It’s been a tricky few years for Onkyo.

Historically better known for its AV receivers, the Japanese company filed for bankruptcy back in 2022, but not before offloading its core home AV and hi-fi division to a joint venture between Premium Audio Company (the parent company of Klipsch, Integra, Magnat and others) and Sharp.

It teased a return at the end of 2024 before finally launching new hi-fi electronics and an affordable line of powered speakers at CES 2025.

That range of electronics was called ‘Icon’, and it’s the Onkyo Icon A-50 streaming amplifier that you see before you here.

It’s a strong choice of name – but can the level of performance on offer match it?

Price

Priced at £1199 / £1599 / AU$3299, the Onkyo lives in a space where there isn’t too much in the way of major rivals.

The one potential stumbling block to its success is a big one, though. It comes in the shape of the Ruark Audio R610 (£1199 / $1599 / AU$2299), a What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025 winner, no less.

This neat box of tricks offers similar functionality to the Onkyo and has a price tag which is comparable in both the UK and the US.

There is a bit of a gap in pricing when you look at the Australian market, but we think it’s the product most people are likely to compare it to.

Design & build

Once unboxed, first impressions are mixed. Onkyo has gone down the traditional full-width separates route for the Icon A-50 as opposed to the slightly more stylish and more modern design of the Ruark.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with 'traditional', and from a distance everything appears perfectly well-appointed – all the various controls, buttons and switches seem to be proportionate and in the right place.

Once it’s powered up, that sliver of orange LED on the volume control sharpens up the amp’s appearance nicely. It contrasts neatly with its black surround and matches the ladder of LEDs that arcs around the input selector. Each rung glows orange as you cycle through the various options until you arrive at your desired input.

However, your contact points feel a little, dare we say, cheap. The top of the chassis, despite having an attractive pattern of vents, doesn’t feel the most robust.

The power button, depending on how it’s pressed, can make a quite off-putting springy noise, while the volume control makes quite a substantial clicking noise around halfway up its travel.

We weren’t quite sure why the amp was doing this, so we reached out to Onkyo, who told us “to prevent the product temperature from becoming high, the power supply for the amplifier is designed to switch between two levels, low and high, depending on factors such as the volume value, internal temperature sensor, and speaker output level".

It’s a strange quirk and something that we haven’t come across on a product like this before. It’s also something that we did find distracting during testing.

The textured finish to the input selector feels nice to the touch, but the control’s actual movement is a little soft and not quite as precise as we’d like.

Add all the design and build elements together, and we’re left with a feeling that we’re not quite getting our money’s worth.

The supplied remote is a relatively ordinary plastic wand which contains all the basic buttons for changing input, volume and accessing the tone controls.

It does the job without too many complaints, although a couple of times, when controlling the volume, the dial seemed to briefly resist and even go in the opposite direction before rotating the desired way.

Features

Speaking of controls, you are encouraged to download Onkyo’s Controller app before you begin set-up.

Companion apps for anything streaming-related can be hit and miss in our experience, and the Onkyo’s isn’t without issue. There’s plenty of functionality built in, for sure, but it struggles to gloss over what is all too often a frustrating and buggy experience.

What should be a simple set-up process is hampered by an over-complicated and overly fussy menu system and an app that is generally slow and sluggish to respond.

Tidal Connect worked smoothly as you’d expect, but the Amazon Music implementation is sluggish and buggy. On one occasion, we are streaming music using the service through the Controller app and the icons for skipping tracks disappear from the screen on our iPhone 15 Plus.

Through the app, you can access the Onkyo’s basic Dirac Live room correction or the built-in Fidelity IQ calibration. Both of these can use the microphone, which comes with the amplifier and plugs into the corresponding socket on the front panel.

Depending on your room layout and characteristics, you might want to stick with how they calibrate the sound, but we preferred them both turned off. In our acoustically treated rooms, Dirac Live sounded a little lightweight, while the Fidelity IQ option seemed to change the balance and boost certain frequencies at the expense of others, resulting in an unbalanced sound.

Instead, we would suggest actually flicking the switch on the front of the A-50 to turn on Direct mode. With this mode engaged, your music won’t pass through the amp’s tone control circuit and instead travel on a slightly shorter signal path.

In our opinion, it makes a subtle, yet audible difference to the sound quality. Music sounds slightly cleaner and more transparent.

During testing, there were a couple of bugs that cropped up when experimenting with Dirac Live, Fidelity IQ, and Direct mode. On a couple of occasions, the amplifier went rogue and turned the bass up in the tone controls when switching between them. The Onkyo would also occasionally mute the sound when switching between Dirac Live and Fidelity IQ.

We actually found the best part of the control app to be the volume control. Tapping the button on your screen launches a pop-up volume dial, which you slide your thumb around. The dial’s action is nice and smooth, and the amp is quick to respond.

On the front of the amp is a 6.3mm headphone socket, and four LED indicators next to a ‘my input’ button, which you can use to assign a particular source and sound settings to a single preset.

Around the back are three analogue inputs, two optical digital inputs, one coaxial digital input, a USB-A input for an external storage device, an HDMI ARC socket and a phono input for the moving magnet/moving coil phono stage.

Bluetooth connectivity is also included, which allows you to not only beam music to the Onkyo from a smartphone or tablet, but also transmit Bluetooth audio to a pair of Bluetooth headphones for, say, some late-night, wireless listening. The amp is compatible with SBC, aptX and aptX HD codecs.

The networked A-50 can cater for virtually all your streaming needs with support for Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, Amazon Music and TuneIn internet radio. It also supports AirPlay, Chromecast and is Roon Ready.

Sound

The Icon A-50 is claimed to deliver 110W per channel (into 8 ohms) using Class A/B amplification. During testing, we have it hooked up to our reference bookshelf speakers, the Epos ES-7N, and the amplifier seems perfectly at home driving them.

We start with a track or two from our Naim Uniti Core server accessed through the controller app, and we like what we hear.

Playing Lady Gaga’s Starstruck, the A-50 puts its best foot forward. The track sounds punchy, weighty and piques our interest with a lively and spacious sound.

There’s plenty of scale and size to the soundstage, too – the Onkyo sounds bold and forthcoming, but doesn’t sound overpowering. It’s nicely measured in its approach.

Bass notes hit with weight and authority, but it’s not just about the amount of bass. There’s decent detail and texture there too, and the difference in intensity between each low-frequency blow is easy enough to distinguish.

We wheel out the five-star Ruark R610 for comparison, and although it sounds smaller scale and less open, you do get a much greater sense of focus and precision compared to the Onkyo.

The current What Hi-Fi? Award-winner sounds more sure of itself, displaying greater composure and also has the edge when communicating the rhythmic flow and dynamic shifts of the track.

We slow things down with George Michael’s Careless Whisper and the Onkyo’s large, expansive delivery comes to the fore once again. It’s nice to listen to and does a fine job of separating the various elements of the track.

However, the vocal isn’t delivered with quite as much conviction or precision, nor does the saxophone sound as solid or dynamically dexterous as it is when heard through the Ruark.

Having said that, the A-50 still sounds balanced. There’s no sign of any brightness or hardness at the top end, and you certainly couldn’t accuse the Onkyo of delivering unruly and overly keen bass frequencies, either.

We play the same two tunes over Tidal Connect and Bluetooth, and the amplifier remains in character. Yes, the compressed Bluetooth versions sound just that, but the Onkyo maintains its broad, expansive personality.

Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for the phono stage. Connecting a Rega Planar 3 RS Edition and playing Lukas Graham’s Happy Home, and we are left feeling disappointed by the slightly flat and compressed sound that greets us.

Tonally, there’s nothing too off-putting, and it’s balanced and easy-going enough, but there’s a distinct lack of drive to the synthy bassline, and his normally expressive vocal sounds stunted.

The headphone output, by contrast, sounds tonally grey compared to what we hear from the amp’s speaker outputs. There’s a lack of natural warmth, and detail levels take a hit too.

Verdict

As you’ll have probably guessed by now, we aren’t as enamoured with the Onkyo Icon A-50 as we had hoped to be.

The large-scale, powerful sound it produces shows potential, and there are likeable elements to its sound quality, but it never really comes close to troubling the composure and dynamic finesse of the class-leader at this level.

Combine the questions over build with the buggy app, and the Onkyo feels like one of those products where it’s a good concept on paper, but, ultimately, the execution is lacking.

Review published: 9th June 2026

SCORES

• Sound 3
• Features 3
• Build 3

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Onkyo originally teased the Muse Y-50 Network Integrated Amplifier Anniversary Edition back in January at CES, but we didn’t know the full model name at the time (nor how much of a mouthful it would be) or the pricing.

The new unit is inspired by the Onkyo Integra M-588 amplifier from the early 1990s, which had real-wood walnut side panels and illuminated meters. The Y-50 gets Bordeaux walnut side panels and an aluminium front panel finished in champagne gold.

The special-edition Y-50 gets a 5.46-inch colour LCD display which can be used to show track information, access settings and also display analogue-style VU meters.

You can take control of the Y-50 through Onkyo’s Controller app, and it also comes with proprietary room-calibration software specifically developed for the Muse series.

Amplification is 250 watts of Class D power (into 4-ohms), and connectivity options include analogue RCA, coaxial digital, HDMI ARC, ethernet, wi-fi, and a moving-magnet/moving-coil compatible phono stage.

Streaming support extends to Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and Qplay.

Onkyo’s Creator GX-30ARC and GX-10DB Powered Monitor Anniversary Limited Edition speakers bring (as well as another mouthful) a new industrial design to two models which are already on the market.

We gave the GX-30ARC five stars when we tested them back in January, so you already know they are among the best desktop speakers around.

The revamped design for the anniversary edition includes tweaked proportions, dark silver trim rings, textured black baffles, a Bordeaux walnut finish, and black, angled stands. The new look has been inspired by Onkyo D-200 Liverpool monitors, which the company introduced back in 1987.

As with the standard versions, which launched at the start of 2026, these models still use Class D amplification and include features such as Bluetooth 5.3, a USB-C input, an optical digital input, a phono input and a subwoofer pre-out. The more expensive GX-30ARC also boast HDMI ARC connectivity.

Pricing will be $1699 for the Muse Y-50 Anniversary Edition, $399 for the GX-30ARC and $299 for the GX-10DB when they all go on sale in August.

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High End Vienna 2026: all the news and product highlights from Europe’s biggest hi-fi show

Read our full Onkyo GX-30ARC review

Our pick of the best music streamers

Another week, another round of tempting TV, AV and hi-fi deals carefully curated by our expert team of product reviewers and deal hunters.

We've tracked down an eye-catching selection this week, which includes a sprinkling of five-star products from some of the biggest names in the business, including xyz, and many more.

See below for the full list and rundown of why some of these products should be on your shopping list.

We think you'll agree there's something for everyone here and we've picked out our highlights below...

Wired headphones appear to be coming back into fashion, so the deal we've found on the Award-winning Røde NTH-100 is well timed. They deliver a mature, revealing sound for not a lot of money, and they are comfortable to wear for long listening sessions.

Just in time for Record Store Day 2026 we've found a deal on a turntable that's only just passed through our test rooms. Fresh from a five-star review, the Sony PS-LX3BT is a great first deck for anyone looking to experience the format. It's a fully automatic design and also boasts Bluetooth connectivity if you just want to play through a wireless speaker or headphones.

Big-screen TVs are all the rage, but there's still plenty to be said for great sets under 50 inches, as is the case with the LG OLED42C5. This 42-inch set can be yours for a great price now that LG's C6 series has launched, which makes it fantastic value for money.

Next up is a five-star desktop speaker system from Onkyo. The GX-30ARC is a talented set-up that boasts impressive sound quality, excellent flexibility and all for a very reasonable price. The USB-C and HDMI connectivity means it can give your TV or your PC's sound a major boost.

If you're an iPhone, iPad or Mac user, the AirPods Pro 3 wireless earbuds are an obvious choice, especially at their discounted price. In typical Apple fashion, they deliver a wonderful user experience, but they also boast excellent active noise cancelling, and they are also a delight to listen to.

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Our pick of the best wireless earbuds you can buy

And the best OLED TVs for all budgets

Interested in vinyl? Here are the best turntables we've tested

Here at What Hi-Fi?, we love turntables and vinyl.

There’s something about the physical process of setting up your record player that streaming can’t quite match.

However, this physical process does require a bit of care, cleaning and extra add-ons every once in a while.

So, with Record Store Day 2026 upon us, we thought it fitting to round up some of our favourite vinyl and turntable accessories.

We’ve got everything here from Award-winning phono stages such as the Rega Fono MM Mk5, some of the best cartridges on the market, as well as everything from record weights to vinyl cleaners to storage units.

There’s a lot out there to jazz up your setup – just take a look:

In the same way we'd float the idea of buying a soundbar to boost your TV's audio, we'd also suggest a pair of external speakers (or a wireless speaker) to boost the audio coming out of your laptop or desktop PC, especially if you use it as your main music source.

A pair of speakers that are hugely capable and won't break the bank are the impressive Onkyo GX-30ARC. We've tested them and given them a glowing five-star rating thanks to their impressive sonic skills, excellent flexibility and attractive pricing.

We originally tested them at £339, and right now, you can buy a pair for £299 at Peter Tyson.

That's a very solid £40 saving, and one that our review team thinks deserves serious thought. After all, five-star options at this level are few and far between.

You can't accuse the Onkyo speakers of being short on features. They include a moving magnet phono stage, HDMI ARC connectivity, an audio-friendly USB-C socket, an analogue audio input and Bluetooth connectivity.

In our Onkyo GX-30ARC review, we praised their "crisp, measured delivery" using a Bluetooth connection, following it up with, "it’s hard to ignore the considerable talents the GX-30ARC speakers deliver, with their poise and cohesion lending tracks a wholly balanced feel."

We also enjoyed music played over USB-C and took time to praise the phono stage, concluding, "We are deeply impressed by how clear, punchy, and dynamically engaging the Onkyo speakers sound for the price".

While they might not be quite up to the super-high standards of the Award-winning Ruark MR1 Mk3 pairing, the Ruarks are much more expensive, and the Onkyos still deliver a very balanced and pleasing performance for the money

The only thing they're really missing is wi-fi connectivity, but you tend to have to pay significantly more for that privilege.

Finally, the Onkyo pair look the part, too, thanks to their clean, utilitarian aesthetic and smart-looking magnetic grilles.

They even come with a pair of upward-angled stands, which help with positioning if they're being used as a desktop system and you want the audio firing more up towards your ears.

As a desktop package, there's a lot going for the Onkyo G-30ARC, and they deliver a seriously good performance for what we'd consider a relatively budget price, especially now they're down from £339 to £299 over at Peter Tyson.

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Read our full Onkyo GX-30ARC review

Check out the best computer speakers: the top desktop options for hi-fi fans tested by our experts

Also check out our Elac Debut ConneX DCB41 review

It's April and finally spring time, which in the UK means wildly inconsistent weather where you'll be met with rain and even snow for one half of the day, switching to blinding sunshine and warm temperatures without any warning. It certainly keeps us on our toes.

What remains consistent through it all is a steady of stream of hi-fi and home cinema products entering our test rooms, and we have a few highly-anticipated products to get started on this month.

This includes the first of Cambridge's new range of active wireless speaker systems; brand-new Onkyo hi-fi in many, many years; a sequel to Samsung's Award-winning Dolby Atmos system; and LG's flagship 4K OLED. We are also curious to find out how a high-end Optoma projector fares, and whether Acoustic Energy can repeat its sublime sonic success with a floorstanding model.

As ever, please do get in touch in the comments below or ping us an email at whathifi@futurenet.com if you have any questions about the products we're testing, and we'll do our best to get back to you with an answer. Enjoy the sunshine when it arrives!

Cambridge Audio L/R S

Cambridge Audio made a splash with the launch of its first-ever active wireless speaker systems earlier this year, and we have the smallest and cheapest of the trio – the L/R S (in the middle, above) – in for testing.

The active speakers feature Bluetooth aptX HD streaming, a USB-C input for easy desktop use, and 50 watts per channel of built-in amplification. Costing £399 / $549, these compact speakers are available in six finishes (including some colourful green and orange ones) and are in direct competition with the Award-winning Ruark MR1 Mk3. Exciting.

LG G6

Hot on the heels of the five-star C6, LG’s flagship 4K OLED is in our test room to establish whether it’s worth the extra outlay.

