What is going on with Onkyo?

Why did Onkyo go out of business?

What does the future hold for it?

I've done some digging and I think I have a pretty good idea of what to expect from them going forward. Here's what I think is happening

I think we saw Onkyo begin to slow its production and distribution pace when the economy really started to turn sour a few years ago. They just were never quick enough with their production and release of new models to make up the gap, and in a worst case scenario, they didn't do enough to keep their current products competitive with the new models that came out faster.

That would probably explain why a lot of these high profile discontinued products have not been restocked (eg, all 6 of the turntable models), while others have (A-10). Onkyo also didn't offer great customer service on old models when their products started to show up unannounced on Ebay or the forums; perhaps that was another contributing factor. They always did respond, but they generally just told people to go through dealers and not tell anyone!

Here's the timeline. 2026 - They stopped producing the CD88 (or I should say, they stopped offering them directly to consumers and distributors). A few CD-88Ss still get released over time, one example being the very nice SES-880RCD. I'm sure you remember those old CD-SYS (Super Eight Channel Subsystem) CD players from 1998, well, it looks like they are about to get reborn again in the form of their DZ10. You'll be able to order it as a refurb/rebuild if it is available.

2004 - The first year Onkyo offered a 5.1 model; it was the SES-550. They also got rid of the older SAC (Subwoofer Connection System) models (the ones you had to connect cables from your AVR instead of using the on-unit connections) at this time as well, since they didn't offer the DAC40 as an upgrade.

2006 - They started having success with USB technology. One year after that, their most successful year to date, they released their first high end models: DAC80UCS (and DAP-80UCS) and AV600/AV450/AV300.

What is going on with Onkyo?

I just ordered a Onkyo AVR-S500, and I'm really torn as to what to do.

Onkyo has had a bad run in the past few years, with some pretty poor product decisions, and some of their best products being discontinued (ie A-series), or being released with crippling limitations (ie X-series). I've been very happy with the A-series and Z-series from them, and they seemed to be improving again with the AVR-S1005, but I hear lots of bad things about their new X-series. I'd really like to get a good AVR, but on the other hand, I don't want to fall into the same trap I did with Yamaha a few years ago - buying a set of their 'higher end' products and feeling stuck with them. The A-series and X-series are generally great, if you're willing to live with the limitations. What I like: great price (the AVR-S500 is still cheaper than its predecessor, the AVR-S1005). I think Onkyo makes some great audio equipment (including wireless speaker systems and AV receivers). the build quality is quite solid. I have a few of their AV receivers and I'm very pleased with them - good speaker design (the AVR-S500 has 3 satellites, with a powerful subwoofer, and it's compact enough to fit under my TV cabinet). What I don't like: the user interface isn't as good as I would like. The remote control and the menu navigation are both very basic - the sound quality is very ordinary. I can tell the difference between an Onkyo and a decent DAC (although I don't have any DACs to compare with).
no way to connect it to my current HDMI cables, so I need to buy a HDMI extender if I want to use it in my home theater. The AVR-S500 is probably the best choice for me at the moment, and I'd like some feedback from people who have experience with Onkyo AVRs (especially AVR-X3xx/7xx/S-series) - do they feel they are worth the money, or should I avoid them completely?

Is Onkyo a premium brand?

Onkyo has a small, but loyal following of audiophiles who have stuck with them for years and seem to have little interest in the other brands, or the newer ones like the Denon.

They are not the most expensive brand, but they seem to have some sort of special place in the hearts of their fans.

Onkyo is also one of the few brands that has made it to Japan. So, ? It's a hard one to answer because it is hard to compare one brand to another. Some people have never heard of Onkyo, while others see it as one of the very best.

The problem is that there are so many options in the market today that there is just no way to compare all the brands against each other and draw a conclusion. But, one thing I will say is that Onkyo is a very good brand, and one that people have a lot of trust in.

I have a number of friends who have bought Onkyo products, and they are very happy with their experience. There are a few things that set Onkyo apart from other brands, and one of them is that they have a strong reputation for quality products. Another reason why Onkyo has a loyal following is that they are a Japanese company. They make the products in Japan, which means that they have a focus on quality.

Other brands have come out of China, and I know that some of the Chinese companies have been doing some very good work. But, Onkyo has a lot of history, and has been around for a very long time. So, the next time you are looking at a product, think about Onkyo. You may be pleasantly surprised with the quality of the product, and the price that you pay.

Onkyo is very similar to the Denon brand, which is a very good brand in the world of audio. This may be a very good time to look at Onkyo because prices are at a good price point. As you can see, the prices have been reduced, but the sound quality is still very good. If you have been reading my reviews, you would know that I like Onkyo. They have a great reputation for making quality products, and their prices are very competitive.