-Onkyo C7070 CD Player

It's difficult to imagine how you could improve the humble CD player, but Onkyo's engineering team had plenty of inspiration. For 2011, the Onkyo C-7070 CD player is an extremely versatile and sophisticated piece of audio equipment. The unit is strengthened with vibration-damping machined-brass legs, a 1.6 mm thick flat-base chassis, an aluminium CD tray with silent mechanism, a full-floating circuit board, and a handsome aluminium front panel. In addition, the electrical system benefits from a precision clock, a pair of Wolfson® 192 kHz/24-bit DACs-one for each channel-and Onkyo's DIDRC (Dynamic Intermodulation Distortion Reduction Circuitry). These improvements all but eliminate noise from the source, meaning your music will sound clearer than ever. Naturally, the Onkyo C-7070 CD player plays audio discs or CD-R/CD-RWs and your favourite MP3/WMA compilation CDs. It also connects to your iPod/iPhone via the USB port, and plays music straight off a USB thumb drive. The three-stage dimmer function, gold-plated audio terminals, and headphone amplifier differential circuitry offer further evidence of Onkyo's attention to detail. All this adds up to a player that, like your CD collection, will be around for a long time to come.

Since the advent of digital audio, signal-to-noise ratios have improved dramatically. However, the S/N ratio reflects static noise only, and takes no account of another type of noise that occurs as the by-product of sound reproduction- dynamic noise. To reduce this type of noise, Onkyo has developed DIDRC technology for use in our hi-fi components. Despite being beyond the normal range of human hearing, frequencies above 100 kHz are susceptible to clock pulse and other forms of distortion from digital devices. Such distortion in the super-high-frequency range can generate "beat interference", which in turn affects the character or atmosphere of the original sound. By improving linearity and reducing distortion in the super-high-frequency range, Onkyo's DIDRC technology effectively reduces perceptible noise and delivers clearer-than-ever audio.

The Onkyo C 7070 boasts a precise clocking mechanism that controls and coordinates the timing of all digital signal processes-rather like how a conductor directs and coordinates the individual instruments of an orchestra. The C-7070 uses a state-of-the-art crystal oscillator that achieves a frequency deviation of ±10 ppm-much lower than with a conventional oscillator.

High-quality Wolfson digital-to-analogue converters work to optimize analogue audio performance on the Onkyo C7070. The player incorporates two 24-bit WM8742 DACs. Although these DACs can process two-channel audio on a single chip, Onkyo employs separate chips for each stereo channel, to ensure the most accurate digital-to-analogue conversion.

Affixed to four supports made of rigid machined brass, the Onkyo C-7070's CD drive provides excellent resistance to internal vibrations. Furthermore, the disc tray is precision engineered from high-rigidity, die-cast aluminium. Thanks to these advanced design features, the disc mechanism offers smooth and silent operation.

When it comes to parts and construction, it's not in Onkyo's DNA to cut any corners. The Onkyo C-7070 is no exception. Build quality starts from the ground up with a highly rigid, 1.6 mm-thick, fully flat chassis that provides excellent protection against shelf-borne vibrations.

Plays Audio CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3 (CD-R, CD-RW) and WMA (CD-R, CD-RW)

DIDRC (Dynamic Intermodulation Distortion Reduction Circuitry)

Precision Clock for Optimal Timing of Digital Signals (±10 ppm)

Separate Wolfson® 192 kHz/24-Bit DACs (WM8742 x 2) for L/R Channels

Silent Disc Mechanism with Solid Die-Cast Aluminium Tray

Floating Circuit Board Construction

1.6 mm-Thick Anti-Vibration Full-Flat Chassis

Solid Aluminium Front Panel

Direct Digital Connection of iPod/iPhone via Front- Panel USB Port

Independent Headphone Amplifier

25-Track Memory Playback

Random and Repeat Playback Function

Handles Playback of Mass Storage Class USB Memory

Machined, Gold-Plated Audio Terminals