Onkyo GX-30ARC Review: Phenomenal Desktop Speakers

Desktop speakers are an integral part of my desktop needs. Because I edit YouTube videos, I need good sound reproduction and performance. The Onkyo GX-30ARC desktop speakers (part of its Creator Series) have landed on my desk and have replaced my Kanto ORA4 desktop speakers. Not that the Kanto’s were bad, those are actually great as well. But there are a few things I like better about the Onkyo GX-30ARC and the reasons I have for replacing my Kanto’s with these, might not be a reason for you.

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

But, if you don’t have a set of desktop reference speakers and are looking, these Onkyo GX-30ARC speakers are certainly a short list addition and should be considered. They join the ranks of excellence, and that actually may make your job deciding a little bit harder. However, choices are good! Let’s get into the full review!

The Quick Take

The Onkyo GX-30ARC are fantastic sounding speakers with a good range of connection options and extras, like stands and a remote. They’re also one of the nicest looking sets of desktop speakers on the market and give your workspace a nice visual boost. While there are other desktop speakers that compete head on with these, I really loved these due to the aesthetic and small extras like the stands and remote. So these should be on your short list for desktop reference speakers.

The Onkyo GX-30ARC houses class D amplification which provides clear, smooth sound while original digital signal processing (DSP) technology brings out the sound the way creators hear it. I especially love the clean and elegant look of these speakers, and the company has an excellent reputation for quality sound gear. And at the price, you really cannot beat these speakers.

Score and Bottom Line

Onkyo GX-30ARC

$299

Onkyo GX-30ARC review box

Nailed it

Very nice design that brings a nice touch to any workspace
Simple setup and easy to use
Fantastic sound and very good balance
A good number of connectivity options
Stands and remote are included, some of the competition does not include this
The price point beats some of the competition

Needs work

I do not have any complaints about these speakers, even the price is right

Overall, with connections like HDMI ARC, Bluetooth 5.3 LE, and USB-C the Onkyo GX-30ARC offers more connection options than some of the competition. Onkyo’s bi-amplification system equips one speaker with two amps, which drive the tweeters and woofer with separate amps. Onkyo says that this method results in improving sound accuracy and achieves clarity in the highs and stability in the lows.

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Onkyo GX-30ARC Specifications

Type:
- Primary Speaker: Built-in amplifier, 2-way bass reflex type, detachable speaker grill
- Secondary Speaker: 2-way bass reflex type, detachable speaker grill
Speakers Size:
- Woofer: 4-inch(101.60mm)
- Tweeter: 3/4-inch (19mm)
Amplifier Configurations:
Power Output:
- 2 ch × 25 W(HF:8W + LF:17W) at 8 ohms, HF:10 kHz, 2 ch driven of 1% THD, LF:100 Hz, 2 ch driven of 1% THD
Input Terminals:
- Analog:
  - ・AUX terminal (φ3.5mm stereo mini plug) ×1
  - ・RCA stereo terminal (LINE/PHONO) ×1
- Digital:
  - Optical digital terminal (PCM 2ch/32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz) ×1
  - USB Type-C terminal ×1
  - HDMI (ARC) terminal ×1
Output Terminal:
- HDMI ARC terminal
- SUBWOOFER terminal
Other Terminals:
- Speaker terminal
- GND terminal
Communication System:
- Bluetooth Specification: version 5.3 + dual mode
- Frequency band: 2.4GHz (2.402-2.480GHz)
- Modulation method: FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum)
- Compatible BLUETOOTH profiles: A2DP 1.3.2, AVRCP 1.6.2, HFP1.8, HSP 1.2, SPP 1.2
- Supported Codecs: SBC
- Transmission range (A2DP): 20 Hz – 20 kHz (Sampling frequency 44.1kHz)
- Maximum communication range: Line of sight approx. 15 m() ()The actual range will vary depending on factors such as obstacles between devices, magnetic fields around a microwave oven, static electricity, cordless phone, reception sensitivity, antenna’s performance, operating system, software application, etc.
- Maximum radio-frequency power transmitted in the frequency band(s): 2400 MHz – 2483.5 MHz (20 dBm (e.i.r.p))
USB: Ver.2.0, Type-C
HDMI ARC compatible audio format: PCM
Power Supply: AC 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz
Power Consumption: 10 W
Standby mode:
- BLUETOOTH : 0.3 W
- HDMI : 0.3 W
- USB : 0.3 W
- AUX : 0.3 W
- OPTICAL : 0.3 W
- RCA : 0.3 W
Dimensions (W × H × D):
- Primary Speaker: 146 mm × 224 mm × 188 mm (including speaker grilles and protrusions on the back)
- Secondary Speaker: 146 mm × 224 mm × 180 mm (including speaker grilles and protrusions on the back)
Weight:
- Primary Speaker: 2.8 kg (including speaker grill)
- Secondary Speaker: 2.6 kg (including speaker grill)

