ONKYO IN KLIPSCH'S ACTIVE SPEAKERS

– This is a collaboration between Klipsch and Onkyo, which are now sister companies, where Onkyo has provided all the electronics in Klipsch speakers, says Terje Romen at Mono.

The first ownership contact point between Klipsch and Onkyo came in 2021, when VOXX International's Premium Audio Company (PAC), which already owned Klipsch, took over Onkyo's home cinema business together with Sharp. Since then, both brands have been under PAC, before the publicly traded American technology company Gentex bought the entire VOXX group in 2025.

At CES in Las Vegas, the companies are exhibiting in the same area, and at Klipsch, Romen shows us the updated models Klipsch The Fives II, Klipsch The Sevens II, and Klipsch The Nines II. These are new editions of existing active speakers, but with a completely new electronics and streaming platform from Onkyo.

Established 1946

Both Klipsch and Onkyo were established in 1946, and Romen says the heritage from both companies is present in the new active speakers. He describes The Fives as a compact model with powerful and clear sound, while The Sevens and The Nines, according to Romen, deliver even more punch.

– It is also new that the electronics almost correspond to a small home cinema receiver, with support for Dolby Atmos, and in the top model also DTS-X. They can be connected to the TV via HDMI and play from streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal. This provides advanced options that are also easy to use, says Romen to the trade magazine Elektronikkbransjen.

He says the target audience ranges from people who want a simple solution with high quality, to enthusiasts who want something more compact in the living room.

– It is difficult for many to get approval to set up a 7.1.4 system with many speakers in the living room, smiles Romen, adding that this is good old-fashioned stereo that can provide a large soundstage, while also offering a first-class reproduction of TV sound.

Reference Premiere

Mono distributes both Klipsch and Onkyo in Norway, and Romen says Klipsch is the largest brand in terms of volume. He highlights the Reference Premiere series as their best-selling speaker series in recent years. This now comes in a new version with improvements to, among other things, the horn and finish, without increasing the price. Furthermore, a new series called Reference Signature will be released later this year, which will be larger and more luxurious. The Klipsch RP500PM is an active version of the Reference Premier speaker, designed to offer a more affordable solution with the same platform as Klipsch's new active models.

– How did last year go for Mono?

– 2025 ended positively, with better results towards the end of the year. Simen Bjerkestrand is now back with us, after a period as a hi-fi specialist in the Big Dipper store. As for 2026, it looks very good, both in terms of trade and the products we receive from Klipsch and Onkyo, says Romen.

He believes it will be important for the industry to approach the public with simpler and more integrated solutions, where a set of active speakers with streaming can meet the entire need.

Mono with stereo

– It's still not relevant to change the company name to Stereo?

– We have managed well as Mono since 1988, even though stereo is the foundation of what we do, smiles Romen.

– The interest in stereo is increasing, and good stereo speakers can also provide cinema sound.

He believes the new models make it easier to bring quality into the living room.

– This is a better alternative than having the good sound hidden away and standing as dad's hobby in the basement.

Romen admits that the development in sales channels is challenging.

– We are completely dependent on premium brands to be relevant.

– You also own Soundgarden, which now consists of the online store and a shop at Forus in Rogaland. How did 2026 go for this company?

– It was a good year, especially in November and December. The online store has had the highest turnover ever, so this looks very good, says Romen.