{"id":118756,"date":"2021-01-19T17:34:33","date_gmt":"2021-01-19T17:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techweekmag.com\/?p=118756"},"modified":"2024-02-24T15:31:37","modified_gmt":"2024-02-24T15:31:37","slug":"denon-pma-150h-review-a-modern-and-stylish-network-amplifier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/hi-fi\/denon-pma-150h-review-a-modern-and-stylish-network-amplifier\/","title":{"rendered":"Denon PMA-150H : A modern and stylish Network Amplifier"},"content":{"rendered":"

Denon PMA-150H looks like a typical “designer” component in a very stylish design. By all its functional features, it is a stereo receiver, and modern, with in-demand wireless and streaming functions.\u00a0But Denon says it’s first and foremost … an integral with audiophile sound quality.\u00a0Let’s check?<\/p>\n

If you go to the Hi-Fi components section on the official Denon website, then in the Design line you will probably also find the\u00a0DRA-100\u00a0network receiver released since 2015\u00a0.\u00a0The novelty outwardly does not differ from him at all, and this is the very case when no changes were wanted, otherwise the unity of style and form would be broken.<\/p>\n

So, in the next mini format integral, we see all the same metal sidewalls and rather powerful “plates” that form the base and lid of the device.\u00a0And also the familiar mirror-black front panel, on which everything is exactly like a “hundred” – and OLED-display, and a set of sensor buttons located in a cross, jacks for connecting USB-flash drives and headphones.\u00a0Only one icon disappeared from here – the NFC “near” communication logo.<\/p>\n

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The PMA-150H also has no cardinal differences behind.\u00a0Added a USB Type B input so that you can route the signal to the built-in DAC directly from a PC or laptop, and removed Preout.\u00a0Such a change in switching, in general, suggested itself – the first was just really lacking in the receiver, and the second was hardly used by anyone at all, because usually developed setups are not built on the basis of “designer” components (if you are still worried, to which you can connect a sub, then a separate mono output is provided for it).<\/p>\n

Does such a modification justify the surcharge, because the novelty is still 10 thousand dollars more expensive than the receiver?\u00a0Let’s not jump to conclusions.\u00a0The H in the name of the new model indicates the presence of an advanced streaming platform HEOS with dual-band WiFi, multi-room support and the ability to connect voice control through smart speakers.\u00a0Only one such feature, instead of the standard network solution from the DRA-100, already completely covers the difference in price, because in fact we get an amplifier with the functionality of a streamer-player.\u00a0And add to this the modules for receiving digital radio DAB.<\/p>\n

Only one such feature instead of the standard network solution from DRA-100 already fully covers the price difference.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That is why the model is positioned quite high in the overall Denon model hierarchy, between the full-size integrated circuits PMA-800NE and PMA-1600NE (and much closer to the latter).\u00a0Yes, only four digital sources (the fifth via Bluetooth) and only two analog ones can be connected to the “one hundred and fiftieth” – to some extent this is the payment for the design and diminutiveness.\u00a0But in general, for audio equipment, lifestyle is no longer enough.\u00a0The same vinyl turntable can, for example, be attached via an external corrector.\u00a0Or even directly, if you pair the amplifier with a turntable with built-in phonostage.\u00a0In this capacity, I believe, the\u00a0Denon DP-400 is\u00a0ideal\u00a0, which sounds great precisely on the line-out.<\/p>\n

Now take a closer look at the back of the integral.\u00a0In the same places (compared to the DRA-100), only the terminals for connecting acoustics remained.\u00a0The castling of all the others says at least that the amplifier is arranged inside, in principle, differently.\u00a0Denon’s engineers have taken such a serious step in order to ensure that the PMA-150H is as close as possible to the new priority – sound quality.\u00a0So what we have in front of us is the first audiophile device in the compact Design-series, and even with class D terminals. Well, isn’t it a bold application?<\/p>\n

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Let’s move on to the technical details.\u00a0Although the power characteristics have not changed relative to the DRA-100, the amplifiers here are still different and they belong to the second generation DDFA.\u00a0Literally translated, the abbreviation means “direct digital feedback amplifier”.\u00a0They were developed by the British company CSR (the same company that once promoted the aptX codec), and Denon was the first Japanese hi-fi manufacturer to support this technology.<\/p>\n

The amplifiers here are still different and they belong to the second generation of DDFA.\u00a0Literally translated, the abbreviation means “direct digital feedback amplifier”.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It has two distinctive features.\u00a0First, all intermediate conversions from analog to digital and vice versa are excluded from the path.\u00a0Second: the PWM modulator is covered by the OS to eliminate errors in the output signal.\u00a0In the first generation models, the DDFA path was built on the CSRA6601 (ADC \/ DSP \/ DAC \/ modulation) and CSRA6600 (feedback signal processing) chips.\u00a0In the new model, everything is entrusted to a more advanced Qualcomm single-chip chip, from which, according to the developers, it is no longer so difficult to get really cool sound.\u00a0The DDFA feedback loop in it has become really “direct” – the signal for control is taken from the output to the acoustics and is fed directly into the DSP.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the energy architecture has changed radically.\u00a0The number of output “switches” that cut pulses has become exactly twice as large, that is, the final stages are built on a bridge circuit.\u00a0And the power supply itself has been completely revised – if the previous one gave out a maximum of 2×7 amperes, then the new one at the same voltage (32 V) is able to provide an output current of up to 26 A. At the same time, the \u201cringing\u201d characteristic of impulse switches is significantly reduced in its spectrum.\u00a0This is important because there is also a separate headphone amplifier in the path, which needs a clean and stable power supply.<\/p>\n

