DENON PMA-1700NE...REMEMBER THE SOUND!

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

There's an Audiophiliac imposter scamming my viewers, DON'T respond! I don't do giveaways or ask for money (except for my Patreon).

[@elgustoesmiochupaki6119]

I have had the Denon PMA 1600 since almost 3 years ago. It drives BW, the ones with torpedo tweeter on top and also a recently acquired REL 7x sub woofer. My turntable is a one and a half year old Technics 1200 GA with an Ortofon bronze. The CD source is a harman kardon cd player I bought new in Dec of 1989. Still working like a charm. I have to agree with Steve the sound from the Denon is buttery rich, potent and finely finely detailed. What a treat! Great expansive smooth sound, gorgeous sound stage and the Denon does not flinch at any music you throw at it. It is so lifelike. Denon makes good quality and the proof is in the pudding. I listen to acoustic, jazz, opera, classical chamber music, rock and Latin music. My snobbish friends put me down because I don’t have Mc Kintosh or Schiit. But I can tell you folks this here is an astounding amplifier. Cheers to all.

[@mikehoward9912]

A good knob job is very important for me to have a long-term relationship with any piece of equipment. Awesome review as always 👏 thank you

[@richardt3371]

Great review. I have the lower-down-the-foodchain PMA-800NE in my library, and it has a stunning sound. Beautifully made, gorgeous premium silver option, and everything I throw at it, from vinyl to hi-res audio, from electronic to classical to experimental, sounds beautiful - a real warmth and richness but still clear and detailed. It cost me about £450 new in the UK - how the hell they can make something so good for so little is mind-blowing. Always loved Denons for their separates - married to my vintage Denon SACD player it's difficult to prise me away from the listening spot.

[@angelOcrisu]

I regret not buying the 800ne and get the 600ne two years ago because I wanted the bt and sub out of the 600 wich I didn't even use. A novice choice I made.

[@wisdomt00th]

@@angelOcrisu is there a big difference between the two?

[@angelOcrisu]

@@wisdomt00th There should be even though I haven't heard the 800. Not a big one because before the pandemic an all price increases there was only 50 usd price difference between. In the 800 manual there is at the sound section an extra feature. The 800 was released first and it's in the lineup of Denon serious amps. The 600 I think it was made for the mainstream user with sub out and bt receiver. Those extra features of the 600 made me choose it and now I use it just to amplify a stereo setup wich the 800 could do better.

[@bigambientdeath]

Had my pma 800 for a year now, picked it up new for £350, love it, paired it with the DCD 800 cd player & Dali Oberon 5's, sounds great to me, i keep a PMA 720ae as a backup amp, so much sound for your £ with Denon.

[@Dirtweed]

I have the same 800NE in black and I love it.

[@woodchamber]

A PMA-1700NE is playing here since yesterday, and all I can say is high respect to Shinichi Yamauchi, sound master at Denon. I enjoy it a lot.

[@danieloherrick6332]

What speakers are you using? Thanks

[@woodchamber]

@@danieloherrick6332 Jean-Marie Reynaud Bliss Jubilé

[@woodchamber]

@@danieloherrick6332 What I can really recommend is to read two Japanese reviews with Google Translate from phileweb & av wach impress. Even if the translation is not 100% correct in to European languages, it was the most extended in details, what I found in the web.

[@danieloherrick6332]

@@woodchamber Thank you. Was not familiar with this brand. Looks like they are not available in the US.

[@woodchamber]

@@danieloherrick6332 You get it for example from Crutchfield. I bought mine in Germany on Black Friday for 1350€. In my view this is the best price value amp I ever had. I compared it against my 10k€ PureAudio One.2 Cass A integrated amp from NZ, and I tell you, apart from individual tonal differences, the PMA-1700NE plays on the same level.

[@bactanite]

I have an 1989 Denon PMA-720 85w/ch integrated amp, and it does have a warm, rich sound. It's good to hear that Denon is keeping up the good work.

[@fidelitycastro]

Great review. Just a quick correction: this does not have a preamp out. It’s a preamp in, so this won’t be a solution if you need a sub out. Almost bought this but then double-checked the preamp arrangement. Very odd as with the power rating you’d think this would pair nicely with a beefier dedicated power amp or set of mono blocks.

[@michaelvaladez6570]

Always love your assessment of the current audio designs.What would we do without you Steve Guttenberg you are best in your field, keep up the good work.And I definitely love 'Steve what do you really think segment ".

