The High End show is currently underway in Munich, and a number of brands are showcasing upcoming products for the year.
One of those big brands is Japanese electronics manufacturer Denon, and they’ve announced a new 900 Series of hi-fi separates along with the PMA-1700NE integrated amplifier.
Let’s start the 900 Series first, which is made up of the PMA-900HNE integrated network amplifier and DCD-900NE CD player. The amplifier is Denon’s first to feature built-in HEOS integration, the streaming tech that allows playback from the likes of Spotify and Tidal from the HEOS app, as well as making the PMA-900HNE multi-room compatible with other HEOS products.
The 900HNE is designed to sit at the centre of living room experience, “delivering an outstanding listening experience” whether you’re watching TV, playing games or listening to music. It’s equipped with a high-current 85-watt channel amplifier design and oversized power supply to extract the best performance possible from any loudspeaker. Along with HEOS, there’s AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth connectivity, with the PMA-900HNE also compatible with files such as ALAC, FLAC and WAV lossless up to 24-bit/192kHz, as well as DSD 2.8MHz/5.6MHz.
The DCD-900NE CD player complements the PMA-900HNE amplifier to create a full stack “able to reproduce any type of digital music.” Denon’s engineers have incorporated advanced AL32 Processing Plus digital signal processing and filtering to reproduce recordings with precision and clarity. Its USB port can play PCM up to 24-bit/192kHz and DSD 2.8MHz/5.6MHz. The chassis has been designed to vibration resistant, isolating the player from any unwanted energy that could knock its performance.
Above these products in the performance stakes is the PMA-1700NE. With 140-watts per channel, the 1700NE has its sights on delivering an audiophile grade listening experience. Connectivity includes both analogue and digital sources, with vinyl record collectors sated with both moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) phono cartridges included. Coaxial and digital inputs open the device up for use with TVs and media players. Other connections include A/B speaker terminals and a subwoofer pre-out.
In terms of file support, the PMA-1700NE can reach 11.2 MHz DSD and up to 32-bit/384kHz from a computer, the USB-B port mated to a master clock and high-performance DAC that suppresses jitter for best playback performance.
Like the DCD-900NE CD player, the 1700NE features a vibration-resistant design, as well as an electronic volume control for smooth adjustment of output levels, gold-plated speaker terminals and analogue source-inputs to prevent corrosion over time and maintain reliable connections.
The PMA-1700NE launches in June for $2099 / £1699 / €1999. The PMA-900HNE is due in July for $849 / £899 / €999, while the DCD-900NE is available in June for $499 / £449 / €499.
You might like…
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
