Onkyo TXNR 900 Owners Manual

Page 1

ONKYO®

AV Receiver

T X -NR900
T X-NR900E

Instruction Manual

Thank you for purchasing the Onkyo AV Receiver.
Please read this manual thoroughly before making
connections and plugging in the unit Following the
instructions in this manual will enable you to obtain
optimum performance and listening enjoyment from
your new AV Receiver. Please retain this manual for
future reference.

Contents

Before using

Facilities and connections

Setup and operation

Remote controller

Appendix

31

66

78

Page 2

WARNING:

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR
MOISTURE.

CAUTION:

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT
REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE
PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED
SERVICE PERSONNEL.

mama AVIS
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTFtloUE
DO NOT OPEN NE PAS OUVRIH

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, Within an equilateral
triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated
dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to
alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance
(sen/icing) instructions in the Literature accompanying the appliance.

Important Safeguards

10.

11.

12.

Read Instructions - All the safety and operating instructions
should be read before the appliance is operated.

Retain Instructions ~ The safety and operating instructions
should be retained for future reference.

Heed Warnings » All warnings on the appliance and in the
operating instructions should be adhered to.

Follow Instructions » All operating and use instructions
should be followed.

Cleaning » Unplug the appliance from the wall outlet before
cleaning. The appliance should be cleaned only as recom-
mended by the manufacturer.

Attachments - Do not use attachments not recommended by
the appliance manufacturer as they may cause hazards.

Water and Moisture - Do not use the appliance near water ~for
example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, or laundry
tub; in a wet basement; or near a swimming pool; and the like.

Accessories - Do not place the appliance on an unstable cart,
stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The appliance may fall, causing
serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the
appliance. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table
recommended by the manufacturer, or sold with the appliance.
Any mounting of the appliance should follow the
manufacturers instructions, and
should use a mounting accessory
recommended by the manufac-
turer.

An appliance and cart combina-
tion should be moved with care.
Quick stops, excessive force, and
uneven surfaces may cause the
appliance and cart combination to
overturn.

Ventilation - Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided
for ventilation and to ensure reliable operation of the appliance
and to protect it from overheating, and these openings must not
be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked
by placing the appliance on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar
surface. The appliance should not be placed in a built-in instal»
lation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is
provided. There should be free space of at least 20 cm (8 in.)
and an opening behind the appliance.

Power Sources ~ The appliance should be operated only from
the type of power source indicated on the marking label. If you
are not sure of the type of power supply to your home, consult
your appliance dealer or local power company.

Grounding or Polarization » The appliance may be equipped
with a polarized alternating current line plug (a plug having one
blade wider than the other). This plug will fit into the power
outlet only one way. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to
insert the plug fully into the outlet, try reversing the plug. If the
plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician to replace
your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the
polarized plug.

PORTABLE CART WARNING

sat 25A

l3.

14.

15.

l6.

l7.

l8.

19.

20.

Power-Cord Protection » Power-supply cords should be
routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by
items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention
to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where
they exit from the appliance.

Outdoor Antenna Grounding » If an outside antenna or cable
system is connected to the appliance, be sure the antenna or
cable system is grounded so as to provide some protection
against voltage surges and built-up static charges. Article 810
of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70, provides in»
formation with regard to proper grounding of the mast and sup»
porting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna»
discharge unit, size of grounding conductors, location of an»
tenna-discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and
requirements for the grounding electrode. See Figure 1.

Lightning » For added protection for the appliance during a
lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for
long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet and discon»
nect the antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage to
the appliance due to lightning and power-line surges.

Power Lines » An outside antenna system should not be lo-
cated in the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric
light or power circuits, or where it can fall into such power lines
or circuits. When installing an outside antenna system, extreme
care should be taken to keep from touching such power lines or
circuits as contact with them might be fatal.

Overloading » Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords,
or integral convenience receptacles as this can result in a risk
of fire or electric shock.

Object and Liquid Entry » Never push objects of any kind
into the appliance through openings as they may touch danger»
ous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a fire or
electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the appliance.

Servicing » Do not attempt to service the appliance yourself as
opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous volt»
age or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service
personnel.

Damage Requiring Service » Unplug the appliance form the
wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel
under the following conditions:

A. When the power-supply cord or plug is damaged,

B. If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the
appliance,

C. If the appliance has been exposed to rain or water,

D. If the appliance does not operate normally by following the
operating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are
covered by the operating instructions as an improper ad»
justment of other controls may result in damage and will
often require extensive work by a qualified technician to
restore the appliance to its normal operation,

E. If the appliance has been dropped or damaged in any way,
and

F. When the appliance exhibits a distinct change in perfor»
mance » this indicates a need for service.

Page 31

Enjoying music or videos with theTX-NR900/900E

Input source buttons

Though the TX-NR900/900E is often used to listen to the radio, it
does not show you its true ability until it is used to play music or
watch videos, DVDs, and the like. The TX-NR900/900E has the
latest and most state-of-the-art features to play back todays
technologies with the utmost in fidelity and power. From a two-
speaker system to a seven-speaker system, you are assured a sound
space that you can always enjoy

To ensure the proper sound space, you must first perform the
speaker setup settings. These settings allow you to set the type of
speakers you are using, the distance that they are located from the
listening position, and the individual speaker volumes. For more
details, see Speaker Setup Sub-menu of the Setup Menu on page 48.

