Onkyo R-MS26 Review: DSP Amp With Optical Input and Up to 6 User Presets
The Onkyo R-MS26 is a 4-in 8-out DSP amplifier with four high-level, two low-level and optical inputs, eight low-level outputs, a 31-band equaliser, up to six user presets and a built-in four-channel amplifier that Onkyo rates at 4 x 50 W maximum. Its Indian MRP is ₹20,990, the third-lowest of the eight Onkyo DSP amplifiers we list and the lowest among those that list an optical input. It suits a car that keeps its factory head unit and also takes an optical feed from a source that has one. The amplifier is on our Onkyo R-MS26 product page.
Quick summary
Four high-level, two low-level and an optical input, eight low-level outputs and four amplified channels rated at 4 x 50 W maximum. Onkyo publishes no RMS figure.
A 31-band equaliser and up to six user presets, at an MRP ₹1,000 above the R-MS25's.
Against the R-MS25, the main listed differences are the optical input and the preset wording. Power and channel counts match.
Onkyo's R-MS26 page omits the frequency response, input impedance and supply voltage that the R-MS25 page prints, and we found no owner reviews in October 2026.
Onkyo R-MS26 specifications
Specification | R-MS26 |
|---|---|
Type | DSP amplifier, 4-in / 8-out |
Maximum power | 4 x 50 W (max only; no RMS rating listed) |
Inputs | 4-channel high level, 2-channel low level, optical, Bluetooth, USB music playback |
Outputs | 8-channel low level, plus 4 amplified outputs |
Equaliser | 31-band |
User presets | Up to 6 |
Dimensions | 173.6 x 112 x 43 mm |
Weight | Approx. 0.75 kg |
Setup software | Onkyo R-MS Series, PC and Android (per our listing) |
Not listed | Frequency response, high-level input impedance, supply voltage, RMS power, crossover, time delay, remote, Bluetooth version or codec |
India MRP | ₹20,990 |
Figures come from Onkyo's R-MS26 product page and our store listing, which agree. Onkyo's page is a short specification table with no feature list, and nothing in the Not listed row appears on either source.
What the optical input is for
Optical is the one input the R-MS26 lists that the R-MS25 does not. It carries audio as a digital signal over a fibre cable, so the signal stays digital until it reaches the processor. A factory head unit is normally tapped through the high-level inputs, so the optical input only helps if you add a source with an optical output. Neither Onkyo's page nor our listing says which formats or sample rates it accepts, so check your source's manual before counting on it.
Bluetooth and USB music playback are also listed, with no Bluetooth version or codec. Our Onkyo FDS05B listing describes an aptX and LDAC Bluetooth box for the R-MS25, R-MS55 and R-MS66; the R-MS26 isn't among the models it names, so ask us before pairing the two. How the eight low-level channels map onto the four amplified ones isn't stated either, so confirm the routing before planning a separate subwoofer amplifier.
User presets, 31 bands and tuning
Onkyo lists a 31-band equaliser and up to six user presets. A preset is a saved set of tuning values, such as one setting for the driver's seat and another for a full cabin. What a preset stores here isn't stated, nor is whether the bands apply per channel. Onkyo's pages for the R-MS69 and R-MS76 describe an individual-channel 31-band equaliser; the R-MS26 page doesn't. Whether they match the R-MS25's six preset music scenes isn't stated either.
Our listing says the R-MS26 is set up with Onkyo's R-MS Series software for PC and Android. Onkyo's download page lists R-MS Series apps for both but names no individual models, so that match rests on our listing. Onkyo's R-MS26 page lists no crossover or time-delay controls. VA3 Car Studio does DSP tuning, and our guide to setting up a DSP in your car explains the process.
What a 4 x 50 W max rating tells you
Onkyo gives the R-MS26's power as MAX Power only. That figure doesn't say how long the amplifier can hold the output, into which impedance, at what supply voltage or with how much distortion, and there is no standard conversion to a continuous rating. Morel's datasheet, by contrast, gives RMS figures: 25 W x 4 at 4 Ω for the MDSP 6/4A and 80 W x 4 at 4 Ω for the MDSP 8/4A. Those are RMS numbers, so don't set them beside Onkyo's 50 W. We won't convert the R-MS26's max into RMS, and treating it as a ceiling is the safe reading.
