Onkyo Sound is Emotion. Delivered

Destined to intoxicate hi-fi enthusiasts as much as serious film and game lovers, the TX-NR838 Network A/V Receiver combines pure analog power with the latest in high-resolution audio and video processing. This heavyweight receiver is built around Onkyo’s acclaimed WRAT high-current architecture with a massive customized transformer and discrete Three-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry amplification.

Hi-fi credentials are cemented with Pure Direct Analog Path, a selectable mode that shuts down all digital circuitry when you’re listening to LPs or other high-quality audio sources. Signals are routed via the phono or analog inputs to the amps for pristine sound that’s completely free of digital noise. 

Devotees of high-resolution, meanwhile, can stream their network-attached 5.6 MHz DSD or 192/24 hi-res albums using the remote app, while listeners seeking an instant fix can enjoy music from smartphone via built-in Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth.The TX-NR838 is also packed full of cutting-edge features for movies and gaming, with 4K/60 Hz-ready HDMI®2.0 terminals, HDCP 2.2 compatibility for future Ultra HD premium content, and the sheer power you need for a supreme surround-sound experience.

Class-Leading Hi-fi Amplification for a Moving Listening Experience

Drivers don’t judge sports cars on top speed alone. Acceleration, cornering, and braking are equally important. It’s the same with A/V receivers— wattage is an indication of loudness, not sound quality. The real test is current.

High instantaneous current realizes ultimate control of the speaker drivers for accurate and musical audio reproduction, from the most delicate piano passages to the thunderous roar of an orchestra in full flight.

High current is the cornerstone of our amplification philosophy, and no other brand can match Onkyo for dynamic driving power. We don’t just translate signals into sound. We create sound you can feel.

Engineered for Pure Exhilaration

Best-in-class high-current capability is achieved with Wide Range Amplifier Technology (WRAT). The design is built around a custom high-output transformer, customized 15,000 μF capacitors, and low-impedance copper bus-plates. 

Three-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry amplification features a discrete low-impedance output stage with high-current transistors for instantaneous power and extremely low distortion.

Unlike some A/V receivers, the audio and video processors, DAC section, networking, pre-amp, amplifiers, and power supply are all separated to minimize electrical interference on audio signals.

The culmination of over 60 years’ audio engineering experience, WRAT preserves the life and character of the master recording while guaranteeing an emotionally moving experience whether you’re listening to compressed digital music, a treasured LP, or a hi-res movie soundtrack.

THX® Select2™ Plus Delivers Reference-Level Sound in Your Home

Hear Movies Precisely As the Director Intended

THX certification guarantees the same high-volume, low-distortion sound of a commercial multiplex theater in your own listening space, with high-resolution studio-master soundtracks reproduced precisely as the director intended.

The TX-NR838 Network A/V Receiver has passed more than 2,000 laboratory bench tests across 75 categories and covering 14,000 individual data points to ensure that every aspect of audio performance meets rigorous THX standards for theater-reference sound.

THX Select2 Plus is recommended for medium-sized rooms where the screen-to-seat viewing distance is about 3–4 m (10–12 ft.).

Deeper, Wider, Clearer Sound for Vinyl and SACD

Pure Direct Analog Path Offers Interference-Free Hi-fi Amplification

At the touch of a button on the front panel, Pure Direct Analog Path mode brings higher fidelity to vinyl, SACD, or CD playback via your home theater. With this mode engaged, every digital circuit is physically shut down to prevent electrical interference on analog audio signals. Signals pass directly from the phono or analog audio inputs to the amplifiers and arrive at your front loudspeakers in pure analog form.

The improvement in audio quality is quite dramatic. With subtle interference erased, you can hear more detail deeper down in the mix, while the rich tonal character of vinyl is displayed in all its analog glory. This mode also lets your home theater receiver double as a dedicated analog stereo amplifier for quality source components, if space or budget precludes a dedicated hi-fi stereo system.

HDMI 2.0 for 4K Video at 60 fps and HDCP 2.2 Compatibility

Ready for Next-Generation Ultra HD Entertainment

Five of the receiver’s seven HDMI inputs are based on the latest HDMI 2.0 specification to support 4K video at 50/60 frames per second and 21:9 aspect ratio for theater-reference movie display. Now you can add thunderous 7.2-channel surround-sound to blockbuster 4K 50/60 Hz games and movies for a breathtakingly realistic entertainment experience. These next-generation HDMI 2.0 inputs ensure maximum display quality from a wide range of high-definition media sources, including future Ultra HD 50/60Hz broadcasting and internet streaming.

The TX-NR838 also supports the latest HDCP 2.2 DRM copy protection standard via HDMI Input 3 and the main output. Hollywood studios, satellite broadcasters, and internet video streaming services will adopt HDCP 2.2 for future 4K and Premium Studio Content releases. It’s essential your A/V receiver have HDCP 2.2 compatibility to view Ultra HD content via internet streaming services and future TV broadcasts. Onkyo is one of the very few A/V receiver brands to currently support this feature. 