Basic operation

If you want to perform these operations using the remote controller,
first press the RCVR button.

1. Press the input source button (or INPUT SELECTOR
button on the remote controller) that corresponds to
the source to which you want to listen.

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2. Turn on the corresponding component and play the
media.

3. Adjust the volume.

TX-NRSOOIQOOE

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Remote controller

MASTER VOLUME

INPUT
SELECTOR
buttons

Adjusting the main volume adjusts the volume level of all the
speakers connected to the TX-NR900/900E together. If
headphones are connected, this also adjusts the volume heard
from the headphone speakersl To adjust the volume, either press
the VOL NV buttons on the remote controller or turn the
MASTER VOLUME dial. To increase the volume, turn the dial
clockwise; to decrease the volume, turn the dial
counterclockwise. The volume can be set to 0 to 100 (or .00, ~81
to +18 dB).

To change the display of the input source from
TAPE to MD

If you connected an MD recorder to the TAPE jack on the TX-
NR900/900E, you can have MD" appear when the TAPE source
button is pressed

Changing the display:
Press and hold down the TAPE source button until the display
changes from TAPE to MD (approx. 3 seconds)

ups

To return the display to its original setting, perform the same
procedure.

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Page 50

Speaker Setup

1-3. Level Calibration Sub-menu

Use this sub-menu to set the volume for each speaker so that each
volume is heard by the listener at the same level. This is especially
important for speaker layouts where the left and right speakers are at
different distances or in asymmetrical positions due to room designs
and configurations These settings and the distance settings
performed in the Speaker Distance Sub-menu are vital to create the
proper sound space and dynamics.

Note:

The speaker level settings here are not effective for multi-channel
input sources. To adjust the speaker levels for multi-channel input
sources, you will need to use the CH SEL, LEVEL A , and LEVEL
V buttons on the RC-511M remote controller. See page 34.

=Advanced Menu

l.Speaker Setup

l-3.Level Calibration

a.Left: : OdBlllD
b.Center : odBm
c.Right : odBm
d.Surr Right: : odBtm
e.Surr Back R : OdBElB
f.Surr Back L : odBn
g.Surr Left : odBm
h. Subwoofer : OdBlifi]
[Em Quit: iSE-rupi

Calibrating the speaker levels

(1) When this sub-menu is entered, the TX-NR900/900E will emit a
pink noise from the front left speaker. At this time, the volume of
the pink noise will automatically increase to a predetermined
reference level (OdB). Remember the volume level of this noise
and then press the V cursor button. (Note that this can be
adjusted in 1»decibel increments.) The TX-NR900/900E will
now emit the pink noise from the center speaker.

(2) Using the 4 and b cursor buttons, adjust the volume level of the
noise from the center speaker so that it is at the same level as that
was emitted from the front left speaker. You can jog back and
forth between the speakers to help you compare the volume
levels.

(3) Press the V cursor button again. The TX-NR900/900E will now
emit the pink noise from the front right speaker.

(4) Repeat steps (2) and (3) above for the front right and other
speakers until all speakers are adjusted to the same volume level.

Notes:

- Speakers that you selected No or None" for in the Speaker
Config Sub-menu will not appear.

- To accurately set the output levels, it is recommended to use a
handheld sound pressure level (SPL) meter. Set the meter to C-
weighting and slow averaging. A Radio Shack® SPL meter or
equivalent is recommended. Using the internal channel noise
generators, set each channel so that you read a 75 decibel sound
pressure level.

50

a. Left
Sound comes from the front left speaker. Adjust the sound level
between -12 and 12 decibels in l-decibel increments.

b. Center
Sound comes from the center speaker. Adjust the sound level
between ~12 and 12 decibels in 1-decibel increments.

c. Right
Sound comes from the front right speaker. Adjust the sound level
between -12 and 12 decibels in 1-decibel increments.

d. Surr Right
Sound comes from the surround right speaker. Adjust the sound
level between ~12 and 12 decibels in 1-decibel increments.

e. Surr Back R
Sound comes from the surround back right speaker. Adjust the sound
level between ~12 and 12 decibels in 1-decibel increments.

f. Surr Back L
Sound comes from the surround back left speaker. Adjust the sound
level between ~12 and 12 decibels in 1-decibel increments.