We’re expecting a more polished and refined version of the Primary RGB Tandem OLED performance of last year’s G5 – but will it deliver that? And will that be enough for the G6 to topple the Sony Bravia 8 II from the flagship OLED top spot? We can't wait to find out.

Onkyo Icon A-50

It has been many years since we had any Onkyo hi-fi in our test rooms, and the Icon A-50 streaming amplifier has plenty going on to make up for the wait. Combining 140 watts of Class A/B amplification with excellent network streaming features, the A-50 is a thoroughly modern hi-fi component that includes HDMI ARC connectivity, a moving magnet and moving coil phono stage, and is encased in a sleek, minimal design.

Will Onkyo's comeback to the world of hi-fi be a success? Let's find out.

Acoustic Energy AE309 Mk2

Acoustic Energy's AE300 Mk2 standmounters wowed us with their understated but incredibly accomplished performance for the price, nabbing a Product of the Year Award and earning a spot at the top of our best stereo speakers list.

Can this sonic goodness be replicated in a floorstanding model? We have the AE309 Mk2 towers in our test rooms, which feature the same cabinet construction and new drivers as their illustrious standmount sibling. At £1199, the AE floorstanders will be going up against the hugely enjoyable Fyne Audio F501E (another Award winner), and we're excited to hear how they fare.

Samsung HW-Q990H

The sequel to Samsung’s Award-winning Q990F Dolby Atmos soundbar system, the Q990H looks very similar to its predecessor, but it features enhanced processing for an apparently more immersive performance. As before, the new system includes a 'bar, a pair of wireless surround speakers and a subwoofer in the package.

We’ll be testing the new model directly against the old one to find out if the upgrades are worthwhile.

Optoma UHZ78LV

Priced at £6000, Optoma’s new flagship home cinema projector has rivals such as the Sony VPL-XW5000ES, Epson EH-QB1000 and BenQ W5850 in its sights. Its secret weapons? A massive claimed peak brightness of 5000 lumens and support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ (as well as standard HDR10).

That could make the UHZ78LV an excellent choice for mixed-use rooms as well as dedicated home cinemas – if the performance is up to scratch. We'll find out this month!

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Ask The Reader: what's the UK's best independent record shop?

Whether it's for work or pleasure, a lot of us now spend an awful lot of time at our desktops at home.

You'll want some decent audio to help pass the time then – and we've got just the suggestions for you.

From studio-grade headphones to powerful compact speakers to versatile DACs, we've got you covered with sizzling savings.

So whether you have a home workstation that could do with some brightening up, a computer-based hi-fi setup or just some headphones to take into the office, check out the deals below.

Desktop speakers aren’t what they used to be. Don’t worry, that’s no bad thing – this relatively unassuming corner of the audio world has come on leaps and bounds in the past few years, with many manufacturers now bringing potent performance and up-to-the-minute features to your humble desktop.

As a result, there are currently a healthy number of powered desktop speakers from which to suit your need, especially if you’re not keen on spending a huge amount to get hold of a pair.

The Ruark MR1 Mk3 (£399 / $579 / AU$899) are our established Award-winners at this budget end of the market, with the Onkyo GX-30ARC (£339 / $349 / AU$649) providing stern competition at a similar price and with a more comprehensive range of features and functions.

Then we have the Philips Fidelio FA3 (£349 / $399 / AU$499), which cost around the same money as their competitors but employ an active design – whereby each speaker takes power to amplify a separately powered drive unit, rather than the purely powered configuration of their counterparts.

Picking a winner

While these may ostensibly be a trio of ‘desktop’ speakers, their capabilities stretch far beyond the realms of dutifully flanking your laptop to give your daily YouTube scrolling a bit more pep. All are bolstered by Bluetooth streaming powers, and all – to a varying degree – offer a raft of physical connections to stretch their capabilities far beyond that of mere deskbound sound.

That can make your choice all the trickier, as the process is no longer as simple as finding the pair that sounds the best plonked in your office and wired up to your desktop PC (remember those?).

Here, then, we have assessed each of our three contenders as thoroughly as possible, judging them on their versatility, design and sonic talents across a broad spectrum of potential use cases.

Whether you’re seeking your next pair of purely on-desk sentinels, or you want a do-it-all pair that can even get your turntable sounding superb, we have covered all the bases to put you in the best position to make your selection.

What’s fascinating about this particular group test is how different our three rivals are. While they may all be active or powered desktop speakers in name, the divergent paths each brand has taken at this budget end of the market clearly demonstrates there’s more than one way to skin this particular cat.

Each pair is a different size, boasts a distinctive design, has a given array of features and offers its own unique sound signature. A certain degree of our recommendation, therefore, is naturally going to be based on users’ subjective needs and preferences, even if, ultimately, we know where we would put our money. We’ll get to that in a moment.

Philips' Fidelio FA3 go big and bold

If size without much subtlety is what you desire, the Philips Fidelio FA3 make that case with a loud, hearty shout. These are the largest speakers of our trio and the most assertive sounding, with the burly boxes dwarfing their Onkyo and Ruark rivals by a considerable margin.

They might be the biggest of the lot, but they’re not the best equipped on the features front. While the inclusion of Bluetooth plus RCA, optical, USB-C and HDMI ARC options isn’t stingy, a lack of a standalone 3.5mm auxiliary input, a subwoofer out or any phono stage means Philips lags behind its competitors.

The Fidelio FA3 are capable of going louder and prouder than most typical desktop speakers, with a muscular, bass-heavy signature which will offer some appeal for anyone who just wants to crank up the volume and fire out their tunes with vigour.

For subtlety and nuance, however, they are outmatched here, with that ill-disciplined bass and route-one approach leaving us disappointed in their sonic capabilities when put up against their rivals.

Onyko's GX-30ARC are stunningly versatile

By contrast, subtlety and nuance aren’t lacking from the Onkyo GX-30ARC. While the Philips go big at the lower end, the Onkyo pair prioritise clarity, detail and organisation. They are, perhaps, a touch light in the bass, but that’s a minor niggle that can’t spoil a very positive sonic picture.

They are the most versatile of our trio, too, offering Bluetooth streaming alongside a bulging arsenal of physical connections, including optical, 3.5mm aux and a pair of RCA inputs, as well as USB-C, a moving-magnet phono stage and HDMI ARC.

That phono stage is great, and if you’re planning on grabbing a pair, we recommend using some form of wired connection to get the most out of them. Bluetooth audio is capable, but when your source is connected via the likes of USB-C or RCA, the GX-30ARC shine via a clearer, nimbler and more balanced reproduction.

Ruark continues its sonic supremacy

The Onkyos are clearly multi-talented, but for pure sonic excellence, the Ruark MR1 Mk3 still lead the way.

They may be the smallest of our trio, but they are also the most musically involving. They offer a powerful, punchy and dynamic sound that picks up on emotional subtleties with a far keener ear. For us, this is still the best-sounding pair of powered desktop speakers we have heard at this price.

They are also some of the best looking, and thanks to their compact, stylish footprint, a great option for anyone short on space. They will slot neatly into a desktop setup, perched on a bookshelf or, if you like, flanking your precious turntable.

That last option is one we recommend. The MR1 Mk3s’ phono stage is the party piece here, sounding well-defined, clear and confident beyond the speakers’ meagre dimensions. Add to that Bluetooth streaming, a USB-C input, a combined optical and 3.5mm auxiliary input and a sub out, and you have a superb all-around package.

They may not be quite as feature-laden as the Onkyo GX-30ARC, nor as burly-sounding as the Fidelio FA3, but for their deeply musical sound and lovely design, the Ruark MR1 Mk3 stand alone in riding that tricky balance of style and substance.

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It may be Valentine's weekend, but our heads have well and truly been turned by some of the excellent deals on offer this week.

And we mean excellent – every one of the products below is a past or present Award winner, so you can be sure of quality that stands out from the competition.

Highlights include a whopping £140 off the JBL Xtreme 4, our favourite premium Bluetooth speaker, which has crashed down to a more mid-range price. Talking of premium, our favourite high-end wireless earbuds are also on sale again for the first time since Black Friday, with the Technics EAH-AZ100 reaching a new record low price.

And lastly, our favourite multi-room speaker, the Audio Pro C20 W, is enjoying its first-ever discount after many months of us hoping and praying.

As ever, all products below are reviewed, rated and recommended by us – with a particularly thorough process to determine our Award-winners. So the below have definitely worked hard to get such high praise!

So without further ado, here are the deals:

The January sales may be over, but there's still a surprising amount of good deals popping up as we enter February.

It's been a great week for projector deals in particular, with discounts on everything from 4K home cinema models to portable garden options.

We've included the eminently likeable Nebula X1 on our Deals of the Week list this week after it returned to its record low price, but there are several other categories seeing significant savings.

The detailed and already affordable Elac Debut 3.0 DB53 are nearly half price with £130 off, while the five-star Denon AVC-X3800H AV receiver also has a tidy £500 off. Or for those after a whole surround sound system, the Award-winning Marantz Cinema 30 and the recently reviewed Fyne Audio F500E AV Pack 2 are available together with a £750 saving.

If you couldn't tell already, we've tested and reviewed every product we recommend. So you can shop with peace of mind knowing you're getting some quality AV hardware with the What Hi-Fi? seal of approval.

So, here are the all-important deals...

As the newest member of the What Hi-Fi? team, I have been using my newfound hi-fi knowledge not only to benefit our readers but also to build a hi-fi system for a compact listening space for myself.

My research and testing meant that I had narrowed down the choice of powered desktop speakers to two: the Award-winning Ruark MR1 Mk3 and the recent five-star Onkyo GX-30ARC.

I envisage mainly needing the speakers for listening to a turntable, while occasionally streaming over Bluetooth for more casual listening sessions. The latter is where I started comparing the two versatile speaker sets.

I started with the Ruark pair. I pressed the dial on top of the main speaker to turn them on, and then kept pressing more times than necessary until I went through all the inputs and back to Bluetooth – a process, I admit, that I found rather more enjoyable than perhaps I should.

I then connected my laptop and started streaming over Tidal. The first track, Beethoven’s Symphony No 7 in a Major - 2nd Movement - Allegretto, showcased the MR1 Mk3’s remarkable level of detail, adeptness at presenting a soundstage, and excellent dynamic handling for the price (£399 / $579 / AU$899).

But then I thought, “how much classical music will I listen to at home?” And the answer came back: “Probably none.” So, I moved on to something more in my wheelhouse: the similarly named but totally different Camper Van Beethoven and their brilliant, hard-hitting cover of Status Quo’s Pictures of Matchstick Men.

The Ruark speakers conveyed the track’s raw and delicate moments with equal gusto, and it didn’t take me long to appreciate the clarity of the presentation – although they did seem a little overzealous in the bass department.

I moved the speakers further from the rear wall, which reduced some boom from the low end. Then I streamed the entirety of Thin Lizzy’s Jailbreak – and the Ruarks certainly did the hard rock classic justice.

And then it was time for the Onkyo GX-30ARC to do its thing. But Pictures of Matchstick Men didn’t elicit the same number of head nods, and Jailbreak felt somewhat flat in comparison. It all rather left me asking the same question that we had posed in our review: “The Onykos are poised and controlled, but are they a little too dispassionate?”

Dynamic handling and detail levels were not on par with the Ruarks either – but they were still decent, and as they are the cheaper speakers, these things I could willingly accept. A lifeless presentation, on the other hand, I could not.

But then I hooked up the Rega Planar 3 RS Edition turntable to the GX-30ARC’s phono stage. And a massive spanner entered the works.

I started playing Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours and it was as if these active speakers had been completely reborn. What was once a lifeless zombie was now a youthful late teenager dancing the night away to their favourite song as they hit the dancefloor of a club for the very first time.

The bass drum on Go Your Own Way thumped along, taking me with it each beat of the way, while Second Hand News and Songbird were so much more engaging than anything I had listened to via the Bluetooth input.

After switching out to the Ruark and playing the same tracks, with the addition of Dreams, I discovered that, overall, I actually prefer the Onkyo pairing.

They sounded so good, in fact, that I started checking whether or not the GX-30ARC will fit on the speaker stands I had picked out for my listening space (they do, for the record).

What’s more, the Onkyos currently cost £100 less than the Ruark offering in the UK, and the money I would save could go towards an Award-winning turntable, the Rega Planar 1.

So, if I was to buy right now, the Onkyo GX-30ARC would definitely be my pick. There is, though, as Columbo would say, just one more thing stopping me from buying them.

I would like, eventually, to get a WiiM Pro Plus for music streaming; and the Ruark’s optical input would allow me to experience high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/192kHz. Audio resolution on the GX-30ARC is limited to 24-bit/48kHz.

So, as things stand, I haven’t invested in either set of powered speakers, and my journey to find the perfect pair for my compact listening space continues. If only I hadn’t tested that darn phono stage…

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Or this one on the best turntable speakers

How about the best active speakers instead?

In our recent review of the Onkyo GX-30ARC desktop speakers, we gave them a five-star verdict for their impressive sonic abilities and excellent versatility, all in an affordable package.

And right now, at just £299 at Richer Sounds, that price got even cheaper. A £40 saving is a big deal for a pair of speakers our expert testers already deem “a serious proposition” at the price.

So, secure yourself some impressive speakers while making a really decent saving. It's hard to ask for more.

The Onkyo GX-30ARC are wonderfully neat and compact desktop speakers which stand about as tall as a large paperback book. Put it this way, if you’d like to hook them up to your laptop or desktop PC, they will fit in rather nicely.

What you'll get is a master and slave configuration, with one speaker the home to amplification, DAC and inputs, and a wired cable connecting to the other, passive speaker.

Inside, there’s a total of 50 watts of power with dedicated Class D amplifiers for each drive unit. Each little box also comes with a 19mm tweeter alongside a 10.6cm woofer.

What they also are is incredibly well connected with a generous array of options. There's Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity, as well as a pair of RCA stereo inputs joined by optical and 3.5mm auxiliary inputs. Plus, a USB-C connection to plug them in directly to sources such as your laptop or smartphone.

And, for a pair of speakers at this level, it’s also great to see a moving-magnet phono stage, if you want to create a turntable system, along with an HDMI ARC input if you want to give your TV a sonic boost.

All this said, how do they sound? Our expert testers complimented them: “We are deeply impressed by how clear, punchy and dynamically engaging the Onkyo speakers sound for the price, and while they aren’t the biggest boxes in the world, they make a great fist of making Lukas Graham’s Happy Home sound appropriately stirring.”

We add: “There aren’t many rivals capable of delivering a decent performance at this affordable level, yet it’s hard to ignore the considerable talents the GX-30ARC speakers deliver, with their poise and cohesion lending tracks a wholly balanced feel.”

And for a reasonably budget outlay, the features, connectivity, and sonic performance make these Onkyo speakers a great buy, especially at the discount price of just £299 at Richer Sounds.

MORE:

Read our full Onkyo GX-30ARC review

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Did you know that Dolph Lundgren, the blonde-haired, muscle-bound antagonist from Rocky IV and one of the many macho members of the Expendables crew, is a former Kyokushin Karate champ? He’s also the proud holder of a Master’s degree in chemical engineering, speaks more than five languages, and has the sort of jawline that could cut a diamond at twenty paces.

It’s similar levels of multifaceted prowess which the Onkyo GX-30ARC speakers are aiming to emulate. Ostensibly a pair of compact Bluetooth desktop speakers at an affordable outlay, the Creator Series GX-30ARCs’ broad spectrum of physical inputs, including a moving-magnet phono stage and HDMI ARC, mean they could be so much more than a set of desk-bound sentinels tasked with giving YouTube videos a bit more oomph.

All of those potential use cases for just £339 / $299 / AU$649 look tempting on paper. Can the GX-30ARC make good on their polymathic promises, or have they stretched themselves too thin in a bid to cover as many bases as possible?

Build & design

As befits their primary use case as a pair of well-priced desktop speakers, the Onkyos are neat, compact little boxes which stand about as tall as a large paperback book. They are nicely made and simple to operate, sporting a clean, minimalist design that allows them to blend subtly into the background. Given that their main task may well be as a pair of speakers flanking your laptop or desktop PC, that feels entirely fitting.

As you’ll find with their more costly Ruark MR1 Mk3 rivals (£399 / $579 / AU$899), the powered GX-30ARC comprise a master and slave configuration, with one speaker housing the amplification, DAC and inputs, with a wired cable connection to its passive companion. That master speaker also features a front-facing LED, which changes colour in accordance with the input selected.

