DENON PMA-1700NE...REMEMBER THE SOUND! 

There's an Audiophiliac imposter scamming my viewers, DON'T respond! I don't do giveaways or ask for money (except for my Patreon).

I have had the Denon PMA 1600 since almost 3 years ago. It drives BW, the ones with torpedo tweeter on top and also a recently acquired REL 7x sub woofer. My turntable is a one and a half year old Technics 1200 GA with an Ortofon bronze. The CD source is a harman kardon cd player I bought new in Dec of 1989. Still working like a charm. I have to agree with Steve the sound from the Denon is buttery rich, potent and finely finely detailed. What a treat! Great expansive smooth sound, gorgeous sound stage and the Denon does not flinch at any music you throw at it. It is so lifelike. Denon makes good quality and the proof is in the pudding. I listen to acoustic, jazz, opera, classical chamber music, rock and Latin music. My snobbish friends put me down because I don’t have Mc Kintosh or Schiit. But I can tell you folks this here is an astounding amplifier. Cheers to all.

You are guilty of me buying PMA 1700NE! Guilty, guilty and guilty! And...I love it, I love it, and I love it! Thank you for making my decision easier. I had (still have) NAD C338, and honestly, I love that amp. And since I recently bought B&W 706 S2, which replaced Dali Zensor Pico, I thought it would be wise to look for another amp. I loved (still do) Dali Zensor Pico, and I thought I would buy Dali again...but I "accidentally" bought B&W, and now I have become a sudden B&W fan...just excellent speakers! I downsized my search to Yamaha a-s2200 and Denon PMA 1700NE, and after I saw your video...I said what the hack...I love Yamaha in general, but let's give Denon a try...also I thought was it worth replacing NAD C338, which I was so happy with. And the first moment I hooked B&W and Denon, it was......WOOOOOOW, this is an entirely new universe! So if anyone has any second thoughts if Denon being worthy of replacing NAD or any other mid-rated class D amp...the answer is YES, YES and YES!!! This thing is even more beautiful in person and a real power horse! BTW...I love watching your clips...and what's the story behind that painting I can tell you love so much? Cheers!

I am so glad to see you are doing well Steve and are still releasing your great videos as usual. Your guidance has helped me a lot with my audio gear over the years. Take care - K and G

I have an 1989 Denon PMA-720 85w/ch integrated amp, and it does have a warm, rich sound. It's good to hear that Denon is keeping up the good work.

Always love your videos Steve! I bought the Denon PMA-800NE for the bedroom and it is a great integrated. Sounds wonderful on my B&W CM1 speakers. Also running my old Pioneer Elite PD-65 into the integrated amp's DAC and my Apple TV through the optical out of my TV. Really happy that Denon is doing such a great job making great sounding products.

Always love your assessment of the current audio designs.What would we do without you Steve Guttenberg you are best in your field, keep up the good work.And I definitely love 'Steve what do you really think segment ".

A good knob job is very important for me to have a long-term relationship with any piece of equipment. Awesome review as always 👏 thank you

CONGRATULATIOS FOR YOUR NEW CAMERA. YOUR VIDEOS LOOK GREAT !

Great video on what sounds like a pretty nice a competitively priced integrated from Denon. Also, another great viewer system of the day! I’d like to hear Ken’s setup - looks very well thought out.

I thoroughly appreciate listening to you describing what you enjoy in a voice or instrument but I always get the feeling you summarise and keep it too short! let the levee break man, I'm sure I'm not the only one who loves seeing enthusiasm and eloquence go so lovely together.

Wonderful review, Steve! Thank you!

A PMA-1700NE is playing here since yesterday, and all I can say is high respect to Shinichi Yamauchi, sound master at Denon. I enjoy it a lot.

I love Denon and grew up with Denon AVR’s from the 90’s onward. I parted ways from my low end Denon AVR and upgraded to the Cambridge CXA-81 simply because I wanted something more for two channel listening. I am not disappointed.