[@brothatwasepic]

I am so glad to see you are doing well Steve and are still releasing your great videos as usual. Your guidance has helped me a lot with my audio gear over the years. Take care - K and G

[@CtrlLBD]

The amplifier is a real beast. fills my focal aria 926s with sound. I've been using it for about a year and I haven't gotten past half of its full volume capacity yet. So if I turn the volume up all the way, I don't know if the speakers can withstand it. Additionally, the naturalness and three-dimensionality of the sound draws you into the music while listening. By the way, I have experienced that thick pure copper cables are in a very central position in revealing the real performance of this amplifier and especially the sound tone that you will fall in love with. The “analog mode” and sound direct features of the amplifier are also features that take the listening experience to the next level. One of its most satisfying features is that it has an extremely quiet and powerful “mm/mc phonoamp” stage. The “mc phonostage” is impressive, especially for an integrated amplifier. I do not think that the remote control is very successful in controlling the volume at low levels, but I recently bought a second aftermarket remote control and now I can easily make very small adjustments in the volume control. I can say that the complaint about the volume control stems from the remote, not the amplifier. But I have to say that the DAC section of Eversolo DMP-A8 is superior to the DAC section of PMA-1700ne. The DAC section of the pma-1700ne is extremely satisfactory, there is nothing to fault until you compare it with a superior DAC.

[@Dirtweed]

Always love your videos Steve! I bought the Denon PMA-800NE for the bedroom and it is a great integrated. Sounds wonderful on my B&W CM1 speakers. Also running my old Pioneer Elite PD-65 into the integrated amp's DAC and my Apple TV through the optical out of my TV. Really happy that Denon is doing such a great job making great sounding products.

[@LillyAugusta]

You are guilty of me buying PMA 1700NE! Guilty, guilty and guilty! And...I love it, I love it, and I love it! Thank you for making my decision easier. I had (still have) NAD C338, and honestly, I love that amp. And since I recently bought B&W 706 S2, which replaced Dali Zensor Pico, I thought it would be wise to look for another amp. I loved (still do) Dali Zensor Pico, and I thought I would buy Dali again...but I "accidentally" bought B&W, and now I have become a sudden B&W fan...just excellent speakers! I downsized my search to Yamaha a-s2200 and Denon PMA 1700NE, and after I saw your video...I said what the hack...I love Yamaha in general, but let's give Denon a try...also I thought was it worth replacing NAD C338, which I was so happy with. And the first moment I hooked B&W and Denon, it was......WOOOOOOW, this is an entirely new universe! So if anyone has any second thoughts if Denon being worthy of replacing NAD or any other mid-rated class D amp...the answer is YES, YES and YES!!! This thing is even more beautiful in person and a real power horse! BTW...I love watching your clips...and what's the story behind that painting I can tell you love so much? Cheers!

[@billd9667]

Back in 1991, the premium stuff was Denon, Luxman and the usual suspects. NAD wasn’t really in the picture. I bought a Luxman R-115 receiver for $750(!) and never looked back. Unfortunately, it did die recently (bad memory IC that could only be replaced with suspect used parts), but I will have fond memories (the software kind).

[@hdmccart6735]

Bought a Denon PMA 1060 as a 17 yo in 1992. I'd say it was my 'first' amp, but it's the only one I've bought to date...just works.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

That’s great, you figured it out! Keep going.

[@KenSmith-bv4si]

I met Denon back in 1976 with stationed @Kadena AFB. A record store I used to frequent record store down town and they used Denon turntable speakers and amp, side note I could play the albums before buying them.

[@dannyfannyfoodle]

Great video on what sounds like a pretty nice a competitively priced integrated from Denon. Also, another great viewer system of the day! I’d like to hear Ken’s setup - looks very well thought out.

[@Gioxtream]

CONGRATULATIOS FOR YOUR NEW CAMERA. YOUR VIDEOS LOOK GREAT !

[@xcvbxcvb2179]

Have a 20 year old pma-2000r in champagne. It's as good looking as it sounds. Nice to hear that Denon stays true to thier sound and solid build quality. One thing about them, they have a low input senetivety and can be a bit overchouked if you run a modern 2Volt source. A quality attenuator will fix this.

[@tbonet859]

Could you please provide an example or link ( brand / model) of a quality attenuator.

[@louisavraamides9067]

@@tbonet859 Russ Andrews inline attenuators

[@tbonet859]

@@louisavraamides9067 Thank you!

