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.
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!
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.
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 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.
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.
@@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 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.
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 ".
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
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.
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.
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 👍👍👍👍
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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?
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.
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
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.
@@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.
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 ?
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.
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.
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.
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.🥰
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….
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.
Steve is such a wonderful person, seems like a guy you want to hang out with, nothing sounds like the older stuff. Just not built the same anymore. Love the Aussie
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.
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.
Steve, FANTASTIC! Now, for "What I really think." I'm forever in your debt for you mentioning this David Johansen and The Harry Smiths recording! I had just watched an "instructional" video on voice compression. It was disappointing to me, one of those rare moments when I wanted to jump through the tv and say, "STOP, this is insanity!" You saved my day. I pulled up this album and it set me straight, so thank you.
I've been to over 1500 concerts and the absolute number one performance was 1983 David Johansen "Live It Up" tour at Haymakers in Prospect Heights IL and I think it was a Tue or Wed evening show.. Reach Out and I'll Be There!
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.
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.
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.
@@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.
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.
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.
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 yep, all truly great iconic music productions start with genius, without real genius moments we would not have truly unique memorable creations. 👍🏻👍🏻
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.
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
@@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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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!
I appreciate you mentioning the weakness of the phono stage as the Dynavector XX-2 is known for its great bass reproduction. So I would never consider the Denon. We sold Denon for a while before 2000's. They were better than the Marantz and inferior Yamaha units of the time for sure. The later separates Denon made and the HT Denons didn't impress me at all being way to dry and a bit edgy. But then I have always been a separates guy since I traded my MA 230 in on a C-22 and 240 and then added a second one back in 1965 for over 100 watts per channel.
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.
@@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.
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.
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.
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😃
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.....
awesome amp - Denon / Amazon is always great for sales - got it for $1554 usd. back before the price increases the pma-1600ne went for $1062 usd on sale :(
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.
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
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.
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?
There's an Audiophiliac imposter scamming my viewers, DON'T respond! I don't do giveaways or ask for money (except for my Patreon).
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
@@angelOcrisu is there a big difference between the two?
@@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.
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.
I have the same 800NE in black and I love it.
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.
What speakers are you using? Thanks
@@danieloherrick6332 Jean-Marie Reynaud Bliss Jubilé
@@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.
@@woodchamber Thank you. Was not familiar with this brand. Looks like they are not available in the US.
@@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.
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.
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 ".
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
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.
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.
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 👍👍👍👍
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.
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.
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.
That’s great, you figured it out! Keep going.
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.
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).
CONGRATULATIOS FOR YOUR NEW CAMERA. YOUR VIDEOS LOOK GREAT !
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.
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.
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?
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.
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
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.
Looks sharp and built-well in Japan.
That's a good value!
This amp is fantastic
Just picked this amplifier up and wow. Significant upgrade (sans the streamer) from my NAD C388.
just wait until it's fully broken in- it will knock your socks off!
NAD C388 has more power rating. May I know what speakers are you using and what is the difference you hear? Thanks
@@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.
Glad to hear that. Hard to trust those data these days.
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 ?
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.
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.
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.
Could you please provide an example or link ( brand / model) of a quality attenuator.
@@tbonet859 Russ Andrews inline attenuators
@@louisavraamides9067
Thank you!
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.🥰
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….
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.
Thank you Steve! Great review! This amp looks brilliant and priced nice 🙏
Wonderful review, Steve! Thank you!
Steve is such a wonderful person, seems like a guy you want to hang out with, nothing sounds like the older stuff. Just not built the same anymore.
Love the Aussie
There is better hifi today
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.
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.
Steve, FANTASTIC! Now, for "What I really think." I'm forever in your debt for you mentioning this David Johansen and The Harry Smiths recording! I had just watched an "instructional" video on voice compression. It was disappointing to me, one of those rare moments when I wanted to jump through the tv and say, "STOP, this is insanity!" You saved my day. I pulled up this album and it set me straight, so thank you.
Nice to hear from you!
Denon doesn’t disappoint.thanks Steve
I've been to over 1500 concerts and the absolute number one performance was 1983 David Johansen "Live It Up" tour at Haymakers in Prospect Heights IL and I think it was a Tue or Wed evening show.. Reach Out and I'll Be There!
my life in the bush of ghosts is one of the greatest albums ever produced
Love the collie in the VSotD 🐕
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.
You can use the second set of speaker outs to run to a powered sub high level inputs.
Yeah no pre outs is a deal breaker for me…
It has only pre In and not out. You’re saying it wrong.
It has recorder out though.
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.
As good vintage amplifiers have now gone through the roof price wise you might as well consider this one
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
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.
