Denon PMA-1600NE Wins Hi-Fi Choice Amplifier Group Test
Sep 05, 2017
The Denon PMA-1600NE was reviewed and tested by David Vivian from Hi-Fi Choice and had this to say;
"The built-in DAC is a good one and remarkably consistent across all the digital inputs. Sara Bareilles' exquisite performance of 'I Can Let Go Now' is lushly detailed, beguiling, musical and emotionally replete. What a set of pipes this girl has and her extraordinary dynamic range and subtlety are given full expression."
"Plug in the Chord Hugo DAC and switch off the amp's digital circuitry, and it can almost bring you to tears....The DAC's overarching sweetness and smoothness isn't quite replicated by the Hugo, but dynamic contrasts are more precisely portrayed, transients sharpen up, tempo and timing lock down and music acquires more solidity, focus and dimensionality."
"The effect this has on the Alison Moyet cut takes what the Arcam achieved to another level. Her lung capacity seems greater. She's more in the room, and a larger room at that, the soundstage stretching well beyond the span of the speakers and some way behind as well."
"Most telling, though, is what happens with the massed voices of Naturally 7. The Denon's transparency and powers of discrimination most definitely win the day here, painting a collective composed of individual voices that makes the closely woven harmonies all the more spine tingling."
The PMA-1600NE was awarded with 5 Stars and is the GROUP TEST WINNER beating strong competitors from Arcam, Hegel, NAD, Technics and Yamaha.
Click here to view the Denon PMA-1600NE.