[@nasdkhan254]

In 1998 I bought a Meridian 557 power amplifier which at the time was expensive . It complemented a Meridian 501 pre amplifier . Very clean , tad laid back but powerful . At the time I thought this would be my final but in 2010 the power amp started to osolate. To my horror the unique circuit board was not made anymore and without someone to hot rod my power amp I was left with a white elephant. I could have perhaps bought a Quad 909 to complement my 501 pre amp but I decided to go for a Denon pma 1510 . It was considerably cheaper & I use this Amp to this day. Built like a tank , clean upfront sound and respectable phono stage . Buy Denon with confidence 👍👍👍👍

[@stephenjamieson1356]

Just picked this amplifier up and wow. Significant upgrade (sans the streamer) from my NAD C388.

[@cameronkrause4712]

just wait until it's fully broken in- it will knock your socks off!

[@CrescendoKeysChannel]

NAD C388 has more power rating. May I know what speakers are you using and what is the difference you hear? Thanks

[@stephenjamieson1356]

@@CrescendoKeysChannel the NAD, while still a decent integrated has a laidback sound and didn’t give my KEF R7’s the life they needed at 80db and higher (I run the KEFs full range). The Denon may have a lower power rating on paper (180wpc vs140wpc) but it has better dynamics and drives the R7’s like they need to be. It sounds much more powerful.

[@CrescendoKeysChannel]

Glad to hear that. Hard to trust those data these days.

[@dontsqueezethecheese]

Hi, thinking of buying this or the 1600. Watched a review which complained about a hum from the amp (1600). Do you notice that as an issue with your 1700 ?

[@dragomirpetrov6469]

I have been having this beauty for 8 months now and the sound is fantastic. I am feeding it digitaly via the usb b port with Samsung tablet, using the usb audio player pro app. I have hooked on it the kef ls50 meta speakers. The subwoofer is rel t5x. I've been blessed with personal preferences for old styles of music which luckily for me is with high dynamic range and it shines with this set up . Smooth and warm.

[@lucasmaximus4984]

How do you feed it via the usb with Android? Says in the manual it’s only compatible with Mac and Windows OS. Your files are probably being downsampled. Anyway keen to hear your thoughts on this because it’s something I’d like to do with mine.

[@GB-up6nl]

It has only pre In and not out. You’re saying it wrong. It has recorder out though.

[@alexanderstefanov6474]

This amp is fantastic

[@mikemarion2154]

I sold NAD in the 90s. When people asked about Denon the anti-audiophile dig against the brand was all the DSP modes and the layers of circuit boards in the build. The store also didn't like the Techniques 1200 which was only suitable for DJ to scratch and back queue records.

[@scottbaylor6215]

I love Denon and grew up with Denon AVR’s from the 90’s onward. I parted ways from my low end Denon AVR and upgraded to the Cambridge CXA-81 simply because I wanted something more for two channel listening. I am not disappointed.

[@robk5745]

Not much about the sound characteristic of the amp, the strengths and weaknesses? I don’t know what the old denon sound is so this review told me very little Steve.

[@rutex09]

He didn’t even mention that it’s a mosfet amp.

[@mihai6976]

@@rutex09 mosfet amp?

[@rutex09]

@@mihai6976 It uses mosfet transisters instead of bipolar resisters in the amp section which have a reputation of sounding more like tubes

[@mihai6976]

@@rutex09 oh, thanks for reply. I have no idea tbh, not a technical guy :)

[@EduardsPutra]

Good and accurate review describing the sound. USB DAC is flawless on this one. Works with Fedora Linux out of the box. It is built like a frikin tank and operates like one :). Spartan approach without sub or preamp outs.

[@davidpohlman8624]

The error around it having preamp outputs (it does not) is fairly significant because there is also no subwoofer out. This integrated amp would seem like a much better option if it actually had those outputs. With no easy option for adding a sub or subs, the PMA-1700NE seems much less appealing.

[@YouSoundButtHurt]

You can use the second set of speaker outs to run to a powered sub high level inputs.

[@cbug4196]

Yeah no pre outs is a deal breaker for me…

[@masterxyr]

I thoroughly appreciate listening to you describing what you enjoy in a voice or instrument but I always get the feeling you summarise and keep it too short! let the levee break man, I'm sure I'm not the only one who loves seeing enthusiasm and eloquence go so lovely together.