Great review. I have the lower-down-the-foodchain PMA-800NE in my library, and it has a stunning sound. Beautifully made, gorgeous premium silver option, and everything I throw at it, from vinyl to hi-res audio, from electronic to classical to experimental, sounds beautiful - a real warmth and richness but still clear and detailed. It cost me about £450 new in the UK - how the hell they can make something so good for so little is mind-blowing. Always loved Denons for their separates - married to my vintage Denon SACD player it's difficult to prise me away from the listening spot.

In 1998 I bought a Meridian 557 power amplifier which at the time was expensive . It complemented a Meridian 501 pre amplifier . Very clean , tad laid back but powerful . At the time I thought this would be my final but in 2010 the power amp started to osolate. To my horror the unique circuit board was not made anymore and without someone to hot rod my power amp I was left with a white elephant. I could have perhaps bought a Quad 909 to complement my 501 pre amp but I decided to go for a Denon pma 1510 . It was considerably cheaper & I use this Amp to this day. Built like a tank , clean upfront sound and respectable phono stage . Buy Denon with confidence 👍👍👍👍

Thank you Steve! Great review! This amp looks brilliant and priced nice 🙏

This amp is fantastic

I met Denon back in 1976 with stationed @Kadena AFB. A record store I used to frequent record store down town and they used Denon turntable speakers and amp, side note I could play the albums before buying them.

Back in 1991, the premium stuff was Denon, Luxman and the usual suspects. NAD wasn’t really in the picture. I bought a Luxman R-115 receiver for $750(!) and never looked back. Unfortunately, it did die recently (bad memory IC that could only be replaced with suspect used parts), but I will have fond memories (the software kind).

Looks sharp and built-well in Japan. That's a good value!

Thanks SG! Always appreciate the candor and wisdom. For whatever reason, Denon doesn’t do remotes. I have learned to accept it as the price for admission to great, affordable sound.

Denon doesn’t disappoint.thanks Steve

Great review. Just a quick correction: this does not have a preamp out. It’s a preamp in, so this won’t be a solution if you need a sub out. Almost bought this but then double-checked the preamp arrangement. Very odd as with the power rating you’d think this would pair nicely with a beefier dedicated power amp or set of mono blocks.

Great piece of gear!!!

Nice Review Steve. Say, is that Denon PMA1700NE warm, neutral or cool sounding, in other words should it be paired with speakers that are a bit bumped up in the treble? Thanks

Bought a Denon PMA 1060 as a 17 yo in 1992. I'd say it was my 'first' amp, but it's the only one I've bought to date...just works.

Another interesting product review. Why is the 4 ohm power rating at 1 khz? I'm not picking on Denon because I've seen several other manufactures do the same thing.

Greetings from fareast. I like your coverage. Just wanna remind myself and everyone that listening is harder when you're over sixty. Especially in the high octave. It tends to roll of due to our age. So don't worry maybe it's the product and may our hearing capabilities. Thanks GBU all

Question: This Denon Integrated has that rich, buttery smooth ( warm, I'm guessing) sound through the RCA inputs ( CD Player, for example)? Correct? But the MC phono is leaner, cooler? Steve, anyone, have you tried the MM Phono, and does the MM Phono retain that warmer, rich, buttery smooth sound? Thank you, in advance.

Love the collie in the VSotD 🐕

Late to the game but how's the built in dac? I know it's a burr brown chip and always preferred their sound to other chips.

Great review Steve! I glean more from your music reviews in context of the device than you just speaking on sound specs and general characteristics. You are always pointing the viewer in interesting places with music. Almost as if you were a music appreciation adjunct somewhere. I have the LS50 Metas and I find my Denon x series avr to be a better fit then class D Peachtree audio 125 decco Sky and Soundartist s 200ia (atoll knock-off). I wish they would make a PMA with HDMI EARC and I would be set. I can tell that you liked this unit better then the Marantz 40n. I think denon must have a good finger on the common sound that audiophiles on a budget are looking for with their amps and phono cartridges.

Wow! Thanks for amazing review Steve! Thanks a lot. How do you feel it compares to SU-G700M2 from technics?

I've been to over 1500 concerts and the absolute number one performance was 1983 David Johansen "Live It Up" tour at Haymakers in Prospect Heights IL and I think it was a Tue or Wed evening show.. Reach Out and I'll Be There!