The GX-30ARC are equipped with a rather dapper pair of magnetically attachable grilles. While you will get the best sound possible with fully exposed drive units, keeping the grilles attached at all times doesn’t elicit a disastrous drop off in performance.

A pair of upward-angled stands are also provided – handy if you’re using the speakers as purely desktop units and want their sound directed somewhere close to your ears rather than into your chest. They feel a little cheap and plasticky, but to look at, they blend nicely with the Onkyos’ clean, utilitarian aesthetic.

Plus, you get an included remote control from which you can switch inputs, adjust volume and manage music playback via track switching and play/pause buttons. Make sure to keep your remote safe – most of the on-unit controls are a little awkwardly housed around the back of the main speaker.

Inside, there is a total of 50 watts of power with dedicated Class D amplifiers for each drive unit. Each box packs a 19mm tweeter alongside a 10.6cm cone woofer in pursuit of what Onkyo describes as a “clear, smooth sound”. Bass performance, meanwhile, is tuned by a slotted port on the rear panel.

Features

Thanks to their extensive connectivity suite, the Onkyo GX-30ARC are capable of going beyond the expected remit of a pair of powered desktop speakers. Yes, we envisage that most users may simply plonk the Onkyos onto a desk and then hook them up to their laptop or PC; but the generous array of connections on offer means that the GX-30ARC are capable of a good deal more.

Bluetooth is the only way you’ll get a wireless connection going, so don’t expect the sort of clever wi-fi streaming that you might find in costlier, all-in-one stereo systems. The GX-30ARCs’ Bluetooth 5.3 capabilities offer a stable, steady connection throughout our test time, although if we were being picky, we might have hoped for more extensive codec support beyond basic SBC. No hi-res aptX HD or aptX Adaptive here, sadly.

Flip the speakers around and on the master unit, you’ll find the lion’s share of your physical connections. A pair of RCA stereo inputs is joined by optical and 3.5mm auxiliary inputs, as well as a USB-C connection for directly plugging in sources such as laptops or smartphones.

We’re not done there. Rather pleasingly for a pair of speakers at this level, the GX-30ARC offers a moving-magnet phono stage if you want to establish a neat little turntable system, while an HDMI ARC input is on hand for giving your TV’s sound a sonic boost.

Sound

Bluetooth powers are a big part of the affordable Onyko’s appeal, and so Bluetooth streaming is where we start our testing, with the speakers placed on a standard office desk. Rick James’s Give It To Me Baby playing from Tidal is where we start, granting the speakers a chance to showcase their crisp, measured delivery as they dispatch James’s funky workout in a controlled, even-handed manner.

There aren’t many rivals capable of delivering a decent performance at this affordable level, yet it’s hard to ignore the considerable talents the GX-30ARC speakers deliver, with their poise and cohesion lending tracks a wholly balanced feel. That grants the Onkyos an air of measured maturity, and no matter the tunes we play, we’re conscious that they are keen to get out of the way and let the music do the talking.

Give It To Me Baby isn’t an easy track for speakers of this price to handle. While we’d like the GX-30ARC to unearth the dirty, impetuous nature of the subject matter with more grit and enthusiasm, we are impressed with how neatly and cohesively everything hangs together while the Onykos are streaming via Bluetooth and mounted on their provided plinths.

Clarity and textural detail are further plus points, and even if the GX-30ARC aren’t on the same level as the Award-winning Ruark MR1 Mk3, they do a fine job in their own regard – these are speakers costing a good chunk less, let’s not forget. What concerns us more is that the Onkyos aren’t quite as engaging as we’d like, with Nick Cave’s melancholic Song For Bob not quite striking the emotional chord. The Onykos are poised and controlled, but are they a little too dispassionate?

Perhaps; but as we delve deeper into their impressive array of connections, we realise that the GX-30ARC are more likely to be revealing the limitations of Bluetooth as they are their own fundamental flaws. Connecting to the Cyrus CDi CD player via the RCA inputs demonstrates a clear ability to stretch to a far more capable source player, whereas switching to the optical input demonstrates the speakers’ own internal DAC is capable of holding its own.

Connected to better sources and mounted on a set of decent speaker stands (the Custom Design FS104 Signature, to be precise), they sound far more expressive and engaging, deftly holding together Hans Zimmer’s Like A Dog Chasing Cars while bringing out the track’s dynamic crescendos with far more dramatic intent. The Onkyos sound far more alive; rather than merely going through the motions, they seem now to be firing on all cylinders and giving us a proper demonstration of what they can really do.

That internal DAC is clearly a good one. We use the provided USB-C connection to see how the speakers handle both music and movies, with the closing Live Aid performance from Bohemian Rhapsody acting as the perfect bridge between these two worlds. The GX-30ARC ably communicate the heady atmosphere of Queen’s iconic 1985 set, all while infusing Mercury/Malek’s virtuosic vocal performance with that signature boisterous élan.

Things improve further when we connect the Rega Planar 3 RS Edition turntable in a bid to uncover the capabilities of that internal phono stage. We are deeply impressed by how clear, punchy and dynamically engaging the Onkyo speakers sound for the price, and while they aren’t the biggest boxes in the world, they make a great fist of making Lukas Graham’s Happy Home sound appropriately stirring.

Verdict

The GX-30ARC is a serious proposition at this price. For what is still a reasonably budget outlay, we are impressed with the number of features and connectivity options on offer, with the Onkyo speakers showcasing admirable versatility across a range of sources and use cases.

Sonically, it’s hard to ask for more. These speakers won’t perform at their absolute best when playing via Bluetooth, but pair them with a quality source and the Onkyo GX-30ARC pairing are more than capable of showcasing their considerable talents. As a compact, versatile and easy to use pair of affordable, powered speakers, this is a very fine effort indeed.

Review published: 29th January 2026

SCORES:

• Sound 4
• Build 5
• Features 5

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Onkyo is kicking off the new year with a bang. Not only is the Japanese brand celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, it has also announced a new series of hi-fi products at CES 2026.

The Onkyo Muse series consists of two streaming amplifiers, the Y-50 and Y-40, which combine amplification, network streaming, DAC and connectivity in one unit – you just need to add speakers.

The Muse series aims to be a "vibrant entertainment hub for today’s streaming music lovers" while also delivering "a new benchmark for uncompromising hi-fi" in a compact design.

Both models feature Class D amplification and fully digital circuits, aiming to deliver fast, precise and powerful sound with an immersive soundstage. Along with wi-fi and wired Ethernet, the Muse series supports Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, Chromecast and AirPlay 2 to handle your streaming needs.

On both units, a 5.46-inch colour LCD display screen dominates the aluminium front panel, which allows you to browse all your connected streaming services, serves up track information and metadata, and can also display VU meters for that retro-analogue touch.

The minimalist chassis is available in black or silver, has heat vents on top that feature a traditional Japanese “San Kuzushi” pattern, and features an all-new volume control design.

The Muse Y-50 boasts 250W per channel into 4 ohms, and includes Onkyo's built-in Room EQ room calibration technology to optimise the amp's sound to your space.

Onkyo claims the Y-50 delivers "a dynamic, detailed soundstage that faithfully conveys the artist’s intent" and has enough grunt to drive speakers "of any size".

Physical connections include three pairs of RCA line-level inputs, a digital coaxial input, HDMI ARC input, and subwoofer output. It also has a built-in phono stage compatible with moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, and a 6.3mm headphone jack.

The Muse Y-40, meanwhile, offers 150W per channel into 4 ohms, and inputs include three RCA, coax, phono and HDMI ARC. It has the same streaming features as its bigger sibling and a 6.3mm headphone jack, but lacks the built-in Room EQ feature.

Onkyo's Muse series will be available in May 2026. The Y-50 is set to cost $1499, while the Y-40 will cost $999, with UK, AUS and other pricing TBC.

But that's not all – to mark eight decades of Onkyo and its "rebirth", there will also be a special limited edition Muse model available. Inspired by the design of the classic, high-end Onkyo M-588 stereo power amplifier, this 80th anniversary Muse streaming amplifier edition (pictured above) features a champagne-gold aluminium chassis with real-wood walnut veneer side panels.

This limited edition model is "positioned as a flagship expression of Onkyo’s past and future". We're told that 1000 units of the Muse 80th is expected to be available worldwide. We don't have details on price yet, but we're told that it will be launching in summer 2026.

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Onkyo and Klipsch are both celebrating their 80th anniversaries this year, and both audio brands have launched new ranges at CES 2026: the Onkyo Muse streaming amplifier series and Klipsch's second-generation powered speakers.

Despite hailing from two different corners of the globe, Onkyo and Klipsch fall under one parent company, and have joined forces to tease a whole bunch of upcoming products. Details, specifications and prices are sparse at the moment while these projects are in the conception stage, but it gives us a good idea of the direction that both brands are heading in, and what we can expect to see from them in the coming months.

For now, we have a few tantalising details and images to whet our appetite until these concepts become a reality.

Let's start with Klipsch. The American speaker brand is teasing three new ranges of premium loudspeakers for hi-fi and home theatre use. First there is the next iteration of the established Reference Premiere speaker series, while Klipsch is expanding into more premium hi-fi territory with the Reference Signature Series (see the bookshelf model concept image above) and what is currently nicknamed Project Apollo, through which the brand aims to "dig its roots deeper into the world of high-performance audio".

Klipsch says both new ranges feature an "elevated industrial design", new engineering based on the brand's legendary horn-loaded acoustic technology and is tuned "specifically for audiophiles and enthusiast listening". We're expecting select speaker models from these new line-ups to launch later in 2026.

More concrete is a new range of Atlas headphones, which consists of three over-ear models. This marks Klipsch's return to headphones after a lengthy absence – in fact, since the Heritage range launched at CES a decade ago.

At the top of the range is the HP-3, a semi open-back premium model designed for audiophiles, promising a "spacious, speaker-like presentation". This pair features a wide cushioned headband, Alcantara materials and perforated earcups for ultimate comfort and luxury.

The HP-2 is a closed-back "hi-fi option" that is tuned to go big on bass, while the HP-1 is a wireless over-ear model with active noise-canceling and a lightweight and portable design. Klipsch has also teased that spatial audio and "hearing compensation" features will be supported by a third party.

Moving on to Onkyo, the brand is launching 80th anniversary limited edition versions of its Creator Series GX-30 and GX-10 powered speakers (pictured above). These models pay tribute to the Onkyo D-200 speakers from the late 1980s, with the new desktop models featuring PVC walnut cabinets, silver trim rings and textured black baffles for a blend of professional and lifestyle aesthetics.

Designed to work as computer speakers, TV speakers or to pair with your turntable, these limited edition Creator speakers are set to launch in summer 2026, along with a special 80th anniversary edition of the new Muse streaming amplifier.

Adding to the Creator Series is an all-in-one tabletop wireless speaker, that aims to offer "room-filling clarity in a compact, elegant footprint". The design highlight is a large, central volume dial that offers a tactile interaction with the speaker – the volume control looks similar to the one seen in Onkyo's new Muse streaming amplifiers.

This tabletop speaker concept, also due in summer 2026, brings Onkyo into serious competition with the likes of Sonos, Audio Pro and Ruark Audio, although we have yet to find out what features it will have.

Those attending CES 2026 at Las Vegas this week will be treated to a first look at these concept products, and we hope to bring you full details of every product once they're ready in due course.

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The 65-inch C7K (known as the QM7K in the US) arrives on our test benches on the back of a remarkable run of TCL TV form across a wide range of price points and screen sizes.

It’s fair to say, then, that the auspices for the C7K are seriously good. Can it really keep TCL’s good times rolling, though, when its large screen and promising feature count come at such a (relatively) low price?

Pricing

The TCL C7K’s price is definitely one of its star attractions, with the 65-inch model we’re testing costing just £899 / AU$1595. This TV is known as the QM7K in the US, where it launched for $1500 but is now available for around $900.

That makes it significantly cheaper than the recently reviewed C8K model that sits above it in the 2025 TCL TV range.

Yes, there are plenty of 65-inch TVs out there these days that are cheaper than £899, but you’ll be very hard pushed indeed to find any of those cheaper models getting even close to matching the C7K’s feature set and, as we’ll see, performance.

If 65 inches isn’t quite right for you, the C7K is also available in sizes ranging from 50 inches all the way up to 115 inches. Bear in mind that the different-sized versions of the TV will have slight specification differences, such as the number of dimming zones. We have already reviewed the 98-inch TCL C7K, though, and it’s excellent.

TCL also produces a Q7C model which, the company says, is identical to the C7K in all ways but one: the Q7C doesn’t have the anti-reflection film that the C7K does. Given how much such elements can affect picture quality, this review shouldn’t be seen as also covering the Q7C.

Design

The C7K looks and feels exactly like what it is: a premium TV being sold for a barely even mid-range price. Its screen is wrapped in a slick, narrow brushed-metal trim, behind which a narrower black back section protrudes to provide room for the new Bang & Olufsen multi-channel speaker system to breathe.

The screen sits on what appears to be the same metal central desktop mounting plate as the one provided with the C8K, and this stand attaches to the screen using the same wide-neck-with-detachable-cover arrangement into which you can ‘tidy’ all your cabling.

The C7K is robustly built, and since it’s quite a bit slimmer than the C8K, it is arguably the more attractive of the two – especially if you’re looking to wall hang your TV.

The C7K doesn’t get the same premium silver metal-finished remote control the C8K has, but the elongated black handset provided still bears a premium brushed metal-style finish (even though it’s really all plastic). It feels comfortable to hold, too, the buttons are numerous but helpfully well spread out, and there are direct access buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, TCL Channels (a curated selection of streamed TV channels) and Disney Plus.

Features

There’s far more to get through here than you have any right to expect for the price.

Starting with those headline-grabbing facts that, despite its affordable price, the C7K’s screen is illuminated by Mini LEDs rather than the usual large ones, and that these Mini LEDs are organised into a remarkably numerous 1008 independent dimming zones.

Add to this a claimed peak brightness of 2600 nits, and you’ve got some core specifications that most really high-end TVs would struggle to match.

We’ve been around the block enough times to know, though, that it’s not just how many Mini LED dimming zones you’ve got; it’s what you do with them that counts.

That is where TCL’s new AIPQ Pro picture processor will hopefully play its part, controlling those dimming zones and Mini LEDs with enough intelligence to ensure they boost contrast and general light control without drawing undue attention to themselves.

The C7K joins all the other new 2025 TCL TVs we’ve seen to date in deploying a whole ‘Halo Control’ suite of new hardware and software technologies to deliver better dark-scene consistency.

This sees the features we have mentioned already joined by other innovations such as new super-condensed LED lenses claimed to focus light more effectively and stably; a new six-crystal light-emitting chip reckoned to deliver nearly 30 per cent more brightness and more than 30 per cent more energy efficiency; the introduction of Polyimide to the liquid crystal molecules to make their microstructure more controllable; and 16-bit bi-directional screen control delivering 65,000 levels of precise light control.

This isn’t even the full extent of the innovations TCL has introduced to the C7K’s new CrystGlow WHVA panel, but we’ll leave it there before your eyes start to glaze over. And because the resulting picture quality is what really matters in the end.

The C7K’s connections are good for a TV in its price range. Four HDMIs lead the way, as we’d expect of a premium TV, and these are backed up by a single USB port, an optical digital audio output, an ethernet port and the now obligatory wi-fi and Bluetooth (v5.4) wireless connections. The wireless connectivity includes Apple AirPlay and Chromecast support.

It’s slightly disappointing that only two of the C7K’s HDMIs support high frame rate gaming, rather than all four of them, and that one of these gaming-friendly HDMIs has to do double duty as the only one equipped with the eARC HDMI technology required to ship sound – including lossless Dolby Atmos and DTS:X – to compatible soundbars and AVRs.

Most premium TVs provide more than one USB these days, too, though that matters much less.

Most households will be more than content with the C7K’s connections overall – and we shouldn’t forget that this is a 65-inch TV that costs only £899.

The C7K scores major brownie points with us for supporting all four of the key high dynamic range formats: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

In fact, it even supports the versions of Dolby Vision and HDR10 that can adapt their picture presentation to the ambient conditions in your room, and its Dolby Vision support further extends to a low-latency Dolby Vision Game mode.

