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Integra DTR 50.3 THX Select2 Plus 7.2 A/V Receiver

Integra DTR 50.3 THX Select2 Plus 7.2 A/V Receiver

Integra, the high-end brand of Onkyo, has a reputation for constantly making quality receivers and processors. This company manages to keep up with the latest trends and technology without forgoing the core values of high performance audio and video reproduction.

Integra’s current receivers include a subsidiary 5.2 receiver, three 7.2 receivers, and two 9.2 channel receivers. The DTR 50.3 is at the top of Integra’s 7.2 channel selection.

Design of the Integra DTR 50.3 THX Select2 Plus Receiver

The Integra DTR 50.3 has the well-known Integra look, which includes a long row of black input selector buttons along the bottom of the faceplate, as well as a large silver volume button on the right and a smaller silver power switch on the front.

The Integra is powered by a seven-channel amp rated at 135 watts per channel to all channels at full bandwidth (20Hz -20kHz) at 0.08% THD at 8 ohms per FTC power ratings. The DTR 50.3 doesn’t use a toroidal transformer.  The seven channels of amp power can be used to power a 7.1 surround system or two of the amp channels can be used to power a Zone 2 set of speakers or to bi-amp the front left and right speakers.

The Integra DTR 50.3 uses the MultEQ XT version of the software. The processing in the DTR 50.3 is handled Burr-Brown PCM 1690 24-Bit DAC’s, in addition to a separate 32-Bit DSP chip for advanced processing chores. The DTR 50.3 has all of the most recent processing modes one would hope for in a high-end Integra product, along with Loudness Plus and THX processing modes.

On the video side, the Integra DTR 50.3 is 3-D compatible via its HDMI v.1.4a. Video processing is supplied by the HQV Vida chipset, as well as 4K upscaling by a Marvell Kyoto G2H chip. The Integra is a network receiver that streams music apps like Pandora, Spotify, Slacker, as well as SiriusXM iRadio. The DTR 50.3 requires either a wired Ethernet connection or external WiFi adapter to use the networked services as it is not WiFi enabled. You can purchase a USB-based WiFi adapter, which plugs into the USB port on the front of the Integra receiver. The USB jack also works seamlessly with various flash drives, as well as with iPhones.

The back of the Integra DTR 50.3 has seven HDMI inputs, along with two HDMI outputs. You can send a signal to both HDMI outputs at the same time. But if the two displays have different output resolutions, then video signals may not be output from both HDMI Out Main and HDMI Out Sub simultaneously. The Integra has three component video inputs, as well as legacy S-Video and even composite video inputs. The DTR 50.3 has five sets of analog audio input jacks and a phono jack as well. Three coaxial digital and two digital optical inputs are enclosed as well. Speaker binding posts are carefully spaced across the bottom of the back panel, rather than crammed into a small section as on some other equipment.

The Integra DTR 50.3 will fit in a standard equipment rack.  This receiver weighs in at 39.5 pounds so it is a solid but not unbearably heavy piece of equipment.
The Integra DTR 50.3 THX Select2 Plus Receiver Setup

Getting the Integra DTR 50.3 ready to go is a pretty painless process. The supplied microphone and set-up procedure automatically detects what speakers are linked to the system.  It also calculates the speaker distance and cross-over point then allows you to move the microphone around the room so that the software computes the best overall sound for the entire room. There is a little manual selection involved in allocating the various digital and HDMI sources to the various inputs, along with selecting default audio codec’s for each input. This process is fairly simple due to the on-screen display.

Setting up the network services is the same process as adding any other device to a home network. The Integra receiver automatically detects your WiFi network and makes a connection without an issue. The set-up screen then shows the variety of network service icons.
The Integra DTR 50.3 THX Select2 Plus Receiver In Use

You can use the five amp channels of the Integra DTR 50.3 to drive your five-channel speaker system, and hook up the other two channels to your Zone 2 speakers.

A lot of the previous Integra receivers have generated a significant amount of heat from the top panel, to the point that it is uncomfortable to leave your hand on some. However, the Integra DTR 50.3 runs significantly cooler than prior models.

While it is easy to note the difference in heat signature of the DTR 50.3 to previous Integra receivers, it’s impossible to depict direct comparisons to the sound of other Integra products. Nonetheless, the Integra products have a particular sound, not sounding like anything else. They just reproduce the source material without adding their own character or coloration.

The Integra does a fine job of separating various instruments and vocals, without reducing a music track to a compilation of sounds that have been heard on lesser systems. The Integra really brings concerts to life, with all the dynamic contrasts and power that come with a fine performance.

Thor is a perfectly silly film that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but is a real treat for the eyes and ears. Again, the Integra DTR 50.3 created an absorbing, theater-like experience, with all the behavior of mayhem bouncing throughout the soundstage.

Once again, Integra has produced a high-quality, high value piece of equipment in the DTR 50.3 receiver. It has all the attractive features you could ask for in a state-of-the-art receiver, but still has that uncluttered, neutral Integra sound. Definitely recommended!

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