What’s your opinion about this vs. Marantz n40?

That David Johansen & The Harry Smiths album is great! Thanks for the recommendation.😊

Seeing as this seems to handle more demanding speakers, how do you think it would match up with a pair of ATC SCM11s?

Thankfully there is a preamp input to bypass the input relay section & volume pot altogether. That's a huge benefit compared to e/g equally popular Technics SU-G700.

Hello, Tks once again for another great review. This hobby is though....trying to narrow my choices, I'm thinking about going with a "traditional" integrated approach - Denon (PMA 1700NE), Technics SU-G700, Rotel 1592mkII, or Marantz N40 (feature king of them all) I have decided to start with the electronics and then move forward. In the end I'm looking for something as future proof as possible*, low volume "king", for background relaxing listening. Any inputs? * Respectfully for those who value, but honestly, at this point at least, don't see myself constantly lookiing for that 2k usd 10% improvement. Best regards Felipe

Hi Dear Steve I have a yamaha a-s801 with elac fs-57 floorstanders. i decieded to upgrade for a denon pma-1700ne and bought it two weeks ago. I usually use with usb-dac, very good quality DSD records, vinyl digitalized ones. Im confused, i need to choose one. at denon i cant use analog mode at usb, at yamaha i can. denon maybe little more detailed, but i miss the analogue sounds. so i dont know, which i need to hold for myself. What do you think? Thanks in advance Mr Steve

I have been having this beauty for 8 months now and the sound is fantastic. I am feeding it digitaly via the usb b port with Samsung tablet, using the usb audio player pro app. I have hooked on it the kef ls50 meta speakers. The subwoofer is rel t5x. I've been blessed with personal preferences for old styles of music which luckily for me is with high dynamic range and it shines with this set up . Smooth and warm.

Thanks for the video, do you think it could be fair to pair with a 70W, 92db three way speaker, or better to find the little brother, the Pma1600ne?

Would be curious how its compare to the new Marantz model n40.

I sold NAD in the 90s. When people asked about Denon the anti-audiophile dig against the brand was all the DSP modes and the layers of circuit boards in the build. The store also didn't like the Techniques 1200 which was only suitable for DJ to scratch and back queue records.

My first system in the 80's after hand-me-downs and scrounging around was a Denon integrated with Denon cd player amd Klipsh Heresy speakers.

So pma 1600ne or 1700ne which one to buy

Petite question concernant les bornier hp peut on mettre des fiches bananes et si oui quelle marque en câble hp cordialement

I was also brought back to my youth by the integrated Denon amp. 🙂 Steve, could you please talk about getting a good engaging and balanced sound from your hifi while not playing loud? Living in an old appartement in Copenhagen , Denmark I cant listen to music and enjoying it without disturbing the neighbours . I guess the most crucial part are the speakers. ive got Vintage gear : Hafler power amp, Kef reference 102 ( with Cube), B& W 603 s2, Shiit modi dac and streaming from Tidal . I even tried Tannoys small Pa speakers VX8 while trying to get a more dynamic sound but instead I got a lot of mids😃

Is it better sounding then old pma 2000ae ?

It's a great amp, but I do notice a soft humming when it's switched on. It's not really loud, but compared to other amps I've owned it's a definitely louder. With other amps I had to hold my ear against the amp to hear any humming, but with this one I can hear it humming from 10 feet away (of course only when it's not playing music). Is this normal?

I remember Adcom (in the late 80s) was the affordable integrated amps at the higher end shops... that was all the snooty salesmen would let you mess with! I also recall a pair of Totem monitors that blew my mind!

Would the Denon PMA-A110 be a significant upgrade? Is it worth the extra cost. I want to upgrade from the Arcam SA30. Any inout would help. Thanks

Nice. I also remember great sound from them in the nineties.

where did you bought your sound panel in the back it is very cool and beautiful ?

Good and accurate review describing the sound. USB DAC is flawless on this one. Works with Fedora Linux out of the box. It is built like a frikin tank and operates like one :). Spartan approach without sub or preamp outs.