Other gaming features include support for 4K feeds at frame rates up to 144Hz – and that frame rate support remarkably (and arguably a bit pointlessly at the moment…) jumps to 288Hz using TCL’s Game Accelerator technology, provided you don’t mind the resolution dropping to Full HD.

VRR is supported right up to the 288Hz maximum, and there’s support for the AMD FreeSync Premium Pro VRR system as well as the core HDMI one. TCL’s screen will automatically switch into its fast-response Game mode when a game source is detected, rendering 60Hz game graphics in this mode in just 13.2ms.

As we’re seeing with most mid-range and high-end TVs these days, the C7K lets you call up a dedicated Game Bar main menu screen when a game source is detected, from which you can check information on the incoming game signal and activate such game aids as an onscreen crosshair, a system for brightening just the darkest parts of the image, and support for the super-wide aspect ratios supported by a few PC titles.

Smart features on the C7K are provided by Google TV, complete with support for the Google Assistant voice-recognition system. TCL has also seen to it that its version of Google TV includes all of the UK’s main terrestrial broadcaster catch-up TV services – something that regular Google TV systems fail to do.

It’s a pity, perhaps, that there’s no support for Freeview Play or Freely, but all the key individual UK broadcaster catch-up apps are present and correct.

Last but not least on the C7K’s extensive feature list is its all-new Bang & Olufsen sound system. This replaces the brand’s previous Onkyo collaboration with new high-fidelity speaker designs fed by 60W of power and capable of handling both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks.

Picture quality

With the 98C7K having already shown us that TCL’s new C7K range can deliver the goods even on a screen as big as 98 inches, it’s no great surprise to find that the more modestly sized 65-inch C7K is at least as good.

Particularly stellar for its price is its contrast. On the most basic contrast level, it can deliver both extremely intense, vibrant HDR peaks by sub-£1k 65-inch TV standards, and some of the deepest and most neutral, natural-toned blacks and dark scenes the mid-range LCD TV world, at least, has to offer.

What’s more, it’s able to deliver its light and dark extremes on screen simultaneously, without either significantly compromising the other. By which we mean that shots where bright highlights stand out against dark backdrops appear without distracting light halos around them; the bright objects in such shots aren’t heavily dimmed to achieve that lack of haloing; and for the most part, blacks remain as inky as they do with uniformly dark shots.

Throw in excellent shadow detail reproduction (the C7K is actually slightly better in this respect than the more overtly punchy C8K) and an almost complete absence of either fluctuating dimming zones or noticeable jumps in brightness during cuts between bright and dark shots, and you’ve got a brilliantly effective and, thanks to its consistency, immersive backlight system that punches well above the TV’s weight.

The C7K’s impressive brightness holds up strikingly well even when an HDR shot fills the whole scene with intense light, too, looking at least twice as bright with such shots as even the best new OLED TVs can – further contributing to the excellent consistency of the C7K’s HDR images.

The brightness and contrast both play their part, too, in the C7K’s precociously brilliant colour performance. In its Standard picture preset, colours across a huge spectrum look radiantly beautiful, combining vivid intensity with a level of blend and tone subtlety that feels too good to be true on a TV as affordable as this.

The colours the Standard mode produces might not be particularly accurate to established video standards, but every tone looks impeccably balanced against the rest, painting extremely enjoyable – and believable – worlds for anyone not obsessed with true-to-creative-intent accuracy.

If you are obsessed with true-to-creative-intent accuracy, even after witnessing the splendours of the 65C7K’s Standard preset, then worry not: the C7K’s Filmmaker Mode delivers pictures that follow the established HDR and SDR standards impressively closely. They do this, too, without ending up looking drab or washed out, as can be the case with the Filmmaker Mode on LCD TVs with less impressive ‘native’ screen talents.

As part of our C7K tests, we ran it side by side with the step-up C8K, and we were startled to see during this head to head that the C7K’s colours actually look slightly richer and more rounded in its Standard preset than they do on the C8K – perhaps because the C7K’s slightly reduced brightness versus the more expensive C8K doesn’t put its Quantum Dot colour system under quite so much strain.

The head-to-head also shows, though, that the 65C8K delivers slightly more effective colours in its Movie and Filmmaker Modes than the C7K.

The excellent subtlety of the C7K’s light and colour handling helps it deliver impressive sharpness with native 4K sources, while the latest AiPQ processor also upscales HD sources to the screen’s 4K pixel count very handily, adding sharpness and density without exaggerating noise or creating significant unwanted processing side effects.

The C7K retains its clarity excellently when required to handle 24fps motion too, suffering pleasingly little with either hardware judder or resolution loss over moving objects.

There are a couple of niggles with the C7K’s pictures to report. A small patch of yellowish colour sometimes creeps in just below the middle of the top black bar when watching wide aspect ratio films (though we suspect this might be an isolated issue with our review sample), and occasionally, slightly too much detail is revealed in dark areas, revealing faint traces of noise along with the ‘correct’ shading information.

That’s basically it on the negative front, though. The 65-inch C7K is, overall, every bit as excellent a performer for its money as every other 2025 TCL TV that has come through our doors so far.

Sound quality

As with the C8K, the C7K’s audio isn’t quite as all-round brilliant as its pictures. The new Bang & Olufsen influence is enjoyably evident both in the extremely clean and prolific detailing the speakers present with good film soundtrack mixes, and in the way it can hit trebles other TVs cannot reach without sounding whiny or harsh.

The midrange is nice and open, too, providing plenty of room for soundtracks to ebb and flow, as well as helping vocals sound well-rounded and reasonably contextual.

The main problem is that the speakers don’t lean into low frequencies as enthusiastically and effectively as they deal with the higher end of the spectrum. So bass doesn’t reach as deep as trebles reach high, and what bass there is is delivered a bit too politely. This results in a slightly treble-heavy presentation where background and ambient sound effects can sometimes draw more of your attention than they should.

Exceptionally dense soundtrack moments, such as the swelling score during the extreme close-up of an eye opening near the start of Blade Runner 2049, sound slightly more swallowed and condensed than they do on the more powerful C8K, and very deep and extended bass sounds also exhibit a little chuffing and buzzing interference that the 65C8K typically avoids.

Despite these niggles, though, the C7K’s sound is good overall for a TV in its price range. It’s just not quite as good as that of its step-up sibling, and leaves room for improvement next time round.

Verdict

TCL has done it again. The C7K follows the C8K and C6KS in scarcely putting a foot wrong – and once again it does so at a price that also makes it outstanding value.

SCORES:

Picture 5

Sound 4

Features 4

ALSO CONSIDER:

• TCL C8K review
• Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini LED review
• LG QNED93 review

Welcome to the latest edition of On the Radar, where we recount some of the biggest hi-fi and AV announcements from the last month and the products that we're most eager to get into our test rooms.

This month we saw two legendary Japanese audio brands reveal landmark new products in categories in which they have previously excelled.

Yamaha unveiled its latest Dolby Atmos soundbar system, which it hopes will be the key to defeating the likes of Sonos, Samsung and Sony.

Onkyo, on the other hand, continued its revival with a new CD player that sports a surprisingly low price tag.

Elsewhere, LG launched a new super compact ultra-short-throw projector that features a 4K image and Dolby Atmos audio. It hopes to outshine Samsung's The Premiere 5, which shouldn't be too hard considering it only scored three stars in our full review.

Up next is the Pro-Ject Head Box E, which promises punchy amplification for your headphones despite its pocketable form factor and affordable price.

And rounding up our list of new products is the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE, a revised version of the company's P100 wireless noise-cancelling headphones, which we weren't entirely convinced by in our original review. Can this freshly-tuned pair deliver the goods?

Let's dive in to all the details...

Yamaha True X Surround 90A

Yamaha’s Dolby Atmos surround sound system takes technology from the Japanese audio brand’s very first soundbar and boosts it with two decades of soundbar advancements.

Sporting an upgraded version of beam-firing drivers from 2005’s YSP-1, this new system utilises those drivers and Yamaha’s clever processing to amp up height effects in order to increase cinematic immersion.

The soundbar is paired with wireless surrounds, which double as individual Bluetooth speakers, and a new wireless subwoofer, which features a symmetrical flared port design for reduced vibrations and bass distortion.

You’ll also find support for wireless music streaming over Bluetooth and wi-fi, and Yamaha’s Surround:AI system, which can adapt the audio output to suit the content you’re watching in real time.

• Price: TBC (estimated £2500)
• Release date: September 2025

LG CineBeam S

Projector manufacturers are going crazy for compact, ultra-short-throw models at the moment, and LG is the latest company to jump on the bandwagon.

This 4K UST projector can beam images of up to 100 inches in size from just 39cm away from your wall, with a claimed 500 ANSI lumens of brightness and built-in stereo speakers that support Dolby Atmos (on paper at least).

LG’s webOS smart platform is also on board, meaning you can stream from the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus and Apple TV directly from the projector, though there is an HDMI socket (which doubles as the eARC connection) if you plan on hooking up a Blu-ray player or games console.

With Samsung launching its Premiere 5 projector earlier this year, could LG be eyeing up its own slice of the compact UST pie?

• Price: £1099 / AU$2,499 (around $1460)
• Release date: September 2025

Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE

We weren’t totally enamoured with the first generation of Cambridge Audio’s noise-cancelling over-ear headphones, so we’re glad to see that it’s launching a refined model that tweaks some of our biggest gripes.

The new SE variant of its Melomania P100 headphones claims to have weightier low end and more refined dynamics, which will result in "more powerful, immersive playback" according to Cambridge Audio.

The new cans also sport a redesigned headband that promises "exceptional comfort for every head shape" thanks to improved cushioning and clamping force.

They still have the same custom 40mm composite neodymium drivers alongside Class A/B amplification as the previous generation, as well as support for Qualcomm’s aptX Lossless wireless audio codec. The promised sound improvement is all down to the tuning, so we’re eager to see if Cambridge can win us over.

• Price: £249 / $299 / €279 (Australia pricing TBC)
• Release date: available now

Pro-Ject Head Box E

Pro-Ject’s new headphone amp is punching well above its weight, but who doesn’t like an underdog?

Costing less than £100, Pro-Ject assures us that it has no trouble powering “even the most demanding headphones". It weighs just 390g and is easily pocketable if you plan on taking it on the go, while its 665 milliwatts (0.665 watts) into 32 ohms is enough to drive a variety of wired headphones.

It may be small, but Pro-Ject maintains that it's mighty indeed, claiming it can outperform a typical stereo amplifier in a hi-fi setup with a CD player or turntable. Inside this plucky little box is a fully discreet electronics system which should allow for more robust power handling, cleaner performance and easier servicing and repair.

Connectivity-wise, the Head Box E sports a pair of RCA sockets for inputs, along with a bypass RCA loop output for passing the signal on to another amplifier or audio device. There are also dual headphone outputs (6.3mm and 3.5mm) which can be used simultaneously for shared listening.

• Price: £89 (around $120 / AU$180)
• Availability: available now

Onkyo C-30

This Onkyo CD player has been designed to work seamlessly with the trio of amplification devices that launched at CES in January, as the brand reemerges into the hi-fi market.

It sports the company’s VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuit) technology, which claims to remove pulse noise from the signal path for a cleaner analogue output from the player’s 24-bit/192kHz DAC.

Furthermore, the C-30 features a “vibration-resistant, blast-finished aluminium front panel” on the front, alongside analogue, digital optical and digital coaxial outputs on the rear.

UK pricing is yet to be confirmed, but we do know that it will cost just $349 in the US; a relative bargain compared to the amplifiers in the range, which all cost north of £1000.

• Pricing: £TBC / $349 / AU$TBC
• Availability: TBC

MORE:

Read our full Yamaha True X Soundbar System review

As well as our Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review

Check out our picks for the best projectors

It’s the start of the week, which means another entry into our regular Rewind hi-fi and home cinema news digest.

While it was a fairly quiet week for news, there were a few key announcements and developments that should pique any music or film fan’s interest.

These included fresh products from Japanese hi-fi (and surprisingly gin) maker, Onkyo, a wish directed to Apple from our hi-fi head-honcho, and more.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Chord’s latest amp is niche, but excellent

Chord Electronic’s Alto is an interesting beast. The unit was originally designed for recording and mastering studio engineers who need to regularly swap out cabled headphones – hence the analogue amp’s inclusion of an atypically plentiful four headphone outputs.

But, Chord’s added the ability to use it to drive a pair of speakers, meaning it’s technically also a high-end pre-amp. This hybrid usage means it doesn’t neatly sit in any one hi-fi category.

Thankfully, oddities aside, for any buyer who finds the above appealing, having put it through its paces last week we can confirm it’s an excellent purchase.

Whether it was cabled headphones or price appropriate speakers, the Alto delivered a neutral, detailed and punchy sound, making it an easy, if niche, five-star recommendation.

Read our full Chord Electronics Alto review

Our TV and AV editor is enamoured with TCL’s latest giant Mini LED

Last week our TV and AV editor, Tom Parsons, took the time to look at TCL’s latest giant Mini LED, the 98-inch C7K (review incoming).

And while we’ll save any final judgements for our full review, let’s just say he walked away fairly impressed.

So much so that he not only walked into our offices with an ear-to-ear smile, he also felt the need to pen an opinion piece, discussing what the set’s cutting edge performance and competitive pricing means for the wider home cinema market.

Read the full story: TCL's new 98-inch Mini LED TV is so good and such great value, I think it spells trouble for projectors

We ran LG’s small-ish OLEDs head-to-head

The team at What Hi-Fi? have long considered 48-inch OLED TVs to be an under-appreciated option in the top end of the market.

Small enough to neatly slot in a bedroom, or sensibly fit in a smaller lounge, they offer the same core perks as their larger siblings and are also often significantly cheaper.

If you’re after one, then you’re likely to be at least considering one of LG’s 48-inch C-series models, and for good reason – with this and last year’s models both earning five-star ratings from our reviewers.

Here to help guide your purchase decision, last week we penned a fresh piece detailing the key technical specs and relative performances we’ve encountered comparing the 48-inch LG C5 and 48-inch LG C4.

Read our in-depth LG OLED48C5 vs OLED48C4 guide

Our hi-fi and audio editor has a request for Apple

A lot of the What Hi-Fi? team uses Apple Music – hence its ongoing five star rating. That includes our hi-fi and audio editor, Kashfia Kabir, who has been a subscriber since the service launched a decade ago.

But, despite her ongoing enjoyment and use of Apple’s music streaming platform, recently she’s been hankering for one key upgrade. Specifically, a version of Tidal Connect or Qobuz Connect for AirPlay that will let her stream at higher bitrates and quality on the platform.

Read the full story: I’ve been using Apple Music for 10 years, and this one hi-fi feature would make my listening complete

Onkyo launched a CD player

Finally, last week Japanese audio brand Onkyo added a new product to its latest Icon Series of separates. Specifically, it unveiled its new budget C-30 CD player.

The unit sits alongside the P-80 network preamplifier ($1999), the M-80 power amplifier ($1999) and the A-50 amplifier ($1599) we originally saw at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas at the start of January.

Despite being set to retail for just $349 (UK pricing TBC), Onkyo is making some pretty bold claims about the player promising it will offer cutting edge “high performance”.

Read the full story: Onkyo adds “high performance” budget C-30 CD player to its Icon Series of hi-fi separates

MORE:

These are the best CD players we’ve reviewed

We rate the best Mini LED TVs

Our picks of the best OLED TVs

Onkyo originally unveiled its Icon Series of two-channel products at CES 2025 with the launch of the P-80 network preamplifier ($1999), the M-80 power amplifier ($1999) and the A-50 amplifier ($1599).

The only thing it was missing was a CD-spinning source. That has now been rectified with the launch of the Onkyo C-30 – although there’s a surprise twist in the tale.

The C-30 features the company’s VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuit) technology, which claims to remove pulse noise from the signal path for a cleaner analogue output from the player’s 24-bit/192kHz DAC.

It also claims the player has a low signal-to-noise ratio and a high-precision clock for accurate timing and imaging.

The design includes a “vibration-resistant, blast-finished aluminium front panel” which appears designed to fit in with the rest of the Icon Series. Around the rear of the C-30, you have analogue, digital optical and digital coaxial outputs.

Like the rest of the Icon Series, the CD player is available in Silver or Black. But, and here's that plot-twist we promised, the C-30 comes in at a much lower price point.

Retailing at just $349 (UK pricing TBC), this could be a budget option for anyone who wants to slot a dedicated CD player into their entry-level system.

