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I purchased the A110 and matching SACD player last year. I hooked it up to Klipsch Cornwall II speakers. I think it sounds amazing. I use a Music Hall Stealth turntable through the phono section and I’m very happy with the sound I get using both MM and MC cartridges. I should mention for those complaining about the price look for open box units. That’s what I did and the units I received looked brand new. I don’t think they were ever removed from the box. And, buying from a authorized dealer I received the full 5 year factory warranty. I can’t wait for you to review with the modern Cornwalls.
The Denon PMA-A110 has 3 things in common with my older PMA-QS10 II: incredible natural-feeling soundstage, high-quality build and being a magnet for kids. Kids love the big volume knob and want to turn it all the way. When I bought my PMA-QS10 II two boys of another customer wanted to be at 'my' demo and operate the volume. I hooked up my source (a laptop + DAC) and limited max volume from there so they could turn up the volume all the way and have fun 😊
I paired my PMA-110 with the DCD A-110 and two Elac 409 … so happy of this combination. Never felt I missed the HDMI port because I chose a Bose sound bar for my TV. Value for money and quality of the sound make this amplifier a one stop shop for my musical taste.
What is really impressive about the A110 is its relentless driving force down until 1 ohm loads, which is tipically found only in very highend amplifiers. It can virtually power any speaker out there with authority and wihout effort. High current also explains its deep and powerful bass. Also, its sound is pure and warm thanks of its unique power stage made of single mosfet push-pull (mosfet have tube sound). Worth of note is also its class-A bias up to about 5 Watts. Last but not least, itsbuilt-in dac is also unique in using 4 parallel burr-brown dacs of the multibit/delta-sigma type, so you have a different sound signature compared to your typical dac of today (I would say old school but very high resolution at the same time).
I have a A110GS Anniversary on hold - can’t wait to pick it up. Now let’s talk about a thing - tone controls. Every amp should have these - 1) get your speakers in the optimal position, then it gives you the ability to tweak it further - because let’s face it, we don’t have perfect audio environments 2) it allows you to adjust a bassy recording, or one that is too bright, some could rightly argue that you can use an EQ at your source on your computer, but what if you use vinyl, or other sources? Tone controls are universal. 3) it can stop people going down the audiophool rabbit hole thinking that a cable can “magically” adjust a bright source - all you have to do is tweak the treble, and it cost you nothing to adjust. Apart from the amazing sound, it’s the tone controls which was the biggest value add…
Having owned and been extremely happy with the Denon 2020 amp for 7 years I recently replaced that with the A110 and couldn’t be more pleased. More detail, realism, harmonic richness, space. I have a separate analogue system which uses valve amps and the A110 takes a large step in that direction in all the good ways. Inputs are a Pioneer PD-77 CD player, Panasonic UB-9000 4K player and my MacBook using Audirvana. The A110 is driving a pair of modified Castle Harlech Mk I speakers, a match made in heaven to me. I highly highly recommend the A110.
Hello and nice video. Really enjoyed the conversation. I have the PMA-A110 for about 14 months now. Luckily, I bought it open box before prices went up. Currently, it's paired with some JBL L100 Classics and a nice Technics SL-1210G turntable. I did not hear many reviews of this amp because it was fairly new when I purchased. Your review has helped me get a better understanding of how it compares to other amps on the market. Jean over at Audioholics loves this amp too and he did a great review with measurements. His review sold me on it at the time. Looking forward to hearing your feedback when you hook up the Cornwalls. I feel like I am hearing plenty of natural bass with the JBL's. I play classic rock and also a lot of jazz. So two different types of bass but all music sounds really great and puts a smile on my face. I have zero distortion and never need to bump the volume past 10 or 11 o'clock on the Denon. Hope to keep it for a long time. It makes analog music sound amazing. Cheers!
Until I can afford a McIntosh MA12000 this will be my end-game Stereo Amp, I love the sound of it so much regardless of the speakers I've tried it with: Dynaudio Evoke 30, Countour 60, Cambridge Audio SX-80, Klipsch RP-8000F, Forte IIIs. It's really good. - This goes really well with the DCD-A110. I've had friends come over and they've been blown away by the combination. - It beat 1-3k DACs and streamers, and brings out a level in just regular CDs I thought impossible. SACD? Don't let me get started. Haven't tried against 10k DACs however.
I’ve been running the Denon A110 with the Dynaudio Heritage Special speakers and they are a really good match! The A110 drives the 4ohm 85db speakers with ease. Surprisingly the phono stage is really, really good as well as the built-in DAC! You can tell Denon really went all-in with quality parts and the performance of the integrated-amp is extremely good. I’ve also tested the A110 with the Graham LS 5/9 speakers and it doesn’t disappoint. The ext. pre-in feature is quite a surprise! Run an external tube preamp and you’ll be greeted with some sweet sounding tube characteristics.
Not making a case, it's something we could both subjectively hear and objectively measure. The pairing puts forth a level of performance and refinement that rivals a lot of high-end stuff we have here in house.
How could you do a review of the A110 without talkin about its Quad DAC! I own this amp along with a bunch of others and I would buy the amp just for its DAC. Its on par with DACs like the Dinafrips Pontus of Gustard A26. Top class DAC and solid Class A biased amplification.
I demoed this unit at home for a month and almost kept it save for a few deal breakers. Overall decent amp that feels very well built. It’s dac is remarkably! good as well. Phono stage was just so so.
I choose weight and scale (have Denon PMA-2000 / 24 kilos / Made in Japan) over speed because I don't think what the latter means and I've been a musician/audio fan all my life. If anything, to me 'attack' has more to do with the speaker. For instance, acoustic guitar thumb slaps sound a lot snappier on the Denton 85 than on the Linton 85. Thanks for the review. I like that you guys don't forget to talk about stereo amps.
I have PMA A110 for over a year. Still loving it for speaker duty but I am delighted with the headphone jack for driving Hifiman HE1000 headphone, which needs some juice to drive well. I had the Pass Lab HPA1 and Violectric V281 for reference. The A110 as headphone amp is great!
Hey guys, I've been following you for a little while, I think since 2020. Love the content and want to thank you both for the great reviews. Unfortunately, most of the stuff you show us is a tiny bit out of reach at the moment but still happy with my 2yo system. I wanted to leave a comment for once because I've had the impression that something changed. I don't know if it's the pace and rhythm of Andrew's presentation but I like it, it's good!! I feel it's a chiller, less hurried pace. Off course, Christie is still amazing with her lovely voice and comments. 😁 Again, thank you for all the content and wish you both a good end of the year! Mike from Brussels, Belgium. ✌️
Another stellar review. I guess I'm somewhere in between the two of you when it comes to bass. I definitely don't want it overemphasized or loose in any way (unless it's supposed to be). Probably not Denon's top-of-the-line integrated, those, I believe are reserved for the Japanese market, like the PMA SX11 that Tharbamar owns. That being said, looking inside at the separate transformers for each channel, and the fact that it doubles down into 4 ohms, this thing is a beauty, and I would say an absolute steal at $4000. Thanks again, guys.
Same here. I'm fairly certain the power amplifier topology in our PMA-2000IVR is the same as this PMA-A110 anniversary unit. If you look up the listed specs, they are the same (80 Watts/channel into 8 ohms, THD .07%, 160 Watts/channel into 4 ohms, THD 0.7%). Independent testing by Audioholics and others shows that Denon actually under rates their power specs and these are really closer to around 100-115 Watts per channel into 8 ohms. But Denon has not really changed the power amp section in these amps (PMA-2000, 2020, 2500NE, A-100, A110) since 1996, which makes the PMA-2000 series a bargain on the used market. I believe the pre-amp sections have changed over time though.
I definitely align with Kristi on this a lot. I personally love super fast, staccato feeling bass to a big and punchy sound. The primary reason I went with RA1592. It’s got the bass but it’s fast, it’s very accurate and not at all shouty. The looks to me although understated somewhat and old school, that’s kind of the point with it being anniversary. And to me it’s awesome looking. Great review!
