On first opening the box that the Onkyo C-7030 CD player is shipped in you may think they have sent you the wrong package for a second or two. The Onkyo C-7030 is on first inspection not only extremely well built but man is this thing “professional” looking. To my mind the front plate has that certain simplicity, seriousness and dare I say it class, that you really don’t expect in stereo components at this price point. The Onkyo C-7030 to my mind looks and feels great, the buttons are all satisfying to push and the knobs are sturdy and feel reliable. So a great first impression and a solid, hefty and reliable feel, a good start from Onkyo.

Check Current Pricing on Amazon

So how about features? Well Onkyo seems to have kept to the “less is more” philosophy here. An extremely simple front panel, standard audio outs along with optical I/O and a pair of simple remote plugs are pretty much all you get in terms of back panel connections. the unit is also specced to play MP3 CDs & CD-R/CD-RWs which is pretty much standard these days, so nothing to write home about. The remote is simple and easy to use, but doesn’t have the design or construction class of the main unit itself which is a bit of a shame.

The Onkyo C-7030s remte is pretty much the only let down in this package though. Sonically the C-7030 can hold its own with pretty much any unit you care to mention in this price range (and a few that are a lot more expensive). The Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry (VLSC) keeps the signal extremely quiet and the DAC is a 24 bit 192 KHz model, this would appear to have done the job as the C-7030 to my ears sounds clear, with a very neutral mid range and an extremely good stereo image. I A/B’d the C-7030 with a Cambridge Audio Azur 650C and was suitably impressed, the Azur 650C has a subtle edge in the mid highs that the Onkyo C-7030 cant quite match in terms of clarity but at this price I’d be happy to recommend the Onkyo C-7030 as a good cheaper alternative. Sterling work from the Onkyo team. Keep up the good work.

Manufacturers Specifications

Shuffle/Random Play
Direct Track Access: by remote
Digital Output (Optical/Coaxial): 1 Optical/1 Coaxial
Analog Output (Fixed)
RI Remote Control
Plays MP3 CDs, CD-R/CD-RWs
Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry (VLSC)
Wolfson® 192 kHz/24-bit DAC
Repeat and Random Modes
2 digital outputs (optical/coaxial)
Headphone Jack w/ Volume Control
High-rigidity, anti-resonant chassis

Frequency Response 4 Hz-20 kHz/+1 db, -3db (DSP bypass)
THD (1 kHz) 0.0029 %
Dynamic Range 100 dB
S/N Ratio 107 dB
Dimensions (W x H x D) (435 x 101 x 306 mm)
Weight 15.9lbs (7.2 kg)
RRP: $249.00 (Check Current Pricing on Amazon)