Weren't they trying to buy Pioneer and Onkyo? I don't know what year those brands stopped having AV receivers on the shelves.
It's difficult to keep up with the moving landscape anymore. And most people don't seem to care--at least given the extent of products and market penetration for 'traditional' audio gear.
You could tell that Onkyo had lost any real value with consumers by the fact that a company like Gibson bought (or 'obtained the rights' to) Onkyo-Integra (along with Teac-Tascam-Esoteric and what was left of Stanton). Getting owned by pre-Bankrupt Gibson was a sure sign that your company was worthless; or if it had a bit of remaining value it would sure soon be worthless.
Are any of the old Japanese players left? I mean apart from the 'lifestyle' thing? Kenwood, Akai, Sansui, JVC all gone. Sony has a very limited audio-centric lineup. Nakamichi is just a name--they couldn't make a viable switch from analog to digits.
Post Gibson Teac has a handful of 'traditional' two-channel gear, and then there is Yamaha which has kept the flame going. Marantz and Denon. So excepting what's left of Teac it's pretty much those three. Yamaha, being part of a multi-national corporate entity, seems to be the safest bet for long term viability for what are really niche products anymore (integrated amps, CD players, etc). In Japan Pioneer has some high end gear they sell under the TAD brand, but nothing like their 'glory' days.
In the super high-end, Accuphase and Lux have an extensive two channel lineup, but here in the US they don't have much of a market presence, and at their price points they are a difficult sell.
