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Denon PMA-50 Integrated Amp

Denon PMA-50 Integrated Amp

Memo to audiophiles: Most people don’t appreciate your hobby. They think you’re weird for using a stack of large, ugly, and (to them) insanely expensive equipment to listen to music. They are happier than (fill in your own favorite phrase) listening to music streamed over the Internet, or stored on their smartphones and played through the earbuds that came with those phones. Perhaps, if they feel a need for better sound, they’ll buy some better earbuds, or if they want to make an even larger improvement, some headphones or earphones to replace those earbuds. One thing we shouldn’t lose sight of is that regardless of how they listen they are passionate about music—just as passionate as we audiophiles are.

Occasionally, however, even these non-audiophile music lovers want better sound. Perhaps they’d like to use other sources, or switch from earbuds to loudspeakers. What should their first purchase of audio equipment be? My take: It must be small and attractive, packaged in a single box, have features that will actually be used, and should not cost a lot. It should allow music lovers to use their existing sources with minimal effort. It should require the fewest possible ugly cables. And (drumroll, please): It should be easy to use.

Let’s see how Denon’s new PMA-50 integrated amplifier fulfills the requirements I just laid out. It has a completely modern DAC, which will play most PCM formats up to 384kHz/24-bit, as well as DSD64 and DSD128. That should accommodate most any computer audio file a user would likely encounter. It has an amplifier section rated at 50Wpc into 4 ohms, 25Wpc into 8 ohms, which should drive many speakers satisfactorily, especially in a small room in an apartment. It has five digital inputs: an asynchronous USB Type B jack, two TosLink jacks, a coaxial input on an RCA jack, and Bluetooth. There’s also an analog input, which allows you to connect an analog source such as a turntable, although you’ll need an external phono preamp, as well. Rear outputs are limited to a pair of speaker terminals and one line-level subwoofer output so you can set up a 2.1 speaker system (left and right channels, plus a subwoofer). The front panel has a ¼” headphone jack, a large central volume-control knob, an on/off switch, and a small status screen. It also has a button for selecting the source and one for turning on Bluetooth. The PMA-50 measures 7″ x 3 25/64″ x 10 5/32″ and weighs in at 5½ pounds. It can be positioned horizontally or vertically. And at $599, it’s not crazy expensive. The PMA-50 is attractively styled, with “U”-shaped, brushed-aluminum top, back, and bottom plates. The front and side panels are also “U”-shaped, painted black, and nested into the top and bottom pieces. The recessed rear panel contains all the connections except the headphone jack. As with any recessed panel, labels are a little hard to read and connectors hard to get to, but setup is pretty much a one-time deal. The only wires you’ll need are speaker cables and if you use a hard-wired digital source, a cable to attach it. So how well does the PMA-50 meet the specified requirements? I’d say it’s right on target.

The PMA-50’s small display screen to the right of the volume knob shows the type of input you’re listening to, the sampling rate of digital recordings, and the input being used (e. g., USB-DAC). A graphic display shows you the volume setting when you turn the volume knob. (The display cleverly rotates if you orient the PMA-50 vertically.)

The PMA-50’s remote not only duplicates all the front-panel controls, but it also accesses a set-up menu which includes bass, treble, balance, and headphone-amplifier gain settings (low, medium, and high). There’s also a three-position dimmer for the PMA-50 display, although, for once, I thought the brightest setting was just fine.

Setting Up and Using the PMA-50
The PMA-50 ships with a Quick Start Guide printed in three languages, a CD which contains the full manual as a PDF file, a remote control, a USB cable, and a basic power cord which has only two conductors—no ground connection. The Quick Start Guide had clear, straightforward instructions, which were easy to follow. The full manual was also well laid out, and information was easy to find and understand—just what an audio-system novice needs. The CD manual is actually easier to navigate than the paper manual.

If you want to plug your Windows computer into the PMA-50, you’ll need to install a driver, which is available as a download from the Denon website. Installing the driver requires minimal computer skills. Linux or Macintosh computer users won’t need to bother with drivers. But regardless of which operating system you use, you’ll need to adjust the settings of your music-playback software so it works with the PMA-50. For the J. River Media Center software I use on my Windows laptop that meant I had to click Tools/Options and set the Audio Device to Digital Audio Interface (Denon USB Audio) so J. River would be able to use the installed driver.

 

The PMA-50 needed some break-in time to sound its best. Right out of the box, it was bright and brittle, but with 100 hours of use, it started to sound fuller and smoother, with substantially deeper bass. And it continued to improve with more break-in. It ran slightly warm to the touch.

To use headphones with the PMA-50, you just plug them into the jack on the front panel. If your headphones don’t have a ¼” plug, you’ll need an adapter (one may have come with your headphones). If you want to use speakers, you’ll need speaker cables with bare wire or banana-plug terminations. The speaker-cable binding posts won’t accept spade lugs. Speakers from 4 to 16 ohms will work with the PMA-50. When you plug in your headphones, it cuts off the speaker output.

