Denon DCD-2010AE player and PMA-2010AE integrated amplifier test

The Denon DCD-2010AE player and the PMA-2010AE integrated amplifier are well equipped, well made components that already deserve respect for their appearance alone. But they also sound great: smooth, accurate and musical, making a serious claim for leadership in their class.

CONSTRUCTION

Denon is one of the oldest companies in the audio-video equipment industry, celebrating its 100th anniversary in October 2010. During this century the company has gone through all stages of audio recording and playback equipment from the first Japanese phonograph in 1910 to modern universal players and a variety of amplifiers. In 2009 Denon introduced the world’s first player that reads all major data formats: Blu-ray Disc, SACD, DVD-Video/Audio and CDs. The company thoroughly prepared for the anniversary by developing several exclusive anniversary devices and refreshing the model range of standard products. Today we will tell you about two flagship models in their categories: Denon DCD-2010AE SACD player and Denon PMA-2010AE integrated amplifier.

DCD-2010AE player is equipped with Advanced AL32 sound processor, which uses an interpolation algorithm to increase the bit depth to 32 bits. Accurate digital-to-analog converter is used in the main clock of the device, allowing to receive clock pulses with very low jitter. The player output DACs are 32-bit and 192 kHz sampling.

The new chassis and cabinet are dedicated to fight against vibrations: the bottom panel is made of three-layer, the upper two-layer, the side panels have a hybrid construction, that is composed of sections of different alloys, which also increases the resistance of the structure to resonances. The weight balance of the unit is optimized by installing the driving mechanism in the middle of the chassis and reducing its center of gravity. The Advanced S.V.H. Suppress Vibration Hybrid drive has a cast aluminum tray and is also modified to better suppress vibration.

Minimal interference in the turntable’s signal circuits is achieved by clever circuit topology and the use of shortest paths. Power supply unit used not only high quality capacitors, but also two power transformers mounted on cast iron bases. One transformer is used to power digital circuits, the other for analog circuits.

Rear panel includes analog outputs and two digital outputs with coaxial and optical connectors. But in addition to these the DCD-2010AE is equipped with digital inputs coaxial and optical , so the player can be used as a separate D/A converter unit.

To enhance the analog output, the DCD-2010AE offers a Pure Direct mode that turns off the power for the display and the digital output on the unit. And thanks to the front USB input, you can connect an external storage device or portable player, including an iPod, to the player and then play music tracks in compressed formats MP3 and WMA from these devices. For better sounding Compressed Audio Restorer is provided.

The Denon PMA-2010AE integrated amplifier is a 24-kilogram behemoth with a thick front panel and machined aluminium controls among which the extraordinarily large 2.7 cm diameter volume knob really attracts the eye to the center of the front panel. Around the smaller knobs are the record selector, source selection, channel balance control and tone-block adjustment in two ranges – bass and treble. On the sides of the mega volume knob there are two buttons, one of them turns on the Direct mode, the other one allows to send the signal from an external preamp directly to the power stage of PMA-2010AE using a special input “Power Amp Direct” located on the back side of the unit for this purpose. Headphone jack output is on the bottom left of the front panel.

The back side of PMA-2010AE is colorful with connectors: there are six line inputs, from two of which you can record, phono stage input with MM/MS type switch, the previously mentioned Power Amp Direct, output from the preamplifier stage and two recorder outputs. The amplifier is easy to use for Bi-Wiring, because it has two pairs of high level outputs.

The internal construction of the amplifier follows the same principles as the developers used in the SACD-player but even more thoroughly: The chassis and the case use laminated panels, the power transformers and radiators are placed on the bases that damp the resonances and the heavy parts of the construction are placed as low as possible to lower the center of gravity. And the layout of the amplifier components is designed to transmit vibrations to the feet of the unit in the best way possible. Even such a small detail as varying width of heatsink fins is taken into account in the struggle against vibrations. The amplifier chassis is divided into 6 mutually shielded zones to isolate circuits with different voltage levels from each other.

The amplifier circuit is made on a classical principle “double mono” with symmetrically placed circuits of the left and right channels. Two power transformers feed the pre- and post-amplification circuits independently, and both are placed so as to compensate for each other’s magnetic leakage. Battery type filter capacitors with 12K capacity are used in the power supply. μF each, the capacitors are connected to the earth circuit with a thick copper plate, the rectifier uses high-current Schottky barrier diodes. The PMA-2010AE output stage is built around a push-pull circuit on UHS ultra-high current MOSFET transistors, which are designed to provide a large current reserve of the amplifier with a minimum number of elements used. As a result, the device nominally produced 80 Watts/channel into 8 Ohms load and twice as much into 4 Ohms. It is supposed to be so in theory, but unfortunately not all amplifiers implement it in practice.

Both units are controlled by one full-featured remote control with aluminum top panel and convenient buttons.

SOUND

To listen to Denon components we chose French TRIANGLE Genese Quartet speakers and ANALYSIS PLUS cables Oval 9 for acoustics and Solo Crystal for interconnects .

Some words about TRIANGLE speakers. Quartet speakers belong to the medium range in the company’s lineup. The speakers have floor-standing design and 3-way speaker configuration. The MDF cabinet has rounded side panels and is set on SPEC proprietary pedestal, which provides isolation from the floor with a large metal cone at the base. Overhead tweeter was equipped with 25mm titanium dome and inserted into PVC horn, the midrange driver was equipped with 160mm paper cone and traditional cloth suspension, two 160mm bass drivers were equipped with fiberglass weave diaphragms and were acoustically loaded on twin-phase Twin Vent port.

In the stereo system the Denon pair proved to be very smooth and accurate sounding components, without any genre bias in music. Bass was deep and wonderfully controlled, the midrange was detailed, vocal parts retained tremulous emotionality, and the treble was clean and clear. The musical scene was accurately constructed by the Japanese, with good localization of images even in the orchestral compositions. In general the sound of Denon components is wonderfully neutral without any frills or extra accents, the units try to faithfully reproduce the music, nothing more. Yes, you could wish for sharper dynamic contrasts, more transparent remote plans of orchestral scenes and more precise study of very fine details of records, but these sound attributes usually come together with much more expensive electronics.

It is also worth mentioning that, while the Denon DCD-2010AE plays common CDs well, its SACD discs are remarkable, giving a rare airiness to the stereo image and a pleasant definition of sound to all high-frequency passages. We advise all owners of large collections of SACD records to have a closer look at this Denon “source.

85 000 Dollars.