Victrola took advantage of its appearance at CES 2023 in Las Vegas to announce the Stream Onyx turntable. It’s essentially a budget version of last year’s Stream Carbon. Both are capable of broadcasting sound from a record to the Sonos system – a Wi-Fi module is provided for this, and the corresponding settings take place in the proprietary Victrola Stream mobile application (works on iOS or Android).
As Scott Hagen, CEO of Victrola, said, “We have retained the amazing DNA of Victrola Stream Carbon with some changes in materials and finishes to bring this amazing solution to even more Sonos-equipped homes around the world.”
Victrola launches Stream Onyx
Indeed, the external differences of the budget model are in the materials. While the glowing volume control and bezel of the Stream Carbon are metal, the Stream Onyx is all plastic. The tonearm, which last year was made of carbon fiber, has become metal. The pre-installed MM cartridge has also become cheaper – now it’s an Audio-Technica VM95E, while the Stream Carbon had an Ortofon Red 2M. Their cost differs by one and a half to two times.
Otherwise, both devices are similar. They are equipped with two-speed motors driven by a metal disc. And it’s easy to distinguish Victrola Stream Onyx from Stream Carbon by its finish. The first is completely black, and the second has silver elements.
In the US, the Victrola Stream Onyx costs $600 – $200 cheaper than its predecessor.
