After a highly acclaimed return to high-fidelity with the Icon series, Onkyo continues to expand its hi-fi range with the new Muse line presented at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. As the brand celebrates 80 years of audio innovation, this new series of connected amplifiers symbolizes the bridge between tradition, modernity and high-performance music streaming.
A historic manufacturer rediscovers its hi-fi voice
Founded in Osaka in 1946, Onkyo has established itself as a global reference in audio-video components and hi-fi electronics. Over the decades, the Japanese brand has embodied a sophisticated musical approach, combining power, musicality and technical expertise. After many years dominated by its home theater heritage, Onkyo has recently reaffirmed its presence in the traditional hi-fi market. The brand’s triumphant return to this field first materialized in 2025 with the Onkyo Icon series, a collection of hi-fi electronics including an integrated amplifier, a network preamp and a class AB power amplifier. Marking a milestone in Onkyo’s hi-fi renaissance, it met with great success thanks to its impressive performance and integrated Dirac Live acoustic correction.
Onkyo Muse: an anniversary hi-fi range
Following the success of the Icon series, Onkyo continues to expand its hi-fi catalog with the new Onkyo Muse range. Previewed at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, it celebrates the brand’s 80th anniversary with two connected amplifiers: the Onkyo Muse Y-50 and Onkyo Muse Y-40. Ultra-complete, they combine amplification, streaming and connectivity in a single, modern chassis with a large touchscreen.
Integrated streaming and modern uses
These Muse amplifiers embody Onkyo’s resolutely contemporary vision of hi-fi, natively integrating all of today’s uses. Network streaming takes center stage, with extensive compatibility including Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast. Whether connected via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, these amplifiers are true music hubs, capable of providing instant access to virtually all online catalogs and local libraries.
Elegant design with color display
This modernity is also reflected in a sophisticated interface, materialized by a large 5.46-inch color display on the front panel. The latter displays album art, metadata and VU meters in deliberately retro graphics. The screen is mounted on a metal chassis available in black or silver. The top panel is perforated with a traditional Japanese San Kuzushi motif, a historic nod to the brand’s origins. Two large metal knobs on the front panel allow volume adjustment and source selection.
High power and comprehensive connectivity
In purely audio terms, the Onkyo Muse Y-50 and Onkyo Muse Y-40 rely on all-digital Class D circuitry to maximize power, dynamics and efficiency. The Y-50 boasts up to 250 watts per channel into 4 ohms, while the Y-40 delivers 150 watts, enough to power a wide range of speakers, from demanding bookshelf speakers to more ambitious floorstanders. Added to this is a particularly comprehensive set of connectors, including three analog RCA inputs, a coaxial and optical input, two HDMI inputs, one of which is ARC-compatible for simplified TV integration, a phono input for vinyl lovers and a subwoofer output.
While these two Onkyo amplifiers share the same network functionalities and connectivity, the Onkyo Muse Y-50 stands out for its superior power and the integration of Onkyo’s Room EQ acoustic calibration technology. This system analyzes the acoustics of the room using a measurement microphone to identify resonance, hollows and distortion generated by the listening environment, a factor often decisive in the final perception of the sound reproduction. Once the measurements are complete, Room EQ automatically adjusts the frequency response to optimize tonal coherence, vocal clarity and bass response, while respecting the character of the associated speakers.
A limited edition for Onkyo’s 80th anniversary
To mark this symbolic anniversary and its assertive return to the forefront of the hi-fi scene, Onkyo has also chosen the path of the exceptional. Alongside the standard versions of the Muse series, the Japanese manufacturer is preparing a limited-edition anniversary edition, designed as a direct tribute to its golden age while affirming its current ambitions. In terms of aesthetics, this anniversary edition boasts a vintage-inspired design drawn from the DNA of the great Onkyo electronics of the 1980s. The chassis adopts an elegant champagne aluminum finish, while the sides are clad in genuine walnut veneer for a warm, handcrafted touch. Designed as a synthesis of tradition and modernity, only 1,000 Onkyo Muse 80th Anniversary amplifiers will be produced worldwide. Although the price has not yet been officially announced, it is scheduled to go on sale in the summer of 2026. The Onkyo Muse Y-40 and Onkyo Muse Y-50 amplifiers are scheduled for release in May 2026, priced at $999 and $1,499 respectively. We’ll have to wait a little longer for the prices in euros.