Because they are easy to drive, I used some old Soliloquy SM-2A3 bookshelf speakers. Originally designed for compatibility with single-ended triode (SET) amplifiers, the SM-2A3s were rated at a highish 91dB sensitivity. A rear port loads the 5¼” mid/woofers. I used Kimber 4VS speaker cables to connect the PMA-50 to the speakers.

Departing from my usual reviewing routine, I started my PMA-50 listening sessions with headphones, since I expect that’s how many people will first use the amplifier. I tried the following ’phones: HiFiMAN HE-400, NAD Viso HP50, AKG K712, and Audeze LCD-X. The PMA-50 drove them all to satisfactory levels, though I’m no headbanger. The power-thirsty HiFiMAN HE-400 was the hardest to drive, but the PMA-50 handled it well when set to the mid- and high-gain positions, extracting a level of treble detail not always audible through those headphones. Most of my critical listening was done with the AKG K712 ’phones, since they were the type of medium-priced cans someone would likely use with the PMA-50. Though not unusually hard to drive, the K712s benefit from some amplifier power, so I set the PMA-50 to the medium-gain position.

It was easy to establish a Bluetooth link with my iPhone 6; I just pressed the Bluetooth button on the front panel and the PMA-50 started trying to pair. When it appeared in the iPhone settings under Bluetooth, I just pressed “PMA-50” on the menu and I was connected. You can play music from the smartphone, or stream music from on-line sites. When you want to switch back to the USB input to play music from the computer, press the input source selection button on the front panel.

The PMA-50 switched between PCM and DSD flawlessly, always displaying the correct format and sampling rate on the front panel. That should be no big deal, but it doesn’t always happen, even with very expensive gear.

Sound with Headphones
A novice hi-fi buyer who’s used to listening to a smartphone with earbuds or cans may find the PMA-50’s headphone amplifier its most immediately appealing feature, so that’s where I started. The PMA-50 sounded smooth and relaxed. There was no peakiness or etch present in the sound, although the high frequencies were extended. On Alex de Grassi’s Special Event 19 (DSD64/DSF, Blue Coast Music), the PMA-50 played the track “Shenandoah” with gobs of harmonic detail, and the drone effect of de Grassi’s unusual guitar came across clearly. Transients were accurately reproduced, but not overemphasized. I was reminded how excellent this recording is.

On Jordi Savall’s La Folia, 1490-1701 (ripped to AIF format from Alia Vox AFA 9805), the track “Folia: Rodrigo Martinez 1490” displayed exceptional transient response—the sharply struck castanets had an almost physical impact. However, the cascabels (sleigh bells) seemed a little recessed, indicating perhaps a bit of a treble suckout. The PMA-50 produced a lot of powerful bass from the headphones; however, it lacked the deep extension that I hear with the subwoofer I use with my speakers. Even with the bass-rich HiFiMAN headphones, I didn’t hear the subterranean frequencies on this track. The midrange seemed slightly elevated, making it easy to hear Savall’s viola da gamba playing the main theme. I could also distinguish between the harp and baroque guitar. (Since they play similar phrases, sometimes they tend to sound a bit alike.)

 

A little surprised at the absence of the bottom octaves, I queued up Holly Cole’s album Temptation (DSD64/DSF, Acoustic Sounds). The track “Invitation to the Blues” opened with tons of bass power and detail. So what happened on “Folia Rodrigo Martinez”? Well, while there’s lots of bass on the Holly Cole album, it’s not as deep as the bass on “Folio Rodrigo Martinez”. In the midrange, Cole’s voice caressed the superbly recorded songs with rich harmonics and delicate vocal nuances—a real hi-fi showcase which contradicts the urban audio legend that excellent performances are invariably poorly recorded.

At the risk of overdoing female vocalists (is that possible?), I queued up Rebecca Pidgeon’s The Raven (176.4/24 FLAC, Chesky/HDTracks, remastering by Bob Katz). On “Kalerka,” Pidgeon’s soprano exhibited a bit of sibilance I’ve not often heard before on this recording. Throughout, the album sounded a smidgen overemphasized in the upper midrange, though still very clean and detailed.

I wanted to check how music via Bluetooth compared to music from a wired computer connection, so I ripped the CD La Folia, 1490-1701 in AIF format to my iPhone and played “Folia: Rodrigo Martinez 1490” over Bluetooth. I cranked the volume setting on the iPhone’s Music app to maximum and adjusted the headphone’s output with the PMA-50’s volume control until the PMA-50’s Bluetooth gain was compatible with the iPhone’s Bluetooth gain. Through the Bluetooth connection, everything sounded very clean; however, the highs were a bit overemphasized. I should note that although I tried the Bluetooth connection after the amplifier had broken in, I didn’t make a special effort to break in the Bluetooth connection itself. I don’t know if that would have made a difference, but I couldn’t live without my phone long enough to give it a try. Wait—did I just admit I can’t live without my iPhone? How sad.

Sound with Speakers
I didn’t expect a lot of bass from the Soliloquy speakers’ 5¼” mid/woofers. Often, speakers designed to work well with an SET’s low damping factor sound lean and thin driven by solid-state amplifiers, which tend to have fairly high damping factors. So I was pleasantly surprised when I heard robust, powerful bass from the PMA-50 with the Soliloquies. In particular, the low end on “Invitation to the Blues” was more powerful than expected, with lots of detail. Holly Cole’s vocals were quite clearly defined, and highs were smooth but extended.