Could we see a matching budget stereo amplifier launch at some point further down the line? We think it could make for a neat and affordable one-make system.

Onkyo is trying to make a bit of a comeback following its bankruptcy filing in 2022, when it was subsequently acquired by Premium Audio Company (the parent company of Pioneer, Klipsch, Sharp and others). Hopefully, the Icon Series can set it on the right track.

What do you think about Onkyo’s return to two-channel after its brief hiatus? Let us know in the comments below, and also let us know which product you’d like to see in our test rooms first.

MORE:

Our pick of the best CD players

Onkyo returns to hi-fi with the launch of Icon Series electronics at CES 2025

We've built a gold-standard hi-fi system that delivers sweet streams aplenty – and looks good, too

Soundbars might be all the rage, but home cinema enthusiasts who can accommodate a full-blown surround sound speaker package are still being catered for, as Onkyo’s latest announcement goes to show.

Fresh for 2024 is the TX-RZ30. Costing $1199 and launching in October (it is scheduled to arrive in the UK by the end of the year, priced £1199), this feature-packed amplifier, with 100W of Class A/B amplification per channel, will doubtless be in the hunt for a spot on our list of the best AV receivers.

It’s fully equipped and includes a thorough set-up procedure, courtesy of Dirac Live Room Correction Full Bandwidth. Dirac’s tech will optimise the sound to suit your particular room layout and listening conditions. Also available, as an optional extra, is Dirac Live Bass Control, which sees machine learning and AI quickly optimise your subwoofer settings.

The Onkyo also supports IMAX Enhanced. This means you can experience enhanced movie soundtracks from compatible sources, such as 4K Blu-ray discs. An IMAX Enhanced soundtrack uses a special ‘signature’ version of the DTS:X audio format which IMAX claims helps to preserve the full dynamic range of the original movie mix.

Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity are both included and the Onkyo has one additional wireless trick up its sleeve which allows it to transmit and receive audio (including aptX HD) to compatible Bluetooth headphones. Perfect for a spot of late-night listening when you want to enjoy an action flick but don’t want to disturb anyone else in the house (or your neighbours).

On the rear are no fewer than six HDMI 2.1a inputs and a pair of outputs should you want to send pictures – and there is support for the pass-through of both 8K and 4K content.

Today’s home cinema receivers are more than just movie maestros, which means you get support for a wide range of music streaming platforms and apps. There is Google Cast built-in, AirPlay 2, Spotify, Amazon Music HD, Tidal, Deezer, Pandora (for US customers) and Tunein. It is also Roon Tested, should you want to use a Roon Core server over AirPlay or Chromecast. The Onkyo even has a Sonos port allowing you to distribute your audio through your Sonos wireless network.

Onkyo and Klipsch have teamed up to create a special audio mode designed to work with Klipsch’s Reference Premier speaker line. Admittedly, it’s a little niche, but nice to have if you happen to have a speaker package which uses speakers from this range.

MORE:

Our pick of the best AV receivers

IMAX Enhanced: what is it, how do you get it and is it any good?

6 mistakes to avoid with your AV receiver

I listened to two five-star AVRs – and it reminded me why home cinema should be fun

Thinking about upgrading your stereo setup with HDMI and streaming for a music and TV hub combo? Onkyo could be here to help. The Japanese brand has announced the release of its new TX-8470 two-channel network receiver which it claims blends outstanding sonic performance with all the up-to-date connections the modern consumer demands.

The new stereo receiver uses Class G amplification for 110 watts per channel (into 8 ohms), and houses an AKM 32-bit/768kHz two-channel DAC. The audiophile-centred receiver comes with HDMI ARC connectivity (four inputs, one output) and support for 8K and 4K Ultra HD resolutions, plus two optical, a single coaxial and twin USB inputs. You can even boost your setup's bass using the TX-8470's subwoofer output.

Analogue sources are catered to thanks to three RCA line-level inputs, while there are also AM, FM and DAB+ radio tuners integrated into the unit. 

Modern music lovers are well catered for, with the network-connected TX-8470 offering hi-res streaming via Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music and Deezer as well as multi-room capabilities and support for both AirPlay and Chromecast. It also has a Roon Ready certification.

If you're planning on jumping on the vinyl-revival bandwagon, the Onkyo TX-8470 could be right up your street. The new stereo receiver features an isolated moving magnet/moving coil phono stage circuit powered by a dedicated linear analogue power supply, that is claimed to reduce distortion and improve sonic clarity for your records.

Onkyo claims that its two-channel receiver has been meticulously built and designed with a focus on “refined audio output”. The unit's gold-plated terminals and audio-grade capacitors push for a purer, cleaner sound, while the built-in amplifying stage “maximises your loudspeaker performance” for a “superior sound and a richer listening experience”. 

The Onkyo TK-8470 is available to order now for $799 (further prices pending). 

MORE:

Best AV receivers: the top home cinema amplifiers we've tested

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12 of the best songs to test your speakers

The new Klipsch Flexus Sound System, which was previously demoed at CES 2024, is now available to order in the US.

The Flexus range includes two soundbars, a wireless subwoofer and wireless surround speakers. The system is described as being a combination of 'American sound and Japanese precision' and marks the first partnership between Klipsch and its sister company, Onkyo.

The first available bar – The Flexus Core 100 soundbar – is described as an entry model 2.1-channel soundbar incorporating Dolby Atmos, HDMI eARC, and USB-C. It features dual 2.25-inch left and right drivers and dual 4-inch built-in subwoofers in a compact enclosure measuring 28 inches in width.

The Flexus Core 200 bar includes the same drivers as the 100, however, it also adds some extras. It measures 44 inches in width and comes loaded with dual 2.25-inch midbass drivers and a 0.75-inch horn-loaded tweeter which works as the centre channel. It also includes dual 2.25-inch upfiring drivers for Dolby Atmos audio.

The Sub 100 subwoofer is roughly square, measuring just over 13 inches in height, width and depth. It houses a 10-inch cone in a sealed enclosure, putting out 80W of Class D power RMS (160W peak). As well as being a wireless unit, the speaker also offers an RCA input if you prefer a wired connection to your soundbar of choice.

Lastly, the Flexus Surr 100 50W wireless surround speakers feature a 3-inch paper cone and measure just over 4 inches in width and depth, and almost 7 inches in height. They also have a threaded insert on the rear for wall-mounting.

The whole system can be controlled and configured using the new Klipsch Connect Plus app. Users can control input selection, EQ presets, firmware, and feature updates. The system also comes with a pre-paired USB transmitter, included with the surrounds and subwoofers, allowing the Core models to quickly connect.

This is the first time we've seen Onkyo branding in a while, with the TX-RZ70 receiver announced just over a year ago. This AVR came after Onkyo filed for bankruptcy around two years ago, so it's good to see the Japanese brand making a mark where it can, despite its troubles.

We haven't reviewed these products yet but are keen to get them into our testing room to see how they fare against comparable systems.

We have reached out to Klipsch for UK pricing and availability, so stay tuned for more information when it becomes available

Pricing

• Flexus Core 100: $349
• Flexus Core 200: $499
• Flexus Surr 100: $249
• Flexus Sub 100: $299

MORE:

Our picks for the best surround sound systems around

And the best soundbars for every budget, recommended by our experts

It’s been quite some time since we’ve reviewed a Pioneer home cinema amplifier, seven years in fact, and a lot has changed since then. That Pioneer we tested back in 2017 cost just £250 – something we can only dream of nowadays, as a quality AVR launching under a grand is a rare sight indeed.

That being said, we’re happy to see a new Pioneer land in our AV testing room, especially because since our last review, Pioneer has been in a spot of bother. Onkyo, the parent company of Pioneer and a Japanese audio powerhouse in its own right, filed for bankruptcy in 2022 but was quickly saved by Premium Audio Company (PAC) and Sharp – phew.

So, with a reinvigorated spirit and cash flow, has Pioneer come back stronger than ever? The VSA-LX805 certainly looks the part, as it spearheads the brand’s latest endeavour in the home cinema market, but can it keep up with the competition when it comes to the all-important sound performance?  

Price

The Pioneer VSA-LX805 retails for £3099 here in the UK, which roughly translates to  $3900 / AU$6000 in the US and Australia respectively. The US does have a model that resembles this AVR in both appearance and name, called the VSX-LX805 which retails for $2999. However, we can’t confirm if these two AV amplifiers are the same under the hood and therefore can’t vouch for the US model's performance.

We are using the Arcam AVR5 as our main comparison. Its cheaper, at £1999 / $2000 / AU$3495, but to match the 11 channels of amplification featured on the Pioneer you would need to purchase the additional Arcam PA410 power amplifier for £1249 / $1650 / AU$3495, taking the total to a Pioneer-like £3248 / $3650 / AU$6990.

Build

This Pioneer AVR isn’t the most attractive unit we've ever seen. While we know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, we also do appreciate an AV amplifier with some visual appeal as it will likely be visible in a media unit arrangement. It’s worth noting that it's a fairly hefty unit, weighing in at 18kg.

It’s a fairly unremarkable black box with sharp edges and a brushed metal finish that we find looks a touch dated. Looking around our test room, we find various Sony, JBL and Arcam models that offer more in the way of aesthetic appeal and build quality. That being said, it does perfectly match the Pioneer 4K Blu-ray player we currently have on our reference rack, and who doesn’t like some design synergy?

One aspect of the Pioneer’s build that we are rather fond of is the folding cover that covers the controls and front-facing ports. It keeps the front of the device looking clean and tidy, although we would have preferred it to be metal like the rest of the unit, rather than plastic.

Features

We’d have to seriously nitpick to find faults in the Pioneer’s feature set. The VSA-LX805 offers 150W of Class A/B amplification across its 11.2 channels, with a maximum configuration of 7.2.4; that’s an impressive claim to fame especially when it's all in one convenient (if slightly heavy) package. If you don’t plan on using all of that power in one space, then you can split it into three zones in order to power speakers in other rooms.

Connectivity is also a key strength for this AVR with a smorgasbord of inputs and outputs to suit your needs. You’ll find seven total HDMI inputs, six of which are HDMI 2.1 on the rear fascia (capable of 4K/120Hz or 8K/60Hz) and another on the front panel labelled AUX HDMI, which Pioneer seems to think is best for connecting a video camera. You’ll also find three optical ports, two coax, four stereo RCA and an additional phono connection for hooking up a turntable.

In terms of outputs, you’ll find three HDMI outs. These are clearly labelled, with one designated as the main ARC/eARC output, another as Sub and the final one as Zone 2; the first and second of these connectors support 8K, while the third tops out at 4K.

Wireless connectivity is also top-notch, with support for Bluetooth and wi-fi streaming across a plethora of services including Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, DTS Play-Fi, Deezer, Amazon Music HD, TuneIn radio; and it’s even Roon Ready. 

In terms of audio format support, the Pioneer claims another clean sweep, with support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Surround, DTS:X, Neural:X and IMAX Enhanced audio. Auro 3D is also on board, however, you may have to complete a firmware update (via wi-fi, ethernet or USB) to access it. HDR format support is a similar situation, with support for HDR10, HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision.

The VSA-LX805 comes with a basic but very functional remote. It features a button to activate an orange backlight which we find to be useful in our dark testing environment when using a projector.

Rounding things out with the surprisingly intuitive on-screen set-up process. The mic-assisted MCACC room calibration (Pioneer’s proprietary automated set-up tool) is simple and thorough, and while it can take a while, we find it optimises the sound to the shape and layout of our AV testing room well. Patience is key here, as at times it looks like the system freezes and produces no sound, but this is all part of the process, and it results in very few additional adjustments being required (in our experience at least). The Pioneer also includes the option to calibrate with Dirac Live, which will compensate for room shape and acoustics for a more balanced and lifelike sound, although that is a much more involved process and requires additional software and equipment.  

Sound

It’s immediately obvious that Pioneer has opted for scale over subtlety with this AVR. While that’s not necessarily the wrong choice, it does highlight some sonic pitfalls in the VSA-LX805’s performance. We’re comparing it to the Arcam AVR5 with our PMC Twenty5.23 reference speaker package in a mostly 7.1 configuration.

Starting with Interstellar, we begin with the water planet sequence in DTS:X. As the space shuttle descends onto the treacherous planet, we’re struck by the sheer scale of the sound. The rushing wind and swooping effects of the shuttle, as Cooper initiates evasive manoeuvres to reach the planet’s surface in the quickest time possible, are impressive, with the sound travelling organically around our seating position thanks to the fluid and considered approach to the movement of sound.

This extends to the dramatic crescendo of the scene as the skyscraper-sized tidal wave strikes the crew’s spacecraft. As the score's organ punches through the soundtrack, there is an impressive sense of dynamics that helps to add a proper gut punch to this scene. The sound of rushing water as the spaceship is picked up and tossed around is once again cinematic in scale and mostly engaging too, making for a solid first impression for the Pioneer.

However, it's the slower and quieter aspects of this scene that highlight the issues we have with the Pioneer’s lack of subtlety. As Cooper urges his crew to hurry out of the ship (and subsequently hurry back to the ship) we’re left feeling puzzled by the lack of texture or expression in his voice. What should be a panicked and exasperated delivery is instead left feeling flat and unconvincing. 

While punchier displays of dynamics are rewarded on the Pioneer, low-level dynamics are not quite as refined: the ticking metronome that is used to build tension in this scene is too easy to ignore, for example. A switch to the Arcam delivers a polar opposite experience as the snappy metronome is reintroduced to sublime effect. This is the first hint that the Arcam is the more considered and refined amp of the pair. Not only that, but we find the Arcam quickly betters the Pioneer in the larger scale dynamics department too, with a punchier and more textured presentation of Zimmer’s sensational score.

Shifting over to the grungy streets of Gotham City, The Batman highlights more of the Pioneer's strengths and limitations, this time in Dolby Atmos. While there isn’t much depth or texture to dialogue, they are at least very audible and we have no problem hearing dialogue over scenes with loud gunshots or the Batmobile’s engine. As the car chase transitions onto the motorway, we’re reminded of the Pioneer’s ability to deliver the necessary scale of action set-pieces, as the sound of lurching trucks and screeching car tyres envelops us. 

However, there is an unavoidable sense that sound effects have a harsh, slightly bright sound to them, as evidenced by the gunshots fired off by The Penguin and his goons. There’s a hard leading edge to each effect with little in the way of dynamics in reserve to follow through with, leaving us wincing at some particularly harsh-sounding effects. 

Furthermore, the Arcam injects more energy into this scene, making for an enhanced sense of excitement and tension. It’s certainly more agile and precise than the Pioneer, which seems slightly vague and sluggish in comparison. This scene also highlights how the Pioneer can become clustered towards the centre of our surround package; which is odd considering how adept it is at providing a fairly spacious surround feel. Sound effects seem to compete for dominance over the centre, left and right channels, which creates a congested sound. It's worth noting that this is only really noticeable when there are lots of sound effects happening at once. 

We use Dune to affirm our thoughts and feelings towards the Pioneer, this time with our upward-firing Dolby Atmos speakers from KEF connected. The scene in which the Atreides clan are introduced to Dr Liet Kynes offers a decent sense of atmosphere, with the reverberation and echo caused by the large aircraft hangar being present. Moving out onto the golden sands of Arrakis, the performance is practically what we expected. There’s more in the way of height effects, and overall the already expansive soundfield is widened. The Ornithopter zips around with a convincingly fluid sound, contrasted by the punchy bass of the drums in the background, which remain fairly controlled and dynamic. The key strength here is that the Pioneer can add these additional Dolby Atmos channels with no additional power amp required, making for a convenient all-in-one solution. 

Rounding things off with a test of musical prowess for the Pioneer, it should be no surprise that the qualms we had with the vocal presentation of this amplifier are a hurdle here too. We listen to Bon Iver’s For Emma in Direct Stereo and are generally unenthused by the damp vocals. That slight congestion rears its head here too. That being said, it doesn’t get anything overly wrong, playing the song with good enough timing and acceptable detail.

Verdict

If you want a home cinema receiver capable of subtlety and nuance, then there are better choices than this Pioneer. Its talents are elsewhere and are focused on exciting those hankering after a big, cinematic sound. If that sounds like you, give this Pioneer a listen.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Arcam AVR5

Also consider the Denon AVC-X6700H

Read our Denon AVR-X3800H review

Best AV receivers: the top home cinema amplifiers we've tested

Onkyo's new AV receiver promises to bring studio-grade audio processing to your home. The TX-RZ70 is one of Onkyo's first products since the brand was acquired by Premium Audio Company (PAC) in 2021. As such, all eyes are on it. Thankfully, this flagship AVR looks great, on paper at least.

