Denon PMA-A110 Integrated Amplifier Review

[AcuDefTechGuy]

While I think active speakers can sound technically better than passive, still, and regardless of how good the amps are, I look at them as disposable. The amps should last just long enough to coincide with replacement part NLA territory like other 'all-in-one' appliances. I'd just never rest easy trusting active speakers. I do have a pair of budget JBL LSR305 that are active and have been continuously powered on since around 2018 but I just keep wondering when they will die and leave me with a system that needs a rebuild worth more than the sum of it's parts.

The active vs. passive debate is for those who navel gaze SQ too much. I should be much harder to satisfy, 50 years in, but if I ignore the current crop of starving marketers, passive speakers end up being better than most recordings that will pass through them. Well recorded music sounds flawless, even on older passive speakers worth any mention at all.

Before someone considers going for the next new thing that is into the la-la land of audibility, they should really try the best recordings to grade what they already have and just be honest with themselves about it, and what they are listening to.

All of this DSP that is needed now, ends up chasing crappy modern architecture and trendy interior decor, that keeps getting worse as time goes on, with regard to favorable acoustics, and for people who don't get outdoors enough to appreciate open and airy spaciousness where it is plentiful. Put most decently measuring speakers in a reasonable space and they will sound relatively perfect to our ears.

Or just pay $10K for a pair of 100% active Linkwitz Orion towers like I did and then sell them for $5K in a year or two after you realize it actually doesn’t matter if they are passive or active.

 

[lovinthehd]

Or just pay $10K for a pair of 100% active Linkwitz Orion towers like I did and then sell them for $5K in a year or two after you realize it actually doesn’t matter if they are passive or active.

Where did those lack? Been interested in those but unlikely IRL I'll ever run into them....

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Where did those lack? Been interested in those but unlikely IRL I'll ever run into them....

The active Orion towers don’t lack anything. Maybe not enough bass for me when compared to subs. My only point is that the Orion sound great, but they don’t sound better than other great passive towers.

The main reason I bought the Orion was because some people were swearing and raving that active speakers sound so much better than passive.

People say a lot of things (beryllium tweeters sound best, diamond tweeters sound best, RAAL tweeters sound best) and I ended up buying a lot of speakers.

Grain of salt.

 

[Splicer]

What's really important is KFC (kink free copper)
Kinks can slow down electron flow at an alarming rate...even causing the warp bubble to collapse.

Absolutely! Good to see someone here has a clue.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

What's really important is KFC (kink free copper)

Man, I got so EXCITED because I thought you were talking about Kentucky Fried Chicken!

Especially after @Tankini was telling me he had some delicious Church's Fried Chicken.

 

[Splicer]

Man, I go so EXCITED because I thought you were talking about Kentucky Fried Chicken!

Especially after @Tankini was telling me he had some delicious Church's Fried Chicken.

Popeyes FTW!

 

[Cruise Missile]

Zombie post reply incoming:

I've also sent my PMA-A110 into protect once before. Speakers are Perlisten S7s.

I was waaaaaaay beyond hearing safe levels. It's easy to do when there is very little distortion to indicate "loudness". I was wearing ear pro., curious about the limits of my setup. OSHA would not let you work in an environment that loud without PPE.

 

[Cruise Missile]

Zombie post reply incoming:

I've also sent my PMA-A110 into protect once before. Speakers are Perlisten S7s.

I was waaaaaaay beyond hearing safe levels. It's easy to do when there is very little distortion to indicate "loudness". I was wearing ear pro., curious about the limits of my setup. OSHA would not let you work in an environment that loud without PPE.

Almost forgot, "volume" dial was near 12 o'clock. It's insane how fast that little guy gets a full head of steam.

 

[PENG]

Almost forgot, "volume" dial was near 12 o'clock. It's insane how fast that little guy gets a full head of steam.

The higher end Denon integrated amps are suitable for low impedance speakers that don't need any more than 100-150 W 4 ohms one should really go with separate power amps with rated output that can drive the speakers easily, e.g. 500-2000 W for the S7s. Obviously if one listen to say 15 dB below reference from <4 meters, than even the little A110 will do well enough.

Interestingly, with Denon integrated, the more you pay the less "Watts" rated output you are going to get, though you may get higher current capability when you do pay more, hence why I said they are better with low impedance speakers, but not that great for >8 ohm ones, and I am referring to models at or above the PMA-A110.

 

[gene]

Gene. I like your site, and read it daily. It is true. You may not be old enough to remember Julian Hirsch's test reports in Stereo Review , but his tests were done under rigorous conditions,...continuous power, across the entire bandwidth, both channels operating at the same time, with the amp fully warmed up. Note that 0.0002%, was this limit of his test equipment, at the time--1981. I was not commenting upon the listening quality of the amp, simply, it's power/distortion envelope, which I don't believe has been improved upon. There were several other amps, from the same vintage, I could have used for reference.

Yes i remember Julian Hirsch. I disagree with your sentiments about amplifiers not improving over time. Output devices are much better today and things like output impedance and load invariability isn't really an issue with most modern amps. Some of today's best Class d amps exceed linear in distortion and noise performance with added benefit of efficiency. That wasn't possible in the 80s.