Posted on 05/15/2022 7:01:27 AM PDT by libh8er
Last year I wrote about how Sound United was planning to take over the business of Japanese audio brands Onkyo and Pioneer. The deal fell through for some reason and now news comes from Japan that might explain why the sale didn’t go through.
According to Nikkei Asia, Onkyo Home Entertainment filed for bankruptcy yesterday at Osaka District Court. Total liabilities have been stated as being around ¥3.1 billion which is around $24 million. The company is based in Osaka and was delisted back in August.
The company’s failure has been blamed on its inability to adapt to the fast-changing audio market which is increasingly software-based and revolves around streaming music rather than listening to it on physical formats like CDs. More of us are using our smartphones for listening to music and even watching films.
Onkyo’s two subsidiary companies that handled the manufacturing of speakers and other equipment for third parties had already filed for voluntary bankruptcy in March of this year.
Since then, Onkyo has ceased its functions. The company told Nikkei that it: “tried to maintain business on a smaller scale but could not stop its cash-flow problems from worsening.”
The much-revered Onkyo brand has a strong reputation with audiophiles and was founded in 1946. In its heyday, the company was well known for its range of amplifiers, CD players, tuners, AV receivers and all-in-one audio systems. However, with the shift towards consuming music on smartphones and the shift towards multi-room audio systems, the company witnessed a steady drop in revenues.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
I had a pair of Sennheiser’s. The quality was incredible. Then my dog got a hold of them….
Man was I mad.
L
That pair on top of the receiver are wireless and far from top of the line,
but they sound fine to these ears that sat too close too many concerts when they were young.
“did doggie live thru the episode?”
Yes, for 15 more years. He was a good dog, other than that.
“but they sound fine to these ears that sat too close too many concerts when they were young.”
Blue Oyster Cult is what caused mine. At least that’s who I blame.
L
I have an Onkyo. Love it.
“ I was partial to Harman Kardon myself.”
Just a trivia. The Harman of Harman Kardon was married to Rep Jane Harman, D- CA.
I had a set of those 901s. No highs? No lows? Must be Bose. :P
They could have adapted - Onkyo was slow to adopt new digital interfaces, smartphone connections, networking, and other de rigeur technologies.
Perhaps you could be right. I doubt they could retain their reputation for audio excellence in such an environment, though. People who want to listen to audio on earbuds or, worse yet, a phone or tablet’s speakers, do not really care about the quality of sound they are getting. They certainly are not going to pay for it. It’s really a different market.
In any event, it’s a good reason to take care of good equipment. Don’t take the ability to replace that amplifier for granted.
Actually, there are now new boutique manufacturers doing fine cranking out audiophile gear.
And there are many old names that have kept up just fine. Sony wasn’t one of them, but has now discovered that it needs to compete on quality again.
Also worth pointing out that the article itself notes that the Japanese have had huge problems with software/interfaces, which is critical in this time of multimedia receivers. Nobody wants to buy a receiver with 200 tiny, cryptically labelled buttons, so everyone wants a more comprehensible interface.
It’s entertaining to read what people say about Bose, especially the 901’s , on audio forums. There’s no middle ground - it’s love or hate. As polarizing as Trump !
My current floor standers are a pair of 601 series III ‘s. They sound great with actually very nice lows, much better than the satellite systems Bose sells today.
I bought a used set of Bose (series 4 I think)
I hooked them up to my computer system and stereo...
The first time I got an anti-virus software warning “A virus has been detected” I nearly jumped out of my seat because it sounded like the person was standing right behind me.
Freaked me out! But I had never heard clearer or more realistic audio.
Sorry to say but there was a big drop in quality with the series 4. They were widely criticized online for Bose having cut corners. I initially got the series 4 from craigslist but after reading the reviews replaced them with the series iii’s. Got a great deal on eBay before their prices shot up.
My experience with vintage speakers is that the better ones from the past hold their own very well against modern “mid priced” speakers from say B&W and Paradigm for a lot less money.
I’ve had my Onkyo amp/receiver for 27 years and never had a single problem with it .
Wow, Sennheiser headphones, one of the best.
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