Onkyo
A veteran brand that has long led Japan's audio industry. Particularly in the AV amplifier field, they have led the market with rapid adoption of the latest formats and high cost-performance. After experiencing a major turning point with bankruptcy and business transfer in 2022, the brand continues under Premium Audio Company, which owns Klipsch and others. While their traditional acoustic technology and future development under new capital are noteworthy, the contrast between past glory and current organizational changes creates a divide in evaluation.
Overview
Founded in 1946, this veteran Japanese audio manufacturer once covered a wide range from speakers to amplifiers, AV receivers, and portable audio. In the home theater market particularly, they continuously ran as an industry pioneer, releasing the world’s first THX-certified AV amplifier. They supplied multifunctional and high-performance products at affordable price points, earning support from many audio enthusiasts.
In 2022, Onkyo Home Entertainment went bankrupt, and their founding home AV business was acquired by US-based Premium Audio Company (under VOXX International) and Sharp. Currently, “ONKYO” brand AV equipment continues to be developed and sold under this new structure.
Scientific Validity
\[\Large \text{0.8}\]Onkyo has been renowned for product development that prioritizes actual listening experience rather than blindly pursuing specifications. Particularly in AV amplifiers, they quickly complied with industry standard formats like THX, Dolby, and DTS, faithfully reflecting these acoustic theories in their products. They actively adopted automatic sound field correction technology, taking a scientific approach to provide optimal surround experiences in any home environment. Their stance of continuing straightforward product development based on acoustic engineering without relying on occult elements is commendable.
Technology Level
\[\Large \text{0.7}\]They have years of accumulated expertise in amplification circuits and digital signal processing technology for AV amplifiers, particularly leading other companies in technical capability in the mid-price range. Their proprietary Wide Range Amplifier Technology “WRAT” and “VLSC” for removing digital noise are representative examples. However, due to recent management turmoil, announcements of innovative technology, particularly in speakers and pure stereo components, have been stagnant. Under the new structure after the business transfer, technical synergies with group companies like Klipsch are expected, but their true value remains unknown at this point.
Cost-Performance
\[\Large \text{0.8}\]High cost-performance has been Onkyo’s greatest weapon for many years. They are widely recognized as a brand that provides “value beyond price.” Based on review policy, we compare with the lowest-priced products with equivalent performance. For example, in the multifunctional AV amplifier field, compared to Onkyo products (e.g., TX-NR6100, approximately USD 533), cheaper competing products with equivalent functions (Dolby Atmos, 8K support, etc.) exist (e.g., Denon AVR-S760H, approximately USD 400). In this case, CP = USD 400 ÷ USD 533 = 0.75. However, Onkyo achieves excellent balance between functionality and price in many products, and overall maintains very high cost-performance.
Reliability & Support
\[\Large \text{0.5}\]While product quality and durability had a good reputation, the 2022 bankruptcy and subsequent business transfer cast a large shadow on brand reliability. Concerns remain about product support under the old system, and long-term reliability has been significantly damaged. The current support system is operated by Premium Audio Company and domestic distributors, but time is still needed to evaluate whether this system is rock-solid. Given these circumstances, the evaluation must be harsh.
Rationality of Design Philosophy
\[\Large \text{0.7}\]Under the philosophy of “everyone can easily enjoy good sound,” they have conducted extremely rational product development by quickly incorporating advanced features while keeping prices down. They excelled at balance, flexibly incorporating market needs and latest technologies into products rather than adhering to specific technologies or theories. However, as a result, product lineups became diverse, and products with unclear concepts were sometimes seen. Under the new structure, more selection and focus are expected.
Advice
Onkyo products, especially AV amplifiers, remain very attractive options for users who want to easily start home theater or obtain maximum functionality and performance within a limited budget.
- For those starting home theater: Mid-priced AV amplifiers supporting the latest surround formats with abundant features are ideal as a first unit. Even compared to similarly priced competitors, they often have advantages in cost-performance.
- For those concerned about brand future: While the management structure has changed significantly, they are backed by a giant audio company that owns Klipsch and others. If you expect future product development and support, choosing current products should be fine. However, you need to accept some risk regarding support for past assets (old products).
While it’s true that the brand has reached a major turning point in its history, the value of its products hasn’t faded. We recommend checking the latest information and making decisions based on your own values.
(2025.07.05)