The TX-NR838 also includes industry-leading QdeoTM 4K video upscaling technology, which smoothly upscales low-resolution video from legacy game consoles, DVDs, and broadcast television to liquid-smooth 1080p (for a Full HD display) or 4K on a compatible Ultra HD display. Even if you're not planning on immediately upgrading to a 4K display, it’s still good to know your receiver is ready. In fact, the TX-NR838 is the most future-ready A/V receiver on the market today.

Share Your HD Video Sources in Two Zones

The HDMI Sub Out can be used to connect your A/V receiver to a second display in another room. Now you can route 1080p content from the media players in your home theater room via the receiver and play it back in Zone 2. Enjoy your favorite Blu-ray Discs, cable TV shows, and other HD content in the kitchen, den, or bedroom with easy playback control via smartphone or tablet.

Dual 32-bit DSP Engines for Unparalleled Processing Power for High-Resolution Audio

Unparalleled Processing Power for High-Resolution Audio

Most conventional A/V receivers use just one Digital Signal Processor (DSP) to decode digital audio. The Onkyo TX-NR838 doubles the power with two 32-bit processing engines handling multichannel studio-master soundtracks along with a large variety of hi-res audio files, including 5.6 MHz DSD (the same format used for Super Audio CD). The dual DSP engines are super-efficient at decoding these complex files so you can enjoy effortlessly smooth high-resolution playback.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Inside

Universal Support for Wireless Audio Streaming

The TX-NR838 has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology built in. For network audio, use the remote app to stream music stored on your smartphone and to locate and stream hi-res audio from any network-attached DLNA-certified device (such as a PC or NAS). There are no hidden adapter costs, no need for close proximity to an Ethernet wall socket, and no long runs of unsightly cable just to enjoy a stable network connection.

The receiver also has Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR on board. Pair up and stream whatever audio is playing on your compatible device, from MP3s to albums on YouTube. Audio streamed via Bluetooth is enhanced with Onkyo’s Advanced Music Optimizer, a DSP mode that restores compressed files to close to their original fidelity for beautifully full and natural sound.

Engineered to Make Hi-res Audio Easy for Everyone

Onkyo A/V receivers are engineered for universal hi-res compatibility and ease of use. It’s now remarkably easy to enjoy albums mastered in high-resolution that you’ve downloaded and stored on your computer or media server. The remote app very quickly locates the 192/24 and 96/24 high-resolution audio files on your network-attached storage devices and sends them via DLNA to the receiver with zero loss in quality. Almost every hi-res and lossless format is supported, from gapless FLAC and WAV to ALAC and WMA.

The TX-NR838 also handles 5.6 MHz DSD and Dolby® TrueHD formats for the ultimate in depth and clarity. With surpassing DSP power, high-quality TI Burr-Brown D/A conversion, and Onkyo’s low-distortion amplification, hi-res music on your home theater is not only easy to enjoy, it sounds absolutely fantastic.

AccuEQ Room Calibration

Effective Correction for Dynamic Multichannel and Stereo Sound

Onkyo developed AccuEQ to simplify the initial home theater setup process, and to make both surround-sound and two-channel audio sound clean and clear in your listening space. 

To showcase the unique acoustical characteristics of your front loudspeakers, AccuEQ bypasses the front two channels so you can enjoy authentic hi-fi audio quality for stereo music, with no DSP correction applied.

Instead, the included microphone measures the distances, crossovers, and output levels of the surround and center speakers from one easy listening position, which speeds up and simplifies the calibration process. With room correction complete, you can enjoy perfect clarity and three-dimensional cohesion when playing multichannel movie soundtracks, and natural high-fidelity performance for stereo listening.

Rediscover Your LP Collection

The TX-NR838 was also designed with analog lovers in mind. Unlike most A/V receivers in this category, we include a high-quality moving-magnet phono equalizer to enable turntable connection via the rear input . Three-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry high-current amplification brings out the warmth and dynamism of your records. Whether you’re a long-time collector or just starting out in the hobby, the TX-NR838 will surprise and delight with authentic high-fidelity sound.

Control Audio in Up to Three Rooms via Remote App

Multi-Zone Audio and Front Channel Bi-Amping Capability

Dedicated Zone 2 speaker terminals can power audio in another room equipped with a pair of stereo speakers, while line-level outputs for Zone 2/3 allow you to send audio to a power amp and speakers in a third zone. Use your smartphone or tablet to play music simultaneously in every zone with the convenient one-touch Whole House Mode, or play a different source in each room.

You can also assign the Surround Back channels to bi-amp your compatible front loudspeakers, while two parallel subwoofer outputs enable the connection of a second subwoofer for balanced and powerful bass sound.