CE Pro May 2023 - 14

INTERVIEW
Audio+Video
Rob Standley, Sr. Vice President of
Global Brands for Onkyo, Integra,
Pioneer & Elite, Premium Audio Company
It's been since 2021 that PAC acquired Integra and
Onkyo and while many companies were struggling with
the pandemic the brands were able to release new
products, including the Integra DRX-3.4. How did PAC
achieve that during such a challenging time?
Under previous ownership, the Integra DRX.4 series of
high-performance audio/video receivers (AVRs) was supposed
to launch in 2020, but the products were delayed due
to a number of factors that resulted from the pandemic.
Premium Audio Company (PAC) purchased the Integra
and Onkyo brands in September 2021 and was shipping the
new Integra series that fall. The series has been well received
among integrators. In fact, the Integra DRX-3.4 9.2-Channel
Network AVR won the CE Pro BEST Award. Manufacturing
and production of Integra products is stable and has a
steady, reliable stream of products in inventory.
What can integrators expect from Integra in 2023?
We're excited to announce Integra is adding a flagship model
to its award-winning DRX Series AVRs. The new Integra DRX8.4
11-channel receiver is a step up in performance in many
ways from the already class-leading models in market. It incorporates
a new high-performance amplifier platform, best-inclass
room tune technology, and world-class D/A converters.
Our experienced U.S. product development team works
with the PAC Tech Center team in Osaka, Japan, to continually
innovate and incorporate additional solutions into
existing and new products. Integra remains firmly committed
to the integrator channel, the requirements to integrate with
popular control and monitoring platforms, and tailor-made
features such as full web-based setup.
When Integra goes about developing a product, are
there certain points of emphasis?
The benchmark for any Integra product is high-quality audio
reproduction. A close second is to focus on integration -
incorporating the right features to be able to participate in
connected homes.
There's a lot of effort that goes into ensuring Integra products
are compatible with a host of other companies in the
industry, as well as incorporating thoughtful tools to make
installers' jobs easier and less expensive. One example is full
14 | CE Pro May 2023
HDMI diagnostics to ensure the integration with various
displays and source components can be managed reliably.
How have market trends such as HDMI 2.1, 8K, 120Hz
refresh rates and the popularity of immersive audio
influenced Integra product R&D?
Integra has been in a leadership position by bringing solutions
to market that work reliability at launch and will
continue to lean into the evolving standards that integrators
and consumers demand, whether that be the latest audio or
video codecs. Our teams are in regular communications with
advanced technology partners, suppliers and integrators to
stay ahead of the latest trends.
" Integra remains firmly
committed to the integrator
channel, the requirements
to integrate with popular control
and monitoring platforms, and
tailor-made features. "
What are some integrator-focused features in the AVRs?
Like other Integra DRX series AVRs, our DRX-8.4 incorporates
features such as web-based setup and control, onboard
HDMI diagnostics, compatibility with third-party monitoring
platforms, a Josh AI voice control solution (with privacy at
the forefront), and a Dirac Live untethered (wireless) solution
to tune the room while the AVR remains in the rack.
How does the Integra brand plan to support its new
products to ensure dealers can maximize their performance
once they start installing the components in the field?
When PAC purchased the Integra and Onkyo brands in 2021,
it was important for us to retain and embrace the expertise
and decades of institutional knowledge of the engineers in
Osaka, the product development team in the U.S., and Onkyo
USA support personnel to support integrators.
Integra's DRX series AVRs receive quarterly over-theair
firmware updates. This allows us to keep up with new
third-party product intros and partner software updates.
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CE Pro May 2023

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