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In this article, we will discuss the comparisons between Onkyo C 7030 vs Yamaha CD S300, two single-disc CD players that are quite affordable and budget-friendly. Interestingly, such CD players remain popular in the market despite the growing popularity of music streaming services. Both of the two models offer great qualities, so which one is better?

Continue reading below to find out more about:

• The appearance and build quality of each CD player
• The remote control and ease of use of each CD player
• The built-in features and connectivity of the CD players
• The sound quality of Onkyo C 7030 vs Yamaha CD S300
• Whether Onkyo C 7030 or Yamaha CD S300 is better

Quick Overview

Design and Appearance
First of all, lets’ start from the physical appearance of Onkyo C 7030 vs Yamaha CD S300. They have quite different looks and impressions. Hence, if you are looking for a good-looking CD player that matches your set-up and room decoration, this is an important aspect to consider.

One the one hand, Onkyo C 7030 is only available in a black color. Since black is a relatively neutral color, it should be easy to match with most set-ups. You can easily put it on a rack under your television – but note that this model is a little bulky, so it may not fit into a narrow, slim rack. And unfortunately, the Onkyo CD player looks old and traditional. There are several reasons for this.

First, it uses a green font on the display screen, which makes the unit look like an old, classic CD player. Second, the bulky buttons and connection ports are scattered across the entire front panel. Unlike some modern iterations, the CD player doesn’t have a front cover to hide the buttons and ports when not used. Third, the unit itself is quite thick and bulky, whereas most modern models nowadays try to be as slim as possible.

On the other hand, Yamaha CD S300 arguably has a better, more stylish design. It has a nice modern look. Compared to the Onkyo model, this Yamaha CD player is a little bit slimmer – which also means that it is easier to fit into a narrow rack.

The front display screen has a white font. This helps a lot in enhancing the modern appearance. The display screen is not excessively wide, and is slim enough to go along with the slim profile of the unit.Yamaha CD S300 is available in two color options, black and white. So, you can choose the color that matches your home theater system or home decoration.

The buttons and connection parts are also available on the front panel, but they don’t create a busy, crowded look because of two reasons. First, the buttons are not too bulky. The buttons are rectangular and small, and they blend into the rest of the black front panel as you watch your movie. Second, the buttons and connection pots are arranged neatly on the left and right of the display screen. They are put in coherent lines.

Remote Control
Both Onkyo C 7030 vs Yamaha CD S300 come with their respective remotes. Each has different pros and cons. With a good remote control, you can easily control your CD player from your couch without having to stand up or get down to the unit. (Read also : Onkyo C 7030 Vs Marantz CD6005)

The Onkyo remote control looks nice and streamlined, but unfortunately it is not very easy to use. The remote control is strangely long and slender; while it is easy to hold with a single hand, your thumb won’t be able to reach the upper buttons if you hold it close to the bottom. Vice versa, you will find it difficult to reach the number buttons if you hold it around the directional pads.

Nevertheless, the buttons are labeled well. The white labels are put on the buttons, which are black. The contrast makes them easy to read, even in a dim environment. There aren’t many buttons, but all of the essential functions are available. And it actually has a power button, so you don’t need to reach the unit just to turn on/off the unit.

You can understand the function of each button easily. Buttons with similar functions are put in coherent groups. They also feel solid and precise. The only mystery is why the button groups are spaced so far away from each other.

On the other hand, the Yamaha remote is slim and compact. It is easy to hold. The buttons aren’t spaced so far away from each other. When holding it with a single hand, your thumb can reach most of the buttons. Even so, it is actually much worse than the Onkyo remote.

The first problem is, while the buttons are labeled, the labels aren’t easy to read. The text is very small. It is colored black, put above the corresponding button on the gray casing. As a result, you won’t be able to read the labels when playing a movie in a darkened room. Second, the buttons themselves are small. They have exactly the same shape. Inevitably, you will sometimes hit the wrong button when trying to access a setting or feature.

The third and perhaps the biggest problem is that the Yamaha remote control does not have a power on/off button. As the effect, you have to get up from your couch and reach the unit in order to turn on off the CD player. This is extremely inconvenient. The idea of a remote control is to allow you to perform all the basic operations remotely. Without a power on/off button, the remote control fails miserably in this regard.

Features
Both Onkyo C 7030 vs Yamaha CD S300 are single-disc CD players. In other words, each unit only has a single tray to hold one disc at a time. There is no disc changer mechanism to automatically change the playing CD. This is a little bit inconvenient, but it is worth the effort. Without a disc changer mechanism, there is one less vulnerable part to fail within a few years.

Both models can play the 44.1kHz/16-bit compact disc as well as MP3 and WMA audio formats. So, you can burn your favorite music tracks into a CD just like a data disc. Either CD player can play such discs just fine. Unfortunately, both Onkyo C 7030 and Yamaha CD S300 do not support lossless audio files.

