DP-400 and DP-450USB Turntables from Denon

11th February 2019

Denon has announced the release of two new, 3-speed, belt-driven, semi-automatic (well, kinda) lifestyle turntables, the DP-400 and DP-450USB. Both turntables feature a built-in phono amplifier while the DP-450USB adds automatic analogue-to-digital conversion to enable fast ‘ripping’ of vinyl

DP-400 and DP-450USB Turntables from Denon

The Denon DP-400 is built on a “heavy, well-damped” plinth. The company makes a play about the 41cm width of the plinth which, it says, will, “…save space and match with the Denon Design Series.”

Speed is reportedly controlled via an integrated sensor with a pseudo-semi-automatic action. That is, when the stylus reaches the end of a vinyl side, playback stops and the tonearm lifts. From what I can see, the arm is not returned to its cradle, though. If this is the case then this compromise will improve sound a touch because the gearing for tonearm return will not need to be included. Such gearing all adds noise to the turntable and lowers sonic quality.

DP-400 and DP-450USB Turntables from Denon

The “newly engineered” S-shaped tonearm is fitted with a moving magnet cartridge (looking like an Audio-Technica AT3600 with, if so, a spherical stylus). The built-in phono stage can be bypassed, allowing the turntable to be used with external models.

DP-400 and DP-450USB Turntables from Denon

The DP-400 comes complete with an “exclusively designed” dustcover, doubling as a “display stand for an album sleeve”.

The company advises that you should, “..mount the dustcover vertically on the included base, and you can show off your favourite album artwork during music playback.”

DP-400 and DP-450USB Turntables from Denon

The Denon DP-450USB differs by including a built-in ADC to allow the ripping of vinyl to a digital file via a front-mounted USB port, “There’s no need to connect the turntable to a computer,” said the company, “simply plug in the storage device, select compressed MP3 or uncompressed CD quality WAV recording and play the record.”

DP-400 and DP-450USB Turntables from Denon

To edit recordings on a PC, Denon offers MusiCut software for Windows 10.

The MusiCut software can be downloaded from the Denon website free of charge.

DP-400 and DP-450USB Turntables from Denon

Prices? The DP-400 fetches £449, while the DP-450USB is priced at £529.

DP-400 and DP-450USB Turntables from Denon

For more information, visit www.denon.co.uk

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