[@macthebest2001]

I also got myself the 1700 and the KEF R5, which sounds really nice. I previously had the Denon AVR3800 with Wharfedale EVO2, which also sounded good, but the KEF and the 1700 have taken it up a notch.🥰

[@societyofhighendaudio]

Greetings from fareast. I like your coverage. Just wanna remind myself and everyone that listening is harder when you're over sixty. Especially in the high octave. It tends to roll of due to our age. So don't worry maybe it's the product and may our hearing capabilities. Thanks GBU all

[@joacwoot]

My Denon PMA-1315R has been used just about every day for over 25 years. Love it, but it is due for a replacement soon.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

In that case, you should do whatever you can to keep that thing going. Any replacement will be a disappointment.

[@MacXpert74]

I've got the exact same amp. It's a very nice sounding amp indeed.

[@andreano81]

Is there any real difference between 1700 and 1600?

[@lsaideOK]

Correction: This unit has home theater bypass pre-out ins not pre-outs for subwoofers or external amplifiers.

[@supabayes3284]

Thanks for this review. The 1700 amp has much in common with the PMA A110 that I bought recently. The amp is musical and holographic but internal dac is the biggest surprise for me. Much better than I expected for internal dac.

[@cameronkrause4712]

I have the pma 1600ne and the built in dac is fantastic. It took a while to break the dac in, but that's ok.

[@edwinsprojects7039]

I have an Arcam SA30 that I love but I am really considering the PMA-A110. I like what I see in terms of build quality and its made in Japan. Might not have room correction and all that but Im after the sound. Would you say its an uograde from the SA30?

[@gdwlaw5549]

As good vintage amplifiers have now gone through the roof price wise you might as well consider this one

[@bobb.9917]

Looks sharp and built-well in Japan. That's a good value!

[@trulyjared]

Great review Steve! I glean more from your music reviews in context of the device than you just speaking on sound specs and general characteristics. You are always pointing the viewer in interesting places with music. Almost as if you were a music appreciation adjunct somewhere. I have the LS50 Metas and I find my Denon x series avr to be a better fit then class D Peachtree audio 125 decco Sky and Soundartist s 200ia (atoll knock-off). I wish they would make a PMA with HDMI EARC and I would be set. I can tell that you liked this unit better then the Marantz 40n. I think denon must have a good finger on the common sound that audiophiles on a budget are looking for with their amps and phono cartridges.

[@ChaiBearProductions]

This vs the PMA A110?

[@edwinsprojects7039]

I want to upgrade from my Arcam SA30 but not sure if the PMA-A110 is an upgrade. Wish someone could shed some light too.

[@RP-ms7lu]

I am saving for denon pma1700 to buy next year. It sound so good. When clearly pick gems ,no doubt.

[@Reinh4]

To be honest, I was quite diappointed. Ordered the 1700NE online and tried it with my DYNAUDIO bookshelf speakers. DYNAUDIO is said to show every detail when changing electronic components of your hifi gear, as if looking through a magnifying glass. With the DENON voices were really quiet and heavily put in the background as if they were behind a glass pane, instruments were in front as if playing alone, so the sound was somehow torn into pieces. Bass lines which my 30 years old Accuphase E-207 (second hand half the price of the DENON) followed and showed extremely precise were hardly noticeable with the DENON. ;-/

[@bebbop]

Was Denon "break in" or taken straight from the box? Didn't you write a review on Amazon :7? Because I saw a similar opinion regarding the old Accuphase amplifier.

[@Reinh4]

@@bebbop A really good amplifier doesn't show the described bad sound even when taken straight from the box. It only gets better when broken in. Funny: if you criticise a hifi amp or loudspeaker or dac or whatever gear then nearly automatically someone appears to tell you it was not broken in. Mostly people who own this particular gear. 😉

[@bebbop]

​@@Reinh4Thank you very much for reply. I asked out of pure curiosity, because my friend is a Denon fan and buys higher models from time to time and believes that they are the best price/quality choice. He had the 1600NE model, now he has switched to the 1700NE and he is very satisfied. I once had a lower Denon model and I wasn't impressed with it. I went towards tube amplifiers. I also never had the opportunity to listen to Accuphase or Luxman. I know that in amplifiers the sound opens up more over time, but it probably wouldn't matter anyway, since Denon didn't attract your attention from the very beginning.

[@PDCRed]

Love the collie in the VSotD 🐕

[@cbug4196]

Thanks SG! Always appreciate the candor and wisdom. For whatever reason, Denon doesn’t do remotes. I have learned to accept it as the price for admission to great, affordable sound.