Keep in mind that these CD players are not able to play FLAC, Apple Lossless, and WMA Lossless audio files – some people were disappointed because they didn’t read the specs carefully. These CD players can only play the ‘traditional’ audio formats. Indeed, it is a little strange that these models can’t play WMA lossless, considering that the regular WMA audio format is already supported.

Both models use high-quality 192kHz/24-bit DACs to deliver the best digital-to-analog conversion quality. They both generally have impressive sound quality. They are able to perform pristine conversion of digital streams into analog signals with great with great clarity and detail. They also have high resistance to clock jitters.

Onkyo C 7030 comes with a high-precision clocking mechanism to manage and coordinate all of the digital signal processes. It is equipped with a high-quality crystal oscillator that has a frequency deviation of barely plus-minus 10 ppm. This feature allows the Onkyo unit to deliver very precise and accurate performance.

In addition, Onkyo C 7030 also uses the Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry (VLSC) technology to deliver a virtually noiseless performance. The complete removal of noise from the output is impossible. However, this circuitry continuously samples the signal through two discrete points. The difference between the two discrete points is joined in real-time with analog vectors to produce smooth waveform. Hence, the resulted output can be free from pulse noise.

Yamaha CD S300 also comes with some interesting features. The power supplies for the display, motor drive, USB, digital, and analog sections are individually isolated to eliminate electromagnetic interference. The signal paths are designed to be as short as possible to minimize signal loss. It is equipped with a laser-pickup floating mechanism so that the operation doesn’t get affected by vibration.

According to the manufacturer, conventional tracking servo circuitries are unable to overcome errors caused by dust and defects completely. So, Yamaha CD S300 uses an intelligent digital servo with a digital signal processor (DSP) to adjust the pickup tracking, focus, and spindle motor speed to compensate the problems.

Additionally, Yamaha CD S300 comes with the Pure Direct mode. This is the same feature that is included in other Yamaha AV receivers and amplifiers. By activating this mode, you can turn off the digital audio output as well as the display screen. It allows for the lowest possible noise interference and the highest analog output quality. It is awesome when you want to get the best sound quality from your favorite CD.

Connectivity
Onkyo C 7030 features a standard phones jack on the front panel. The output of this jack is already amplified. You don’t need to send the signal to an external amplifier or AV receiver to listen to the sound. You can plug your headphones directly to this jack. The sound quality is impressive.

You can find the rest of the connection ports on the rear panel. Here, there are the L/R analog outputs, optical digital output, and coaxial digital output. Additionally, there is the remote control jack for connecting the infrared receiver, which is needed if you want to use the remote control. All of these connection ports are standard, so you probably won’t find a real problem in connecting the CD player to your system.

Unfortunately, Onkyo C 7030 does not have any USB port. This is too bad, considering that the unit already supports MP3 and WMA audio files. Without a USB port, you won’t be able to connect a flash drive or a mobile device to the CD player.

Yamaha CD S300 comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Unlike the Onkyo model, this Yamaha CD player does not have a phone jack. This is annoying if you want to listen to some music with a pair of headphones. On the rear panel, there are just the standard output ports, which include the analog L/R outputs, optical digital output, and coaxial digital output.

Despite the lack of a phone jack, Yamaha CD S300 has a strong advantage in the form of a USB port on the front panel. It is very useful, as it allows you to play music from a flash drive or mobile device. It is compatible with iPod, iPhone, and iPad. So, you don’t really need to burn your music tracks into a data disc; just put them in your smartphone or flash drive. Note that the USB port charges iPods and iPhones, but not iPads.

Performance
So, how is the performance of Onkyo C 7030 vs Yamaha CD S300? In terms of sound quality, Onkyo C 7030 is quite impressive. The most noticeable thing is the open soundstage. It has very good treble that allows the output to be wide and realistic. The sound is truly fantastic, as if the artist is performing live in front of you. It forces you to stop what you are doing for a moment to enjoy the sound.

Indeed, there are better CD players than Onkyo C 7030, but it is among the best in its price range. It delivers most music tracks with very good clarity and detail. Then again, don’t forget that the speakers that you pair with the CD player also affect the sound quality. If you find the sound too harsh or bright, you should tone down the treble a little bit.

Yamaha CD S300 has a wider frequency response range. It is able to reach lower, deeper frequencies. As a result, it is able to deliver fuller and more detailed bass. You will really enjoy the way it reproduces drums and bass guitars.

The overall sound quality is great. It can deliver very accurate and detailed sound. Fine details are often lost when played by other CD players in this price range, but not with Yamaha CD S300. Despite the great bass performance, the midrange and treble remain clear and accurate. The frequency response is balanced and natural.

Onkyo C 7030 Vs Yamaha CD S300

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Conclusion
All in all, we recommend you to choose Yamaha CD S300. The included remote control is terrible, but the other features are nice. It has a stylish, modern design and a USB port. The sound quality is great. It has good bass performance. The overall sound is balanced and natural.