It boasts 11.2 channels, with 140 watts per channel. HDMI 2.1, 8K (and 4K) resolution and 40GPS speeds come as standard. It also has full bandwidth functionality for the fastest refresh rates to keep up with the likes of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

Audio performance is aided by the 24-bit ESS Sabre DACs which provide ultra-low distortion. The sound is optimised for your room thanks to the Dirac Live Room Correction, while you can also upgrade to Dirac Live Bass Control, which harnesses the power of AI and machine learning to optimise bass performance for your surroundings.

Voice controls come courtesy of Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple's Siri. Roon Ready certification will land in September of this year via a firmware update, letting you access your entire high-resolution music library digitally. 

aptX Bluetooth is onboard too, so you can listen to music in a higher-quality codec using a pair of compatible wireless headphones. And the rest of its spec list reads ticks a large number of tech boxes: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Surround, DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced, AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, THX Certified for Theatre Reference Sound and Klipsch Optimized Mode for optimum performance with Klipsch's Reference Premiere speakers all come as standard. Talk about being fully featured.

The Onkyo TX-RZ70 AVR will go on sale in the spring for £3099 (€3299 / $2799).

MORE:

Will it make our list of best AV receivers?

22 of the best Dolby Atmos movie scenes to test your home cinema sound

Want something smaller? See our pick of the best soundbars

Toshiba has announced a new line-up of smart TVs for the UK at IFA 2022, including models with quantum dot technology plus a choice of operating systems from Amazon, Google and Linux.

The flagship 4K QA5D display features Toshiba’s top-of-the-range panel technology, including its TRU Picture Engine and support for Dolby Vision, HDR 10 and HLG HDR formats. Dolby Atmos is also onboard, as is DTS:X and built-in speakers by Onkyo.

Available in 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch screen sizes, the QA5D has a slim, ‘frameless’ design and features the Android 11 TV operating system. It offers two HDMI 2.1 ports with ALLM and eARC and Chromecast is on board with voice control courtesy of Google Assistant.

Prices for the QA5D start at £400 (around $461 / AU$697), while a sibling model, the QL5D, will offer the same design, quantum dot panel and audio system but with Toshiba’s Linux-based operating system instead of Android TV. The QL5D will be exclusive to Costco and Buy It Direct, with prices yet to be announced.

For fans of Amazon's TV platform, the UF3D is Toshiba’s first TV with Fire TV built-in. It’s designed to integrate with an existing Alexa set-up and includes an Alexa Remote for voice control.

This 4K UHD model also features Toshiba’s TRU Picture Engine with Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG. Dolby Atmos is supported, and Onkyo has also designed its speakers.

With prices starting at £370 ($427 / AU$677), the UF3D is available in 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch sizes. Also on display at IFA is the QF5D, another Fire TV model but with a QD film display, available in the same screen sizes with pricing still to be released.

Next up, the UK4D brings another operating system to the table. This time, it’s Toshiba’s Linux-based platform with Alexa built-in. Available in 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch sizes, the UK4D has a frameless design with a 4K UHD panel and TRU Picture Engine with Dolby Vision, HDR 10 and HLG. Prices for the UK4D start at £350 (around $403 / AU$593).

Toshiba’s mid-range Android TV option is the UA3D, available in 43-inch, 50-inch and 55-inch sizes. It doesn’t boast the sleek build of its big sibling or Dolby Atmos, but the 4K sets do support HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The UA3D starts from £350 (around $403 / AU$593).

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It has been confirmed that the legendary Japanese brand Onyko, which filed for bankruptcy in May, will return to the European market under the joint ownership of Sharp and Premium Audio Company (PAC), a subsidiary of Voxx.

PAC has officially announced that Onkyo, along with stable mates Integra and Pioneer, will soon be available for distribution across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with stock available from the autumn.

Paul Jacobs, the President and Chief Executive Officer of PAC, said, "Demand for Onkyo, Integra and Pioneer products has been very high, and we expect this to intensify in the coming years. We have been working very closely with Sharp to ramp up production and have grown our business significantly since the acquisition was completed. 

"We have big plans for Onkyo and the other brands, and as we build production and expand distribution, we believe sales will more than double in the near term."

Onkyo has been a fixture of the hi-fi scene since 1946, making its name with classic hi-fi separates and later AV receivers. The company includes its premium sub-brand Integra, introduced in 1969, and Pioneer, which it purchased in 2015. While products such as the A-9010 successfully continued the company's legacy, in recent years it struggled to meet shifting consumer demand.

The first indication that all was not rosy came in 2019 when Onkyo tried and failed to sell its audio business to Sound United – the owner of Denon and Marantz – for a reported $73m (approx £53m, AU$95m). The company subsequently tried to keep doing business on a smaller scale but couldn't stop its worsening cash flow problems.

In September 2021, Onkyo sold its core home AV business to Sharp and the US-based Voxx International and its earphones and headphones business to an investment fund. The joint venture saw Sharp, which has been producing some Onkyo products since 2017, take over manufacturing and supply chain management of AVRs, amplifiers and hi-fi separates, while PAC manages all product development, engineering, sales, marketing and distribution.

Although Onkyo later filed for voluntary bankruptcy this did not include the assets that were previously purchased by PAC and Sharp and the company's new ownership had been widely expected to ensure that the Onkyo name would live on. In 2022 sales of Onkyo, Pioneer and Integra products through US distributor 11TC grew from $13.7 million in revenue in 2021 to $59.4 million.

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Onkyo has filed for bankruptcy. The Japanese brand has been a fixture of the hi-fi scene since 1946, but couldn't meet shifting consumer demand.

The firm filed at Osaka District Court on Friday, with total liabilities of around 3.1 billion yen ($24 million), Nikkei reports.

However, the Onkyo name will live on. In September, it sold its core home AV business to Sharp and the US-based Voxx International, and its earphones and headphones business to an investment fund. The Onkyo brand will live on in a joint venture between Sharp and Voxx.

The Osaka-based company was delisted in August. Two subsidiaries handling Onkyo's OEM (original equipment manufacturing) and sales filed for voluntary bankruptcy in March.

Onkyo made its name making classic hi-fi kit like speakers and turntables, and later AV receivers. Recent products such as the A-9010 successfully continued the company's good name.

The first indication that all was not rosy came in 2019 when Onkyo tried and failed to sell its audio business to Sound United – owner of Denon and Marantz – for a reported $73m (approx £53m, AU$95m). The company subsequently tried to keep doing business on a smaller scale, but couldn't stop its worsening cash flow problems, the firm told Nikkei.

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Great headphones exist for every budget – you just have to know where to look. Not got much to spend? Our best budget headphones guide is for you. More money at your disposal? The best audiophile headphones will give you lots to consider. And if even that's not luxurious enough for you? You've come to the right place, my friend...

The headphones on this page feature marble chassis, diamond-encrusted earcups, and a lot of clever processing besides. They are the most expensive cans in the world, after all. Interested in a pair? You might have to sell an organ first.

• Best headphones: all styles, all budgets

Focal Utopia by Tournaire – $120,000 (approx. £98,000)

Unveiled in Tournaire's Paris boutique in 2016 (and at CES in Las Vegas soon after) the $120,000 Focal Utopia by Tournaire can still lay claim to being the world's most expensive headphones. Made by master jewellers Tournaire, the design features 18-carat gold mounted with a trilogy of diamonds on the headband totalling 6.5 carats, handcrafted entirely in Tournaire's workshops.

If you're still feeling flush after buying a pair, why not shell out for the stand too? It's only another $12,000.

• Focal Utopia by Tournaire are the world's most expensive headphones

Onkyo H900M with 20-carat diamonds – $100,000 (approx. £82,000)

The Focals aren't the only luxury headphones to have lit up Sin City during CES; Onkyo took its H900M cans and added 20-carat diamonds to its earcups before heading for the bright lights of Vegas. The stunning result can be seen above.

And that's not all. Onkyo also embedded these diamonds onto aluminium plates surrounded by a ring of highly polished stainless steel. Wondering which is the right earcup? It's the one with an extra ring of rubies. Well, spelling out L and R in blood-red gemstones would've been a tad over the top...

• Onkyo adds 20-carat diamonds to its H900M headphones

Sennheiser Orpheus/HE 1 – £51,000

Formerly called Orpheus, the flagship Sennheiser HE-1 headphones come with their own valve amplification. Once commissioned by the customer, Sennheiser says each pair can be customised to become "as individual as its future owner".

The chassis is made of Carrara marble, the same type Michaelangelo used for his sculptures – so it's no exaggeration to say they're a work of art. Not only does the marble look amazing (and we love the effect of the eight valves and control dials emerging from the slab of stone), it's also great for damping. Win-win.

The electrostatic headphones themselves are made from beautifully sculpted aluminium, leather and fine microfibre cloth. Thanks to Sennheiser's know-how, they even perform as well as they look.

• Read our Sennheiser Orpheus hands-on review

Warwick Acoustics Sonoma Model One – £4995

If you’re willing to drop five grand on a pair of headphones, it suggests a serious (and potentially worrying) obsession for personal listening.

While we can't suggest a cure for this particular ailment, we can prescribe a good long listen to the Sonoma One package from Warwick Acoustics – easily one of the best-sounding options we’ve heard.

Pay that hefty sum and not only do you get a pair of open-backed electrostatic headphones, but also a dedicated energizer amplifier (electrostatic drivers require high voltages, so these headphones won't work with conventional amplification).

The headphones don't feel particularly high-end – the headband (made of tough Nylon 12 polymer) on our set creaked a little when twisted and the clamping pressure was a tad too firm – but this headphone system sounds so stunningly clear and informative that we can’t help but get involved with the music.

• Read our Warwick Acoustics Sonoma Model One review

Yamaha YH-5000SE – £4799

These cans feature no marble, no jewel-encrusted earcups and absolutely no rubies. Instead, they boast an orthodynamic driver (what we would now call a planar magnetic), which has lower distortion and greater responsiveness than a traditional moving coil driver.

Design-wise. they're more functional than eye-catching, but we have no problem with that. And they're open-backed, so are strictly for home listening (unless you want some funny looks on the bus).

They are "exceptional performers" we wrote in our review. "There is still plenty of muscularity here when the music demands, with the YH-5000SE rendering bass with impeccable clarity and articulation. We get a real sense of power where required, but also class-leading finesse where it isn’t." In other words, worth every penny.

• Read our Yamaha YH-5000SE review

Astell & Kern Layla AION – $3299 (approx. £2700)

Of course, pricey headphones don't all have to be over-ear models. These in-ears from Astell & Kern will set you back a cool $3299 (£2700). There are 12 drivers per earpiece: quad low, quad mid and quad high proprietary balanced armatures. Housing each 12-driver configuration is a 3D printed chamber, which implements 'freqphase' (patented A&K tech which aims to ensure the correct phase and time alignment of all frequencies) and allows for a smaller shell design. And just look at the designs on those shells...

The first Layla launched as a custom earphone in 2014. Since then, there have been two limited-edition releases of universal fit Layla: "Carbon Fiber Edition" and "Full Metal Jacket." The former was the first Carbon Fibre earphone, the latter was the first full Titanium earphone. The newest third-generation release is this Layla AION – a sure-fire hit with gamers and music-lovers who aren't short of a few bob.

Audeze LCD-4z – $3995 (approx. £3263)

Audeze doesn't make one-off high-end headphones for fun; the company has the track record (and loyal customer base) to prove it. So why take the step up from the company's LCD-3 and LCD-4 headphones to the more recent LCD-4z (pictured)?

How about a ridiculously thin nano-grade diaphragm, double Fluxor magnetic arrays boasting excellent efficiency and a cast-magnesium housing that yields a lighter-weight design than the 'standard' LCD-4 ($3995)? And the LCD-4z doesn't need an amplifier, so it can be driven straight from the aux port of your favourite listening device. See, they practically pay for themselves.

Final Audio Design Sonorous X – £3499

Final Audio is another brand with plenty of premium headphone experience. Here, it's a combination of machined aluminium and stainless steel that makes these headphones look the business. We thought the sound lacked a little drive and nuance, and they're a bit heavy, but you can't deny they have the wow factor. They even come in a fur-lined wooden box that you may want to keep away from your cat.

• Final Audio Design Sonorous X review

Stax SR-009S – £3895

Stax has taken its regular SR-009 electrostatic earspeakers ($3600) and added gold plate to the design. But don't think the engineers are just being showy; on its website, Stax states, "If a technology is not suitable for music, you should not adopt it, even if it is high-tech." And just in case we didn't get the message, it adds, "Every technology should contribute to music reproduction." Preaching to the converted, perhaps, but that's us told.

Well-known for its high-end electrostatic headphones, Stax also pins the high price here on a super-thin diaphragm and a silver-coated, high-purity copper wire in the cable. You also get right and left channel indication on the cable: a golden solid line on the left and a dotted line on the right cable. The proof can only be in the sound quality...

HiFiMan HE1000 V2 – £2599

Planar magnetic headphones always attract attention and these headphones sport a 0.001mm thin driver, which is certainly an impressive feat of engineering. Elsewhere there's an advanced asymmetrical magnetic circuit, a three-core cable, polyester earcups and an ergonomic design that should mean they're comfy enough to wear for hours. Which, if you're spending over £2500 on them, surely you will.

Focal Stellia – £2795

At a mere £2795, these can are a relative bargain, compared to the Focal Utopia by Tournaire listed above. But almost three grand for a set of cans is hardly small-fry, and happily these headphones are aspirational both in terms of price and sound quality – they are simply the best closed-back headphones we've ever heard.

Where the original Utopia from Focal positively shines at home, in a quiet room, given a good enough system, their open-back design means that outside of these conditions, there’s too much compromise involved – and so if you simply must have a closed design, that’s where the Focal Stellias come in.

• Read our Focal Stellia review

Shure KSE1500 – £2549

These are some of the finest in-ears we've ever heard, which puts them right up with the best headphones money can buy. They are among the first in-ears to use electrostatic drivers, which means a more detailed and accurate sound. Sure, it means you have to use the (supplied) dedicated headphone amplifier. But once you try them, you'll be sold.

• Read our Shure KSE1500 review

Grado PS1000e – £1595

"The finest headphone Grado has ever produced" is some claim, considering the impressive reviews and Awards that Grado has collected over the years. The PS1000e is part of the Grado Professional Series, which the company updated (along with a host of other models) as part of the 'e' Series, taking attention to detail to a whole new level. Every single component was selected with care, right down to the glue. Tone-wood clad with metal alloy gives them their distinctive design and aims to reduce ringing and distortion. And how many other headphones feature hand-crafted mahogany?

• Read our Grado PS1000e review

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Onkyo has detailed three new home cinema products, including a 7.2-channel A/V receiver and a pair of amplifier and surround sound packages.

The TX-NR696, which will be available from next month for £700, promises a generous 175W of power from each of its seven channels and can be used either in a traditional 5.1 configuration or as a 5.2.2 system with Dolby Atmos.

The THX-certified receiver, which boasts seven HDMI connections with 4K HDMI pass through, is also capable of upmixing old discs to utilise height channels, while Dolby Atmos Height Virtualizer will recreate that more immersive soundfield for those without dedicated Atmos speakers.

Its 384 kHz/32-bit multi-channel DAC facilitates hi-res audio: DSD is supported up to 11.2 MHz, while FLAC, WAV, AIFF and ALAC are up to 24-bit/192kHz. You can also add a second zone for the TX-NR696 to feed a stereo set-up in another room alongside your main home cinema set-up.

The receiver incorporates streaming and radio services such as Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music, Deezer and TuneIn, while the TX-NR696 is also compatible with Sonos, has Chromecast built in and can stream music via AirPlay 2.

Onkyo’s new full packages are the HT-S3910, a 5.1 system also available from next month for £500, and the 5.2.2-channel HT-S5915, which will be on sale from June with prices yet to be confirmed.

 The former (pictured above) comprises a 155W per channel AV receiver with five surround speakers and passive subwoofer, and can also be configured in a 3.1.2 system to utilise Dolby Atmos. The latter, meanwhile, includes a pair of two-way Atmos-enabled front speakers and a 90W active subwoofer; the receiver boosts the power per channel to 160W.