What’s In The Box

Onkyo GX-30ARC Speakers
Speaker Grills
Speaker Stands
Remote Control
USB-A to USB-C Cable
Secondary Speaker Connector Cable
Power Adapter with various countries connectors
Manuals and Documentation

Design

The Onkyo GX-30ARC is elegant and simple. I have the white version here, but you can get them in black as well. The white looks way better, IMO. The enclosure feels like it might be wood, I couldn’t find any info on that in the documentation or website. But if they are wood, I like that very much. The included stands look like wood, but they are plastic, but they give the speakers a very nice authentic and vibe.

The front of the speakers are basically the same as most other speakers, here you have, well, your speakers. The primary speaker has the remote control sensor and LED light indicators for Flat Sound Mode and Source. Both front speakers have magnets to hold on the fabric grill fronts, and those are branded with the Onkyo logo in a very nice font.

The bottom of both speakers come with rubber feet, and the top and sides are plain. The rear is where everything is, especially on the primary speaker. The secondary only houses the secondary speaker terminal. Here’s what is on the back of the primary speaker.

Onkyo GX-30ARC review: Phenomenal desktop speakers that look and sound fantastic

Overall, these are very nicely designed speakers and they look spectacular. They’re not too heavy, but they are a bit heavier than my Kanto ORA 4’s, I suspect that has to do with the enclosure material. The Kanto’s are plastic.

Ease of Use/Setup

The hardest part of setting the Onkyo GX-30ARC, is unboxing them. I love the packaging, they are well protected, but when you’re excited to get them out of the box. Well, you can get frustrated digging through all the excellent packing. LOL.

Setting up is simple, unbox, unwrap, unwind, remove a million twisty ties, find your placement location, plug the speakers into each other, plug them into the wall, and turn them on. That’s it!

Operation is also simple, once you choose which connection you’re going to use (I used the USB-C connection) you only have to adjust your volume and decide whether you want the Flat Sound mode on or off (more on that in the next section). I also love that the speakers have their own level of sound, that is not operated by my PC. So I can adjust the volume on the speakers independently of the PC. I like to turn the volume all the way to max on the speakers and then fine tune the PC volume. I find that works best for me, of course, you can do it your way.

You can also choose which speaker will be the primary, and everything is on the remote for easy access. Overall, setting these things up is dead simple and using them is simple as well. Once they’re installed, and you have your volumes where you want them, you’re good to go.

Sound Quality

The Onkyo GX-30ARC speakers have excellent sound reproduction and they have a Flat Sound mode. Flat Sound mode allows you to keep the sound exactly how it comes from the source. There is no coloring of frequencies here. With Flat Sound mode off, the system will enhance the bass and treble to give a bit more full sound signature.

I have a Lenovo Legion tower with the Nahimic Sound profiler, so this gives me an EQ and other sound settings to play with. I used that software to tweak my Kanto ORA 4 speakers, and I used it to tweak the Onkyo GX-30ARC as well. But these speakers sound fantastic out of the box, you don’t need any software to make them sound amazing. I just elected to do it that way.

If you’re looking for that neutral soundstage with no coloring, you will have to turn Flat Sound Mode on when you first set these up, it is off by default. I recommend turning it on and listening to the difference, and then deciding which works best for you.

The Onkyo GX-30ARC gets very loud with no distortion or break up, at least as far as I took the level. Music, movies, and podcasts all sound brilliant on these speakers. The bottom end is thick enough to hold up the mids and highs, but not overpowering where it makes things sound like mud.

Overall, the Onkyo GX-30ARC are on par with my Kanto ORA 4 speakers, but I really love these more because of the added remote and especially the design and aesthetic.

Price/Value

I, honestly, was surprised at the price point on the Onkyo GX-30ARC. I thought for sure these would be around the same price as the Kanto Ora 4 speakers, but they’re actually a hundred less. I love the ORA 4 speakers, but for less money, you get equally good sound performance, stands and remote, and a better-looking design. These speakers have a lot of value.