Onkyo HTX-22HDX needs replacing - AVR help

[Az_GTi]

Your help would be appreciated.

Have an old Onyko HTX22HDX 5.1 box/woofer with x5 MIN22 satelite speakers connected. Have to say it's worked well in small living room. Getting a new 4K TV and my undertstanding this old system won't work - can't handle 4K bandwidth.

Seems there is nothing like the HTX22HDX on the market these days so it looks as though I need a separate woofer and AV Receiver. Minx X201 or X301 seems to fit the bill but do I really have to have a AV Receiver? Is there anything small I could use as width in the TV stand is only around 350mm. My old SKY Plus box is mounted on it's side for example as too wide to fit in.

What options do I have?

 

[lucid]

Your options:

1. route everything via the TV using its HDMI ARC out, then buy a sound bar
2. route everything via the TV using its HDMI ARC out, then buy a bigger TV stand and an AV Receiver + speaker package
3. keep the existing Onkyo system. Route everything via the TV and then send sound to the Onkyo via optical

"But... but ... but ... optical won't do Dolby Atmos!!" - Absolutely true; but neither will the HTX22, so what's the problem?

"But... but ... but ... what about my Sky Q?" - What about it? Sky doesn't pass anything better than Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital+ which is for Atmos. Since the Onkyo doesn't do Atmos then what's left is straightforward DD 5.1. Your TV will accept this and pass it to the optical output whilst the TV handles any 4K picture content.

"But... but ... but ... what about all the 4K streaming services?" - Once again, their audio isn't any better than DD/DD+, so it's the same way of handling it as Sky.

"But... but ... but ... what about my Blu-ray player?" (presuming you have one) - What about it? It runs at 1080p which the Onkyo will pass via HDMI whilst it deals with Dolby True HD / DTS-HD Master Audio.

It's not all plain sailing, of course. When you're playing sound out from the TV via Optical then you won't have HDMI control, and if you're a gamer then you'll have to make do with DD5.1 or possibly DTS 5.1 if the TV will pass it. There are a few other little wrinkles too, but to work those out needs a better understanding of the gear you'll be using.

The bottom line here is that it's true that the HTX22 doesn't have the bandwidth to pass 4K, but a lot of the time that's not really so important. Sound bars hook up either via HDMI ARC or Optical, so using optical on the Onkyo is no different.

There isn't really a direct replacement for the Onkyo kit. Sound bars have taken over at the entry-level for home surround, and they're working their way up through the rest of the AV receiver ranks too. There are smaller AV receivers, but they're still the width of a standard unit, just not as tall, so I doubt that really helps you. (Marantz NR range). IMO your best option is to keep the Onkyo kit and route anything that needs a 4K HDMI through the TV and then let optical handle the sound pass-thru.

 

[Az_GTi]

Thanks very much mate! Be great if I can hold on to the system I have, I mean it fits in the space available and sounds pretty good to me. I'll keep hold of it and see how I get on once the new screen is plumbed in. Hoping 55" fits on top of our 120cm wide unit lol!

Currently I have the Sky box and Xbox Series S connected via HDMI to the Onkyo with both a HDMI and optical cable going from Onkyo to TV. When the new TV arrives I should connect the Sky box and Xbox via HDMI directly to the TV instead of the Onkyo? And an optical cable from TV to Onkyo.

Will see how it goes - thanks again for detailed reply

 

[lucid]

Thanks very much mate! Be great if I can hold on to the system I have, I mean it fits in the space available and sounds pretty good to me. I'll keep hold of it and see how I get on once the new screen is plumbed in. Hoping 55" fits on top of our 120cm wide unit lol!

Currently I have the Sky box and Xbox Series S connected via HDMI to the Onkyo with both a HDMI and optical cable going from Onkyo to TV. When the new TV arrives I should connect the Sky box and Xbox via HDMI directly to the TV instead of the Onkyo? And an optical cable from TV to Onkyo.

Will see how it goes - thanks again for detailed reply

If both the Xbox and Sky receiver are running at 1080p and 1080i respectively then you could keep the same way of connecting as you do now.

The only reason to change is if you're playing native 4K content; real 4K UHD and not just having a box upscale 1080i/p.

 

[Ev0]

Not much help here but I share your love for these little Onkyo boxes.

I’ve got the 22HD, just as a 2.1, and it’s a great performing bit of kit for the money it cost way back when.

It’s packed away now but am loathed to get rid of it as it still performs really well, with great audio format support.

Tested it with my LZ2000 TV to see how it differed and it did sound better, but am taking convenience over the difference at the minute!

Maybe an external sub for the TV might help things….