[@codyhuber]

I miss the Chaos/charm of the room before the makeover sometimes:)

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

No one has ever said that before! Thanks!

[@ramin3080]

Thank you very much for your review. Compared to the Cambridge Audio CX81, I preferred the CX81 + CXN V2 combination to the Denon 1700NE

[@ThousandThrills]

Would be interested to know why? Every time I like an amp, someone comes up with another suggestion...😅

[@SacreDro]

@@ThousandThrills Neah, CX81 does not measure well.

[@CrescendoKeysChannel]

Depends on the speakers and your taste. You may like the CX81 more. More exciting sounding for sure.

[@Kvazar-]

Steve I learned a lot from you. Your guidance has helped me a lot with my audio gear over the years. Thank you very much. Georgia-Tbilisi

[@peezzi]

What’s your opinion about this vs. Marantz n40?

[@AdrianIII]

$2100 for an integrated amp. It ought to be good! How does it sound with Klipsch speakers?

[@drewpknutz1410]

I can only compare my Denon pma 800 with my Klipsch rp6000s and I didn't like it. The Klipsch have a V-shaped sound and the Denon is very warm so it made my midrange hard to hear and not very clear, I then paired the Klipsch with an Emotiva ta 100 and it was worlds better. Way more sparkle up top and better midrange clarity... But Im talking about the mid-level stuff..the higher quality stuff might be better.

[@pickyaudiophile]

Thankfully there is a preamp input to bypass the input relay section & volume pot altogether. That's a huge benefit compared to e/g equally popular Technics SU-G700.

[@truthpig]

Is this a worthy upgrade from my PMA900HNE? You'd be surprised how well the 900 drives my KEF R7 metas but more power is an obvious route to better sound, maybe I should skip the 1700 and look at the PMA3000NE? How about a review of that bad boy Steve?

[@rojona]

How did Eno do it? I started engineering in the early 80s when that record was produced. I, too, was a big fan of that record. Reverbs and delays were available in both digital and analog form. Looping and reverse effects were also possible but only in a laborious analog form-physically splicing the tape. Multitrack recorders made it possible to layer different recordings on top of each other. Frankly I think the production of Beatles recordings used many of these techniques but had to overcome much bigger technological obstacles. Today we can do things more easily with much more exotic effects but it's still no easier to make profoundly great records like the ones mentioned here.

[@ralex3697]

Eno is a genius, that is how he did it.

[@Aswaguespack]

@@ralex3697 yep, all truly great iconic music productions start with genius, without real genius moments we would not have truly unique memorable creations. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@jonathansturm4163]

One of my favourite Eno albums and I purchased it as soon as it was released. I thought it odd that Muslims objected to the blasphemy of the track _Qu’ran_ one of my favourite tracks on the album. It was omitted from the CD release. Weirdly I “remember” listening to it with a particular friend in the 1970s and that can’t possibly be true. We parted company ca. 1977 and didn’t see each other until the mid 1980s when he returned from overseas.

[@martyn_g]

It’s a cracking amp. Hooked up to MA Studio Gold 100’s it’s just brilliant - rich, detailed, and no harshness. The critical thing here, is tone controls - balls to so called “purity” - it goes a long way to correcting music or compensating for a room that doesn’t place nice with your speakers. Audiophools will tell you that it muddies the sound, I call nonsense…! Don’t get me started on cables….

[@cameronkrause4712]

I have the pma 1600ne and it sounds incredible. I can't believe that anyone would spend more than what they can get the pma1700ne for. For jazz, I have found the perfect amp. The only difference between the 1600 and the 1700 is the inclusion of the pre amp in, and there is an additional stage added to the volume control in the pma1700ne.

[@larrywe3320]

The 1600ne is a prime value now since the release of the 1700ne... just look around 😁

[@abacar6134]

@@larrywe3320 Definitely is a great deal. I just picked one up brand new for $1499 from a Denon authorized dealer.

[@cameronkrause4712]

@@abacar6134 that is an amazing deal. you are going to be so happy. I wouldn't trade my amp for any other especially since it is perfect for jazz. I paid more than you did, but I am still happy for you.

[@torbjornsjoberg6516]

No pre-amp output! You got that wrong; it is an external pre-amp input.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Oh man, you're correct!

[@Rene_Christensen]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac That input could be better for many than a pre out. You can now use it a home theater setup with this home theater bypass input.