As expected, through loudspeakers “Shenandoah” showed more dimensionality. There actually was a decent soundstage! The tonality of de Grassi’s guitar was rich and full. On another song on this album, I was startled when de Grassi whacked the body of his guitar—great transient response! Since the Soliloquy speakers were easy to drive, the PMA-50 never came close to clipping. Unless you try driving low-sensitivity speakers quite loudly, I suspect the PMA-50 will work fine in a small room.

Comparison
I didn’t have a classic integrated amplifier to compare to the PMA-50, so I used another type of integrated amp, the Light Harmonic Geek Out 450. Reviewed in Issue 251, the Geek Out sees daily use driving a variety of headphones in my office computer system. J. River Media Center version 20.0.63 is the music playback software I use with the Geek Out via its supplied 6″ USB cable. Like the PMA-50, the Geek Out includes a DAC and a headphone amplifier, but not a power amplifier to drive speakers.

Starting with “Folia: Rodrigo Martinez 1490,” transients created by the percussion instruments really snapped. High frequencies were extended but not peaky. For a headphone amplifier, the Geek Out 450 really has a surprisingly good soundstage. It doesn’t compete with speakers, of course, but for headphone listening it’s pretty remarkable. Bass was powerful and extended. Only a few other headphone amps have produced deeper low end.

 

On “Shenandoah,” the Geek Out 450 produced a resonant sound with extended highs. The drone effect of de Grassi’s guitar was pronounced, giving it an ethereal sound. Transients were quite lifelike. The harmonic structure of the guitar was also well portrayed, making for a very realistic guitar sound.

Holly Cole’s “Invitation to the Blues” opened with crushing bass. Through the Geek Out 450, her vocals were better defined than with the PMA-50. The occasional characteristic coarseness of Cole’s voice was extremely realistic. Cymbals had that distinctly metallic sound, with sharply defined leading-edge transients.

Pidgeon’s “Kalerka” had a touch of extra emphasis on sibilants, but was otherwise clean and open-sounding.

As an aside, I still have trouble believing the Geek Out 450 costs only $199. But it doesn’t drive speakers.

Competition
I haven’t listened to these competing components, but thought it might be useful to compare their features and specifications. The $799 Sony UDA-1 is a more conventional-looking integrated amplifier with USB and coaxial digital inputs, an analog input, and both headphone and speaker outputs. Power is rated at 23Wpc into 4 ohms, but at a rather high 10 percent distortion. It has a remote control. It plays DSD and PCM high-resolution files. Unlike the next two amplifiers, it does not have a Bluetooth input.

The PS Audio Sprout is priced at $799 and is rated at 50Wpc into 4 ohms, 33Wpc into 8 ohms (no distortion level given), and comes with a walnut top. It includes a moving-magnet phono preamp, but not a remote control. It plays only PCM computer audio files, not DSD. Its headphone amplifier produces enough power to drive most headphones. If you have power-thirsty headphones like the HiFiMAN HE-6, you’ll probably already have a headphone amplifier capable of putting out the power they require, but for most cans, the Sprout should be adequate. It has a line-level analog input and output on stereo jacks, and a phono input on RCA jacks. If you have a turntable, the Sprout would be the clear choice. I’d kinda like a remote, though.

The $499 NAD D3020 is rated at 30Wpc into 8 ohms, but claims to produce much higher dynamic power. Its DAC plays up to 192kHz/24-bit through its SPDIF input, 96/24 through USB. As those specifications imply, it does not play DSD files. A remote control is included. It has two analog inputs and a subwoofer output. No information is given about the headphone output. It comes in typical dark-grayish NAD color. It’s designed to be oriented vertically, with the volume control on top.

Bottom line
In my view, the Denon PMA-50 hits the bulls-eye as a beginner-level hi-fi component: It looks good, sounds good, has a lot of features for its price, is easy to hook up and blessedly easy to use. Its features, including remote control and Bluetooth connectivity, are genuinely useful. Even though its power is limited, it’s very competitive for the price. Actually, there’s no reason to restrict all this hi-fi goodness to beginners; the PMA would make a terrific centerpiece for a bedroom or office system. Pricewise, I can’t think of a better value.

The Denon PMA-50 may not be state of the art (what would you expect for this kind of money?), but it may be state of the start(up).

SPECS & PRICING

Rated output (both channels driven): 25Wpc (8 ohms, 1kHz, THD 0.1%); 50Wpc (4 ohms, 1kHz, THD 1.0%)
Output connectors: 1/4″ (6.3 mm) headphone jack; 4–16 ohm speaker terminals
Audio format: Digital audio interface (linear PCM)
Communication system: Bluetooth version 3.0
Supported profiles: A2DP 1.3/AVRCP 1.5
Supported codecs: aptX low-latency/AAC/SBC
Price: $599


DENON ELECTRONICS (USA), LLC
100 Corporate Drive
Mahwah, NJ 07430
(201) 762-6665
usa.denon.com

Vade Forrester

By Vade Forrester

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