Thank you so much your review. I own the PMA- A110 and would like to support your findings and give some more details to anyone considering purchasing this amp. First, the auto on/off features works nearly flawlessly with using TOSLINK when connected to the TV (i think coax does the same but it has just been some time since I used that). Second, the DAC in this unit is incredible. I have compared it to the stand alone CD player Dac from Marantz (SA-14S1) from 2014 (3000 USD) unit, and this DAC bests it. The DAC is also upsampling (to a degree) and responds very well to upsampled files and responds well to being feed PCM converted to DSD. Third, I am driving a pair of Buchardt S400 Mark 1 special editions with this and the flavor is full, rich, musical and with great Bass. Fourth, I have used this with my Vinyl (Linn LP12) with MM cartridge and the phone preamp section is fantastic (with my Linn MM Addikt cartridge). Fifth, I would recommend that you pair this with speakers that can produce excellent Bass, even if it means spending more because there is no dedicated subwoofer output. I believe you should be able to use the recorder out maybe as a sub output. You could also use this with a REL subwoofer that taps into the main speaker out terminals. Sixth, the build quality is impeccable. Seventh, this is a special, anniversary edition so there are more expensive parts on the inside than the normal one. This also means that you get to own a “special” edition version which is cool. Eighth, I enjoy the small digital screen because it lets me play with the sample rate (DAC) and then just compare the sound output and decide on if I like upsampled PCM (and what level of upsampling) versus PCM converted to DSD. Ninth, I have not yet felt any fatigue with this amplifier. I am happy with the “low level” listening levels. The tone controls also really work. I am really happy with the “quality” of the remote as well. It is important that when you spend a lot of money, it is pleasurable to use the remote (and knobs and buttons). But, you all need to know that this is a special edition and they made a limited amount of them. I don’t work for Value Electronics (but I bought my LG TV from them), but I believe that they may have this in stock still. Tenth, It is made in Japan, and proud of it. Love that. If anyone owns this amp, have you used the recorder out as a sub out? Just curious. I don’t really know how to use the recorder out function to be honest.
I also own the PMA-A110 (plus the companion CD/SACD DAC-110A player from Denon). I can confirm your Fifth point; using the Recorder out as a sub output does work.
Hi! Thank you for all these details. I’m trying to convince myself if I should change my current setup. I have the Focals Aria 948 runned by a Pioneer m73 power amp and a Pioneer C73 preamp, both from the 90s. 110w in Class B, 30w in Class A. Recently I changed the Pioneer pd-73 cd player from the 90s with the Denon 110 and I was blown away. Would it be the same with the amp? I cannot test it unfortunately. Hard to decide if the change will be worthy. I’ll appreciate any advice. Thank you!
@@anmic3590 well congratulations on the Denon DCD-A110! I am thinking carefully about your problem. I do not own the preamp and amp you are talking about, but I looked them up online and they look to be close to heirloom quality. The best part of the A110 amp is the fact that it includes a fantastic DAC, fantastic phono stage, preamp and amp. In your case, you already have the amazing DAC in your CD player (although that is Just a cd player and not a DAC/cd player). So have 2 thoughts for you. You could spend 500-1000 dollars to rehab your preamp and amp and not buy the A110 integrated DAC/phono/preamp/amp. That might really improve things without the financial cost of buying the A110. Why should you consider buying the A110? If you have other digital sources, a turntable, or could repurpose your original preamp/amp to a different room. I hope things are going well for you! Let me know your thoughts.
Quick, articulate bass for me. First time viewer and commentator. Don’t know where you are located, but the Tampa area is holding the 4th annual Florida Audio Expo over the 3rd weekend in February (I hope this last sentence didn’t violate your rules!)
Great review. I always like Denon integrated amps, but I think it has not improved anything over past 15 years or so. It still looks the same which is good, but it still sounds about the same to my ears but the price has went up almost 80% or so.
I absolutely love my Denon pma-a110. It can stand against my Marantz PM10 which costs double. I disagree with Kristi. I also used to own Marantz 40n, and Denon sound much more detailed and holographic. I also have owned Roksan. That sounds better than Marantz 40n.
@@hugoroussel1202The Denon is an amazing machine. It opened up my speakers like never before. Tube like warmth with great detail and a huge soundstage. I paired mine with a set of Focal Chora 826s.
One vote here for Christie Base!!! You didn't allude to the fact that the Denon doesn't have a sub out nor a pre out. Or am I mistaken? A lot less flexibility for this amount of money. You also didn't poo poo the lack of HDMI as much as you do on other reviews. I wonder if you chose some, say Wharfedale Litton's with a cleaner amp, say the Rotel 1592 MKII which I thought you were thinking of buying, wouldn't you get the warm sound you allude to with more POWER?
I own a Pma1600 and it is connected to 2 REL’s 700 subs via the arrow system. No time smearing, and setting the cross over between my B&W’s and the the PMA it offers quite a sonic experience. I did not buy the Denon Anniversary because of the price. The bass is perfect for the most music I listen. Which is classical and jazz. I prefer a weighty sound over a lean sound. And the B&W’s appear to go right along with that. It is a wonderful coupling. I like the my music thick, deep and heavy. Because that is how live music sounds to Me. Grand!
I don't if this comment applies to this particular amplifier but as far as getting bass speed is concerned I think the trick with the pma series is to pair Denon with faster sounding speakers. I have the pma 800ne which is also a warmer sounding amp but it pairs brilliantly with Triangle Titus bookshelf speakers and the sound is plenty punchy and and fast as well as rich and tonally satisfying.
Been running in new A-110 and Andrew is correct imho. Amp is amazing and yes, that’s against supposedly high end amps that I have owned. Future classic. Put your prejudices aside and just listen.
I don’t usually make any comments but this time I have to 😎 Denon has been making high end stuff for years. However it’s available only on Japanese market. It’s this kind of stuff you’d have to pay 1 million ¥ a piece. I’ve heard once this particular amp in a shop in Tokyo. It was paired with some floor standing B&W 700 series. And I must admit the sound was the most awful I’ve ever heard from any Denon. I don’t like B&W way of presentation and that could be the reason? Anyway I believe this amp could sound really good with the right speakers. Thanks for another great review!
Hi Kristi and Andrew, 🙂 I've been watching your videos for a few weeks now, and first of all, having second opinions on these reviews is ABSOLUTELY awesome and DEFINITELY a richness to your TH-cam channel. I look at some reviewers like: Jay's iyagi, Steve "the audiophile" Guttenberg, A British audiophile,Tharbamar, Steve Huff, Zero fidelity. And now you two! Because it's so great to have two reviews in the same video because your tastes are different, and it's very telling of what's important to us in sound. You give good advice, and through reflection bring to light what we should ask ourselves if we want to buy new audio equipment. Andrew, I agree with you on the dark side of the "old B&W sound" and the nice tonality to match with Denon. Denon has always focused on the sound of the mids, they are always rich with a nice scale, Denon's signature sound is always punchy and pleasant. Agree with you on the matching with Polk, but it's not surprising, Polk has always had this same energetic side as Denon. Kristi, GO on Naim, please! This is DEFINITELY for you ! About the sound of Marantz vs Denon, Denon is punchy and a little rounder, Marantz is more open and resolute. (so this way we can understand why Kristi might choose the 40n over the A110, considering similarly that they are not in the same product range price-wise; and I agree with Andrew on the cheap (relatively speaking) if we decide to invest in the A110 compared to the "step up sound side" it can give). I agree with Kristi on the nice design turn of Marantz, and on the pleasant and clean design of the Denon on this A110. All new design of 1600NE, 1700NE, 900HE, 2500NE is very well respected and well made in my opinion. Afterwards, I think you compared some nice devices and for some which have an excellent value for money (A110, 40N, Atessa). It's interesting to compare back and forth, some stuff in the same range too. Maybe, you should and could to compare the Technics G700MK2, the XS3 or the SN3 of Naim. About the Cambridge, Kristi, thanks to say the truth, thanks you so much, Its so f***ing BORING and flat. I ever still found the Cambridge sound signature so flat... (But you shouldnt not considering the Denon bass like that,its not boring, its so more richfull and its not sluggish at all; Andrew has my point on that specifically point). Denon has a round texture and weighty bass :) ! energic ! That not the slam of a Naim, the agility of the roksan, or the precision of NAD. But I think its a pleasant bass :). Denon has still that good vibe. If we should speak, specifically about the A110, this anniversary edition is so beautiful, and its so well made ! The color is really nice! I'm agree with Andrew to make the very important nuance when he said Technics and Roskan are lean"er" in comparaison of the Denon. And I want to say "Bravo !" to Kristi to have some very details and specific ideas of what she likes in hifi and her opinions are very precises, and she puts in the light some very interesting points that we should always discuss when we want to buy some stuff in audio. I really LOVE your very "crispy and detailed opinions" and your point of views. Andrew, you have more facility to exprim your opinion, probably because you has a bit more experience and the habit to do some reviews on what you feel, its not an easy exercice. Thanks so much for this vid ! (and the roksan one; Kristi, dont beat me, I seen that vid ! ) :p Sorry for my english coz' im french. ^^ I keep on following both of you, its very still pleasure. :) See ya !
