This past February and March, Onkyo rolled out a new set of firmware updates for select A/V and hi-fi components and systems initializing Blackfire’s FireConnect wireless multi-room audio distribution. (Yay!) So, if you’ve bought – or plan on buying – any FireConnect by Blackfire enabled receiver, this firmware update will allow you to create your dream wireless, multi-room music system. New wireless speakers have been announced by both brands, and these (and other new features) will be supported by FireConnect in the near future.

Here are the Onkyo models that can receive the FireConnect firmware update:

PR-RZ5100, TX-RZ3100, TX-RZ1100, TX-RZ810, TX-RZ710, TX-NR656, TX-NR555, HT-S7805, TX-L50, TX-L20D, LS7200, LS5200, R-N855, NS-6170, and NS-6130.

And the latest Pioneer firmware update will activate FireConnect on these Pioneer models:

• Multichannel-Receiver: SC-LX901, SC-LX801, SC-LX701, SC-LX501, VSX-1131, VSX-831, VSX-S520D and VSX-S520
• Stereo-Receiver: SX-S30DAB

• Networkplayer: N-30AE
• Network-Centre: NC-50DAB
• HiFi Micro-Systems XC-HM86D, X-HM86D, X-HM76D and X-HM76

We decided to try out the firmware update at the Blackfire Research office in San Francisco and document the process. We used an Onkyo TX-RZ1100 Receiver and overall, the update took less than 10 minutes. Check out the numbered steps and photos below:

Onkyo Press Release: 

Pioneer Press Release: