the front of the unit! Who would have thought?? A simple knob to tweak bass and treble, just like every stereo used to have, but have seemed to go by the wayside in HT AVRs/prepros. This feature can also be accessed via-remote. Very simple, but very nice to have. Some recordings, movie or music, just need a little more/little less bass or treble. Onkyo has made it as simple as ever to make quick, basic adjustments. This could be overlooked by more "techy" features, but sometimes it's the little ones that really add "value." Huge props to Onkyo engineers for this, and if any of them ever happen to read this -- please keep it in future prepros! OK, so where are the faults with the RZ5100? The remote flat-out sucks. Now, I fully understand that designers expect owners to use their own universal remote. And because of that, figure a good place to cut cost is in the remote, but c'mon. This unit retailed for $2400, and the remote they supply for that kind of money is embarrassing. It is honestly the worst remote I've seen in a long time. It looks cheap and feels cheap. For such a wonderful and beautiful unit, a remote this bad is unacceptable, IMO. In closing, the PR-RZ5100 has made my HT system sound better than it ever has. It has a wonderful feature-set, and its build quality is fantastic. I would recommend it to anyone. A nicer remoteRead full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Refurbished
This processor is awesome. Very satisfied.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Refurbished