@@andrewrobinsonreviews you're welcome, nice review! Look, the second commentary on my post, it seems you have a strange clone with the same picture of you ... 😐🤔
Totally agree and surprised by this work of art from Denon. I don’t normally think of Denon when looking for 2 channel gear but I compared the PMA a110 to other highly rated units from Naim, Gold Note and Lyngdorf and preferred the Denon with some of my setups. Great match for KEF speakers with Rel subs connected directly to the speaker taps.
The Denon is the best Amp in this price Range, and sounds as good than Amps they are more expensive! Also the older PMA 2000er Series, and the limited PMA A100 Amp is a class of its own.
Great review! I almost got the Denon A110 but found a better deal with the Rotel 1592 MK2. That’s my current amp and happy it hasn’t been forgotten yet. Thanks for the video!
Would be great if you could try the Denon 1700-NE. From your review it sounds like it has a lot in common with A110 at about half the price and 10 watts per channel less. Also looks great in silver finish. Has that heft in bass, full mid range and slightly rolled off treble. I have a feeling it's has the same relation to the A110 as the Rotel 1592 MKII has to the Michi, a slightly lesser version of the same sound at a fraction of the price.
Very insightful as always and I agree completely, someone making a decision on amps like this will need to ultimately know 1) their tonal preference, and 2) will the pairing with their speakers achieve it. What’s cool, as compared to just about any other reviews, you guys provide the details necessary if someone will spend the time listening and understanding! Hence the value you bring to the table! Thanks as always! Love to start my Sunday with some audio insight. Bet that puppy was very nice with those 805’s!
Glad to finally see you testing my baby :-) I agree with you on most of your points. Building quality and sound quality (mediums oh god) for sure. I have to agree to a point I red in the comments : yes the volume control is not good enough for very low volume. That' a big beast but not easy to manage at very low volume. I also miss the pre-out. Other than that, great beauty and great choice. For network features, I added a Denon Heos Link, connected via digital imput. The internal DAC of the A110 is crazy good which makes things easier when it comes to source management ! thank you guys, you rock.
I have to say that you nailed it with my feeling about the vocals presence -"desembodied heads floating in the soundstage" , this is exactly what I feel sometimes, I like the review thank you
Having 2500ne series driving Lintons Heritage. Really good match. Sound is warm, punchy and sound stage really deep and wide. I can only imagine 110 series, how good it is.
I've got the PMA-2500NE as well and paired with Dynaudio Special 40s, and they sound absolutely brilliant. Right now, a new PMA-A110 in Japan costs 2270 USD. That is an extremely high value Amp.
That was great (as usual) "here's where you got it wrong, Andrew..." lol! I do like the minimalist clean looks of the Denon and I agree I think it will age well. Love the way when I watch this just when I think that you've missed something out of a review, and then, of course, you didnt. If you pair this with the Klipsch that would be a really interesting one too. ~Peace
It is fascinating to see the generations old Marantz vs. Denon argument is alive and well even within the Robinson/Wright household.. FWIW I'm definitely on Andrew's side on this one. I just wish Denon added a preamp out or 2...
Great review. Thanks for making it. A110 is a very strong performer compared to high end integrated that I have own such as Pass Labs INT25, Gryphon Diablo 300, AVM Ovations A6.2Me. The built in DAC is excellent. Has more details and seperation than external DAC such as Holo Audio May. Hard to believe this unless you heard AB comparison. If only A110 has preamp out or sub out, then it will be perfect for sat-sub set up.
Totally agree on the included DAC and unit compares very nicely with other units costing much more. I was able to solve the sub issue by going with REL subs that connect directly to the speaker taps.
Andrew could you also quickly compare it to Technics SU-G700 M2? I know you compared it with R-1000 but that’s a 10K amp and most of us mere mortals can’t afford it. Thank you always for your excellent reviews with Kristi.
It is really nice to see Denon get a little love this morning. Denon's amplifiers have been hifi's best kept secret for the past 40 years. However, so much of Denon's best gear rarely left Japan as it was made for the Asian market. Just look at their used amps on ebay and you will see pieces there that are shockingly high end. I was surprised that you said nothing about the sound quality of the digital section of the A110. I also thought that you could have said something about the sound quality of the phono section as I have the Denon pma 1600ne, and the phono section exceeds most stand alone phono amps that I have heard. With the A110 being their anniversary model I would think that the phono section will be superb, and as Denon continues to make some of the most highly regarded moving coil cartridges I would fall off of my chair if this was not the case.
Great review, having picked up the Rotel 1592 mk2, I still came away knowing why I chose it for my specific needs and still appreciated your enthusiasm and respect for this one. That's incredibly hard to do. Awesome job :)
I believe the term you guys are missing in regards to bass response from an amplifier is dampning factor. That is what controls how much attack and control an amplifier has over a woofer. It is a term that doesn't get used much these days, but was on every spec sheet in the 90's and 2000's.
Nice review but to my SURPRISE my £500 aging marantz pm7003 is not embarrassed by the A110😮, I paid for the Limited 110th Anniversary Edition. A collector's item.
Great video! I also noticed the Beosound Balance in the background so I'm looking forward to if there's an upcoming review. B&O products are always unique and it's really fun to hear your impressions about those products❤
Talking about the older 800d2 sound, I follow Andrew here. That sound made me fall in love with the brand. For me the newer D4 series is waaay to neutral sounding to my taste. I loved the warmer b&w sounds. But on the right amp they can indeed sound like the older series again. The Denon is a beautiful integrated amp.
Can't remember the last time I saw a True Double Down Amplifier...finally people with 4 ohm speakers will not lose 1.5 to 3db like with most typical amplifiers... Well done Denon...
Not sure the Denon truly doubles power into 4 ohms. If you look at their spec sheet, you'll notice the power output into 4 ohms is reference in a way that doesn't cover 20h-20khz. I have the matching CD/Super Audio CD player, and I can speak to the incredible build quality of the A110 line....
Hi Andrew As always it's fun to watch and hear your excellent reviews, I wanted to know how it compares to the Yamaha AS-1200 which you reviewed before and i have it, Thanks Ronen
I have a marantz pm ki ruby integrated amplifier that has been recently discontinued. Everything you described about the pma110 sounds exactly like the pm ki ruby, and i wouldn't be surprised if the a110 is a rebadged pm ki ruby or based on the ruby. I bought the ruby used from a guy that had a Macintosh 7200 so we could directly a/b them side by side on the same speakers. The Macintosh is "better," but it the gap was barely noticeable.
Those two amps are both nice, but have nothing to do with each other besides being under the same ownership group. Ken Ishiwata (RIP) did not design any Denon amps.