[@Brinklehaus]

I have the previous version of this amp, the PMA-1600NE. I used a Russound ADP-1.2 Speaker-level to Line-level Adapter to feed a subwoofer with RCA inputs, but later just switched to a REL subwoofer that uses speaker-level inputs. The Denon drives KEF LS50 Metas. It all sounds awesome.

[@torbjornsjoberg6516]

Right Chris! I have the Denon PMA A-110, awesome amp, and run subs from high level outputs with great sound. I only wanted to correct the misunderstanding from Steve.

[@jdmccall56]

@@Brinklehaus I too, have the 1600NE and use the Russound adaptor to drive a pair of subs. Works fine.

[@StagnantMizu]

Do you remember the PMA 720 from 89? I really like it but maybe I am limiting myself. should I upgrade the sound is still without noise.

[@TheMirolab]

I LOVE standard plastic remotes!! Every time I've encountered some type of fancy remote control, I've hated it. Metal case remotes? Yuck. The metal was cold to my hands, it was too heavy, and I had to be careful setting it down on my nice wood table so as not to scratch it. My old Anthem remote was a brilliant remote when it was new, but the velvety plastic coating, after many years, turned sticky and gooey, and the volume buttons wore out!! So PLEASE just give me a sensibly designed remote that will last 20+ years. That's all.

[@markd4292]

Nice Review Steve. Say, is that Denon PMA1700NE warm, neutral or cool sounding, in other words should it be paired with speakers that are a bit bumped up in the treble? Thanks

[@richardsmith2721]

I have that Brian Eno record. I bought it new back in the day.

[@fradd4045]

my life in the bush of ghosts is one of the greatest albums ever produced

[@filipviljamaasvensson]

Wonderful review, Steve! Thank you!

[@mala2149]

Late to the game but how's the built in dac? I know it's a burr brown chip and always preferred their sound to other chips.

[@rupertherbert594]

Thanks for the video, do you think it could be fair to pair with a 70W, 92db three way speaker, or better to find the little brother, the Pma1600ne?

[@jerometrudel100]

where did you bought your sound panel in the back it is very cool and beautiful ?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

GIKAcoustic

[@fwiler]

They really need to start adding room correction for 2 channel integrated amps, like NAD is doing. The fact is so many people don't have a perfect listening room.

[@Osuna..]

Me gusta el Denon 1700, actualmente tengo Marantz 40n y estoy pensando en cambiar a Denon 1700. Seria buen cambio o no merece la pena?. Un saludo desde Madrid

[@굿잡-n1p]

The 1700ne is neutral, a bit dark sound and has a high damping factor, which makes the bass more tight 40n is a brighter sound, and the damping factor is low, so the lower note comes out richer Denon would be a better option if your speaker had a bright sound and 40n would be the other way around

[@굿잡-n1p]

If the speaker is bright, I'll use Denon If the speaker is dark, choose 40n

[@lucasmaximus4984]

Seeing as this seems to handle more demanding speakers, how do you think it would match up with a pair of ATC SCM11s?

[@franknewman1194]

It's a great amp, but I do notice a soft humming when it's switched on. It's not really loud, but compared to other amps I've owned it's a definitely louder. With other amps I had to hold my ear against the amp to hear any humming, but with this one I can hear it humming from 10 feet away (of course only when it's not playing music). Is this normal?

[@torbjornsjoberg6516]

You got it wrong, there is no pre-out! It is external pre-amp IN !

[@scottrippon9565]

Hi Steve. This amp DOES NOT have PRE OUT. It has MAIN IN (or Denon calls it external pre in). To hook up a subwoofer you will need to use the speaker terminals B for a sub with high level input. The ONLY Denon 2ch integrated with SUB OUT is the pma 600ne entry level. (Which is a great little amp btw.) Even the top level pma a110 does NOT have pre out or sub out......which seems ludicrous and these are oversights that MUST be costing Denon many sales. Let's hope that they include these essentials with any revisions coming in the future. I for one wanted to buy the pma a110 and matching cd player but...... Still, if you don't need a sub or extra connectivity for whatever reason.... GREAT SOUND for the money. Cheers S

[@audiolover]

Denon POA-3000ZR + PRA-2000ZR 👌

[@alainduquenois3812]

Petite question concernant les bornier hp peut on mettre des fiches bananes et si oui quelle marque en câble hp cordialement

[@sharingfamspace3156]

Denon doesn’t disappoint.thanks Steve

[@richardsaunders6471]

Denon 103r cartridge is worth trying. Use one with 1600ne, great combo.