Do you remember the PMA 720 from 89? I really like it but maybe I am limiting myself. should I upgrade the sound is still without noise.

The PMA-2500ne is since some time on my radar . Why ? Because it has a tape-out & MC & AB. I still have the Denon AVC-11sr and despite its 20 year age , it sounds still very good in stereo . It's a beast of a AV-amp in terms of quality made & sound . Don't mind it misses hdmi , use it purely now for amping the Atmos speakers from Teufel which is kind of a shame to use it for.

I am saving for denon pma1700 to buy next year. It sound so good. When clearly pick gems ,no doubt.

It has only pre In and not out. You’re saying it wrong. It has recorder out though.

i got this amp today..i paired 2 sets of speakers where is the switch selector beetween them??? i want to listen to each paie seperetly.......help!!!!!

The amplifier is a real beast. fills my focal aria 926s with sound. I've been using it for about a year and I haven't gotten past half of its full volume capacity yet. So if I turn the volume up all the way, I don't know if the speakers can withstand it. Additionally, the naturalness and three-dimensionality of the sound draws you into the music while listening. By the way, I have experienced that thick pure copper cables are in a very central position in revealing the real performance of this amplifier and especially the sound tone that you will fall in love with. The “analog mode” and sound direct features of the amplifier are also features that take the listening experience to the next level. One of its most satisfying features is that it has an extremely quiet and powerful “mm/mc phonoamp” stage. The “mc phonostage” is impressive, especially for an integrated amplifier. I do not think that the remote control is very successful in controlling the volume at low levels, but I recently bought a second aftermarket remote control and now I can easily make very small adjustments in the volume control. I can say that the complaint about the volume control stems from the remote, not the amplifier. But I have to say that the DAC section of Eversolo DMP-A8 is superior to the DAC section of PMA-1700ne. The DAC section of the pma-1700ne is extremely satisfactory, there is nothing to fault until you compare it with a superior DAC.

Steve I learned a lot from you. Your guidance has helped me a lot with my audio gear over the years. Thank you very much. Georgia-Tbilisi

请问一下，怎么使用两组喇叭可以交换应用

Hi! Thank you so much for the review! I have the Pioneer PD-73 from the Urushi in the 90s. Along with the c73/m73 combo also from the 90s Urushi. And a pair of Focals 948 with a svs-pb 1000 sub. Will the Denon sound better than the Pioneer PD-73? Honestly I’m also thinking about the sacd side of it. And I’m also looking at the 2500ne and the dcd-a110. Not sure if the difference in price for the a110 is justifiable. Which one should I get? Or not at all. :) Thank you!

As good vintage amplifiers have now gone through the roof price wise you might as well consider this one

Is there any real difference between 1700 and 1600?

First amplifier I bought 1986 was a Denon PMA-500V

Steve, nice review! Those transformers don't appear to look up to the size or standard of a top vintage amp from the 70's; When you drove some of the lower ohm/efficiency speakers, did you get any noticeable clipping at higher volumes? The quoted 70 watts per channel at 8 ohms may not be RMS watts per channel, as used in the mid-1970's.

I have a Denon TU-900 FM tuner. Bought it in the late 70s or early 80s when I sold Denon. It's beautiful piece of gear. I don't use it, tho. Might sell it if anyone still listens to FM!

Have a 20 year old pma-2000r in champagne. It's as good looking as it sounds. Nice to hear that Denon stays true to thier sound and solid build quality. One thing about them, they have a low input senetivety and can be a bit overchouked if you run a modern 2Volt source. A quality attenuator will fix this.

Steve is such a wonderful person, seems like a guy you want to hang out with, nothing sounds like the older stuff. Just not built the same anymore. Love the Aussie

I have that Brian Eno record. I bought it new back in the day.

Hi Steve. How would you compare this with the PMA-1600NE?