Both amplifiers house four HDMI inputs and a single output with 4K HDR pass through, while the HT-S5915 gets both AccuEQ and AccuReflex audio calibration technologies. Bluetooth, USB, coaxial and optical digital terminals and a trio of RCA inputs boost your connectivity options.

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Thanks to Onkyo and Pioneer joining 'Works with SONOS', some products in their receiver ranges (listed below) can now integrate with a Sonos system on the same wi-fi network, allowing basic control via the Sonos app.

For this to work, the audio output from the Onkyo or Pioneer components has to be connected to a Sonos Connect (£349).

When set up, the user will be able to play music (and control volume) via the Sonos app, and the Pioneer or Onkyo component will be able to automatically wake up and switch to the right input.

The firmware upgrade necessary to activate the Sonos functionality is available now. The following receivers are compatible:

Pioneer

VSX-933 (AV)

VSX-LX303 (AV)

VSX-LX503 (AV)

SX-N30AE (stereo network)

SC-LX701 (AV)

SC-LX801 (AV)

SC-LX901 (AV)

Onkyo

TX-NR686 (AV)

TX-RZ730 (AV)

TX-RZ830 (AV)

TX-8270 (stereo network)

TX-8250 (stereo network)

TX-RZ1100 (AV)

TX-RZ3100 (AV)

PR-RZ5100 (AV)

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FlareConnect works in a similar fashion to other wireless multi-room platforms, such as FireConnect by Blackfire Research (which Onkyo and Pioneer products use) and DTS Play:Fi.

FlareConnect can access, play and share music from streaming services or from your network (whether it's stored on a PC, laptop or NAS drive), and works over dual-band wi-fi (2.4GHz/5GHz) between compatible Onkyo and Pioneer hi-fi components, systems and speakers.

It's all accessed from the Onkyo Controller and Pioneer Remote apps. In the UK, streaming services include Tidal, Deezer and TuneIn will be on board, while support will extend to Spotify Connect too.

Read more: Multi-room audio: everything you need to know

Once connected, the app also gives you access to the multi-room functionality, allowing you to group compatible products together, allowing you to play music from your network or via Bluetooth or USB. Next year, a further update will allow users to stream from an external connected analogue source, such as a CD player or turntable.

Supported 2017 Onkyo products include: TX-8270 and TX-8250 stereo receivers; TX-NR474, TX-NR575E, TX-NR676E, TX-RZ720 and TX-RZ820 AV receivers; and the CS-N575D microsystem.

Current Pioneer products include the FS-W40 and FS-W50 hi-fi systems and MRX-3 and MRX-5 wireless speakers. Select 2016 models will also get the firmware update.

The FlareConnect firmware update is due to begin rolling out from 30th October.

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Onkyo has announced three new music systems for your perusal: the CS-N775D multi-room receiver system (pictured above), the CS-N575D multi-room hi-fi CD system, and the CS-375D CD receiver system.

Starting from the top - and, at £470, the most expensive - the CS-N775D aims to produce a "class-beating frequency response, flat linearity, and analog-like fluency". How? Well, according to Onkyo, with a new three-state amplifier design that adds a 'neutral' position to the 'on' and 'off' modes of conventional amplifiers. The bottom line is that Onkyo say this will "smoothly shape" a waveform in a similar way to an analogue amplifier.

Users can stream music from Chromecast, AirPlay, Bluetooth and DTS Play-Fi devices, while the Onkyo also has FM and DAB+ radios, a CD player and coaxial and optical digital audio inputs. There's a 3.5mm input, too. A USB input also allows for the connection of a portable HDD and there's support for 192/24-bit hi-res files and DSD audio.

Next is the £400 CS-N575D, which has all of the connectivity as the CS-N775D - barring AirPlay - but can only handle 96 kHz/24-bit audio rather than 192 kHz/24-bit. The system comes with slightly smaller speakers and a less powerful amplifier than the top model.

Finally comes the CS-375D, priced at £270. This mini-system has coaxial and line-level inputs to connect to a television or media player, as well as FM and DAB+ stations, a CD player, and Bluetooth, but loses a lot of the other wireless functionality, such as Chromecast and DTS Play-Fi.

All three Onkyo systems will be available in September, in either a black or silver finish.

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The TX-NR676E is a 7.2 channel amp with 4K, HDR10 and Dolby Vision pass-through, plus support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object-based surround formats.

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There's built-in Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay for wireless music streaming, while high-resolution audio is supported, with the amp able to handle DSD and 24-bit/192kHz WAV and FLAC files, amongst others.

High-def kit can make use of the seven HDMI inputs and, if you're serving a TV and projector, the Onkyo's two HDMI outputs could come in handy too.

There's a standard Onkyo remote in the box, but there's always the option of the Onkyo Controller app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices.

This launch follows the recently unveiled TX-NR474 (£430) and TX-NR575E (£500) and this trio should prove decent competition for Yamaha and its 2017 AV receivers.

The Onkyo TX-NR676E comes in black or silver finishes and will go on sale in May, priced £600.

MORE: Yamaha announces new AV receivers, plus Tidal and Deezer to come to MusicCast

The Onkyo T3 is little. Really little. Onkyo rates it at 250g. File this little chap under ‘travel speaker’ and you won’t go far wrong.

Expect anything more and you’ll likely be left waiting like a forlorn traveller at the wrong baggage carousel.

Build

The T3 is a classy-feeling speaker. Our unit, classed online as ‘white’ but really more a mix of copper, cream and white, channels an ’80s vibe.

If Bluetooth had been on the high-street back then – Hedy Lamaar’s 1942 invention was a bit of a slow starter, languishing for some time with the US Navy – this look would’ve gone down well.

The copper-coloured grille blends smartly with the white edging and the supplied cream cover protects your T3 from all manner of on-the-go dangers – in other words, your scratchy keys.

Onkyo’s website also shows the T3 sitting pretty atop this cover, though this sure-looking placement was a little harder to replicate in our test rooms.

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Features

When one of your key features is ‘being tiny’ it’s not fair to expect too much more in the way of bullet points.

But the T3 gives it a go. It fits in a USB slot for charging portable devices, so acts as a power bank as well as a portable speaker.

It charges its own built-in battery via a supplied USB cable, and once full of mains power, offers up to eight hours’ playtime. The built-in mic also enables hands-free calls, which is no bad thing.

The Onkyo T3 is also one of an increasing amount of Bluetooth speakers to offer ‘multi-pairing’, letting users instantly swap between the music of two paired devices – look upon this as an opportunity to share or alternatively an opportunity to stamp your music taste all over even your mate’s T3 speaker. We know which way we approach multi-pairing…

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Sound

It’s remarkable how often a product sounds an awful lot like it looks. The Onkyo T3 is one of those. It looks little; it sounds pretty small. Its design is intricate; it delivers a refined, detailed sound.

It’s this detail that helps the T3, in keeping with its maker’s DNA sound quite ‘hi-fi’. Surprisingly so for such a dinky unit.

However, regardless of the brace of ‘full range’ 38mm drivers, along with the rear-located passive radiator, the Onkyo struggles to ever sound bigger than its little self.

Put it this way, if the barrier to delivering satisfying portable audio is a metaphorical fence, the Onkyo T3 can’t quite see over the top. Even on tippy-toes.

Meanwhile the UE Roll 2 cartwheels over, and the JBL Charge 2+ simply crashes straight through the panels.

We have sympathy for our vertically challenged buddy, but the compromise here is significant – the UE Roll 2 weighs just 80g more than the T3, yet its sonics far exceed the Onkyo in every department.

Unless that extra 80g – and perhaps the T3’s ability to act as a power bank – is a deal-breaker then you should think long and hard before opting for the Onkyo.

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Verdict

The laws of physics mean that getting a big sound from a small box brings its challenges. The Onkyo T3 employs a neat little speaker system, including passive radiator, in an effort to overcome science and hard facts.

But the sonic results are not entirely successful, and a long way from class-leading.

The T3 does outperform smartphone speakers, plus it’s a power bank as well as a hands-free calling system.

Viewed this way, it’s possible to envisage it checking in and out of hotel rooms across the globe, proving useful and demanding very little in the way of luggage allowance. It’s a cutie, too. It just needs to sound better.

See all our Onkyo reviews

Onkyo is bringing out two new high-resolution network audio players, the NS-6130 and the NS-6170, both of which are compatible with Tidal, TuneIn, and Deezer through a new control app, while Google Cast, AirPlay, and Spotify are managed through their own applications.

One of the key features of the NS-6170 is a DIDRC (Dynamic Intermodulation Distortion Reduction Circuitry) filter which replaces the previous DAC output filter, and is designed to remove any ultra-high-frequency distortion from the audio signal.

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The result, says Onkyo, is that "the true character of the music - the atmosphere of the room, the textures, resonances and colours of each individual instrument - is faithfully preserved from hi-res audio master to analogue signal.”

The Onkyo NS-6170 has a twin-monaural left/right channel layout with separate power supply paths, discrete custom capacitors for each channel and two dual-differential AKM AK4490 768kHz/32-bit DACs (digital-to-analogue converters). It's also equipped with a DAB+ tuner.

Inside the Onkyo NS-6130 is a single AKM4452 32-bit/768kHz DAC, symmetrical left/right channel circuitry and VLSC digital pulse noise-filtering. Both the NS systems also have dual-band 5GHz/2.4GHz wi-fi support for extra stability when streaming on congested wireless networks.

They can also support HDD audio via the rear USB input. The new Onkyo streamers will be available in September, with the NS-6170 priced at £700 and the NS-6130 at £450.

Onkyo has also unveiled its new CS-N1075 compact stereo system (£1049), comprising of the R-N855 stereo receiver (£549), matching C-755 CD player (£349) and a pair of D-175 two-way speakers. The electronics are available in black or silver finishes.

It has all the same streaming service features as the NS systems, as well as FM analogue and DAB+ digital radio tuners, a phono input for turntables and digital coaxial and optical inputs capable of handling 24-bit/192kHz audio. Tidal, Deezer and TuneIn radio are built-in, and there's wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity for wireless streaming from other sources.

Claimed power output is 2 x 70W, delivered through the 13cm woofers and 30mm ring-modulation tweeters fitted to the speakers.

Onkyo is the latest manufacturer to join the portable hi-res audio player market with the DP-X1. The player supports a number of file formats including FLAC/WAV up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD up to 11.2MHz.

The Onkyo DP-X1 will also be one of the few players to support MQA files following a firmware update, along with the Pioneer XDP-100R.

MORE: MQA audio: What is it? How can you get it?

The internal audio circuit, which uses an ESS SABRE ES9018K2M DAC and SABRE 9601K amp in a dual mono setup, is mounted on a separate board from the CPU circuit.

Other features include wi-fi and Bluetooth for wirelessly connecting to devices including headphones, and you’ll also find two microSD card slots onboard to allow for a hefty 432GB of storage (internal storage is 32GB), should you be prepared to shell out for a couple of 200GB SD cards.

The player runs on Android, so there is full access to the Google Play store, and the OnkyoMusic app comes preinstalled.

The player also has a number of outputs, including a 2.5mm 4-pole balanced headphones output, 3.5mm 3-pole headphone output and a micro USB port for charging and data transfer.

The DP-X1 will be available in June, priced £700.

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The TX-NR555 and TX-NR656 (pictured above) are both 7.2-channel AV receivers with 130W and 160W per channel respectively. Both have Dynamic Audio Amplification, DTS:X, Dolby Atmos and support for Google Cast, AirPlay and 6G video. They also have built-in wi-fi and can be used as part of a multi-room music streaming system.

The two mid-range models are the first to be fitted with Onkyo’s new AccuReflex room calibration software which takes into account height effects and works with the current AccuEQ software to produce “surround sound precisely balanced for supreme clarity”, the company claims.

MORE: Dolby Atmos - What is it? How can you get it?

FireConnect will be added to the receivers and legacy models via a firmware update in the summer. The update will mean they can stream audio from any source to any FireConnect compatible speaker in other rooms to create a multi-room system.

Both models are HDCP 2.2 compatible and so can handle 4K Ultra HD content, while Google Cast, AirPlay, wi-fi and Bluetooth cover most music streaming bases, with hi-res files up to 32-bit are supported.

The Onkyo TX-NR555 and TX-NR656 will available from late April in black or silver for £450 and £550 respectively.

Onkyo has also announced that an update to bring DTS:X to its 2015 AV receivers will be available in summer 2016.

MORE: DTS:X - What is it? How can you get it?

Onkyo has announced a number of new on-ear and in-ear headphones at IFA 2015 in Berlin, with a big emphasis on wireless Bluetooth functionality.

Most intriguing of all is the W800BT, an in-ear design Onkyo claims is the world's first truly wireless earbud. Certainly there are no wires at all associated with the W800BTs - the left and right earbuds communicate with each other, and with your smartphone/portable music player/what-have-you, entirely wirelessly.

Battery charging takes place in the supplied carry-case, and Onkyo suggests 12 hours of wireless music playback is realistic from a single charge.

The W800BTs go on sale in November this year and will cost around €300. See them in action in our video below.

The rest of the new in-ear range consists of the E700BT (€150, shown below), E300BT (€130) and E200BT (€80).

These aren’t, strictly speaking, wireless as they each have a single cable containing the battery and in-line remote with mic, but they all feature wireless Bluetooth functionality and are available in black or white. The two more expensive models also include NFC one-touch pairing.

There are two new on-ear models, the H500M (€180) and H500BT (€230). Fundamentally the H500BT (shown top) is a Bluetooth-enabled, wireless version of the H500M, so they are both closed-back designs housing 40mm drivers.

Both are certified ‘High Resolution’ by both the US Consumer Electronics Association and the Japan Audio Society thanks to their 7Hz – 40kHz frequency response. But (and it’s a reasonably big ‘but’) the H500BT only reach this standard when hard-wired using the supplied 1.2m cable, rather than when operating wirelessly.

MORE: Onkyo reveals X9 speaker and new headphones

The stereo models both use a 384kHz/32-bit Asahi Kasei DAC (digital-to-analogue converter) that can decode any digital source, either wired or wireless, and can handle 192kHz/24-bit FLAC or DSD (Direct Stream Digital) 5.6MHz audio over a home network through one of four digital inputs. The receivers can also be hooked up to a TV via one of two additional digital connections.

Power is a claimed 2 x 135W for the TX-8150, and 2 x 110W for the TX-8130. Additional connectivity includes built-in wi-fi, seven analogue inputs (including one phono connection for a turntable), as well as a USB port for playback of music from a flash memory drive.

Deezer, TuneIn internet radio and Spotify Connect are all on board, and the TX-8150 has the added benefit of AirPlay, Bluetooth and DAB+ digital radio.

As part of Onkyo's Pure Audio Component range, both models feature a rigid anti-vibration oval chassis, quality banana plug speaker posts (with A/B drive), independent tone controls, a Direct Mode and, on the TX-8150, gold-plate audio terminals. They will be available later this month in silver or black.

Also new from Onkyo is the £199, 2 x 100W TX-SR252 multichannel AV receiver (pictured above) which has four HDMI inputs (all 4K/60Hz/HDCP 2.2 compliant) and is capable of decoding Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Signals from the the two composite video inputs are upconverted via HDMI, so up to six source components can be connected to the unit.

For music lovers, the Onkyo TX-SR252 also gets two digital inputs for connecting a streamer or CD player, three analogue audio inputs and a USB input. An FM/AM tuner with 30 presets is also included.

MORE: See all our home cinema amp Best Buys

The CR-N765 CD receiver forms the heart of the system and features a high-grade, DSD-supporting Verita DAC. Onkyo claims this allows gapless playback of 24-bit/192kHz and 2.8 MHz or 5.6 MHz DSD files streamed over a network.

The new Class A/B headphone amplifier uses trickle-down technology from Onkyo's high-end Reference hi-fi components, which Onkyo claims helps to remove noise from the signal for improved audio.

MORE: Onkyo CR-N755 review

Besides networked audio the CR-N765 can accept audio from a variety of sources - you can play music from an iDevice using Onkyo's compatible USB port. The port also supports high-resolution PCM and DSD files from a USB flash drive.

In addition there's a front-loading CD player and FM/AM radio tuner, while an optional UBT-1 Bluetooth USB adaptor will allow for wireless aptX Bluetooth streaming.

