The Article
800NE Amp, CD & Network From Denon
13th September 2018
Denon has announced the PMA-800NE amplifier, DNP-800NE network player and DCD-800NE CD player
The PMA-800NE is powered by 85W per channel output (into 4 Ohms). Joining the built-in moving coil/moving magnet phono are four digital inputs – three optical and one coaxial – and the onboard DAC is compatible with files at up to 24bit/192kHz. The digital section can be switched off to minimize interference when listening to analogue sources, while the control microprocessor powers off when not in use.
The DNP-800NE network audio player can play files stored on your home network and stream content from services such as Spotify, Amazon Music, Napster, SoundCloud, Deezer, Tidal and TuneIn Internet radio. You can also enjoy music wirelessly from your portable devices via Bluetooth or AirPlay 2.
The DNP-800NE can play MP3, WMA and AAC, ALAC, WAV and FLAC HD (up to 24bit/192kHz) and DSD 2.8/5.6MHz, with gapless playback of DSD, WAV, FLAC and ALAC files from network streaming and USB.
HEOS integration allows the DNP-800NE to combine with other HEOS-capable devices, including wireless speakers and many components from Denon, to create multiroom music systems. It’s all controlled by the free HEOS app on a smartphone or tablet or you can use an Alexa voice-control device to decide where your music plays, adjust volume and skip tracks.
Available in black or premium silver.
The PMA-800NE (£449), DNP-800NE £449) and DCD-800NE (£349) is available now.
For more information click www.denon.com
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Paul, will you be reviewing the Denon PMA800NE? Would love to see one. Nobody has yet.
I’ll certainly put it on the ‘to do’ list, Joel.
They missed the mark on both the 800 and 1600 by excluding preouts. Come on Denon! Rip out the silly DAC and put in some preamp outputs.
The specification sheet and description for the Denon PMA800NE are very similar to the predecessor, the Denon PMA720AE. On the front of the new model the source selector shows a ‘Network’ option – but this only selects the input from a pair of analogue RCA connectors on the rear panel marked ‘Network’. With a DAC already on board this is rather odd, given that there are three optical and one co-axial digital inputs on the rear panel.
It is all a matter of preference but at least one of those digital inputs should have provided the option of a true network input with an Ethernet/DLNA socket, or, second best,a USB connection rather than an analogue input pair labelled ‘Network’. Perhaps there are technical reasons for this.
On the surface this is nothing more than a marketing ploy to persuade someone who wishes to stream music, say from a hard drive or NAS drive via a PC and local network, to purchase a network player. Other Denon amplifiers have a USB input, which, while not ideal because of noise issues, at least allowed the onboard DAC to be connected to a PC without the purchase of another box.
Of the three digital optical inputs and one digital coaxial input, how many will actually be used ? One to connect to the television, leaving three spare ?
Paul, it would be interesting to compare the old and the new on the test bench and in the listening room, as on paper the only things that have have changed seem to be the addition of a different rear panel and an onboard DAC. Denon / Marantz need to sort out what digital capacity is really needed in a modern amplifier without forcing the purchase of a network player. With the DAC already on board a network or USB connection should have been included.
Thanks for your comments, Fleuch – I’ll see what I can do, although I am pretty swamped with review kit, at the moment. The queue is pretty large. I think the Network sockets are to connect a ‘Network Audio Player’ as Denon terms it, such as those offered by Yamaha and Marantz. The other digital inputs will be for the likes of a CD player, a DAP, satellite receiver and the like.
This is a tower from Denon. CD player, network player and amplifier.
You get anagol and digital connection for each device because this amp has analog mode. Once analog mode is on all digital connections are disabled.
I owe pma800ne for about 2 months now. So far so good. I use it with pair of Cambridge audio sx60 and Dali zensor 7. This amp sounds very good. I paid £340 for it and I think for this price I should at least get pre amp out and direct in on the back. This days pre out is like MUST BE THERE thing.
Originally I was thinking about pma1600ne but there is even worse with connectivity options
Thanks for your thoughts, Marcin.