Introduction
The Denon PMA-50 is a stereo amplifier that is both portable and well-designed. It features just the right amount of additional technology to prevent it from seeming old. Read on to know about our views on this product!
Table of Contents
USB connectivity and Bluetooth wireless technology are two of the most important characteristics. In this particular instance, aesthetics do come at a bit of a cost; but, if you’d rather use high-fidelity bookshelf speakers as opposed to a separate unit, this is a good compromise.
Even if the speakers are not included in the price of the Sonos Play:5, the main unit is Rs 32000, thus for the same amount of money you could purchase a Denon PMA-50 and a fantastic pair of entry-level units instead of a Sonos Play:5.
Design And Build
The Denon PMA-50 is an attempt to produce an upscale, modern high-fi look that is comparable to that which may be found in furniture shops. It is a space saver, measuring at around half the depth and width of traditional home hi-fi systems.
Denon has decided to take a strategy that is more fashion-forward than what was seen in their prior mini-systems, which are part of the Ceol series.
The exoskeleton of the Denon PMA-50 is constructed out of aluminium, and its curved outer skin has a thickness of of roughly 2 millimetres. This is the design’s crowning achievement, featuring a light-gold anodized finish not dissimilar to the one found on the iPhone.
As you examine the Denon PMA-50 in further detail, you will see that the design is not particularly eye-catching. This is something that you will notice immediately. The visual impact is significant, especially when weighed against the amount of work invested. The front is made of a glossy plastic that may be confused for glass, while the sides feature a design that is textured.
The volume knob is the only component of the design that does not quite live up to the expectations set for it in terms of how smooth and opulent it should be. It is debatable as to whether or not this should have a role in the purchase decision you make in the end.
It is possible to take up even less space by turning the Denon PMA-50 on its side or standing it upright. The typical concern for beauty shown by Denon manifests itself in the screen’s ability to rotate on its own.
Denon has, once again, utilised a display that is more than sufficient. Instead of using a colour LCD, the album art is displayed on a basic white OLED panel that practically disappears into the glossy black frame. This allows for a more seamless look.
There are only three buttons available on the Denon PMA-50: power, Bluetooth, and input. You can access the software’s various functions by using the remote, but the menus on the interface are very simple. The only controls available are for the volume and the bass and treble levels. The Denon AV receiver is far superior to its competitors in every respect.
Features And Specs
The rise in popularity of surround sound systems as well as single-box wireless audio systems has resulted in a reduction in the demand for lifestyle stereo amplifiers such as the one shown here. In spite of this, the Denon PMA-50 has a lot to offer, particularly if you are fine with only having stereo sound.
On the back of the device, there are connectors for phono, USB, coax, and two optical connections. As a result of this, you will be able to connect a variety of devices, including a DVD player, a television, a computer, and potentially even more.
The Denon PMA-50 allows for wireless connections to be made via Bluetooth from your phone, and it employs aptX to ensure that the feed is of a quality that is at least passable. Using the NFC point that is located on the left side of the box will allow one to speed up the pairing procedure. When positioned over this zone, a phone equipped with NFC will immediately attempt to link with the other device.
Because Bluetooth does not make use of a wireless network in the same way as Wi-Fi does, its range is restricted to the confines of a single room rather than being able to spread over a building’s various levels. However, we found Bluetooth to be quite reliable.
A direct match for the Denon PMA-50, the Denon DRA-100 is also a dedicated network player box and can be purchased for the same price of £699.
The USB input of the Denon PMA-50 is still capable of handling signals of an extremely high quality (up to 24-bits/192-kHz PCM and 2.8MHz/5.6MHz DSD). These signals are suggestive of a high-quality digital-to-analog converter (DAC) contained within the box, despite the fact that the quality of these signals may be significantly lowered on the speaker types that are most typically used with this system.
Sound
If you purchase a Denon PMA-50, there is a good probability that you will also purchase a pair of bookshelf speakers, even if those speakers do not need to be manufactured by Denon. Because it does not require any additional components, it can be thought of as the modern version of a mini-system and is intended for use by individuals who have abandoned the usage of physical media.
This apparatus features a solid-state amplifier that offers a power output of 50W for speakers with a 4 ohm impedance. You need to double check that the system is capable of driving the amplifier in addition to a pair of room-dominating floorstanders because the power output of the system is very low.