I love when you guys disagree and I mean that in a good way. Everyone needs to understand that we all listen differently and have different needs when listening. We can use metrics all day long but when you like the sound of something it doesn't matter to most how it measures. Love the awesome reviews, keep up the good work you two.i personally prefer the agaile bass because I hate when bass interfares with the midrange so I like when a receiver/amp gets that part right, I can always turn my subs up if I want more bass.
Lovely amp . I own a Denon 1510 which is 12 years old, so I imagine this A110 is a bit special. I like agile bass as a lot of music I listen to is fast
If this had pre-out and HDMI in it would a near ideal integrated. Using an external component for streaming isn't necessarily bad as whatever streaming app comes built into an amp may not be to one's taste. Others have tested the A110 down to 1 or 2 ohms and it can put 300+ W into ultra-low impedance speakers. This and the Technics G700 Mk 2 are on my shortlist if I decide to change to something more modern (currently running late 80's Denon pre and power amp pair). Denon have always had some great amps at the top of their high-end Japanese market lineup, but they've always been virtually non-existent outside Japan since the late 80's or early 90's.
Once I built a dedicated 2.2 channel listening room and get to listen to music for longer periods of time I now lean toward the warmer, easier listening amps. Sounds like Denon would be a winner to my ears. Ive tried to live with Naim and Rotel amps and once I got past the initial "hifi" sounding wow factor, over time I just wanted to tear my ears off my head. Haha. Bravo to Denon.
I have an earlier Denon PMA 2000 integrated amp, the latest version deems to do more of the same even better. As in case of the Denon, integrated amp wth separate transformers for the right and left channels always deliver a smoother sound, I find. Yes, the Deonon is softer, but also very quiet. It lets me enjoy the music without drawing attention to the equipment. So, sit back and enjoy. I decided NOT to upgrade to the latest version, though, not just because of the steep price tag, but also because it is still lacking a XLR input.
I guarantee you wouldn't hear the difference between XLR and coax, unless the cables are 50 ft long. I tested on my system several times on the Marantz PM10 amp.
I’d like to see you do a comparison review of simple 2 channel amps (not integrated) to use with pre amp outs on AVR’s. Pick a few mid priced AVR’s and try a handful of amps for 2 channel listening while still being able to do 5.1 with the AVR. Many of us are looking to make that step.
I've been pondering your question of the day. I think I'm Team Andrew, as long as the bass doesn't feel sluggish or overpower the rest of the range. I love really feeling the low notes on a piano or cello, and I find that even if the bass is, on paper, a little "high", that the tactile effect helps with articulation on things like upright bass and drums. A lot of the music I listen to has very slow and droney bass anyway, so speed is sort of irrelevant in those cases.
I like textured bass, especially for classical and jazz, tight and punchy with electronic, rock and pop. Quite happy with bass with Naim Supernait 3, is Denon similar regarding the bass?
Enjoyed all the comparisons as usual. I think my current system lends itself to kristi’s style of bass but at some point I may have to trial different speakers to see more clearly where I fall.
Hi Andrew great review, it so happened that I purchased my B&W 706S2 , based on sound quality alone, which amp would you recommend between the Attessa and Denon PMA 1700NE. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.. thanks
I thought it would go well with the B&W because Denon amps always lean warm while modern day B&Ws tend to lean bright which is why you said the Denon brings the 805 D4 back to the old B&W sound to a degree. Bottom line, the Denon is just a little too laid back for my taste as I tend to prefer more punchy amps with a sweet midrange. Because of that, I will never buy Denon 2-way amps as opposed to their AV receivers. However, I do buy their SACD players as Denon offers very competitively priced SACD hybrid players. In fact, I have been thinking about the partnering SACD player to this amp the DCD-A110. Even though that is already top of the range for Denon, it is still substantially cheaper than any Esoteric SACD players.
No secret to me I thought this was so much better than when Sony made their integrative few years ago their flagship one I thought these were so much better
Re: BASS -- I want both. I want my amp and speakers to be faithful to the source material. So I'm I'm listening to something Aphex Twin or Squarepusher, fast, punchy dynamic is preferable. Same holds true often in movies/TV. If I'm listening to some Muddy Waters (aka "My Home is the Delta"), or anything slower/vibey, like Louis Cole's "Let it Happen," I want it to be big soulful, airy, atmospheric. In either case I think bass should literally be felt, not in a ridiculous way but in a way that grabs the water in our cells you and says "this is why you bought this in the first place."
Hard to say which bass is better. It depends on the track? I’ll say this: I think it’s high time speaker manufacturers started including a minimum amplifier damping factor in their specs.
For bass when listening to MUSIC... I want the fastest attack/gut punch I can find. I don't really care for low rumbly or super deep concussive bass. Home theater... I can appreciate that lower bass though. This is why I use two separate systems for these things.
Great review and as a tube guy (McIntosh MA2275 integrated), this Denon has piqued my interest. I'm with Andrew on the bass, as I prefer a slower, but more detailed and weighted bass as most of the music I play is acoustic (ie not electronic music). I really want to feel that double bass in the room. I want to feel like Paul Chambers is standing right in front of me.
Thank you for this review. I wish you would have had some thoughts on this amp and your Cornwall iv’s (wishing for a friend who owns a pair 😂). Thanks again ! HA wrote this without watching the entire review 😅 but I just left it up.
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Could you check out peachtree
Please review the Mark Levinson 50th Anniversary monoblock amp & B&W Nautilus! 😂 170k.
"All About That Bass" - by Kristi Wright
IMPORTANT QUESTION, Can the tape loop (labeled RECORDER) be used with an EQ while having input from a DAC or phono?
Any plans to look at the Aperion Audio Verus III Concert V8B 8" Bookshelf speakers?
I purchased the A110 and matching SACD player last year. I hooked it up to Klipsch Cornwall II speakers. I think it sounds amazing. I use a Music Hall Stealth turntable through the phono section and I’m very happy with the sound I get using both MM and MC cartridges. I should mention for those complaining about the price look for open box units. That’s what I did and the units I received looked brand new. I don’t think they were ever removed from the box. And, buying from a authorized dealer I received the full 5 year factory warranty. I can’t wait for you to review with the modern Cornwalls.
The Denon PMA-A110 has 3 things in common with my older PMA-QS10 II: incredible natural-feeling soundstage, high-quality build and being a magnet for kids. Kids love the big volume knob and want to turn it all the way. When I bought my PMA-QS10 II two boys of another customer wanted to be at 'my' demo and operate the volume. I hooked up my source (a laptop + DAC) and limited max volume from there so they could turn up the volume all the way and have fun 😊
I paired my PMA-110 with the DCD A-110 and two Elac 409 … so happy of this combination. Never felt I missed the HDMI port because I chose a Bose sound bar for my TV. Value for money and quality of the sound make this amplifier a one stop shop for my musical taste.
What is really impressive about the A110 is its relentless driving force down until 1 ohm loads, which is tipically found only in very highend amplifiers. It can virtually power any speaker out there with authority and wihout effort. High current also explains its deep and powerful bass.
Also, its sound is pure and warm thanks of its unique power stage made of single mosfet push-pull (mosfet have tube sound). Worth of note is also its class-A bias up to about 5 Watts.
Last but not least, itsbuilt-in dac is also unique in using 4 parallel burr-brown dacs of the multibit/delta-sigma type, so you have a different sound signature compared to your typical dac of today (I would say old school but very high resolution at the same time).
I have a A110GS Anniversary on hold - can’t wait to pick it up. Now let’s talk about a thing - tone controls. Every amp should have these - 1) get your speakers in the optimal position, then it gives you the ability to tweak it further - because let’s face it, we don’t have perfect audio environments 2) it allows you to adjust a bassy recording, or one that is too bright, some could rightly argue that you can use an EQ at your source on your computer, but what if you use vinyl, or other sources? Tone controls are universal. 3) it can stop people going down the audiophool rabbit hole thinking that a cable can “magically” adjust a bright source - all you have to do is tweak the treble, and it cost you nothing to adjust. Apart from the amazing sound, it’s the tone controls which was the biggest value add…
Having owned and been extremely happy with the Denon 2020 amp for 7 years I recently replaced that with the A110 and couldn’t be more pleased. More detail, realism, harmonic richness, space. I have a separate analogue system which uses valve amps and the A110 takes a large step in that direction in all the good ways. Inputs are a Pioneer PD-77 CD player, Panasonic UB-9000 4K player and my MacBook using Audirvana. The A110 is driving a pair of modified Castle Harlech Mk I speakers, a match made in heaven to me. I highly highly recommend the A110.
It says Andrew Robinson, but we all know whose show this is. Lol! Love the show & BOTH did great. The Judge has spoken👩⚖️
Hello and nice video. Really enjoyed the conversation.
I have the PMA-A110 for about 14 months now. Luckily, I bought it open box before prices went up.
Currently, it's paired with some JBL L100 Classics and a nice Technics SL-1210G turntable. I did not hear many reviews of this amp because it was fairly new when I purchased. Your review has helped me get a better understanding of how it compares to other amps on the market. Jean over at Audioholics loves this amp too and he did a great review with measurements. His review sold me on it at the time.
Looking forward to hearing your feedback when you hook up the Cornwalls. I feel like I am hearing plenty of natural bass with the JBL's. I play classic rock and also a lot of jazz. So two different types of bass but all music sounds really great and puts a smile on my face. I have zero distortion and never need to bump the volume past 10 or 11 o'clock on the Denon. Hope to keep it for a long time. It makes analog music sound amazing.
Cheers!
Until I can afford a McIntosh MA12000 this will be my end-game Stereo Amp, I love the sound of it so much regardless of the speakers I've tried it with: Dynaudio Evoke 30, Countour 60, Cambridge Audio SX-80, Klipsch RP-8000F, Forte IIIs. It's really good.
- This goes really well with the DCD-A110. I've had friends come over and they've been blown away by the combination.
- It beat 1-3k DACs and streamers, and brings out a level in just regular CDs I thought impossible. SACD? Don't let me get started. Haven't tried against 10k DACs however.
Did you ever consider the Yamaha AS-2200? Its balanced and has a torodial transformer. Of so what were youe thiughts? Thanks
I’ve been running the Denon A110 with the Dynaudio Heritage Special speakers and they are a really good match! The A110 drives the 4ohm 85db speakers with ease. Surprisingly the phono stage is really, really good as well as the built-in DAC! You can tell Denon really went all-in with quality parts and the performance of the integrated-amp is extremely good. I’ve also tested the A110 with the Graham LS 5/9 speakers and it doesn’t disappoint. The ext. pre-in feature is quite a surprise! Run an external tube preamp and you’ll be greeted with some sweet sounding tube characteristics.
Another great review! The case you made for the Denon and Polk is what every audiophile on a beer budget wants to hear. Literally.
Not making a case, it's something we could both subjectively hear and objectively measure. The pairing puts forth a level of performance and refinement that rivals a lot of high-end stuff we have here in house.
How could you do a review of the A110 without talkin about its Quad DAC! I own this amp along with a bunch of others and I would buy the amp just for its DAC. Its on par with DACs like the Dinafrips Pontus of Gustard A26. Top class DAC and solid Class A biased amplification.
I demoed this unit at home for a month and almost kept it save for a few deal breakers. Overall decent amp that feels very well built. It’s dac is remarkably! good as well. Phono stage was just so so.
Excellent review! Have read and seen several reviews about the A110 and nobody managed to explain the nature of this amp more clearly.
Love that you guys have differing opinions and you include both no matter how close or far apart they are! 👍
I do not agree with Kristi… The Denon is serious value for money in its class💪🏽
I choose weight and scale (have Denon PMA-2000 / 24 kilos / Made in Japan) over speed because I don't think what the latter means and I've been a musician/audio fan all my life. If anything, to me 'attack' has more to do with the speaker. For instance, acoustic guitar thumb slaps sound a lot snappier on the Denton 85 than on the Linton 85. Thanks for the review. I like that you guys don't forget to talk about stereo amps.
good comment!
I have PMA A110 for over a year. Still loving it for speaker duty but I am delighted with the headphone jack for driving Hifiman HE1000 headphone, which needs some juice to drive well. I had the Pass Lab HPA1 and Violectric V281 for reference. The A110 as headphone amp is great!
Hey guys, I've been following you for a little while, I think since 2020. Love the content and want to thank you both for the great reviews. Unfortunately, most of the stuff you show us is a tiny bit out of reach at the moment but still happy with my 2yo system.
I wanted to leave a comment for once because I've had the impression that something changed. I don't know if it's the pace and rhythm of Andrew's presentation but I like it, it's good!! I feel it's a chiller, less hurried pace.
Off course, Christie is still amazing with her lovely voice and comments. 😁
Again, thank you for all the content and wish you both a good end of the year!
Mike from Brussels, Belgium. ✌️
Another stellar review. I guess I'm somewhere in between the two of you when it comes to bass. I definitely don't want it overemphasized or loose in any way (unless it's supposed to be). Probably not Denon's top-of-the-line integrated, those, I believe are reserved for the Japanese market, like the PMA SX11 that Tharbamar owns. That being said, looking inside at the separate transformers for each channel, and the fact that it doubles down into 4 ohms, this thing is a beauty, and I would say an absolute steal at $4000. Thanks again, guys.
I'm still rocking a Denon PMA-2000IVR, loved it for the years I've had it.
Same here. I'm fairly certain the power amplifier topology in our PMA-2000IVR is the same as this PMA-A110 anniversary unit. If you look up the listed specs, they are the same (80 Watts/channel into 8 ohms, THD .07%, 160 Watts/channel into 4 ohms, THD 0.7%). Independent testing by Audioholics and others shows that Denon actually under rates their power specs and these are really closer to around 100-115 Watts per channel into 8 ohms. But Denon has not really changed the power amp section in these amps (PMA-2000, 2020, 2500NE, A-100, A110) since 1996, which makes the PMA-2000 series a bargain on the used market. I believe the pre-amp sections have changed over time though.
I definitely align with Kristi on this a lot. I personally love super fast, staccato feeling bass to a big and punchy sound. The primary reason I went with RA1592. It’s got the bass but it’s fast, it’s very accurate and not at all shouty. The looks to me although understated somewhat and old school, that’s kind of the point with it being anniversary. And to me it’s awesome looking. Great review!
Ah yeah!!! #kristibass
Can't argue with that logic! Appreciate you my friend!
I love Andrew's point about listening to Audioslave on the Denon and comparing it to the Marantz.
Thank you so much your review. I own the PMA- A110 and would like to support your findings and give some more details to anyone considering purchasing this amp. First, the auto on/off features works nearly flawlessly with using TOSLINK when connected to the TV (i think coax does the same but it has just been some time since I used that). Second, the DAC in this unit is incredible. I have compared it to the stand alone CD player Dac from Marantz (SA-14S1) from 2014 (3000 USD) unit, and this DAC bests it. The DAC is also upsampling (to a degree) and responds very well to upsampled files and responds well to being feed PCM converted to DSD. Third, I am driving a pair of Buchardt S400 Mark 1 special editions with this and the flavor is full, rich, musical and with great Bass. Fourth, I have used this with my Vinyl (Linn LP12) with MM cartridge and the phone preamp section is fantastic (with my Linn MM Addikt cartridge). Fifth, I would recommend that you pair this with speakers that can produce excellent Bass, even if it means spending more because there is no dedicated subwoofer output. I believe you should be able to use the recorder out maybe as a sub output. You could also use this with a REL subwoofer that taps into the main speaker out terminals. Sixth, the build quality is impeccable. Seventh, this is a special, anniversary edition so there are more expensive parts on the inside than the normal one. This also means that you get to own a “special” edition version which is cool. Eighth, I enjoy the small digital screen because it lets me play with the sample rate (DAC) and then just compare the sound output and decide on if I like upsampled PCM (and what level of upsampling) versus PCM converted to DSD. Ninth, I have not yet felt any fatigue with this amplifier. I am happy with the “low level” listening levels. The tone controls also really work. I am really happy with the “quality” of the remote as well. It is important that when you spend a lot of money, it is pleasurable to use the remote (and knobs and buttons). But, you all need to know that this is a special edition and they made a limited amount of them. I don’t work for Value Electronics (but I bought my LG TV from them), but I believe that they may have this in stock still. Tenth, It is made in Japan, and proud of it. Love that. If anyone owns this amp, have you used the recorder out as a sub out? Just curious. I don’t really know how to use the recorder out function to be honest.
