Onkyo Wireless Bluetooth Speaker ON-NCP302B - $79 Delivered @ Kogan

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gibspmuh on 09/03/2021 - 08:17 kogan.com (1045 clicks)
Last edited 09/03/2021 - 11:11 by 1 other user

Also available in white at the same price - https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/onkyo-wireless-bluetooth-speake…

Previous best price on Ozbargain was $249 - https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/436487 though that was a couple of years ago.

TLDR - Sound quality is good for the price, smart functions are mediocre, if not technically inclined then may be best to steer clear, but if you don't mind a tinker then you can probably get value from the speaker.

Fuller review - I picked up one of these in conjunction with the recent Latitude promo and free shipping, though even without that discount it's still a pretty good price. Given the variability in the online reviews I thought it best to give it a test first before posting.

Overall I've been happy with the quality of the sound from the speaker, especially given the price. The setup and smart features could most charitably be described as clunky though - in the end I needed to connect via ethernet cable for the setup to complete (and the firmware updates took more than 30 minutes, so be patient - I'm guessing some of the reports of bricking the speaker stems from not just leaving it to run its course).

It can be somewhat sluggish to get started when Chromecasting too (but works decently enough once kicking into gear), though Bluetooth and AUX both work pretty reliably. The built in streaming app integration hasn't worked reliably for me (having tried Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music) but Chromecasting gets around this impediment.

Full details about the speaker can be found on the Onkyo website at https://www.intl.onkyo.com/products/speakers/wireless_audio_…

Description

The Onkyo Wireless Bluetooth Speaker creates a multi-room solution that works with a variety of network audio platforms to suit your lifestyle.

• Dual 77mm dynamic woofers
• 26mm balanced-dome tweeter
• Tuned bass-reflex enclosure for rich and natural bass
• Physical controls include input selection, play/pause, skip, stop and volume
• Auto Power-on and playback upon network signal detection
• Stylish perforated metal grille for protection

The Onkyo Wireless Bluetooth Speaker features 2 large woofers and a tweeter in a solid MDF cabinet, so you can effortlessly fill every room with amazing sound. Share network and external audio sources such as vinyl records, music from a Blu-ray deck or your favourite CDs – between any supported component and speaker with FlareConnect. Bluetooth technology and popular streaming services are also built in.

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• 

  mrtee on 09/03/2021 - 08:33

  Does it support aux?

  • 

    gibspmuh on 09/03/2021 - 08:37

    Yep, works well with 3.5mm aux - even comes with an aux cable in the box.

    (note that the aux cable can supposedly also be used to perform the initial setup - in my case not so much success with that method though).

    • 

      mrtee on 09/03/2021 - 08:39

      Getting one thanks

    • 

      AEZ on 09/03/2021 - 11:19

      Hi, what do U mean by not so much success with the aux cable? I thinking use the aux connect to my tv. Will that work? Thanks.

      • 

        gibspmuh on 09/03/2021 - 11:27

        +1

        I've got the aux cable connected to my TV and that works fine (it may take a second or two to kick in once audio commences coming out of standby or extended periods of silence is the only quirk I've spotted).

        The aspect that didn't work so great is the one referenced on their website - in the end I had to connect an ethernet cable and then discover the device over the network to setup:

        Very Simple Setup
        Connect your mobile via stereo mini-jack cable (supplied) and the app guides you through a one-time network connection procedure.

• 

  Spendmore on 09/03/2021 - 08:34

  +1

  Great review, thanks!

• 

  qwerks on 09/03/2021 - 09:00

  +1

  Great post and info OP. Thanks!

• 

  [Deactivated] on 09/03/2021 - 09:08

  Do these have a battery?

  • 

    gibspmuh on 09/03/2021 - 09:09

    +1

    No battery, mains power only.

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 09/03/2021 - 09:17

      thanks

• 

  Harold Halfprice on 09/03/2021 - 09:10

  Is the sound quality good for $249 or for $79?

  • 

    C0mbat on 09/03/2021 - 09:13

    Possibly good for $649 as that was the rrp. To be fair, Onkyo has a great pedigree so the sound is likely to be really good. Providing the bluetooth connection is stable then it's likely to be a steal at this price.

  • 

    gibspmuh on 09/03/2021 - 09:13

    +4

    Great for $79, just alright for $249 (and my condolences for anyone who paid the original RRP).

    • 

      Harold Halfprice on 09/03/2021 - 18:31

      Thanks! You reckon it's possible/stable to stand it upright on its side?