It will be available in black or silver from the end of May. The CS-N765 system costs £450 and comes with a pair of Onkyo's D-055 bookshelf speakers in tow, while the CR-N765 receiver is available on its own for £350.

Onkyo's news comes hot on the heels of Denon announcing the D-M40, the successor to another Award-winning system.

See all our Onkyo news and reviews

Onkyo has announced two new mid-range AV receivers for 2014 in the form of the TX-NR737 and TX-NR838 (pictured above).

Features across both amplifiers include Bluetooth and built-in WiFi, plus the latest HDMI standard and HDCP 2.2 spec to support 4K Ultra HD content.

Both models are THX Select2 Plus-certified, which claims to guarantee the same high-volume, low-distortion sound experience of cinemas.

Both amplifiers also benefit from Wide Range Amplifier Technology (WRAT) and are built around a custom high-output transformer, extra-large customised capacitors and low-impedance copper bus-plates.

Three-stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry is onboard to provide a low-impedance output stage with high-current transistors for instant power and low distortion.

The TX-NR737 (pictured above) and TX-NR838 home cinema amplifiers also feature dual Digital Signal Processing (DSP) engines and 24/192 Burr-Brown DACs.

Elsewhere Onkyo has included its AccuEQ room calibration software, which deliberately bypasses the front left and right channels to leave their sound untouched. The remaining speakers are then optimised for a balanced surround sound (at least that's the theory).

Both the TX-NR737 and TX-NR838 can be connected to a record player and the TX-NR838 also has a Pure Direct Analogue Path (PDAP) mode, which claims to shut down all digital circuitry in order to eliminate electrical interference.

Both models have seven HDMI inputs; six on the rear and one MHL certified input on the front. Inputs one to four and the frontside support 4K Ultra HD video at 60fps. They also have two HDMI outputs.

DLNA and Wi-Fi are built-in to both amps to allow for streaming from a variety of digital sources. DSD files and gapless 192kHz/24-bit FLAC and WAV are supported. Bluetooth 2.1 is also built-in to both receivers to provide wireless streaming option.

The new receivers also play host to a number of Internet services: Spotify Premium, Deezer, Aupeo!, Pandora, and TuneIn Radio and all of these are searchable from within the Onkyo remote app.

The Onkyo TX-NR737 is due to go on sale later this month priced at £800 while the TX-NR838 is due out in May at a price of £1000.

MORE: See all our home cinema amplifier reviews

by Max Langridge

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Onkyo is on a mission to bring high resolution audio to Apple devices via its new HF Player app for iOS.

The free to download app brings a whole host of EQ features to your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch but if you're prepared to pay a one-off fee of £6.99, you can unlock the ability to listen to music at up to 24bit/192kHz resolution.

This upgrade offers users the ability to play music files in FLAC, DSD, WAV and AIFF formats, though DSD-IFF and DSF formats are converted to PCM before playback.

The Onkyo HF Player app also offers an HD phase-linear equalizer, offering 20,000 bands of equalization adjustment in 64-bit mode, should you want to add your own touch to your tunes.

This feature is only compatible with iPhone 4S or later, iPod Touch 5th gen or later, iPad 2 or later and iPad Mini, and will require iOS 6 or later. The app has been optimised for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c.

High-res audio is finally getting some traction in the mobile market, following the launch of the LG G2, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and the launch of a new high-res audio Sony Walkman (amongst other Sony HRA products).

Without the high-res audio upgrade, users are still able to have control over the EQ of their music.

There's a non-HD phase-linear FIR equalizer, which offers 16,384 discrete bands of equalisation to play around with, without compromising audio quality.

From this, listeners can manipulate the frequency curve by simply using their finger, allowing you to alter bass, mid-bass, mid-range and treble response.

Users can also save different presets which can be accessed during another listening session to save time.

Onkyo has even gone as far as securing the services of some professional musicians. Most notably Leo Nocentelli (The Meters) and Tim Lopez (Plain White T's) to create presets which have been created and optimised for use with Onkyo's own range of headphones; the Onkyo ES-HF300 on-ear and IE-HF300 in-ear. Check out all Onkyo's headphones.

The app features a fully functional touchscreen user interface that displays album art and playback controls, all of which will be familiar to iOS users. The Onkyo HF Player app is available to download now from the App Store.

MORE: Could 2014 be the year of high-res audio?

by Max Langridge

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Onkyo is making its first foray into the increasingly popular soundbar market with three models: the Onkyo LS-B40 (£299), the LS-B50 with 40W wireless subwoofer (£449) and the LS-T10 TV speaker system (£349).

The latter two models will be available at the end of September, with the entry-level LS-B40 (below) arriving in October.

All three products combine a six-channel digital amplifier with a multi-speaker array and DSP (Digital Signal processing) to help boost the sound from flatscreen TVs, which frequently suffer from poor audio quality due to the limited space for speakers within their increasingly thin frames.

Wireless streaming of audio from smartphones, tablets and PCs is catered for via built-in Bluetooth, and USB ports allow for connection of flash-memory media players.

MORE: Best soundbars 2013

Both the LS-B40 and LS-B50 soundbars are fitted with eight drivers. The LS-B40 has four midrange units, a pair of tweeters and two bass woofers, while the LS-B50 (below) gets six full-range drivers and two tweeters, plus that wireless sub.

As for the Onkyo LS-T10 (bottom), it's designed to sit underneath the TV (like the Bose Solo). It's equipped with six full-range drivers and an integrated 21W subwoofer.

All the Onkyo soundbars can be controlled using the TV remote control, as they come pre-programmed with IR codes for nine TV brands – and learning ability for others.

Audio is controlled using Onkyo's AuraSphere DSP technology which can handle conventional PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) stereo or Dolby Digital signals.

Several sound modes are available for users to choose from, depending on the type of material they're viewing: Music Mode, Movie Mode and News Mode, the latter placing particular emphasis on dialogue.

By Andy Clough

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Over the past few years, Onkyo’s home cinema amps have consistently pushed the boundaries of what we should be expecting from multichannel machines.

As a result, our expectations have never been higher. We’ve already reviewed the company’s impressive TX-NR515, (£500) so it was with great relish that we unboxed the Onkyo TX-NR818.

We’re yet to experience what the likes of Yamaha, Denon, Marantz and Pioneer have to offer this year at the ultra-competitive £1000 pricepoint, so it’s a good chance for Onkyo to steal a march on the (pretty fierce) competition.

Onkyo TX-NR818: Technical specs

With Onkyo’s AV amps, you’re almost always guaranteed a more-than-generous feature count, and the NR818 is no exception.

Rated at 135W per channel, this seven-channel amp has no fewer than eight HDMI inputs, capable of accommodating Blu-ray player, games console, high-definition set-top-box, and any other high-def sources you care to throw at it.

You also get twin HDMI outputs, handy if you want to run a picture on two different displays such as a TV and a projector.

For the logo-lovers out there, the Onkyo carries THX Select 2 Plus certification in addition to ISF certification. The ISF allows the amplifier to be calibrated by a trained professional (for a price): the picture settings of each input can be carefully adjusted for each specific source component.

Of course, you’re also free to jump into these picture settings feet first and attempt your own calibration.

New features for 2012 include an MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) HDMI socket. It can accept 1080p video content, and up to seven-channel surround sound, streamed from a compatible phone from the likes of Samsung, HTC and LG.

The rather neat InstaPrevue technology allows you to preview the images being fed into the amp’s other inputs as thumbnails – useful if you lose track of the other components you’ve got hooked up.

There are also two USB sockets: the rear one is for use with Onkyo's optional UWF-1 wireless LAN adaptor, while the front one can accept a direct digital stream from an iDevice.

Onkyo TX-NR818: Online streaming

Onkyo places great emphasis on the online features of its amps, and the TX-NR818 is seriously equipped. Besides DLNA streaming and support for formats such as 24bit 96/192kHz FLACs, WAVs, WMA Lossless and Apple Lossless, the Onkyo’s arsenal also includes vTuner internet radio, Last.fm, AUPEO! and music streaming subscription services SIMFY and Spotify.

Unlike rival machines from Pioneer and Denon, Onkyo continues to shun Apple’s AirPlay, so wireless music streaming from your iDevice is a no-no. But you can still hardwire your Apple iPhone, MP3 player or tablet into the amp’s front USB input and control music playback through the remote.

Picture processing is handled on two fronts. First, an HQV Vida VHD1900 chip takes care of any 1080p upscaling that may need doing, and also includes special algorithms for cleaning up video content streamed from the internet.

Onkyo TX-NR818: 4K upscaling

It does a fine job with DVDs, although we’d recommend experimenting with the upscaling abilities of your source and screen, to help decide where best to convert SD to HD.

For those lucky few who own a 4K display or projector, the Onkyo’s Qdeo picture processor can upscale all your content to meet this heady resolution. There is next-to no call for 4K at the moment, but early adopters can feel safe that the Onkyo is suitably equipped.

The remote control is pretty much standard Onkyo fare. It’s relatively functional, even though the buttons are on the small side, and the fact that it isn’t backlit is disappointing at this money.

Onkyo TX-NR818: Smartphone apps

Smartphone owners also have the option of downloading an iOS or Android app, depending on your mobile operating- system allegiance.

First impressions of Onkyo’s Remote2 app are positive, especially when compared with the supplied wand. But over time it’s a tad sluggish, and the layout could be more intuitive. The ‘enter’ button looks like it works like a traditional D-pad – but doesn’t. The volume control is over-sensitive – a small slip can have it careering past 11.

Audyssey’s MultEQ XT32 gives your speaker system a thorough calibrating, taking into account your particular room layout and a number of different seating positions.

It always pays to check readings manually too, and we recommend experimenting by turning the amp’s Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ settings on and off, as these can have a noticeable impact on sound quality.

Onkyo TX-NR818: Sound quality

Anyone who has heard Onkyos around this price point over the past year or two will be familiar with the sound that greets you: powerful and muscular with an impressive sense of refinement. This is a hugely likeable character and sees the listener entertained over a multitude of musical sources.

The high-def soundtrack to Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End certainly shivers your timbers: Hans Zimmer’s spritely orchestral score sounds lively and tuneful.

The swashbuckling swordplay and explosive ship battles share centre-stage with direct, clear dialogue – as the Flying Dutchman’s cannons rip through a flotilla of helpless ships, the Onkyo doesn’t even flinch, conveying the drama and excitement with ease.

This large-scale sound boasts impressive dynamics, not just during the action scenes but in the quieter scenes too, creating a truly immersive and convincing atmosphere for the listener. The soundfield is strong, focused and cohesive, with no gaps apparent.

The amp found the server on our network easily, and we had no trouble navigating folders and files. But when we attempted 24-bit/192kHz FLACS, there was the odd stutter from our review sample.

Switch to a 320kbps Spotify stream and all is well in the world. Adele’s Rolling In the Deep rumbles along, and Adele’s vocal shines through with a fine sense of refinement. The Onkyo keeps decent time for a receiver and doesn’t embarrass itself.

Onkyo TX-NR818: Verdict

Make no mistake, the TX-NR818 is a very capable amp for the money, but the bar hasn’t been raised to quite the same new heights as last year. Rival machines are waiting in the wings, so we’ll be interested to see how they stack up against this Onkyo in the coming weeks. We can’t wait.

See all our home cinema amplifier Best Buys

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Onkyo hit the headlines over the weekend by announcing its strategic alliance with TEAC, and today comes news of its latest product launch, a new AirPlay-enabled network tuner.

The £800 T-4070, available next month in black or silver, features wireless audio streaming via Apple AirPlay, plus DLNA connectivity, Spotify, FM and DAB+ radio.

Apple owners can stream audio from any iOS device to the tuner, but Onkyo also offers a DLNA 1.5-certified ethernet port for access to PC-based music libraries.

USB devices van be connected directly via the standard USB socket, which allows playback of MP3, AAC, WMA Lossless, FLAC, WAV and Ogg Vorbis files.

Onkyo's Remote Apps for iOS and Android can be used to control the T-4070.

Subscription music services available on the network tuner include Spotify, Last.fm and AUPEO, while vTuner gives free access to hundreds of worldwide internet radio stations.

Broadcast radio can also be heard using the high-sensitivity FM and DAB+ tuners, each with 40 presets.

Built around a "super-rigid, anti-vibration chassis", the T-4070 uses separate Wolfson 192kHz/24-bit DACs for each channel, DIDRC noise-reduction circuitry, as well as gold-plated RCA, AES/EBU and coaxial terminals.

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The TX-SR876 pumps out 200w per channel, the TX-NR906 220w. Each comes equipped with four HDMI 1.3a inputs and two outputs, 1080p video upscaling and upconversion with HQV Reon-VX, onboard decoding for all the high-definition audio formats, three Texas Instruments Aureus 32-bit DSP chips for processing and Burr-Brown PCM1796192KHz/24-bit DACs for all channels.

Key differences on the TX-NR906 are that it has separate transformers for the audio and video stages for audio purity, is network audio capable, certified for Windows Vista, can stream audio via Ethernet and has a front-panel USB socket for connecting portable audio devices.

The TX-SR906 will be available from the beginning of September, the SR876 from mid-September. Both models will be available in silver or black.

The full technical specs are as follows:

Onkyo TX-SR876
* 7 x 200w power output
* Four HDMI v.1.3a inputs/two outputs
* Built-in 1080p video upscaling and upconversion with HQV Reon-VX
* ISF-certified Video Calibration
* THX Ultra2 Plus(tm) certified performance (including THX Loudness)
* Onboard decoder for Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD
* Three Texas Instruments Aureus(tm) 32-bit DSP chips for processing
* Advanced Burr-Brown PCM1796 192KhZ/24-bit DACs for all channels
* Parallel Push-Pull amplifier with three-stage Inverted Darlington circuitry
* Bi-amping/Bridging capability
* Three-zone capability
* Powered Zone 2 plus Zone 2/3 pre-outs
* Music Optimiser for MP3/AAC tracks
* Audyssey Dynamic EQ
* Pre-programmed remote control with mode-key LEDs
* RS-232 port plus IR input and 12v trigger
* Phono input (moving magnet)
* RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI) control system

Onkyo TX-NR906 (as per TX-SR876 plus the following...)
* 7 x 220w
* Massive Toroidal Power Transformer
* Separate transformers for audio and video stages for audio purity
* Network Audio-capable, Certified for Windows Vista
* Front-panel USB for portable audio devices
* Streaming audio via Ethernet
* Solid brass bus-plate for perfect grounding/earthing
* Gold-plated A/V inputs, outputs and speaker terminals

Onkyo doesn't do things by halves when it comes to its range of AV amplifiers. There's a unit for every price-point – this model slots in between the entry-level TX-SR506, and the excellent TX-SR606, at £400.

As you might expect for your extra 50 notes, this model offers a few noticeable upgrades over the '506 in terms of specification. On the outside the two machines look nigh-on identical, but under that bonnet is where you'll find the crucial upgrades.

Most notable is onboard decoding of Dolby Digital Plus and the ability to accept high-definition audio as linear PCM via HDMI. The highest quality codecs, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, aren't accepted, however, so you'll need a Blu-ray player that can decode onboard to sample those.

Again, there's no upscaling of video content either.Take a peek round the back and you'll find three of the all-important HDMI inputs and one output, plus a couple of coaxial and optical digital input.

You also get audio outputs for connecting another zone of music and 7.1-multichannel inputs. It's the same remote control as seen on other models, and you also get the benefit of Onkyo's Audyssey 2EQ calibration system, as seen on higher-end amplifiers.

Distinctive and dynamic
We load up the all-action Blu-ray disc of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, and send some PCM audio to the Onkyo. There's no mistaking that Onkyo AV sound – it's up front, powerful and no nonsense. Again there's plenty of bass weight, though it could be a little more articulate.

Indeed, the level of detail on display could be better all round. It's also apparent that the '576's control and insight is not up to the standards of the class-leaders at this price-point.

As we attempt to enjoy Mamma Mia! it's clear that the Onkyo isn't as deft and musical as it could be, while busier scenes find the receiver struggling to keep a lid on everything on screen.

It's a similar story with two-channel tunes, where the very best in this class have a little more flair and simple ability, the comparative lack of detail hindering the overall musicality.

It remains a solid performer, and if you have a BD player capable of doing the audio decoding, then this Onkyo's multichannel inputs will come in handy. Sonically, however, it's just not quite as capable as the elite at this price point.