What a great second opinion! Thank you so much for sharing and for your support!
I also own the PMA-A110 (plus the companion CD/SACD DAC-110A player from Denon). I can confirm your Fifth point; using the Recorder out as a sub output does work.
@@dap777754thanks for replying to me on this old thread! That’s good info to know for the future
Hi! Thank you for all these details. I’m trying to convince myself if I should change my current setup. I have the Focals Aria 948 runned by a Pioneer m73 power amp and a Pioneer C73 preamp, both from the 90s. 110w in Class B, 30w in Class A. Recently I changed the Pioneer pd-73 cd player from the 90s with the Denon 110 and I was blown away. Would it be the same with the amp? I cannot test it unfortunately. Hard to decide if the change will be worthy. I’ll appreciate any advice. Thank you!
@@anmic3590 well congratulations on the Denon DCD-A110! I am thinking carefully about your problem. I do not own the preamp and amp you are talking about, but I looked them up online and they look to be close to heirloom quality. The best part of the A110 amp is the fact that it includes a fantastic DAC, fantastic phono stage, preamp and amp. In your case, you already have the amazing DAC in your CD player (although that is Just a cd player and not a DAC/cd player). So have 2 thoughts for you. You could spend 500-1000 dollars to rehab your preamp and amp and not buy the A110 integrated DAC/phono/preamp/amp. That might really improve things without the financial cost of buying the A110. Why should you consider buying the A110? If you have other digital sources, a turntable, or could repurpose your original preamp/amp to a different room. I hope things are going well for you! Let me know your thoughts.
Quick, articulate bass for me. First time viewer and commentator. Don’t know where you are located, but the Tampa area is holding the 4th annual Florida Audio Expo over the 3rd weekend in February (I hope this last sentence didn’t violate your rules!)
Thanks for watching!
Great review. I always like Denon integrated amps, but I think it has not improved anything over past 15 years or so. It still looks the same which is good, but it still sounds about the same to my ears but the price has went up almost 80% or so.
I absolutely love my Denon pma-a110.
It can stand against my Marantz PM10 which costs double.
I disagree with Kristi.
I also used to own Marantz 40n, and Denon sound much more detailed and holographic.
I also have owned Roksan. That sounds better than Marantz 40n.
Well she’s selling gear. Clicks, views, and gear.
I bought the Denon PMA-A110 earlier this year and it's an incredible machine. Your review is on the target and I'm really glad to have purchased it.
You have been happy with it?
@@erikjohansson1488 Oh Yes! I've matched it with a pair of Monitor Audio Silver 300 and it's a great combo.
@@hugoroussel1202The Denon is an amazing machine. It opened up my speakers like never before. Tube like warmth with great detail and a huge soundstage. I paired mine with a set of Focal Chora 826s.
@@erikjohansson1488 Oh yes!!
One vote here for Christie Base!!! You didn't allude to the fact that the Denon doesn't have a sub out nor a pre out. Or am I mistaken? A lot less flexibility for this amount of money. You also didn't poo poo the lack of HDMI as much as you do on other reviews. I wonder if you chose some, say Wharfedale Litton's with a cleaner amp, say the Rotel 1592 MKII which I thought you were thinking of buying, wouldn't you get the warm sound you allude to with more POWER?
I own a Pma1600 and it is connected to 2 REL’s 700 subs via the arrow system. No time smearing, and setting the cross over between my B&W’s and the the PMA it offers quite a sonic experience. I did not buy the Denon Anniversary because of the price. The bass is perfect for the most music I listen. Which is classical and jazz. I prefer a weighty sound over a lean sound. And the B&W’s appear to go right along with that. It is a wonderful coupling. I like the my music thick, deep and heavy. Because that is how live music sounds to
Me. Grand!
Would be nice to see the inside to give it a real solid look!
I don't if this comment applies to this particular amplifier but as far as getting bass speed is concerned I think the trick with the pma series is to pair Denon with faster sounding speakers. I have the pma 800ne which is also a warmer sounding amp but it pairs brilliantly with Triangle Titus bookshelf speakers and the sound is plenty punchy and and fast as well as rich and tonally satisfying.
Been running in new A-110 and Andrew is correct imho. Amp is amazing and yes, that’s against supposedly high end amps that I have owned. Future classic. Put your prejudices aside and just listen.
Which high end amplifiers?
Is it on par or above the Yahama AS2200?
This amp is going to be a classic and get legendary status. The power output is way more than is listed
I agree, it's pretty darn amazing!
Have this baby with its “cousin” CD player … with a pair of Elac 407 they really make me happy …
I don’t usually make any comments but this time I have to 😎 Denon has been making high end stuff for years. However it’s available only on Japanese market. It’s this kind of stuff you’d have to pay 1 million ¥ a piece. I’ve heard once this particular amp in a shop in Tokyo. It was paired with some floor standing B&W 700 series. And I must admit the sound was the most awful I’ve ever heard from any Denon. I don’t like B&W way of presentation and that could be the reason? Anyway I believe this amp could sound really good with the right speakers. Thanks for another great review!
Yes bw speakers 🔊 😢😢😢😊
I like you to review denon pma 1700 ne☺️
Hi Kristi and Andrew, 🙂
I've been watching your videos for a few weeks now, and first of all, having second opinions on these reviews is ABSOLUTELY awesome and DEFINITELY a richness to your TH-cam channel.
I look at some reviewers like:
Jay's iyagi, Steve "the audiophile" Guttenberg, A British audiophile,Tharbamar, Steve Huff, Zero fidelity.
And now you two! Because it's so great to have two reviews in the same video because your tastes are different, and it's very telling of what's important to us in sound. You give good advice, and through reflection bring to light what we should ask ourselves if we want to buy new audio equipment.
Andrew, I agree with you on the dark side of the "old B&W sound" and the nice tonality to match with Denon.
Denon has always focused on the sound of the mids, they are always rich with a nice scale, Denon's signature sound is always punchy and pleasant.
Agree with you on the matching with Polk, but it's not surprising, Polk has always had this same energetic side as Denon.
Kristi, GO on Naim, please! This is DEFINITELY for you !
About the sound of Marantz vs Denon, Denon is punchy and a little rounder, Marantz is more open and resolute.
(so this way we can understand why Kristi might choose the 40n over the A110, considering similarly that they are not in the same product range price-wise; and I agree with Andrew on the cheap (relatively speaking) if we decide to invest in the A110 compared to the "step up sound side" it can give).
I agree with Kristi on the nice design turn of Marantz, and on the pleasant and clean design of the Denon on this A110. All new design of 1600NE, 1700NE, 900HE, 2500NE is very well respected and well made in my opinion.
Afterwards, I think you compared some nice devices and for some which have an excellent value for money (A110, 40N, Atessa).
It's interesting to compare back and forth, some stuff in the same range too.
Maybe, you should and could to compare the Technics G700MK2, the XS3 or the SN3 of Naim.
About the Cambridge, Kristi, thanks to say the truth, thanks you so much, Its so f***ing BORING and flat. I ever still found the Cambridge sound signature so flat...
(But you shouldnt not considering the Denon bass like that,its not boring, its so more richfull and its not sluggish at all; Andrew has my point on that specifically point). Denon has a round texture and weighty bass :) ! energic ! That not the slam of a Naim, the agility of the roksan, or the precision of NAD.
