AllenL

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.05 of 5, 19.00 votes

Price Paid:  $450.00 from Federated (closed)

Summary:
My Denon PMA-700V integrated amplifier was my first venture into foo foo audio. It is the only amp, before or since, that is rated 100W per channel. The selling points I was attracted was its toroidal transformer high current direct coupled design. But over time, this PMA-700V has proven unreliable- like a fickle rare high performance high maintenance sports car. Mine spent its life far longer in non operation than in use. Less than a year following its third visit to the repair shop, it produced a fireworks show blowing out the entire right channel output transistors. It sounded great- when it was working!

Strengths:
As the volume increases, the sound becomes bigger, not louder. It never sounded 'loud', even at high volume levels. Smooth, if a bit bass heavy.

Weaknesses:
Extremely unreliable. The lights in my house dimmed at power up, which I thought was cool until its fireworks display! Disappointing, and phantom customer support from Denon.

Similar Products Used:
Used Sansui AU-717 superior to Denon PMA-700V

Price Paid:  $571.00 from 1996

Summary:
I have owned this amp PMA 1315R since 1996, and it is the best amp i have ever heard. I use it with a Denon DCD 725 and a pair of Cerwin Vega VS-15. This combination can rock your heart out and at the same time play easy listening music with the cleanest and purest sound i have ever heard. Play it with the Dire Straits "Brothers in arms" album and you will fall in love with this amp.

Strengths:
Simply everything.

Weaknesses:
Simply nothing.

Similar Products Used:
An NAD at the same priceclass, but the sound and power was never near the Denon..

Price Paid:  $640.00 from Audiovision

Summary:
In my view this amp is outstanding. As noted I moved up from a smaller, older Denon amp, and the difference is immense. The bigger amp has reserves of power and clarity undreamed of by its ancestor. With the old amp I was running the tone controls bass at 3 oclock, treble about 11 to try and get the balance I wanted. The bigger amp runs flat and sounds beautiful. Both ran Cerwin Vega VS120's. The only big problem I now have is excess treble at low volume (speakers, not amp) and worries aobut future hearing loss at about 50% of the amps power.

In comparison to the similar price range amps I tried, the Denon was far superior. The NAD, while slightly more powerful at 8 ohm sounded harsh, having noe of the smoothness present in the Denon. More tellingly, while listening to the NAD I was hearing specific frequencies etc, rather than just the music.

The Rotel combo was very nice sounding, with the promise of adding another power amp later, but apparently Rotel don't recommend using 4 ohm speakers with their amps while bridged. The same problem arose with the Onkyo. The consensus seemed to indicate that this combo sounded fine with some speakers, not with others, especially 4 ohm ones (like mine).

I have a suspicion that the comparison was not very fair at all. The indication given to me was that the 1315 was both more powerful and of a higher class than the PMA-2000. This sounded about right to my ear - the 2000 sounding worse in a soundroom than the 1315 does at home. I suspect from comments other salespeople made that the NZ retail for the 1315 may be substantially more than the $1600 I payed.

In summary, this amp seems about the pick of the reasonably priced bunch and should last for years.

Strengths:
Plenty of power, nice dynamic range, much better than my old amp

Weaknesses:
Temptation to blow the roof off...

Similar Products Used:
demoed NAD 319, Rotel RC/RB 971 combo, Onkyo P301/M501 combo, Denon PMA-2000
Replaced Denon PMA-320

Price Paid:  $625.00 from Discount Warehouse

Summary:
Excellent Integrated Amp if you have good low end speakers, or powered speakers. The rest of the music spectrum is covered superbly!

Highly recommend!

Strengths:
Since our purchase of the PMA-1325R. There has not been a dull moment in our listening pleasure. The Denon put out clean, present, clear and robust power. Paired with a good set of large floor standing older Altec 14 monitors it really shines. The Denon makes music come alive! However it helped a great deal when we changed from Denon's 460 CD player to NAD's 523. This helped attenuate the high end brightness and carry the low end which Denon sometimes seems to overpower with it's clarity and brightness.

Weaknesses:
Wish the bass control boosted at 50Hz instead of 100Hz, that would help. Requires speakers which can produce good solid low end. The Denon 1315R has good solid low end but needs a bit of help.

Similar Products Used:
Older Sansui 990, Dynaco 40, and Yamaha

Price Paid:  $200.00 from local pawn shop

Summary:
owned it for a couple years, sound is clean and pure. i tried it on a pair of alon rascils. too bright. from 901's to polks ls 70's, and american audio monitors, this amp is detailed and fluid. great piece.

Strengths:
power, cosmetic appearence,

Weaknesses:
common, its a denon, a little bright

Similar Products Used:
this catigory sucks, amps are different period. each onne has its own sonic differences.