The 1600ne is a prime value now since the release of the 1700ne... just look around 😁
@@larrywe3320 Definitely is a great deal. I just picked one up brand new for $1499 from a Denon authorized dealer.
@@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.
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.
He didn’t even mention that it’s a mosfet amp.
@@rutex09 mosfet amp?
@@mihai6976 It uses mosfet transisters instead of bipolar resisters in the amp section which have a reputation of sounding more like tubes
@@rutex09 oh, thanks for reply. I have no idea tbh, not a technical guy :)
I am saving for denon pma1700 to buy next year. It sound so good. When clearly pick gems ,no doubt.
I miss the Chaos/charm of the room before the makeover sometimes:)
No one has ever said that before! Thanks!
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.
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.
Eno is a genius, that is how he did it.
@@ralex3697 yep, all truly great iconic music productions start with genius, without real genius moments we would not have truly unique memorable creations. 👍🏻👍🏻
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.
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.
In that case, you should do whatever you can to keep that thing going. Any replacement will be a disappointment.
I've got the exact same amp. It's a very nice sounding amp indeed.
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
No pre-amp output! You got that wrong; it is an external pre-amp input.
Oh man, you're correct!
@@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.
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.
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.
@@TonyBologna999 I too, have the 1600NE and use the Russound adaptor to drive a pair of subs. Works fine.
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
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.
That David Johansen & The Harry Smiths album is great! Thanks for the recommendation.😊
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.
Thank you very much for your review.
Compared to the Cambridge Audio CX81, I preferred the CX81 + CXN V2 combination to the Denon 1700NE
Would be interested to know why? Every time I like an amp, someone comes up with another suggestion...😅
@@ThousandThrills Neah, CX81 does not measure well.
Depends on the speakers and your taste. You may like the CX81 more. More exciting sounding for sure.
Denon POA-3000ZR + PRA-2000ZR 👌
Eno + Byrne. My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts!
This vs the PMA A110?
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.
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
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
It has a beefy 70wpc @ 8ohms. Nice.
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!
I appreciate you mentioning the weakness of the phono stage as the Dynavector XX-2 is known for its great bass reproduction. So I would never consider the Denon. We sold Denon for a while before 2000's. They were better than the Marantz and inferior Yamaha units of the time for sure. The later separates Denon made and the HT Denons didn't impress me at all being way to dry and a bit edgy. But then I have always been a separates guy since I traded my MA 230 in on a C-22 and 240 and then added a second one back in 1965 for over 100 watts per channel.
It's a good amp Steve. Bought after your review
Steve, if you were a musician you'd be playing at 'Carnegie Hall.'
:) a fan!
My first system in the 80's after hand-me-downs and scrounging around was a Denon integrated with Denon cd player amd Klipsh Heresy speakers.
I have that Brian Eno record. I bought it new back in the day.
Correction: This unit has home theater bypass pre-out ins not pre-outs for subwoofers or external amplifiers.
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.
Respect
Are you enjoying the DCD-110. considering a purchase?
@@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.
@@marzcapone9939 thanks.
Denon 103r cartridge is worth trying. Use one with 1600ne, great combo.
I bet that they are great together!
You got it wrong, there is no pre-out! It is external pre-amp IN !
Great piece of gear!!!
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.
where did you bought your sound panel in the back it is very cool and beautiful ?
GIKAcoustic
$2100 for an integrated amp. It ought to be good! How does it sound with Klipsch speakers?
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.
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😃
Nice. I also remember great sound from them in the nineties.
Exposed metal speakers connections... are they nuts, one short circuit and your power stage goes straight to heaven.
No, most amps have protection circuits.
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.....
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts probably predates much of the era sampling and electronic layering. It’s easily one of my favourite albums.
And Holger Czukay's Movies predate My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, and Stockhausen's Telemusik predates them both.
Is there any real difference between 1700 and 1600?
When you get into this price point I think your viewers would want to know how it compares with other integrateds for the same money.
I miss the gold / beige color integrated amps from the 90s. Not sure if Denon made any, but I know Yamaha had a few.
awesome amp - Denon / Amazon is always great for sales - got it for $1554 usd. back before the price increases the pma-1600ne went for $1062 usd on sale :(
I bought a vintage denon PMA850 for £500 recently. Worth every penny.
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.
First amplifier I bought 1986 was a Denon PMA-500V
So, uh, I'm going to need you to go ahead and review that Dynovector for us
What’s your opinion about this vs. Marantz n40?
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
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.
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
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.
Wow! Thanks for amazing review Steve! Thanks a lot. How do you feel it compares to SU-G700M2 from technics?
I saw external pre in but not pre outs. Maybe I missed it. Sure is nice
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?
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.
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?