But I think its a pleasant bass :). Denon has still that good vibe.
If we should speak, specifically about the A110, this anniversary edition is so beautiful, and its so well made ! The color is really nice!
I'm agree with Andrew to make the very important nuance when he said Technics and Roskan are lean"er" in comparaison of the Denon.
And I want to say "Bravo !" to Kristi to have some very details and specific ideas of what she likes in hifi and her opinions are very precises, and she puts in the light some very interesting points that we should always discuss when we want to buy some stuff in audio.
I really LOVE your very "crispy and detailed opinions" and your point of views.
Andrew, you have more facility to exprim your opinion, probably because you has a bit more experience and the habit to do some reviews on what you feel, its not an easy exercice.
Thanks so much for this vid ! (and the roksan one; Kristi, dont beat me, I seen that vid ! ) :p
Sorry for my english coz' im french. ^^
I keep on following both of you, its very still pleasure. :)
See ya !
Thank you so much for watching!!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews you're welcome, nice review!
Look, the second commentary on my post, it seems you have a strange clone with the same picture of you ... 😐🤔
Totally agree and surprised by this work of art from Denon. I don’t normally think of Denon when looking for 2 channel gear but I compared the PMA a110 to other highly rated units from Naim, Gold Note and Lyngdorf and preferred the Denon with some of my setups. Great match for KEF speakers with Rel subs connected directly to the speaker taps.
Quick, deep, textured, non distorted bass is my preference.
The Denon is the best Amp in this price Range, and sounds as good than Amps they are more expensive! Also the older PMA 2000er Series, and the limited PMA A100 Amp is a class of its own.
Why I love my pma-1600ne with Polk audios lsi-15 it’s a budgetish monster slayer system.
Great review! I almost got the Denon A110 but found a better deal with the Rotel 1592 MK2. That’s my current amp and happy it hasn’t been forgotten yet. Thanks for the video!
Forgotten? Never. I’ve got the first gen 1592 and love it. Will only “upgrade” if this one dies.
Would be great if you could try the Denon 1700-NE. From your review it sounds like it has a lot in common with A110 at about half the price and 10 watts per channel less. Also looks great in silver finish. Has that heft in bass, full mid range and slightly rolled off treble. I have a feeling it's has the same relation to the A110 as the Rotel 1592 MKII has to the Michi, a slightly lesser version of the same sound at a fraction of the price.
Very insightful as always and I agree completely, someone making a decision on amps like this will need to ultimately know 1) their tonal preference, and 2) will the pairing with their speakers achieve it. What’s cool, as compared to just about any other reviews, you guys provide the details necessary if someone will spend the time listening and understanding! Hence the value you bring to the table! Thanks as always! Love to start my Sunday with some audio insight. Bet that puppy was very nice with those 805’s!
Glad to finally see you testing my baby :-) I agree with you on most of your points. Building quality and sound quality (mediums oh god) for sure. I have to agree to a point I red in the comments : yes the volume control is not good enough for very low volume. That' a big beast but not easy to manage at very low volume. I also miss the pre-out. Other than that, great beauty and great choice. For network features, I added a Denon Heos Link, connected via digital imput. The internal DAC of the A110 is crazy good which makes things easier when it comes to source management ! thank you guys, you rock.
I have to say that you nailed it with my feeling about the vocals presence -"desembodied heads floating in the soundstage" , this is exactly what I feel sometimes, I like the review thank you
I always appreciate your reviews as they make me really think more clearly on the HiFi purchasing decisions I'll make.
I bought this and paired with KEF reference Meta 5s. Truly incredible.
Does it drive with ease?
With all the bass and attack chatter, you guys really need to get a Naim Supernait 3 in the house to check out.
Having 2500ne series driving Lintons Heritage. Really good match. Sound is warm, punchy and sound stage really deep and wide. I can only imagine 110 series, how good it is.
I have the 1520ae and already very impressed coming from the 720ae and would love to own this A110 one day....
I've got the PMA-2500NE as well and paired with Dynaudio Special 40s, and they sound absolutely brilliant. Right now, a new PMA-A110 in Japan costs 2270 USD. That is an extremely high value Amp.
@@MadViking82 Yeah that is not that much and from Ebay then..?
That was great (as usual) "here's where you got it wrong, Andrew..." lol! I do like the minimalist clean looks of the Denon and I agree I think it will age well. Love the way when I watch this just when I think that you've missed something out of a review, and then, of course, you didnt. If you pair this with the Klipsch that would be a really interesting one too. ~Peace
That's because we are mf'n professionals. 😂 Jokes aside, we really appreciate you watching to the end, Rob.
It is fascinating to see the generations old Marantz vs. Denon argument is alive and well even within the Robinson/Wright household.. FWIW I'm definitely on Andrew's side on this one. I just wish Denon added a preamp out or 2...
Great review. Thanks for making it. A110 is a very strong performer compared to high end integrated that I have own such as Pass Labs INT25, Gryphon Diablo 300, AVM Ovations A6.2Me. The built in DAC is excellent. Has more details and seperation than external DAC such as Holo Audio May. Hard to believe this unless you heard AB comparison. If only A110 has preamp out or sub out, then it will be perfect for sat-sub set up.
Totally agree on the included DAC and unit compares very nicely with other units costing much more. I was able to solve the sub issue by going with REL subs that connect directly to the speaker taps.
Call me thick but how do you control the volume of sub?
Denon continues to impress. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for watching!
Andrew could you also quickly compare it to Technics SU-G700 M2? I know you compared it with R-1000 but that’s a 10K amp and most of us mere mortals can’t afford it. Thank you always for your excellent reviews with Kristi.
For electronic music (brutal d'n'b, house, electro), i prefer a Kristi bass, and for organic, live played music, an Andrew bass.
Team Robinson ringing in the end of 2022 with 300k subscribers baby. Thanks for this review and wish you two much success in 2023.
It is really nice to see Denon get a little love this morning. Denon's amplifiers have been hifi's best kept secret for the past 40 years. However, so much of Denon's best gear rarely left Japan as it was made for the Asian market. Just look at their used amps on ebay and you will see pieces there that are shockingly high end. I was surprised that you said nothing about the sound quality of the digital section of the A110. I also thought that you could have said something about the sound quality of the phono section as I have the Denon pma 1600ne, and the phono section exceeds most stand alone phono amps that I have heard. With the A110 being their anniversary model I would think that the phono section will be superb, and as Denon continues to make some of the most highly regarded moving coil cartridges I would fall off of my chair if this was not the case.
Great review, having picked up the Rotel 1592 mk2, I still came away knowing why I chose it for my specific needs and still appreciated your enthusiasm and respect for this one. That's incredibly hard to do. Awesome job :)
I believe the term you guys are missing in regards to bass response from an amplifier is dampning factor. That is what controls how much attack and control an amplifier has over a woofer. It is a term that doesn't get used much these days, but was on every spec sheet in the 90's and 2000's.
Nice review but to my SURPRISE my £500 aging marantz pm7003 is not embarrassed by the A110😮, I paid for the Limited 110th Anniversary Edition. A collector's item.
Another beautiful review. Keep it coming guys. Can't wait for the Audiolab 9000A review.
Great video! I also noticed the Beosound Balance in the background so I'm looking forward to if there's an upcoming review. B&O products are always unique and it's really fun to hear your impressions about those products❤
Talking about the older 800d2 sound, I follow Andrew here. That sound made me fall in love with the brand. For me the newer D4 series is waaay to neutral sounding to my taste. I loved the warmer b&w sounds. But on the right amp they can indeed sound like the older series again. The Denon is a beautiful integrated amp.
Can't remember the last time I saw a True Double Down Amplifier...finally people with 4 ohm speakers will not lose 1.5 to 3db like with most typical amplifiers... Well done Denon...
Not sure the Denon truly doubles power into 4 ohms. If you look at their spec sheet, you'll notice the power output into 4 ohms is reference in a way that doesn't cover 20h-20khz. I have the matching CD/Super Audio CD player, and I can speak to the incredible build quality of the A110 line....
