The catch
Integra DRX-5.4
External stereo power is required for 7.1.4. Even once that amp is added, powered Zone 2 can take away a height pair.
Side by side
Integra DRX-5.4 vs Onkyo TX-RZ70 compared: RZ70 brings two amps and independent sub settings
Quick verdict
Want 7.1.4 in one box, or independent settings for two powered subs? Then RZ70 is the pick. RZ70 needs no extra stereo amplifier to run 7.1.4, unlike DRX-5.4. Integra is still worth considering for a nine-speaker room, or for a system that already has a suitable amp installed. Powering Zone 2 does not automatically keep all eleven main speakers active on either receiver, so check the exact simultaneous-use rules for both.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Whether the upgrade saves you a real purchase depends on the amplification you already have
DRX-5.4 can process eleven main speakers, yet it has nine internal amps and RZ70 has eleven. In a new 7.1.4 build, RZ70 spares you from buying and installing a stereo power amp. If a suitable amp is already installed, Integra can reuse it, and the difference in internal channels may have little effect day to day. Factor in cable routes, power and ventilation as well as the number of boxes in a product photograph.
Where this comes from
Eleven requested speakers minus nine internal amps comes to two external channels. Equipment already installed changes what that means for the purchase.
The catch
Onkyo TX-RZ70
Powered Zone 2 takes the surround backs out of 7.1.4. Having more internal amps doesn’t remove the limits on running zones simultaneously.
Integra DRX-5.4
- Why pick it
- Your room ends at nine main speakers, or the system already includes a suitable stereo amplifier.
- The project works with the precise installer configuration and today's offer.
- The catch
- External stereo power is required for 7.1.4. Even once that amp is added, powered Zone 2 can take away a height pair.
Onkyo TX-RZ70
- Why pick it
- Eleven main amplifiers should sit inside one receiver.
- Each of your two powered subs needs its own receiver settings.
- The catch
- Powered Zone 2 takes the surround backs out of 7.1.4. Having more internal amps doesn’t remove the limits on running zones simultaneously.
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What this page compares
Integra DRX-5.4 or Onkyo RZ70, if you want included Dirac, 7.1.4 and speakers in a second room? Hidden amplifier costs and the main speakers a zone can switch off are compared.
A Dirac-based eleven-channel theater suits either receiver. What the upgrade comes down to in practice is whether other equipment already covers the extra main amplification and independent sub control.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Getting 7.1.4 with no external main-room power amp
Eleven internal amps are included in RZ70.
- Integra DRX-5.4
- Caution
- Onkyo TX-RZ70
- Better fit
Independent receiver settings for two subs
Each output on RZ70 can be adjusted on its own.
- Integra DRX-5.4
- Caution
- Onkyo TX-RZ70
- Better fit
A nine-speaker room where separate sub settings aren’t needed
The basic plan works with either, so compare actual offers and the installer connections you need.
- Integra DRX-5.4
- Good
- Onkyo TX-RZ70
- Good
Powered Zone 2 while every 7.1.4 speaker stays active
In both documented assignments, a main speaker pair is removed.
- Integra DRX-5.4
- Caution
- Onkyo TX-RZ70
- Caution
In practice
Differences you will notice
Whether the upgrade saves you a real purchase depends on the amplification you already have
DRX-5.4 can process eleven main speakers, yet it has nine internal amps and RZ70 has eleven. In a new 7.1.4 build, RZ70 spares you from buying and installing a stereo power amp. If a suitable amp is already installed, Integra can reuse it, and the difference in internal channels may have little effect day to day. Factor in cable routes, power and ventilation as well as the number of boxes in a product photograph.
How we worked this out
Eleven requested speakers minus nine internal amps comes to two external channels. Equipment already installed changes what that means for the purchase.
Music in the second room costs you a different slice of the soundtrack
In Integra’s documented layout of 7.1.4 plus powered Zone 2, Height1 is still turned off even with the required external stereo amp connected. On RZ70, powered Zone 2 turns off the surround backs in its 7.1.4 assignment. So the extra amp alone doesn’t prove that every theater speaker stays active while someone listens in another room. If that overlap happens often, plan a supported externally amplified zone route and check the input source rules before you order. The manuals, not the terminal count, decide which channels remain.