[@cameronkrause4712]

I bet that they are great together!

[@sleeper1023]

Hi Steve. How would you compare this with the PMA-1600NE?

[@dvanmartin9842]

Great piece of gear!!!

[@fletchermunson6225]

I noticed the back of the amp is labeled Pre-in perhaps indicating a bypass mode to use the amplifier only perhaps in a home theater. Pre out would seem to indicate you could use a subwoofer or a different amp with the Denon preamp section. Do they use a different labeling system than other amps d0 or do I not understand it.

[@johnrampoldi]

the "EXT.PRE IN" would be used to connect an external pre-amplifier.

[@fletchermunson6225]

@@johnrampoldi Exactly, That is how I understand it, like a HT receiver. I have a Belles Aria that labels that type of connection as a "bypass" allowing me to use a separate preamp with the Belles amplifier. It brings up another question that baffles me. Denon puts a sub out on their cheapest integrated amplifier but not on all their more expensive integrated amps. What have they got against Pre-out /sub outs?

[@johnrampoldi]

@@fletchermunson6225 great question. I suppose it was designed for full-range speakers. Some subs can be connected via speaker wire though.

[@fletchermunson6225]

@@johnrampoldi Yes, wires are a high end problem and i have always recoiled from doubling speaker wires whether bi-iring or subs.

[@user-thegoods71]

It's a good amp Steve. Bought after your review

[@dm95422]

It has a beefy 70wpc @ 8ohms. Nice.

[@markusschulzbro]

Thank you Steve! Great review! This amp looks brilliant and priced nice 🙏

[@rokodrago]

Hello Dear Steve, this is Miguel from Mexico ( Yucatan Peninsula ), I just sold my Denafrips Terminator-II in order to upgrade it to a Lampi Baltic 3, I have a Denafrips Athena Preamp & Kinki Studio Ex-M7 amp, a very solid DIY server with Euphony / Audiolinux and HQPlayer OSs, my speakers are an innefienct PMC Twnety5 26 ( 86 db ) and the system sounds very good except that with some songs it can be cruel sometimes, that said, I went to my cousins house last weekend and he has a Yamaha 2 channel receiver, i think it is the 600 or 500s models, the one that has its wi fi antennas and it is paired with the same level Yammy speakers and one sub, honestly the sub was very boomy but the music was very nice to hear, maybe not as refined but he purchased that entire set with less than 1,000 to 1,500 usd ( and that makes you think ) puff only my Taiko ATX on the server costs that ouch, anyway this is not exactly about saving but an integrated like this you are reviewing seems very very good, do you think i could be happy with this Denon or the next one ( PMA-A110 ) if i get rid of the Athena / Kinki / DAC and use the DENON instead ?, by the way I enjoy very much your videos and I know you are familiar to Denafrips, not quite sure if you tried any Kinki I integrated Best regards Saludos desde Mexico Miguel

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

I think your problem is the PMC speakers, they are designed to be very revealing of recording flaws. Watch for my next review, the Mission 770 speakers, that might be a better choice

[@pickyaudiophile]

One more great review. Just one thing (oftenly repeated stuff, forgive me....) if you conclude starting 4:47 "as you can get from an amplifier of this price class". I really don't know what to learn from relativization of conclusions made in before [key point -> which appeared to be in absolute terms first, but out of a sudden received some kind of "verbal calibration treatment"]. I would always prefer putting that into different words and provide little more information about that certain soft spot actually detected.

[@anmic3590]

Hi! Thank you so much for the review! I have the Pioneer PD-73 from the Urushi in the 90s. Along with the c73/m73 combo also from the 90s Urushi. And a pair of Focals 948 with a svs-pb 1000 sub. Will the Denon sound better than the Pioneer PD-73? Honestly I’m also thinking about the sacd side of it. And I’m also looking at the 2500ne and the dcd-a110. Not sure if the difference in price for the a110 is justifiable. Which one should I get? Or not at all. :) Thank you!

[@anmic3590]

Sorry! I just realized that I wasn’t quite specific. I’m interested in changing the cd player not the amp with the denon. So I was thinking about the dcd-1700 and up to a110. Any advice is much appreciated! Thank you!