      • 

        gibspmuh on 09/03/2021 - 18:40

        Certainly no impediments that I can see - the sides are flat so should be relatively stable (even without any feet on them). It may make the controls a little less accessible, though all of the functions can be managed by the app on the phone as well (I never end up changing inputs or volume via the physical controls anyway).

        • 

          Harold Halfprice on 09/03/2021 - 19:59

          @gibspmuh: Awesome thanks for the help, just bought one

• 

  BrianGriffin on 09/03/2021 - 09:25

  thanks, bought one, single unit + ac powered (no battery) + Bluetooth, just what I need for my desktop.

• 

  andresampras on 09/03/2021 - 09:34

  Hmm Amazon reviews say it's a really flaky product

  • 

    andresampras on 09/03/2021 - 09:44

    …and yet I just bought one. Hmm.

    • 

      gibspmuh on 09/03/2021 - 09:48

      I'd concur that if your goal was to use the integrated streaming apps over Wi-Fi then you may be disappointed (flaky would be a reasonable description of those components in my experience).

      But from my experience AUX and Bluetooth are reliable and Chromecast is serviceable - so covers off my uses well in that respect.

      • 

        andresampras on 09/03/2021 - 09:49

        ah I intend to use spotify mainly….cripes

        Do you know if it stays in BT mode as long as it's powered on?

        ie. when you come home does it connect to your phone automatically or do you need to manually connect to BT?

        • 

          gibspmuh on 09/03/2021 - 10:03

          +1

          @andresampras: Just to clarify, Chromecasting from the Spotify app on my phone works fine. It's just the native Spotify integration in the Onkyo Connect app which I've found somewhat flaky.

          From a Bluetooth perspective, once the speaker is out of standby it auto connects - normally I'll wake it up out of standby via the app (and Chromecast connections will automatically wake it up if you enable network standby).

          • 

            andresampras on 09/03/2021 - 10:04

            @gibspmuh: thanks for that info. we have iOS and android devices at home so let's see how well this goes.

            I am weirdly excited about this speaker's arrival

• 

  gibspmuh on 09/03/2021 - 21:11

  Looks like prices have jumped significantly now, $129 + delivery.

• 

  andresampras on 12/03/2021 - 13:00

  Just received mine. The box has 2 stickers (one over the other) on the lid-opening flap, saying 'Australian mains plug fitted - Amber Technology'. So this isn't Aussie stock but that's to be expected from Kogan.

  https://www.ambertech.com.au/

  Interestingly, their website doesn't list Onkyo.

  Apart from the obvious addition of a figure 8 cable with AU plug (and removal of whatever was included originally), everything looks to be new.

  I see why people have complained about initial wifi setup….the indicator is blinking blue and not purple, and i can't seem to connect to the Onkyo's wifi network so far.

  • 

    gibspmuh on 14/03/2021 - 14:08

    I found I had to connect the speaker via Ethernet first to be able to get the Wi-Fi settings in place (it assigns different IP addresses to both connections as well).

    After that it has worked alright by and large, though occasionally I've had to power cycle it for it to reappear on Wi-Fi.

    • 

      andresampras on 15/03/2021 - 12:15

      +1

      Yeh I ended up plugging it directly into the router via ethernet, so far it is stable (I previously had managed to connect to wifi eventually, but it kept pausing/stopping audio playback)

      Volume can be turned up quite loud with little interference. Bass and treble can be adjusted.

      As you mentioned earlier, it takes a bit of time to connect. I've also seen some weirdness with adjusting volume via phone/watch - very laggy, and each adjustment makes a big difference in volume. Same with yours?

      • 

        gibspmuh on 15/03/2021 - 12:46

        Yep, Onkyo Connect app is definitely a bit laggy, both for adjusting volume and kicking off any of the streaming services and skipping/changing songs. I found the increments for increasing the volume to be OK though, but it may depend on the source. It's just a shame what's a decent quality speaker is held back by the mediocrity of the smart features on it (then again I imagine it wouldn't be cleared out for a price that low if that wasn't the case).

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 15/03/2021 - 12:40

      These are the steps I did:
      1. Plug in speaker, connect Ethernet cable from router lan port to speaker.
      2. Install Onkyo controller app on phone, while on WiFi
      3. In app select speaker and note the IP address for it
      4. In a browser (I did this on my laptop but would work on the phone) enter the IP address, you will be prompted for user name and password. admin for both
      5. In web page you can now switch the speaker to WiFi and set up the SSID/password

• 

  andresampras on 12/03/2021 - 15:42

  This could be a reason the stock was so cheap:

  https://www.avsforum.com/threads/onkyo-buyers-beware-sold-or…