Denon
Denon traces its origins to 1910, when Frederick Whitney Horn established Japan's first audio equipment company, Nippon Chikuonki Shokai (the Japan Recorders Corporation), initially importing and selling phonographs before moving into independent manufacturing. The company became Nippon Columbia Phonograph Company Ltd in 1928 following an investment by Columbia Graphophone, and the Denon brand name emerged in 1939 through a merger with Japan Denki Onkyo, a subsidiary focused on audio equipment development.
Throughout the mid-twentieth century Denon achieved a series of technological firsts. In 1951 the company became the first Japanese audio business to sell long-playing records. In the early 1970s Denon developed the world's first practical digital PCM recording device and released the world's first digitally recorded long-playing records in 1972. Billboard magazine recognised these achievements with its Trend-Setter Award in 1977. In 1982 Denon released the DCD-2000, the world's first CD player for home use.
In the early 2000s Denon merged with Marantz to form D+M Holdings. Today Denon produces a wide range of consumer audio products spanning AV receivers, stereo amplifiers, CD players, turntables, network streamers, soundbars, and wireless speakers, maintaining a philosophy centred on passion, creativity, and technology.
