Onkyo launches two new affordable 7.1-channel AV receivers

Onkyo launches two new affordable 7.1-channel AV receivers

Onkyo has announced the launch of two new 7.1-channel home cinema receivers in the UK. Wonder when they will hit our shores?

The cheaper of the two models is the £400 TX-SR604E which, despite its relatively low price, offers a huge power output of 7 x 140W and HDMI switching.

If you can run to an extra £100, though, Onkyo recommends that you go for the TX-SR674E, which builds in a number of key improvements over its cheaper sibling.

For starters, beneath the SR674E’s solid aluminium front panel you’ll find a plastic moulding made from a completely different, more expensive and apparently better-sounding grade of plastic than that used in the SR604E.

With such attention to detail as this, it’s hardly surprising that Onkyo also claims to have made around 30 other changes to the SR674E’s componentry in a bid to take the sound a level higher.

On the functionality side, the SR674E sports two HDMI inputs compatible with 720p, 1080i and 1080p signals, and one HDMI output – a very healthy digital connections count indeed for such a relatively affordable receiver. Analogue jacks are well catered for too, mind you, with three component video inputs (and one component video output) plus S-Video and composite video inputs. What’s more, all these analogue signals can be upconverted for delivery via the HDMI output.

The SR674E also ups the power output to 7 x 150W, and will allow you to attach your iPod to it via a new £65 DS-A2 docking station (due in September).