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Inside Denon

A legacy of firsts

A Legacy of Firsts

1910 - that's not a typo

Since 1910, Denon has perhaps made more technological innovations than any other audio brand. Still, progress for the sake of progress is far from the Denon way.

Underlying this legacy of first-to-market technologies are three pillars that continue to drive the brand forward.

A CD player

A true passion for audio

Music has become increasingly digitized, bringing the need for premium audio technology into sharper focus. That is why Denon is constantly developing new products that not only meet the needs of the latest formats, but consistently exceed them.

A respect for artistry

First and foremost, everyone at Denon is a music lover (many are indeed musicians). Whether they're a Sound Master, an engineer or a customer service representative, they will – without exception – be deeply passionate about how things sound. We've not strayed from the principles that made us famous 110 years ago.

A man playing piano
A woman touching buttons on a Denon speaker

Technology is the way to a better future

Denon has cemented its reputation as a visionary and a tastemaker, not only with our customers, but with our partners and competitors. They are just as eager for our next generation of products, and reassuringly they support our ambition: the belief that better sound leads to a happier life.

Often first, always trusted

Every day at Denon's R&D facilities, new technologies are imagined as our engineers seek new ways to deliver immersive experiences, spectacular sound, and performance that never wavers.

And because of its commitment to ongoing research, Denon is very often first to market. Relentless enthusiasm and exhaustive testing are required to launch any new innovation, and that is the very reason Denon never lets you down.

If what you seek is a combination of cutting-edge technology and sound quality you can trust, there really is no other brand.

Historical highlights

Denon timeline

1910

Commenced sales of Japan’s first phonograph

1934

Japan Denki Onkyo Laboratory is established

1939

Japan’s first disk recorder/player, the TPR-14-C, is delivered to NHK, Japan's national broadcaster

1940

A factory, dedicated to recording equipment, is set up in Mitaka, DR-14B

1944

Company name is changed to Japan Denki Onkyo Co. Ltd.

1945

First recording of the voice of Japan’s Emperor Hirohito

1948

Disc recorder/player R-23-A adopted in NHK’s restructure plan

1951

R-26-F portable tape recorder is delivered to NHK

1958

Mitaka is used mainly to produce broadcast studio tape recorders and disc players

1963

Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd. acquires Japan Denki Onkyo Co. Ltd.

1964

DL-103 is officially delivered to NHK

1966

SH-31, the first headphones, are released

1970

Denon brand name starts to be used for consumer products

1970

DN-302F direct-drive player for broadcast studios is released

1971

DP-5000 direct-drive servo turntable for consumers is released

1972

Developed the world’s first practical PCM digital recorder DN-023R

1974

DH-710 open reel tape deck is released

1981

DN-3000F, the world’s first CD player, is released

1983

Shirakawa production facility is opened

1987

CD cart player is available for professional use

1995

First home system to support Dolby Digital decoding with Lucasfilm THX 5.1

2000

AVR-5805CI launches as the first receiver with HDMI, Audyssey, and network capability

2009

World’s first DVD-A1UD universal Blu-ray Disc is released

2010

Denon celebrates ‘A legacy of firsts’ on its 100th anniversary

2014

AV receiver with world’s first support for Dolby Atmos is released

2014

HEOS® multi-room, streaming audio platform is launched

2015

HEOS® takes multi-room mobile for the first time with the HEOS® 1 and the Go Pack

2016

Denon headphones 50th anniversary

2017

Japan’s first Auro-3D AV Receiver is released

2018

Denon introduced the world's first 13.2 channel home AV Receiver

2019

HEOS® streaming platform supports HD digital Audio streams

2020

Denon release the world's first 8K AV Receiver

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