Hello Dear Steve, this is Miguel from Mexico ( Yucatan Peninsula ), I just sold my Denafrips Terminator-II in order to upgrade it to a Lampi Baltic 3, I have a Denafrips Athena Preamp & Kinki Studio Ex-M7 amp, a very solid DIY server with Euphony / Audiolinux and HQPlayer OSs, my speakers are an innefienct PMC Twnety5 26 ( 86 db ) and the system sounds very good except that with some songs it can be cruel sometimes, that said, I went to my cousins house last weekend and he has a Yamaha 2 channel receiver, i think it is the 600 or 500s models, the one that has its wi fi antennas and it is paired with the same level Yammy speakers and one sub, honestly the sub was very boomy but the music was very nice to hear, maybe not as refined but he purchased that entire set with less than 1,000 to 1,500 usd ( and that makes you think ) puff only my Taiko ATX on the server costs that ouch, anyway this is not exactly about saving but an integrated like this you are reviewing seems very very good, do you think i could be happy with this Denon or the next one ( PMA-A110 ) if i get rid of the Athena / Kinki / DAC and use the DENON instead ?, by the way I enjoy very much your videos and I know you are familiar to Denafrips, not quite sure if you tried any Kinki I integrated Best regards Saludos desde Mexico Miguel

my life in the bush of ghosts is one of the greatest albums ever produced

I saw external pre in but not pre outs. Maybe I missed it. Sure is nice

I thought it has pre-in instead of out. Therefore: you can only use as a power amp rather than preamp yeah? Thank you.

It has a beefy 70wpc @ 8ohms. Nice.

Mine doesn't have pre outs.

I have Denon 710 since many years, very good sound/price, just one thing: sounds a little bit too cool, robotic. This 1700 NE also sounds to cool?

Thanks for this review. The 1700 amp has much in common with the PMA A110 that I bought recently. The amp is musical and holographic but internal dac is the biggest surprise for me. Much better than I expected for internal dac.

Love that silver color.

I miss the gold / beige color integrated amps from the 90s. Not sure if Denon made any, but I know Yamaha had a few.

I noticed the back of the amp is labeled Pre-in perhaps indicating a bypass mode to use the amplifier only perhaps in a home theater. Pre out would seem to indicate you could use a subwoofer or a different amp with the Denon preamp section. Do they use a different labeling system than other amps d0 or do I not understand it.

So, uh, I'm going to need you to go ahead and review that Dynovector for us

It's a good amp Steve. Bought after your review

Really thought this would be a great product for the price until I heard the price! Definitely stuff from small companies that would surely give more value. I have a similar problem with rotel, great products but based on price I would rather support a smaller company with more bang for the buck

Had the PMA 500v in the day.....great amp.

Just picked this amplifier up and wow. Significant upgrade (sans the streamer) from my NAD C388.

I LOVE standard plastic remotes!! Every time I've encountered some type of fancy remote control, I've hated it. Metal case remotes? Yuck. The metal was cold to my hands, it was too heavy, and I had to be careful setting it down on my nice wood table so as not to scratch it. My old Anthem remote was a brilliant remote when it was new, but the velvety plastic coating, after many years, turned sticky and gooey, and the volume buttons wore out!! So PLEASE just give me a sensibly designed remote that will last 20+ years. That's all.

How do I connect an active subwoofer, is that possible at all…… every reviewer says there is a “pre-amp output” to connect a sub, BUT it is in fact an external preamp INPUT…… so what to do ?

Is that a pre out or in?

which is better for LRS+ This or the Outlaw RR2160MKII

Denon POA-3000ZR + PRA-2000ZR 👌

Thank you very much for your review. Compared to the Cambridge Audio CX81, I preferred the CX81 + CXN V2 combination to the Denon 1700NE

Great review, but are you sure it has pre-outs....? Looks pretty much like an amp-In function to me, so you can use it in a HT-setup....

Denon 103r cartridge is worth trying. Use one with 1600ne, great combo.

One more great review. Just one thing (oftenly repeated stuff, forgive me....) if you conclude starting 4:47 "as you can get from an amplifier of this price class". I really don't know what to learn from relativization of conclusions made in before [key point -> which appeared to be in absolute terms first, but out of a sudden received some kind of "verbal calibration treatment"]. I would always prefer putting that into different words and provide little more information about that certain soft spot actually detected.

My Denon PMA-1315R has been used just about every day for over 25 years. Love it, but it is due for a replacement soon.