Upper Saddle River, N.J. – Two new
opening-price HTiBs from Onkyo at a suggested $379 and $599 offer more features
than their predecessors, and the $599 price point gets an audio-only iPod/USB
port for the first time.
The company also launched a new
iPod/iPhone dock that adds compatibility with the latest Apple devices and can
be used with the HTiBs and A/V receivers (AVRs).
The dock is the $139-suggested DS-A4
Remote Interactive Dock, which comes with remote, composite- and
component-video outputs, stereo audio outputs, iPod/iPhone charging and onscreen
display. The dock can be used with any receiver with stereo audio inputs, but
when connected to the RI jack of Onkyo AVR and HTiBs, the dock and docked
devices can be controlled from the AVR or HTiB remote.
All three products will be available
in April.
The HTiBs, which take the form of AVR/speaker
packages, are the $599 7.1-channel HT-S5400 and $379 5.1-channel HT-S3400. Like
their predecessors at the same price points, both models feature Audyssey
Dynamic Volume, Audyssey Dynamic EQ, HD Audio decoders, 3D-capable HDMI 1.4a
inputs and outputs, and HDMI audio return channel. The $599 model, like its
predecessor, adds Dolby Pro Logic IIz, and it brings an iPod USB port in Onkyo
HTiBs down to $599 for the first time.
Dolby Pro Logic IIz post processing adds
front-height channels to a surround system, and Audyssey Dynamic Volume
prevents abrupt volume changes when a commercial comes on the TV or a program
transitions between loud and soft scenes. Audyssey Dynamic EQ maintains the
perceived balance of movie soundtracks and music at all listening levels.
The $599 model also features Audyssey 2EQ room
acoustics correction technology, upgraded from Audyssey EQ in the prior model.
The $379 HT-S3400 with 5.1-channel
speaker system omits the USB port, subwoofer pre-out, and Audyssey 2EQ but
includes proprietary Universal Port to enable single-cable connection of Onkyo
peripheral devices, such as an HD Radio tuner.
Compared to their predecessors, both
models add front-panel A/V inputs (stereo/composite video) instead of a stereo
aux in plug, and both go to five A/V inputs and two A/V outputs from four
inputs and one output. The $379 model also gets four HDMI inputs, up from the
previous three.