How we worked this out
The exact diagrams for simultaneous assignments, matched against a film and second-room listening that overlap. Nothing claims that one missing pair is always less important.
Two subs may need separate controls, even though each receiver has two sockets
RZ70 gives you independent receiver adjustments when two powered subs sit at different distances or need different levels. On Integra, the paired outputs share the sub signal and setup. External processing you already have can change the practical difference, and the optional Bass Control support available now shouldn’t be mistaken for independently adjustable physical outputs. What you gain is a control path that fits the installation. It is not a verified claim that RZ70 produces better bass in every room.
How we worked this out
Shared output settings against independent ones, matched against subs placed apart. Licensing, output routing and measured acoustics are treated separately.
Plan your receiver connectionsLay out my system
Check a documented speaker layout against HDMI sources and external-amplifier plans.
Integra DRX-5.4
Check this one yourself
We could not verify how many of its inputs handle 4K/120Hz.
Onkyo TX-RZ70
Handles your setup
Runs 5.1.2 on its own built-in amplifiers. Takes 3 HDMI devices, 1 of them at 4K/120Hz. Use the six rear inputs for 4K/120Hz. The front input has lower limits.
A powered subwoofer does not count toward the speaker channels. This checks one main room. Check Zone 2, bi-amping and unusual speaker assignments yourself. Leave room for ventilation, and confirm HDMI settings, cables and speaker impedance before you install.
Option A
Integra, US black standalone receiver
DRX-5.4
Your room ends at nine main speakers, or the system already includes a suitable stereo amplifier.
- Best for
- Your room ends at nine main speakers, or the system already includes a suitable stereo amplifier.
Facts we checked
- Built-in main amps: Nine
- Sub settings: Two shared outputs
- Powered Zone 2 with 7.1.4 wiring: Height1 stops in the documented external-amp layout
- Main processing ceiling: Eleven channels
Option B
Onkyo, US black standalone receiver
TX-RZ70
Eleven main amplifiers should sit inside one receiver.
- Best for
- Eleven main amplifiers should sit inside one receiver.
Facts we checked
- Built-in main amps: Eleven
- Sub settings: Two independent outputs
- Powered Zone 2 with 7.1.4 wiring: Surround backs stop
- Main processing ceiling: Eleven channels
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Integra DRX-5.4 | Onkyo TX-RZ70 | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in main amps | Nine | Eleven | RZ70 doesn’t need external main-room stereo power for 7.1.4. |
| Sub settings | Two shared outputs | Two independent outputs | Inside the receiver, RZ70 can adjust two subs separately. |
| Powered Zone 2 with 7.1.4 wiring | Height1 stops in the documented external-amp layout | Surround backs stop | Each makes a compromise, though different speakers are affected. |
| Main processing ceiling | Eleven channels | Eleven channels | Another amp doesn’t turn either receiver into a thirteen-main-speaker processor. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Integra DRX-5.4
- Bass Control Single is a paid upgrade you can choose to add, and it doesn’t establish separately adjustable physical sub outputs.
With Onkyo TX-RZ70
- Bass Control is an option. The maximum stays at eleven main processing channels.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
The build calls for two more internal amps or for independent sub settings
Go with Onkyo TX-RZ70. Those capabilities come with RZ70.
Decision guide
Before you buy
You would like to reuse useful gear, and you do not want a surprise later when another room still draws speakers away from the theater.
What this page can’t tell you
- Integra is not declared a performance winner without verified grounds. Current offers and equipment already owned determine price value.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the AV receivers we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integra DRX-5.4 |
|
| |
| Onkyo TX-RZ70 |
|
|
Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Integra DRX-5.4
Your room ends at nine main speakers, or the system already includes a suitable stereo amplifier.
The project works with the precise installer configuration and today's offer.
See price & reviews on AmazonOnkyo TX-RZ70
Eleven main amplifiers should sit inside one receiver.
Each of your two powered subs needs its own receiver settings.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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