NEW YORK — Onkyo, Integra and Harman Kardon have upgraded the connectivity features in newly released A/V receivers (AVRs).
Onkyo, for example, increased its selection of A/V receivers with builtin stereo Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Integra launched its first receiver with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. And a trio of A/V receivers launched by Harman Kardon feature the brand’s first two models with embedded stereo Bluetooth and first two models with MHL/HDMI ports, which are also Roku-enabled.
Here’s what the brands unveiled:
Onkyo: The brand increased its selection of A/V receivers with built-in stereo Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to four models with the launch of the $1,099-suggested 7.2-channel TX-NR828 and $1,399 9.2-channel TXNR929.
They join the $599 7.2-channel TXNR626 and $899 7.2-channel TXNR727, announced in March.
All four networked models feature Wi- Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, DLNA networking and Internet radio.
The two new models and the NR727 are THX Select2 Plus certified.
In other feature changes, the 9.2-channel NR929 at $1,399 brings down the opening price of the full 11-channel implementation of DTS Neo:X post processing to $1,399 from the TX-NR3010’s $2,299.
Both feature HDMI input with Mobile High-definition Link (MHL), which lets mobile devices send 1080p video with 7.1-channel surround sound to a home theater system, charges the mobile device, and enables control of A/V playback from the AVR’s remote.
Harman Kardon: A trio of A/V receivers launched by Harman Kardon reduce the brand’s opening price point for networked AVRs to $299 from $499, feature the brand’s first two models with embedded stereo Bluetooth, and include the brand’s first two models with MHL/HDMI ports. The MHL ports are Rokuenabled.
One model at $549 adds Apple AirPlay.
The three models in the new AVR 1×10 series are the $299-suggested AVR 1510, $399 AVR 1610 and $549 AVR 1710.
The two models with Bluetooth and MHL are the $399 and $549 models. The latter adds AirPlay.
The back-panel Roku-enabled MHL/ HDMI port enables users to connect a Roku Streaming Stick to access Roku’s more than 750 video channels directly from the AVR’s remote.
Integra: The networked $1,000 DTR- 30.5 is the brand’s first receiver with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It is also Integra’s first AVR with 4K passthrough and up-scaling for Ultra High-Definition video displays.
At press time Pioneer debuted two home-theater A/V receivers and Yamaha added two 9.2- and one 7.2.-channel network A/V receivers to its Aventage line.
