Onkyo goes Retro

[Woochifer]

Well with the fact that Onkyo has their reputation built around mid to upper level receivers and for the most part concentrate on the lower level stuff and let their Integra part of their company handle the higher end stuff. I think it will be hard for people to take this stuff seriously since this is out of character for them to make this price of equipment especially two channel stuff.

Definitely not out of character for them for anyone who remembers their Grand Integra line from the 1980s. Basite links to it, but here's another pic of one of the monster amps from that lineup. That link also indicates that the inflation-adjusted price for this amp would be $8,000 in today's dollars.



In a recent review, Stereophile indicated those Onkyo amps were competitive with the Krell and Mark Levinson models of that era. Those gold-toned Grand Integras were also popular at high end audio shows, particularly in the early home theater demos (this was before the advent of multichannel receivers, and right when the first consumer Dolby Surround decoders became available). I recall one setup using a Novabeam front projection TV, and the audio driven by a pair of monobridged Onkyo Grand Integras, with surrounds driven by another two-channel Onkyo amp.

[pixelthis]

Considering my experience with Onkyo, I don't have any difficulty accepting these
components.
The pre-amp has nice touches like USB, Burr brown dacs, etc.
Why weren't these issued under the Integra line? Because Onkyo, like a lot of Japanese
manufacturers, sold out to the mass market. Can't blame them, thats where the money
was.
Now they have crawled out of the back alley of the mass market they have been wallowing
in, and are trying to regain their audiophile name.
At least they are doing it right, with a honest 80 wpc for the power amp, and 450WPC
dynamic power.
And the price is not unreasonable for gear of this quality. But in this age of cheap stuff
from Emotiva and international chaos, it remains to be seen if they are successful.
Love to have the pre and power amps. THE CD player is nice but not needed.

[harley .guy07]

Definitely not out of character for them for anyone who remembers their Grand Integra line from the 1980s. Basite links to it, but here's another pic of one of the monster amps from that lineup. That link also indicates that the inflation-adjusted price for this amp would be $8,000 in today's dollars.



In a recent review, Stereophile indicated those Onkyo amps were competitive with the Krell and Mark Levinson models of that era. Those gold-toned Grand Integras were also popular at high end audio shows, particularly in the early home theater demos (this was before the advent of multichannel receivers, and right when the first consumer Dolby Surround decoders became available). I recall one setup using a Novabeam front projection TV, and the audio driven by a pair of monobridged Onkyo Grand Integras, with surrounds driven by another two-channel Onkyo amp.

that is good information but people look at what a company is doing overall and a lot of people will overlook it for something lesser than what it is I would say. I would love to hear this setup and see what it could do and for a company that its bread and butter now is home theater receivers to make separate components again is good and I hope they succeed but they will have to have someone that will back their ability to sell their ability and let people hear them. I have never said that they could not or should not do it really some of these brands need to get back into what made them good to begin with and getting back into 2 channel might help their name in the higher end world as far as audio guys go, I know there name is already good with HT and if they could amp up their name in 2 channel it would be a great thing. I have a friend that used to sell integra and oknyo that loved their stuff and does not use anything different and to me that is a statement to the quality of their HT receivers.