Denon

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Denon
株式会社デノン

Type	Corporation
Industry	Electronics
Founded	Japan (1910)
Key people	Frederick Whitney Horn, founder
Products	Audio, visual
Parent	D&M Holdings
Website	Denon Global

Denon (株式会社デノン, Kabushiki Kaisha Denon^?) is a Japanese electronics company that was involved in the early stages of development of digital audio technology, while specializing in the manufacture of high-fidelity professional and consumer audio equipment. For many decades, Denon was a brand name of Nippon-Columbia, including the Nippon Columbia record label. In 2001 Denon was spun off as a separate company with 98% held by Ripplewood Holdings and 2% by Hitachi. In 2002 Denon merged with Marantz to form D&M Holdings. The Denon brand came from a merger of Denki Onkyo and others in 1939.

[edit] History

The company was originally established by Frederick Whitney Horn in 1910 as part of “Nippon Chikuonki Shokai" (Japan Recorders Corporation), a manufacturer of single-sided disc records and gramophones.^[1]

There followed a number of mergers and tie-ins over the next few decades as firstly the company merged with Japan-US Recorders Manufacturing in 1912 and then in 1928 the brand “Columbia” was introduced when the company became “Japan Columbia Recorders”. A further change of name occurred in 1946 when the company renamed itself “Nippon Columbia”. ^[2]

The Denon brand was first established in 1947 when “Nippon Columbia” merged with “Japan Denki Onkyo”.^[3] “D&M Holdings Inc.” was created in May 2002 when Denon Ltd and Marantz Japan Inc. merged.^[4]

Today, the company is specializing in professional and consumer home cinema and audio equipment including A/V receivers, DVD players, tuners and wireless music systems. Denon is also known for high-end AV Receivers and Moving coil phono cartridges. Two M-series models, the Denon M31 and M30, have been the most successful radio hi-fi's for the last 4 years.^{[citation needed]} Since being released to the micro hifi DAB market, they have received several awards in Europe.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Product timeline

Denon DX1/90 audio cassette tape

• 1910 Manufacturer of single-sided disc records and gramophones.
• 1939 Launched first professional-use disc recorder for broadcast industry and disk cutting lathe.
• 1951 Commenced sales of Japan’s 1st LP records.
• 1953 Launched professional-use tape recorder for broadcast industry.
• 1958 Introduced sales of stereo records.
• 1959 Commenced production of open-reel audio tapes.
• 1962 Introduced Elepian series of electronic pianos.
• 1963 Developed the DL-103 phono cartridge. ^[5]
• 1964 Started sales of audio cassette tapes.
• 1971 Started producing hi-fi audio components, including turntables, amplifiers, tuners and speakers.
• 1972 Introduced the world’s first viable 8 channel digital recorder.
• 1977 Awarded US Billboard magazine's "Trend-Setter Award for outstanding contribution to the industry".
• 1980 Awarded the 13th Montreux International Diplome d’honneur technique award.
• 1981 Developed a professional-use CD player.
• 1982 Industry leader in the introduction of consumer-use CD players.^{[citation needed]}
• 1988 Introduced range of AV amplifiers to product range.
• 1990 Awarded three component awards at Paris hi-fi show.
• 1993 Developed the twin deck DJ CD player DN-200F.^[6] Other early models are the DN1000F, DN2000F and the DN2500F. Denon also made the world's only twin MiniDisc player designed for DJ use.^{[citation needed]}
• 1994 Awarded European Audio Innovation of the Year.
• 1995 World's first Dolby AC-3 and THX 5.1 certified home theater system. ^[7]
• 1997 Introduced DVD player into product range.
• 1999 World's first THX-EX home theater system (THX Extended to provide fuller surround sound). ^[8]
• 2001 Produced first Mini system with 5.1 surround sound.
• 2002 Denon link technology developed for improved digital connectivity. ^[9]
• 2004 Launch of world's first consumer product featuring HQV (Hollywood Quality Video).^[10]
• 2006 Denon introduces the AK-DL1 CAT5 Ethernet cable. It wasn't until mid-2008 that it caused controversy because of its high price ($499) and the company's claims that the cable is "designed for the audio enthusiast," and would "bring out all the nuances" in digital audio signals transmitted over it.^[11][12]
• 2007 Denon releases the AVP-A1HDCI Pre-Amplifier and matching POA-A1HDCI Power Amplifier set which marks the company's first additions to a new line of high-performance custom-focused components.^[13]
• 2008 Denon announces the world's first Universal Blu-ray player capable of DVD-Audio and SA-CD playback ^[14]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Denon

Companies portal

• Denon.com Worldwide Denon official site.
• Denon, Nippon Columbia Co. LTD. Section, HF Museum.
• Denon DJ Official Website