Since its release, the newly designed D-302E speaker has been receiving overwhelmingly positive press. The following is a summary of reviews in the September 2005 issues of two French hi-fi/home theater magazines, Revue du Son & du Home Cinema (RSHC) and Diapason. Of the two, the RSHC review contained a great deal more technical information. It drew special attention to Onkyo’s thorough rethinking of speaker design, from diaphragms, moving coils and magnetic circuits to cabinet construction and venting. As a result of such innovations, reviewers at both magazines were able to enjoy an exceptional listening experience across the frequency spectrum, from bass through midrange to treble.

Both reviews rated the D-302E, with its 16 cm woofer, as a top-of-the-range speaker, offering a performance level normally found on much larger speaker units. The Diapason reviewer considered the D-302E’s transparency and lack of coloration exceptional. The RSHC reviewers, meanwhile, were impressed with the D-302’s high-density 140 mm barium ferrite magnet and its ability to achieve impressive output characteristics at high volume levels while simultaneously maintaining low harmonic distortion. RSHC also noted the great rigidity advantages of the pressure-molded Zamac frame (which varies from 7 mm to 20 mm in thickness), as well as the excellent back clearance.


The D-302E’s woofer diaphragm is made from a proprietary composite material called A-OMF, a microfiber containing a layer of cotton, a layer of aramid fiber and a final layer of polyethylene naphthlalate. The whole assembly is hot shaped with a binding agent, and the diaphragm and gap core cover are incorporated in one piece. Diapason commented on the excellent transient qualities of this diaphragm, while RSHC praised its impressive lack of coloration.


The D-302E features a moving coil with a diameter of 65 mm—a size that RSHC remarked is normally found on 38–46 cm speakers, rather than on a 16 cm speaker. The benefit of this outsized moving coil is that it is able to handle very high power loads—up to a peak of 200 W, according to RSHC. Both reviews recommended matching the D-302E speakers with a powerful amplifier unit.

The 65 mm moving coil leans not against the cone base edge, but against the V-shaped molding, thus allowing the moving coil to transmit sound energy losslessly and evenly to the diaphragm and gap core cover. The D-302E uses Onkyo’s patented V-Line technology: a special suspension unit perforated close to its center and a magnetic circuit that benefits from a rare linearity across all field plate heights. According to Diapason, this helps reduce extraneous vibrations, resulting in more accurate rendering of the audio signal.


The D-302E’s 40 mm tweeter, featuring a moving coil with a 35 mm diameter, also received praise, especially from RSHC. This tweeter extends the frequency response without introducing inaccuracies, and offers a smooth and consistent output between 380 Hz and 60 kHz. The secondary filter, with cutoff set at 2 kHz, is linked to a simple board with gold terminals. Constructed in two physically separate parts, it includes a total of seven elements—two induction coils (one air cored), two capacitors and three cement resistors—all of excellent quality.


The D-302’s cabinet is made of 30 mm thick MDF at the front with rounded, anti-diffraction side edges. It offers an effective load of 15.1 liters, although performance matches that of a larger-capacity cabinet. A front parallel vent acts as a low-pass filter while minimizing friction noise. The cabinet boasts an attractive real wood finish and internal parts covered with white felt sheets. And, to further enhance internal damping, a felt curtain is placed behind the tweeter and woofer.


The cumulative effect of all these Onkyo innovations is an outstanding listening experience. Audio output is very well balanced across the spectrum. Bass is very well articulated, mid-range achieves a winning combination of neutrality and expressiveness, and treble is smooth and superbly defined. According to Diapason, chord texture is beautifully rendered, while brass, woodwind and applause are also reproduced at the highest level. The D-302E also scored points for its dynamic range: it creates a feeling of acceleration that enables it to masterfully render the dynamic amplitude of a piano or large orchestra. With the D-302E, Onkyo has produced a high-class speaker that can compete with the very best compact models on the market.

• Gold-Plated, Banana Plug-Compatible Speaker Posts
• Max. Input Power: 200 W
• Frequency Response: 34 Hz–100 kHz
• WHD: 210 x 347 x 363 mm
• Weight: 10.8 kg