The lower register is always tight, confidently played right down to the largest kicks and well structured.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In general, everything is convincing on paper.\u00a0If something is upsetting, it is only a discrepancy in the parameters of the network and amplifier sections.\u00a0The former supports digital playback up to DSD 5.6 MHz and PCM 32 bit \/ 192 kHz, while the latter supports DSD 11.2 MHz and PCM 32 bit \/ 384 kHz data.\u00a0But nothing prevents you from listening to super high-cut USB from your computer.<\/p>\n

With HECO Trezor mini monitors from the mentioned source we get almost analog sound – refined, detailed, without any noticeable digital “admixture” at all.\u00a0Perhaps textile tweeters soften the amp’s handwriting and its true digital essence a little.\u00a0But even with such a sound, you can, as they say, live happily ever after.<\/p>\n

Let’s check what will change when using other inputs.\u00a0From a USB drive, as well as from a network from a regular NAS storage, the same material sounds very similar and is only slightly less correctly laid out according to plans.\u00a0As for SPDIF (optics) from a CD-player – a little brighter in timbres, but easier in fine detail, with slightly enlarged virtual images.\u00a0Someone will like this option the most.\u00a0By analogy, it is a bit stingy and not very interesting, although it is necessary to make an allowance for the fact that such a feeling appeared the first time it was turned on, which left the strongest impressions.<\/p>\n

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So, here’s what we have: although the middle is slightly closed, the tonal intelligibility of the amplifier is at a height, and the musical balance is similar to the monitor.\u00a0The scene can be very deep and precise.\u00a0The lower register is always tight, confidently played right down to the largest kicks and well structured.\u00a0Perhaps, to someone’s taste, the sound of the pair will not seem too drive.\u00a0But there is speed and the right punchiness here.\u00a0Only in the loudest contrasts, the amplifier reminds of its 35 watts at 8 ohms.\u00a0And at the most intense low frequencies the speakers themselves become the bottleneck – the amplifier honestly drives such currents into them that the midbass diffusers begin to go literally before lights out.\u00a0But I can still safely recommend such a bundle to all lovers of accurate sound who are not inclined to bring the volume up to concert levels.<\/p>\n

With the floor standing Canton GLE 496.2, the interpretation changes.\u00a0More sensitive wide-range acoustics add energy and a little sharpness to the sound, and at the same time unfolds such a lower register in front of the listener, which immediately conquers with clarity and naturalness.\u00a0For example, I do not remember that inexpensive Canton turrets produced such bold and clear bass even from expensive amplifiers!\u00a0The second pleasant discovery: even when working with acoustics with metal tweeters and a silver-plated cable, the amplifier never once cut the ear with prickly or lifeless shades.\u00a0The sound turned out to be neither dry, nor metallic, nor blurry (all this is often found behind switching amplifiers).\u00a0The top remained clean.\u00a0The bass conquered with order and fullness.\u00a0Not a single important detail was lost in dynamic contrasts.\u00a0I won’t call this pair perfect for the ears,<\/p>\n

For example, I do not remember that inexpensive Canton turrets produced such bold and clear bass even from expensive amplifiers!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Exactly the same honest and open character was preserved when switching to the two-way Focal 806. Here again it was possible to notice that the amplifier gives out to the acoustics what it has, and not a watt more.\u00a0I also noted that he still slightly exaggerates the subtle differences between standard files and high-cuts.\u00a0But how the content of the playback has changed!\u00a0The timbres opened up, the balance became perfect (even the thought did not come to correct something in the received musical picture with a different arrangement of systems or regulation by the timbre block).\u00a0And all the images in the scene were literally for show, like goods for acceptance – they say, in this recording there were so many performers, so many instruments, they sounded with such and such a level and were in the hall of such and such an area.\u00a0Recount and sign …<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h3>\n

These are, of course, purely audiophile things, but in fact, only the most very expensive pulse amplifiers were previously capable of such concretization.\u00a0Technological progress has made this quality much more affordable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Denon PMA-150H looks like a typical “designer” component in a very stylish design. By all its functional features, it is a stereo receiver, and modern, with in-demand wireless and streaming functions.\u00a0But Denon says it’s first and foremost … an integral with audiophile sound quality.\u00a0Let’s check? If you go to the Hi-Fi components section on the […] More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10404,"featured_media":118762,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[642],"tags":[778],"class_list":{"0":"post-118756","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hi-fi","8":"tag-reviews"},"acf":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10404"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118756"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118756\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118762"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}