I put the amplifier through its paces with three distinct speaker systems, including a pair each of bookshelf speakers made by Klipsch and Quadral, in addition to a larger pair of floorstanders that were hybrid electrostatic. The Denon PMA-50 looks wonderful and performs exceptionally well when paired with high-fi bookshelf speakers of any sort. If you prefer something smaller, though, a pair of home-cinema satellites is an excellent alternative.
You will often be left with a significant gap in the bass range if you do this, which is to be expected. In order to solve this problem, the majority of the wireless speakers that I have been evaluating as of late implement innovative technology such as powerful ports and bass radiators. Hi-fi speakers that are not as large often are not as concerned with this issue.
This was especially obvious in the case of the two more compact speakers that I evaluated (please note that this is the fault of the speakers and not the amplifier).
This issue is remedied by the presence of a subwoofer pre-out on the Denon PMA-50, which enables you to connect a powered subwoofer to the receiver. This enhances the bass response and gives the impression that the system is more powerful than it would have been if you had only used floorstanding speakers.
Although it is not immediately obvious, the Denon PMA-50 is capable of providing power to a pair of floorstanding speakers. If the speakers are particularly tough to drive, you shouldn’t have to crank up the volume to ridiculous levels just so you can hear the music in a huge place; you should be able to hear it just fine at a normal level. However, it did make the bass less tight, and it gave the impression that the larger speakers were slightly less open than they normally are.
It is recommended that any replacement amplifiers for large collections of floor-standing speakers have a higher power rating.
The Denon PMA-50 delivers an outstanding performance when paired with tiny stereo systems. It offers a fairly neutral tone that does not compete with either the smooth Quadrals or the clear Klipsch speakers in the room.
Performance
The Denon PMA-50 is an ultra-compact and aesthetically pleasing stereo amplifier that delivers superb sound quality. Read on for an in-depth analysis of how well this powerful amplifier performs:
The Denon PMA-50 provides excellent audio performance. The high-resolution DAC and Advanced AL32 Processing in the amplifier produce sound of exceptional purity and realism. Every note and instrument is faithfully reproduced in a natural and warm tone that contributes to the overall sense of harmony.
The Denon PMA-50 is a strong amplifier that, despite its small size, provides 50 watts per channel into 4 ohms. The Class D amplifier design used in the amplifier provides minimum power loss and heat production, further increasing the amplifier’s efficiency. Hence, the PMA-50 can easily power even the most demanding speakers while being low in both energy consumption and environmental impact.
The Denon PMA-50 has excellent connectivity options. The amplifier accepts a broad variety of inputs, from analogue RCA cables to digital USB-B, coaxial, and optical connections. The amplifier is compatible with both digital and analogue inputs, so you can plug in your computer, CD player, or turntable and listen to your favourite tunes. The PMA-50 is Bluetooth-enabled, so you may wirelessly play music from your mobile device, PC, or any Bluetooth-enabled audio device.
The Denon PMA-50 looks great and works great because of its high-quality design and construction. The amplifier has a contemporary look that will complement any space, and it is well-made with durable materials that will last for years. A convenient headphone output is located on the amplifier’s front panel, and the unit’s bright OLED display makes it easy to see the input and volume settings.
The Denon PMA-50 is an excellent amplifier because it provides high-quality sound, ample power, low energy consumption, and a sleek, space-saving chassis. This amplifier will improve the quality of your audio experience tremendously, whether you’re watching a movie or listening to music.
Verdict
We’re grateful for products like the Denon PMA-50 amplifier, despite the fact that the demographic of people interested in hi-fi systems is shrinking in favour of those interested in home-theater systems like Sonos. But, if music plays more than a supporting role in your life, this is a stylish and effective method to fill your home with full-bodied stereo sound.
If you want to use this as a 2.1 system for your TV, the best way to set it up is with two smaller (still pretty huge by today’s standards) bookshelf-style speakers and an active subwoofer. For example, when paired with the KEF Q100, the resulting sound will be of greater quality, albeit with less bass, than that of a Sonos Play:5.
For those who aren’t quite ready to give up their separate hi-fi speakers, this sleek and powerful modern amplifier is the next best thing.
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