Onkyo is one of the big names in consumer electronics manufacturers. Onkyo electronics are best known for audio equipment and specializing in home entertainment system including surround speakers and AV receivers.
Onkyo’s audio ability is well sought after by home theater enthusiast and audiophile for its warm and real sound.
Onkyo started in 1946 also known as Osaka Denki Onkyo K.K and has been growing ever since.
This year, Onkyo have release its new HT series, the Onkyo HT-S3400. This is the new version of Onkyo HT-S3300.
This new Onkyo HT-S3400 has some impressive features for a level entry receiver, and it’s only under 350$ with its speaker system. The Onkyo HT-S3400 receiver also includes 5 small satellite speakers and a subwoofer in its bundle.
Onkyo HT-S3400 AV Receiver Feature
The Onkyo HT-S3400 has a lot of great features that normally you wouldn’t find in an entry level AV receiver.
The Onkyo HT-S3400 has 4 HDMI inputs and supports all the normal and HD decoding. The Onkyo HT-S3400 includes SACD and DVD-Audio support decoding a very rare feature for a beginner’s receiver. The Onkyo HT-S3400 support 3D movie material via its HDMI 1.4v.
The Onkyo HT-S3400 also employs 192/24 Burr-Brown DAC for all channels for better sound. The Onkyo HT-S3400 has a 32bit DSP processor this will recreate the sound field with more depth and precision.
The advance Audyssey technology maintains the loudness correction and the best listening level while watching any movie. For MP3 and lossy compression music file, the Onkyo HT-S3400 is equipped with music enhancer for better music reproduction.
The SACD and DVD-Audio can only be outputted via analogue connection, that’s why the Onkyo HT-S3400 receiver has 6 analogue inputs. Entry level audiophile will love the “Direct Mode” features in this receiver as well as 10 crossover frequency selections.
A basic tone control is added for 2 channel listening and an A/B terminal speaker for optional output. Cinema Filter is very useful in watching movie and this receiver surprisingly does it well.
Amplifier Specifications
The Onkyo HT-S3400 is bestowed with Onkyo’s H.C.P.S or High Current Power Supply with a transformer. This receiver produces a massive amount of power of 120 watts per channel into 6 ohms, and measuring at 1 kHz, 1%, (JEITA).
The subwoofer gets it power from the receiver this means that you need a passive sub. The subwoofers amplifier produces 130 watts and it THD is only 0.08% at 20 Hz to 20 kHz in half power. The HT-S3400 produces a 100db signal to noise ratio, this will generate a good clean sound.
Speakers
The HT-S3400 comes with 5 satellite speakers and a subwoofer.
The satellite speaker produces a maximum of 110 watts into 6 ohms. The entire satellite speaker has a frequency response of 80 Hz–20 kHz, a common response curve for small speakers.
The subwoofer produces 130 watts of power, and its frequency response is 30 Hz to 150 Hz into 6 ohms.
Pros and Cons of Onkyo HT-S3400
For:
- Powerful amplification and has a lot of HDMI inputs for this entry level AV receiver.
- For under 350$ it comes with additional satellite speakers and a subwoofer this is a very generous offer. It has loads of features such as the 192/24 Burr-Brown DAC which is rare at this price point.
- Another notable feature is its compatibility with SACD and DVD-Audio another rare feature.
Against:
- User manual is horrible.
- The OSD is confusing when switching from audio to video.
- The remote is not programmable it only works with other Onkyo products.
- This receiver has no Preouts and has only clippers for speaker terminals.
Final Word
Every product has its own pros and cons. The cons above are more than the pros. But don’t worry, since the cons are minor than the pros.
Onkyo HT-S3400 is a great receiver with a cheap price and it has a lot of features for an entry level HT.