YOUR LIVING ROOM NEVER LOOKED BETTER 🤗💚💚💚
Hi Andrew
As always it's fun to watch and hear your excellent reviews, I wanted to know how it compares to the Yamaha AS-1200 which you reviewed before and i have it, Thanks Ronen
I have a marantz pm ki ruby integrated amplifier that has been recently discontinued. Everything you described about the pma110 sounds exactly like the pm ki ruby, and i wouldn't be surprised if the a110 is a rebadged pm ki ruby or based on the ruby.
I bought the ruby used from a guy that had a Macintosh 7200 so we could directly a/b them side by side on the same speakers. The Macintosh is "better," but it the gap was barely noticeable.
Those two amps are both nice, but have nothing to do with each other besides being under the same ownership group. Ken Ishiwata (RIP) did not design any Denon amps.
I love when you guys disagree and I mean that in a good way. Everyone needs to understand that we all listen differently and have different needs when listening. We can use metrics all day long but when you like the sound of something it doesn't matter to most how it measures. Love the awesome reviews, keep up the good work you two.i personally prefer the agaile bass because I hate when bass interfares with the midrange so I like when a receiver/amp gets that part right, I can always turn my subs up if I want more bass.
I have to say Kristys prowess as a analysts, has come along way, and is more and more appreciated.
I sincerely appreciate the recognition, @altops.
Lovely amp . I own a Denon 1510 which is 12 years old, so I imagine this A110 is a bit special. I like agile bass as a lot of music I listen to is fast
What do you think about the Denon PMA 1700 NE?
I regret not buying one sooner.
it is an awesome amp. Very happy with their updated pma-1700ne - the a110 was out of budget :(
fast bass makes the music come alive....if I had to choose.
If this had pre-out and HDMI in it would a near ideal integrated. Using an external component for streaming isn't necessarily bad as whatever streaming app comes built into an amp may not be to one's taste. Others have tested the A110 down to 1 or 2 ohms and it can put 300+ W into ultra-low impedance speakers. This and the Technics G700 Mk 2 are on my shortlist if I decide to change to something more modern (currently running late 80's Denon pre and power amp pair). Denon have always had some great amps at the top of their high-end Japanese market lineup, but they've always been virtually non-existent outside Japan since the late 80's or early 90's.
Great video! Thank you for offering the info to help people figure out the sound they are searching for.
Once I built a dedicated 2.2 channel listening room and get to listen to music for longer periods of time I now lean toward the warmer, easier listening amps. Sounds like Denon would be a winner to my ears. Ive tried to live with Naim and Rotel amps and once I got past the initial "hifi" sounding wow factor, over time I just wanted to tear my ears off my head. Haha. Bravo to Denon.
I have an earlier Denon PMA 2000 integrated amp, the latest version deems to do more of the same even better. As in case of the Denon, integrated amp wth separate transformers for the right and left channels always deliver a smoother sound, I find. Yes, the Deonon is softer, but also very quiet. It lets me enjoy the music without drawing attention to the equipment. So, sit back and enjoy. I decided NOT to upgrade to the latest version, though, not just because of the steep price tag, but also because it is still lacking a XLR input.
I guarantee you wouldn't hear the difference between XLR and coax, unless the cables are 50 ft long.
I tested on my system several times on the Marantz PM10 amp.
I’d like to see you do a comparison review of simple 2 channel amps (not integrated) to use with pre amp outs on AVR’s. Pick a few mid priced AVR’s and try a handful of amps for 2 channel listening while still being able to do 5.1 with the AVR. Many of us are looking to make that step.
I've been pondering your question of the day. I think I'm Team Andrew, as long as the bass doesn't feel sluggish or overpower the rest of the range. I love really feeling the low notes on a piano or cello, and I find that even if the bass is, on paper, a little "high", that the tactile effect helps with articulation on things like upright bass and drums. A lot of the music I listen to has very slow and droney bass anyway, so speed is sort of irrelevant in those cases.
I like textured bass, especially for classical and jazz, tight and punchy with electronic, rock and pop. Quite happy with bass with Naim Supernait 3, is Denon similar regarding the bass?
I think Kristi just described the YAMAHA Sound!
Agile attack with a natural, uncolored clean sound...
- I'm with you Kristi, sorry Andrew 😉
Amazing review Andrew, one of the best so far. What about comparing to the yamaha AS line? Thanks a lot
Enjoyed all the comparisons as usual. I think my current system lends itself to kristi’s style of bass but at some point I may have to trial different speakers to see more clearly where I fall.
Hi Andrew great review, it so happened that I purchased my B&W 706S2 , based on sound quality alone, which amp would you recommend between the Attessa and Denon PMA 1700NE. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.. thanks
I thought it would go well with the B&W because Denon amps always lean warm while modern day B&Ws tend to lean bright which is why you said the Denon brings the 805 D4 back to the old B&W sound to a degree. Bottom line, the Denon is just a little too laid back for my taste as I tend to prefer more punchy amps with a sweet midrange. Because of that, I will never buy Denon 2-way amps as opposed to their AV receivers. However, I do buy their SACD players as Denon offers very competitively priced SACD hybrid players. In fact, I have been thinking about the partnering SACD player to this amp the DCD-A110. Even though that is already top of the range for Denon, it is still substantially cheaper than any Esoteric SACD players.
The SX-1 is Denon’s flagship, followed by SX-11 but this is just in Japan unfortunately.
Agreed with Kristi here: this thing looks gooood!
No secret to me I thought this was so much better than when Sony made their integrative few years ago their flagship one I thought these were so much better
Try harman/kardon HK 980, much cheaper, more connections, better looks.
Re: BASS -- I want both. I want my amp and speakers to be faithful to the source material. So I'm I'm listening to something Aphex Twin or Squarepusher, fast, punchy dynamic is preferable. Same holds true often in movies/TV. If I'm listening to some Muddy Waters (aka "My Home is the Delta"), or anything slower/vibey, like Louis Cole's "Let it Happen," I want it to be big soulful, airy, atmospheric. In either case I think bass should literally be felt, not in a ridiculous way but in a way that grabs the water in our cells you and says "this is why you bought this in the first place."
So what you guys are saying is it's "All About That Bass." Great review and I would love to hear this amp!
In the end, it would appear so.
It’s 2022 and some High-End integrated amps still don’t have sub outs? And this doesn’t even have a Pre-Out you can use…
It's 2022 and you can connect your sub at high level.
@@richardt3371 I’m only paraphrasing what Andrew has said previously.
Hard to say which bass is better. It depends on the track? I’ll say this: I think it’s high time speaker manufacturers started including a minimum amplifier damping factor in their specs.
QOTD,
Is it possible to have both kinds of bass? Maybe with the right kind of amp speaker pairing?
Thanks for great review
For bass when listening to MUSIC... I want the fastest attack/gut punch I can find. I don't really care for low rumbly or super deep concussive bass.
Home theater... I can appreciate that lower bass though. This is why I use two separate systems for these things.
Great review and as a tube guy (McIntosh MA2275 integrated), this Denon has piqued my interest. I'm with Andrew on the bass, as I prefer a slower, but more detailed and weighted bass as most of the music I play is acoustic (ie not electronic music). I really want to feel that double bass in the room. I want to feel like Paul Chambers is standing right in front of me.
Demon?
Ha! And to think, I proofread it as well. I don't think there was anything subconscious going on in my comments though.
Thank you for this review. I wish you would have had some thoughts on this amp and your Cornwall iv’s (wishing for a friend who owns a pair 😂). Thanks again !
HA wrote this without watching the entire review 😅 but I just left it up.
Wow surprise surprise. I never expected a review of the A110 from you. Funny enough, I just received mine around 2 weeks ago.
I thought kristi did not like the Denon pma900’s design. But the a110 seems to have similar design except for the height of the amp.
Vastly different materials and those materials were the difference maker.