Onkyo Tx-RZ70

[dlaloum]

My mistake, 11 amplified channels for the RZ70 (and I own the RZ70), I use outboard higher wattage power amps despite the outstanding measurements and listening impressions of the amps within it. For a variety of reasons I would never buy an Onkyo, but the the 50 & 70 were designed with Sharp Electronics, a giant powerhouse in electronics.

Design was (apparently) by the Onkyo Japan engineers... But images of earlier generations show the inside layout to be quite different, even though the overall specs are well nigh identical to the similar tier Onkyo/Integra's of the last 20+ years.
Much better heatsinking and boards, heatsinks, fans designed for cool running...

Not sure Sharp had anything to do with the design - they are the manufacturing partner only...

 

[High Power Dude]

From what I had read Onkyo's factory closed down and all manufacturing was done in Sharp's factory. What lead me to believe that Sharp had a hand in the design is that Onkyo's engineers now work in the Premium Audio Technology Company Center (PACTC) in Osaka, Japan.
This, from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marksp...nd-thanks-to-premium-audio-company-and-sharp/
"The joint venture between Sharp and Premium Audio Company acquired the Onkyo and Integra brands, including all the company’s intellectual property. The venture also took over responsibility for product development, engineering, sales, marketing and distribution of the entire Onkyo home entertainment business."

 

[dlaloum]

From what I had read Onkyo's factory closed down and all manufacturing was done in Sharp's factory. What lead me to believe that Sharp had a hand in the design is that Onkyo's engineers now work in the Premium Audio Technology Company Center (PACTC) in Osaka, Japan.
This, from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marksp...nd-thanks-to-premium-audio-company-and-sharp/
"The joint venture between Sharp and Premium Audio Company acquired the Onkyo and Integra brands, including all the company’s intellectual property. The venture also took over responsibility for product development, engineering, sales, marketing and distribution of the entire Onkyo home entertainment business."

Yes, but continuity was ensured by having the Onkyo/Integra (and at the time, Pioneer) engineers, all move into the PACTC in Osaka...

Sharp seems to be exclusively the manufacturer... which may mean involvement in the handover from audio engineering to manufacturing engineering, but I have not heard anything about them being involved in design...

And all manufacturing for PAC is being done in the Sharp Malaysia factory. (At least for Onkyo/Integra.... don't know how much of Klipsch and other brands are being made there!) - and Voxx is supposed to be the distribution/retail arm.

Will be interesting to watch and see what happens in the shakeout/reorg driven by the new owners.

(Maybe good things? Like having the RZ90 finally released to the market? - perhaps with Dirac ART as standard? )