Note:

If the Surr Back/Zone 2 setting in the Surr Back/Zone 2 Sub»menu of
the Hardware Setup Menu is set to Zone 2, then the Surr Bk R and
Surr Bk L settings will not be displayed.

g. Surr Left
Sound comes from the surround left speaker. Adjust the sound level
between ~12 and 12 decibels in 1-decibel increments.

h. Subwoofer
Sound comes from the subwoofer. Adjust the sound level between
--15 and 12 decibels in 1-decibel increments.

Using the remote controller

1. Press the TEST button.

You will hear a pink noise will be emitted
from the front left speaker.

(1) Remember the volume level of this noise
and then press the CH SEL button. The TX-
NR900/900E will now emit the pink noise
from the center speaker.

(2) Using the LEVEL A/V buttons, adjust the
volume level of the noise from the center

speaker so that it is at the same level as that

(an 9
that was emitted from the front left speaker.

(3) Press the CH SEL button again. The TX-NR900/900E will now
emit the pink noise from the front right speaker.
Use the LEVEL A/V buttons to adjust the volume of the noise
from the front left speaker so that it is the same level as that that
was emitted from the center speaker. The pink noise level can be
adjusted in 1-decibel increments.

(4) Use the CH SEL button to select other speakers and adjust the
volumes until all speakers are adjusted to the same level.

2. Press the TEST button to complete

the procedure.

Page 63

Audio Adjust

Settings possible for each listening mode (3-1. 3-2. 3-3. Sub-menu)

Setting

Listening mode

3-1. Tone Control

3-2. Surround Speakers

3-3. Sound Effect

a. Bass
b. Treble

a. Surround Speakers

a. Re-EQ

h. Upsampling

e,Suhwoofe1-'z

d. Late Night3

Mono

Direct/Pure Audio

Stereo

Theater-Dimensional

Dolby EX

DTS

DTS-ES Matrix 6.1

DTS-ES Discrete 6.1

DTS 96/24

Dolby Digital

Dolby Pro Logic II

DTS-ES Neo:6

THX Cinema (PLII)

THX Cinema (Neo:6)

THX Surround EX

DTS-ES THX Cinema

Mono Movie

Enhanced 7

Orchestra

Unplugged

Studio-Mix

TV Logic

All CH Stereo

1 Enabled for Dolby Pro Logic II Movie and DTS Neo:6 Cinema input sources.
2 Takes effect when playing an analog/POM source in any of the listening modes marked with I.
3 Takes effect when playing a Dolby Digital source in any of the listening modes marked with O.

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Page 70

Entering a pre-programming code

The remote controller has three learning functions. One is entering
the pre-programmed code for a remote controller of another
manufacturer. Another is the normal learning function that enables
the remote controller to learn the codes directly from other remote
controllers (see page 74). And the last is a macro learning function
that enables you to program a series of operations into the remote
controller so that the operations can all be performed at once by
pressing one button (see page 76).

7* SEND/LEARN
indicator

7 Buttons that can
be preprogrammed

}VOL M7

7 Numeric keys

Caution

With some brand's components, some buttons may not work
correctly. In this case, program the command directly from the other
remote controller normally (see page 74).

7O

Learning a pre-programming code

By entering a pre-programming code, you can have the RC-SllM
remote controller operate a component made by another
manufacturer. The buttons that are used for operation are given on
the next page.

1. Find the 3-digit number listed for the manufacturer
name of the component that you want to operate in the
table on the next page.

2. Turn on the component that you want to operate (i.e.
DVD, satellite tuner, or television).

3. While holding down the MODE button on the RC-511M
that you want to program, press the DISPLAY button,
and then release both buttons.

The SEND/LEARN indicator lights when the MODE button is
pressed and turns off when the DISPLAY button is pressed.
When the indicator turns off, release both buttons. The SEND/
LEARN indicator lights again.

4. Within 30 seconds, enter the 3-digit code number.

The SEND/LEARN indicator slowly flashes twice. If the SEND/
LEARN indicator quickly flashes three times, then either a
mistaken 3-digit code was entered or an incorrect operation was
performed. If this occurs, return to step 3.

5. Press the button that you programmed and check if
the system operates correctly.

- If the component does not operate properly, return to step 3
and repeat the steps above.

- If it still does not operate properly, program the command
directly from the other remote controller normally (see page
74).

When entering the code of Onkyo DVD players:
There are three SETTING numbers. Choose the SETTING number
according to how you will be using the DVD player.

No. 601/613: These codes are for operating the Onkyo DVD player
by pointing the remote controller directly at it, either because it does
not have an R I terminal, or it does but you are not connecting it with
an R I cable. First enter 601 and if it does not operate properly, enter
6 l 3 .

No. 600: This code is for Onkyo DVD players that have an RI
terminal that you are connecting to the TX-NR900/9OOE with an R |
cable. You will then operate the DVD player by pointing the remote
controller at the remote control sensor on the TX-NR900/900E. You
do not need to enter this code because it is factory preset. However,
if the code has been changed to 601 or 613, then you will need to
change it back to 600.

Page 83

Memo

83