CD-player Denon DCD-A100
Mark round date - the centenary of its founding - Denon has decided to release an entire line of components anniversary series. Among them are advanced SACD-player. Except for the black lacquer finish, which features all the "hundredths" components, the device is made in the best traditions of gold audiophile line S - thoroughly with a massive stiff chassis, processor brand like raisins AL32, feature Pure Direct, exceptionally high-quality electronic and mechanical filling. In a double multiplanimetric PSU, for example, special capacitors, made to the specifications Denon. Digital path is composed of the most advanced 32-bit DACs, working as a data stream PCM 192 kHz and with a direct one-bit DSD. Deserves a separate description and SACD Advanced SVH drive The Japanese used it in precision motors with reduced almost by an order vibrations. Combined with copper-clad screen clock generator professional precision developers have made significant lowering jitter player for this price category.
In DCD-A100 has a functional and non-standard. On the back you will find the digital inputs that allow the player to use as an external converter. And that's not all. The front panel has a slot USB, which is designed to play music files from flash drives or iPods that agree on the component class standing on the threshold of High End, unusual. In Denon, seems to have decided not isolate itself from the trendy flow - if the lover does not disdain to collect records in mp3 and WMA, so let him be able to at least listen to them in normal quality.
Just such a compressed program we started listening. All in all - not bad. Even very good. In the digital path DCD-A100 is a function of "recovery" lost during compression of information. It is understood that about any resuscitation compressed records to at least the CD we can not go - they still sound flat and simplistic. But the positive effect of this "features" is - somehow denon's processor adds a tough little mp3 and WMA euphony. And one more observation: even when playing such programs sound very affects the polarity of mains cable. If the bass seems flabby, flat, and the scene - sandwiched, not in a hurry to write off all the imperfections mp3. Just flip the plug into the outlet.
CD playback can also cause surprise - especially for those who are not familiar with the sound handwriting components Denon. Even in the distant past, the company tried to make digital sound familiar analog hearing shades and this created a special digital processing algorithm ALPHA In modern processor AL32 - the same ideology, but it handles the original PCM 16/44, 1 before converting much deeper and more accurate. Include DCD-A100, you can really imagine that plays CD, and quality analog source. Microdrivers very soft and natural, open tones, tonal balance is perfect and does not go away in warm or cool colors. However, fraction refinement bordering artificiality, still remained. But this is also a family trait Denon.
I took another interconnect instead of the standard (and the latter, incidentally, is quite good, despite the plain view) and connect the unit expensive power cable, picking phase. The result was a serious gain in naturalness playing CDs, but switching to SACD caused a sobering effect. Now it is really possible to speak of a natural way. What is mp3? What CD? They want to forget about as a nightmare. Here is a perfect medium. In the scene perfect order reigns. Deleted plans are incredible, flawless focus on the flanks. Yes, just short of the materiality of images, and because the musical picture is somewhat reminiscent of a mirage, but it is so clear, lively and infinite that want to move here. Enhances musical emotion and great harmonic resolution. In a large symphony orchestra, you can not just hear every instrument, but highlight was his voice and follow him.
When music is so open and pure, it is difficult to find fault. With absolute dynamics at DCD-A100 okay. The tonal balance is perfect. Sound does not cause fatigue even for many hours listening. It is a pity that not every drive appears this illusory world - Denon still very selective to certain genres. And this - the only minus player.