[@kurtcleveland3539]

That David Johansen & The Harry Smiths album is great! Thanks for the recommendation.😊

[@edwinsprojects7039]

Would the Denon PMA-A110 be a significant upgrade? Is it worth the extra cost. I want to upgrade from the Arcam SA30. Any inout would help. Thanks

[@tbonet859]

Question: This Denon Integrated has that rich, buttery smooth ( warm, I'm guessing) sound through the RCA inputs ( CD Player, for example)? Correct? But the MC phono is leaner, cooler? Steve, anyone, have you tried the MM Phono, and does the MM Phono retain that warmer, rich, buttery smooth sound? Thank you, in advance.

[@scottstrang1583]

I saw external pre in but not pre outs. Maybe I missed it. Sure is nice

[@pml394]

I was also brought back to my youth by the integrated Denon amp. 🙂 Steve, could you please talk about getting a good engaging and balanced sound from your hifi while not playing loud? Living in an old appartement in Copenhagen , Denmark I cant listen to music and enjoying it without disturbing the neighbours . I guess the most crucial part are the speakers. ive got Vintage gear : Hafler power amp, Kef reference 102 ( with Cube), B& W 603 s2, Shiit modi dac and streaming from Tidal . I even tried Tannoys small Pa speakers VX8 while trying to get a more dynamic sound but instead I got a lot of mids😃

[@SergeantRoosters]

Really thought this would be a great product for the price until I heard the price! Definitely stuff from small companies that would surely give more value. I have a similar problem with rotel, great products but based on price I would rather support a smaller company with more bang for the buck

[@scottrippon5039]

The lack of pre out and sub out seems like a major oversight.....silly.... the little pma600ne has a sub out....and sounds fantastic btw.... come on Denon...a mark II version w these outputs seems like a really good idea.....

[@boostedmaniac]

I miss the gold / beige color integrated amps from the 90s. Not sure if Denon made any, but I know Yamaha had a few.

[@garyfaulkenberry9595]

Another interesting product review. Why is the 4 ohm power rating at 1 khz? I'm not picking on Denon because I've seen several other manufactures do the same thing.

[@felipedantas4666]

Hello, Tks once again for another great review. This hobby is though....trying to narrow my choices, I'm thinking about going with a "traditional" integrated approach - Denon (PMA 1700NE), Technics SU-G700, Rotel 1592mkII, or Marantz N40 (feature king of them all) I have decided to start with the electronics and then move forward. In the end I'm looking for something as future proof as possible*, low volume "king", for background relaxing listening. Any inputs? * Respectfully for those who value, but honestly, at this point at least, don't see myself constantly lookiing for that 2k usd 10% improvement. Best regards Felipe

[@marzcapone9939]

Interesting timing, I am getting a Denon DCD-A110 today, it's out for delivery. Denon is one of those companies that offer many price levels. I'm upgrading my SACD player, a 15 year old Denon DVD-1940ci, it still works but the drive is getting louder.

[@nasdkhan254]

Respect

[@jazzandcocktails7]

Are you enjoying the DCD-110. considering a purchase?

[@marzcapone9939]

@@jazzandcocktails7 I love it, best CD player I've ever owned. I'm sure some DAC's have a different sound, preferred by other people. With the Schiit Mjolnir and my Adam Audio S2V monitors, I'm not looking for anything else.

[@jazzandcocktails7]

@@marzcapone9939 thanks.

[@arnoldschloss9634]

Steve, nice review! Those transformers don't appear to look up to the size or standard of a top vintage amp from the 70's; When you drove some of the lower ohm/efficiency speakers, did you get any noticeable clipping at higher volumes? The quoted 70 watts per channel at 8 ohms may not be RMS watts per channel, as used in the mid-1970's.

[@genesis667]

It's actually conservatively rated. Sound Stage tested it and it puts out 89 watts per channel 8 ohms and 149 watts per channel 4 ohms

[@danielwilliams1921]

I have a Denon TU-900 FM tuner. Bought it in the late 70s or early 80s when I sold Denon. It's beautiful piece of gear. I don't use it, tho. Might sell it if anyone still listens to FM!

[@Hungho-jd9pb]

I thought it has pre-in instead of out. Therefore: you can only use as a power amp rather than preamp yeah? Thank you.

[@gergelykiss1142]

Would be curious how its compare to the new Marantz model n40.

[@MOOeymania]

So, uh, I'm going to need you to go ahead and review that Dynovector for us

[@timrassi5535]

Is that a pre out or in?

[@lukaszsuliga-ed4cu]

I have dali zensor 7 would they pair with denon pma 1700ne? I like warm sound.