What owners and reviewers say about the Onkyo R-MS26
When we checked in October 2026, we found no owner reviews, forum threads or independent tests of the R-MS26. Onkyo's page is a specification table, which is promotional material rather than a review, and our listing shows no customer reviews. So how it sounds, how the software behaves and how it copes with an Indian summer are open questions. If you own one, tell us how it has gone.
R-MS26 against the R-MS25, R-MS55 and Morel
Listed figures only, for the R-MS26 and its nearest siblings.
Listed figure | R-MS25 | R-MS26 | R-MS55 |
|---|---|---|---|
India MRP | ₹19,990 | ₹20,990 | ₹21,990 |
High-level inputs | 4 | 4 | 8 |
Low-level inputs | 2 | 2 | Not listed |
Optical input | Not listed | Listed | Not listed |
Low-level outputs | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Amplified outputs | 4 x 50 W max | 4 x 50 W max | 8 x 50 W max |
Equaliser | 31-band, 6 preset music scenes | 31-band, up to 6 user presets | 31-band, 6 preset music scenes |
Dimensions | 180 x 112 x 43 mm | 173.6 x 112 x 43 mm | 180 x 142 x 43 mm |
The R-MS26 adds neither power nor channels to the R-MS25. Its listed extra is the optical input, with different preset wording, and its MRP is ₹1,000 higher. Not listed isn't the same as different, but the R-MS25 page prints a frequency response, input impedance and supply voltage that the R-MS26 page does not. For eight amplified channels, see the R-MS55.
Morel's MDSP 6/4A (₹19,990 MRP) lists four high-level inputs and built-in Bluetooth but no low-level or optical input. The MDSP 8/4A (₹59,990 MRP) lists an optical input, and both list crossover slopes from 6 to 48 dB. Our live R-MS66 post covers the 8-in 10-out Onkyo, listed at 8 x 70 W max.
Who should buy it, and who shouldn't
Buy the R-MS26 if your source has an optical output, or you want a listing that says plainly you can save up to six user presets, and you accept a max-only power rating. Look elsewhere if you have no optical source (the R-MS25 lists the same channels for ₹1,000 less), need more than four amplified channels (the R-MS55), or want published RMS power and documented crossovers, which the Morel units above list.
Installation notes for Indian cars
At 173.6 x 112 x 43 mm and about 0.75 kg, the R-MS26 needs a flat, ventilated spot away from heater ducts and direct sun, because a cabin gets very hot in an Indian summer and Onkyo lists no operating temperature range. No supply voltage, fuse rating or cable gauge is listed either, so the power feed and ground have to be sized at fitting. Car voltage can dip at idle with the AC running.
Tap a factory touchscreen head unit at its speaker wires for the high-level inputs, and route any optical cable gently, as optical cables dislike tight bends. VA3 Car Studio in Ghaziabad offers professional installation, and can build a custom subwoofer box, speaker pods or door baffles for the speakers and sub you pair with it.
Price and where to buy
The Onkyo R-MS26 has an MRP of ₹20,990. VA3 Car Studio often sells below MRP, so check the current price on the R-MS26 listing. Warranty terms are set by Onkyo; confirm them with us before you order.
The bottom line
The R-MS26 is a close twin of the R-MS25 with an optical input and an explicit user-preset claim, at a ₹1,000 higher MRP. It carries the same max-only 4 x 50 W rating and a thinner published spec, and we found no reviews. It makes sense if your source has an optical output; otherwise the R-MS25 lists the same channels for less.
Onkyo R-MS26 FAQ
What is the difference between the Onkyo R-MS26 and the R-MS25?
The R-MS26 lists an optical input and up to six user presets, where the R-MS25 lists six preset music scenes. Power, outputs and the 31-band equaliser match, and the R-MS26's MRP is ₹1,000 higher.
Does the R-MS26 have an optical input?
Yes, Onkyo's page and our listing both list one. Neither says which formats or sample rates it accepts, so check that your source can feed it.
Does the R-MS26 publish an RMS power rating?
No. Onkyo gives 4 x 50 W as MAX Power only. A max figure is a ceiling rather than continuous output, so don't plan speaker power around it as if it were RMS.
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