With Intregra’s latest A/V receivers, even the low-end models are high end

By Kris Wouk Published June 3, 2016

For the average home theater enthusiast, the Integra name may not mean much, but for those looking for a true theater in their home, Onkyo’s high-end brand is instantly recognizable. Now, the company has unveiled four new feature-packed 7.2-channel A/V receivers aimed at the custom installation market.

As with any A/V receiver worth its salt these days, each model in the new line includes support for both 4K UHD and HDR, including 4:4:4 color space, BT.2020, and HDCP 2.2. For those with a 4K TV that doesn’t feature built-in upscaling, the DRX series features a built-in upscaler.

Recommended Videos

Related: Booze and vinyl make a beautiful baby in the Luno EGB2

On the audio side, the DRX line supports Dolby Atmos object-based surround sound in a 5.1.2 configuration at launch. As with many recently released receivers, DTS:X will also be supported with a firmware update planned for this summer.

At launch, streaming via AirPlay, Spotify, Pandora, and TuneIn radio, as well as internet radio, is supported. A planned future firmware update will also reportedly add support for Tidal, Google Cast, and FireConnect for multiroom playback. High-resolution in formats like DSD 11.2 MHz is supported out of the gate, with MQA support reportedly to be added in the same future firmware update.

The highest-end models of the DRX line are the DRX-5 and DRS-4, both of which are THX Select2 Plus-certified and offer HDBaseT output. These models also feature a Zone 3, which offers housewide synchronized audio in whole house mode.

The DRX-5 is the more powerful of the two units, offering a claimed 130 watts per channel, but the DRX-4 is no slouch at a claimed 110 watts per channel. You’ll pay for that power — the DRX-5 has a retail price of $1,700 while the DRX-4 retails for $1,300.

The DRX-3 and DRX-2 might not offer all of the features aimed at the custom installer included in the higher-end models — it has a total of seven HDMI ports compared to eight on the more expensive models — but they still pack major features and power. The DRX-3 offers a claimed 100 watts per channel at a retail price of $1,000 while the DRX-2 offers a claimed 80 watts per channel for $800.

Each model in the new DRX series is available for purchase now. For more information and detailed specs, see the Integra website.

(A version of this post first appeared on our “brother site” Digital Trends.

Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…

Culture

Don’t ruin your cigars: here’s how to properly season a new humidor

Seasoning secrets every cigar lover could use

faceless man presenting a cigar humidor with cigars inside with gloved hands

If you're a newcomer to the world of cigars or just bought a brand-new humidor, you'll need to season it. And no, I'm not saying to add salt and pepper to it. If you've never heard of it, you might ask, "What is seasoning for a humidor?"

Don't think you need to flavor the box or anything — seasoning is really about getting the wood inside your humidor so as not to rob your cigars of precious moisture. Easy to understand, and getting it done is relatively straightforward as well. The trick is figuring out the "why," and we'll get into that in a bit. But let's first discuss seasoning a humidor.

Culture

The NBA’s ultimate celebration tool: The victory cigar

A look at the players and coaches who smoke to celebrate

Jordan smoking a cigar image on a bag

Sports are synonymous with celebration. After winning the biggest trophy of their lives, athletes want to indulge in the payoff that comes with seeing their dreams realized. Teams go into the locker room, where a waterfall of champagne hits them in the eyes, and swimming goggles seem to be a requirement, lest you walk around on the best night of your life half blind. While drinking is often the activity of choice after winning a championship, the NBA has an alternative symbol of greatness that other sports don't use nearly enough: the victory cigar.

Basketball is a team game, but it's also an individual canvas for solo superstardom. After winning an NBA championship, the coaches and players who sit atop the throne have long smoked a cigar in the locker room, during the parade, or even on the bench before the clock has hit zero. There's nothing quite like a good stogie to signify the ultimate win over the rest of the league, but how did the victory cigar get so ingrained in NBA championship celebrations? We want to take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the historical moments and people who made the cigar what it is within the NBA today.
Red Auerbach's victory cigar on the bench
Red Auerbach: The Story Behind the Victory Cigar + His Disdain of NBA Officials - Red on Roundball

Culture

The best medical shows of all time to binge now

From ER to The Pitt, these are the best medical shows ever made

Noah Wyle in the Pitt

Throughout TV's long history, the medical drama has occupied a somewhat unique place in the landscape. Medical shows are often some of the most reliable on TV precisely because there's so much drama built in to working in a hospital.

Personally, I've found the medical drama to be deeply comforting for years, even if I have no desire to be a doctor myself. Understanding the stress of people in the healthcare profession is fascinating in and of itself.