Integra DTR 5.3 (1 Viewer)

[Babek]

Hi again,
Just as I had narrowed my choice for a new receiver to three( HK avr325, denon 1803, onkyo tx-sr600) i came across something called the Integra DTR 5.3. It is essentially the same as the onkyo tx-sr600 but it's suppose to be a little bit better and I know a great place nearby with a great price for it.
So, what do you guys think if it. Does anyone have an integra product? And why are they almost identical to onkyo?
Here is some more info on the integra dtr 5.3

 

[Rick_Brown]

Integra is almost identical to Onkyo because they belong to the same parent company and share designs. Integra is said to have better power supplies and more rigid tolerances on electronic component parts.

 

[ChadLB]

I had gotten the Onkyo 600 for $399 and the Integra 5.3 goes for $599.

 

[MikePeroni]

I have the Integra 5.3 and love it! Im running Energy C5s in front, with Take 2.2s for rears...The sound is clean and crisp. In two channel I can definitely rock out with the power and the sound kills my old Kenwood. I would decribe it as a strong low end bass with very clear treble as well. I demo-ed it against Denon and prefered the Integra's treble better.
Movies in DTS or DD are excellent as well. Also have to add that the remote is fully backlit, and the user interface/set-up is very easy and straightforward. The connections on the back are all gold plated and seem to be of high quality. All in all, an easy to use, great reciever!!

 

[Babek]

Seems to be really good, Mike. I saw the DTR 5.3 at a specialty audio shop and it sounded unreal(partly because they were using very high end speakers). But I'm going in for another demo tommorow and the show owner is setting it up with speakers that are almost the same as mine. Hopefully I can still hear improvement over my recent receiver that i sold.

 

[Dave_K]

I have the DTR-5.2(previous model) and I am very pleased! It has a good bit of power, sounds great, looks great, and has a solid build. I am fortunate enough to have a very long standing relationship with an Integra dealer, so I got a pretty good price, but even at retail, a comparable Integra doesn't cost too much more than it's comparable receiver from the Onkyo line.

 

[DarrylM]

I do not believe that there are any differences between the operation, guts, or performance of the Integra and Onkyo lines. They also share the same front panel displays and controls. I haven't seen a difference in power supplies, capacitors, or any other internal components, either. Most of the differences in the Integra receiver line include a detachable power cord, gold-plated connections, longer warranty (3 year), RS-232 interface, A-Bus ports (for audio distribution), and 12-volt triggers. Many of these features are geared toward custom installers. Integra products do look a lot better, in my opinion. Consequently, since the Integra line is often not that much more than the Onkyo line, I would seriously consider throwing in a few extra dollars for the Integra.

The CD players, DVD players, and other components, on the other hand, are little more than re-badged Onkyo products.

 

[MikePeroni]

Just wanted to add that I paid $550.00 for the 5.3, not much more than the Onkyo 600...
As far as differences go inside, I have heard Integra uses stricter parts tolerances, and better made capacitors. But who knows for sure without opening both up and comparing. I still think the Integra is worth the little extra though.

 

[Babek]

GUYS
UNBELIEVABLE I went to that local audio shop I was talking about and the guy set up some cheaper end speakers to the dtr 5.3(so i can get an idea how my stuff will sound like with that receiver) and god sakes it was unreal.

He played some music first, dvd audio I believe becasue that sounded unreal. It was BETTER THAN REAL LIFE!

Then we played a part of star wars and that kicked too. Hopefully I can negotiate a price with him tommorow so i can bring that baby home.

 

[Babek]

Guys I bought the Integra.
I went through maybe 10 receivers before i chose this one. The guy simply kept switching between each receiver. He said that he had set each one with its own 'optimum settings and all measured with a spl meter.
Finally after 2 hours of listening, I decided on the Integra. This receiver boosts great design, features, and sound. It wouldnt' be a consumer favorite though because its a high end receiver which costs alot.

This the the best receiver in the 550-700$ US range.(roughly between 850$-1120$ cdn(Canadian))

 

[MikePeroni]

Babek, just wondering how you like it now that ya got it home. What speakers are you running with it?

 

[Babek]

Yah sure I'll tell you my thoughts.

First of, the sound is unreal. Lets just leave it at that. I'm not using very good speakers though, I'll upgrade later. I'm using a paradigm center, SEL towers, SEL surrounds, and a SEL rear center.

I just have one minor problem. It's with Dolby digital EX. When i run a DTS es movie it automatically switches to auto dts es mode. However, with Dolby Digital EX( i tried several dolby digital ex dvd's) it doesn't seem to auto-detect DD EX. Althought it's not a problem because I can manually turn it on.

All in all, this is the best receiver for its price. And you have to go listen to it to believe. The integra dtr 5.3 is the higher end version of the Onkyo Tx-sr600 and the tx-sr700. It sounds better than those two and is comparable to the Tx-sr800. TRust me, i spent 3 hours in the store listening to them all.

 

[RexW]

You made a good choice. Always go with the Integra.

 

[StephenL]

Very few EX encoded DVDs have the EX flag that automatically engages EX processing. Several DVD titles (including Pearl Harbor, Jurassic Park III and Atlantis) were produced with the EX flag, but it caused audio dropouts on some receivers and processors that use Cirrus Logic CS49300 chip sets.

 

[Jay W.]

I was looking at an Onkyo SR600 and have heard that it has underrated power wattage with all six channels running. I'm guessing the integra 5.3 doesnt have this problem?

 

[StephenL]

The manufacturer's power specifications are identical. Some unscrupulous dealers selling a "high-end" product line make false claims such as "it has a better power supply." Don't believe it unless you get it in writing from the manufacturer.

Integra DTR-5.3 / Onkyo TX-SR600

Power Output (8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 Khz, FTC)
Front L/R 80 W/Ch / 80 W/Ch
Center 80 W / 80 W
Surround L/R 80 W/Ch / 80 W/Ch
Surround Back 80 W / 80 W
Power Output (6 ohm, 1 Khz,Ftc)
Front L/R 105 W/Ch / 105 W/Ch
Center 105 W / 105 W
Surround L/R 105 W/Ch / 105 W/Ch
Surround Back 105 W / 105 W
Dynamic Power (Front)
3 ohm 215 W/Ch / 215 W/Ch
4 ohm 160 W/Ch / 160 W/Ch
8 ohm 95 W/Ch / 95 W/Ch
THD (Rated Power) 0.08 % (all channels) / 0.08 % (all channels)
Damping Factor (1 Khz, 8 ohm) 60 / 60