Killkill

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $750.00 from eBay

Summary:
This review is actually a little story:

I bought this beautyful integrated amp along with the pre-amp DM20 in a set for 750 €. The integrated amp was sold as "out of order", and I had the hopes that a friend of mine could repaid it.

Few weeks later it turned out that he was unable to repair it because he was unable to identif some of the parts used. So, the last option to bring amplifier back to ife. I mailed Densen customer service abiut my problem, and they asked me to send in aphoto of the damaged interior. I sent a photo via e-mail, and they mailed back in a day saying I should pack it properly and send it to Denmark, they would take care of it. I asked for a price quite, and they reverted. "Dont worry."

Two weeks later i get the amp back and it like new. The invoice stated: Transport: 0,00€, repaid: 0,00€. Note: I was never the original purchaser, they did that repair entirely for free VOLUNTARILY.

To add to my excitement, the DM30 does so8und amazing, espeially in a team with the DM 20. I did end up selling my huge Vincent SP 991 Monos, because this baby outperformed them on many disciplines:

Tight black bass, colourful voices and instruments, neat soundstage. its not overly transparent, yet detailed enough to make you not miss anything. I have had a lot of amplifiers and always missed something, but right now this fairly cheap package is making me happy. It brings back the FUN in music without sounding overly exaggerated, and it makes you forget about things like: "The sound could actually be better in the mids, maybe I will get a better pre, etc.

I might have to add that I run Dynaudio Confidence 5, and this speaker is not really easy to please. Lot of people say that it needs lots of amplification, but i found the 2x80 Watts absolutely sufficient, never had the impression that the amp could not handle the load.

Last not least: This thing - like all Densen components I have seen - is a real minimal beauty. A timeless modern pitch black design in a flat 13" package. sometimes, Hifi CAN offer the best of both worlds...

Strengths:
Full, black bass
Colourful mids
Smooth yet open Trebles
No listening fatigue
Amazing Design
Amazing Customer Service

Weaknesses:
Not too transparent, but that might be a plus for a lot of "long time evening" listeners.
Bass not extremely fast-> rather "smooth" than ofering lots of "Attack"

Similar Products Used:
Rotel RMB 100
Onkyo 939
Vincent SP 991
Rotel RB 1090

Summary:
Anyone in the market for a power amp must give this a listen...if you can find it. Minimalist engineering and massive power dual power supplies give this unit power and punch; more importantly, this amp sounds great at normal and--yes--even low volumes. VERY musical amp...great speed with transients, excellent soundstaging, plenty of current for all sane usage.
I am using this unit connected directly to my Mark Levison #39 CD player with Harmonic Technologies Truthlink interconnects. Sonus Faber Grand Piano speakers.

oh...while I was waiting for my unit to get through customs (thank you European banana wars!), my dealer let me use a Mark Levinson #334 amp. No question, this is a tremendous amp (not dark like the older versions). In my system, however, I did not detect a downtick when I put in my Densen; certaimly not a $4,000 difference.