Bought this amplifier as an alternative for the summer days for the kilobuck referene pre-power. It has the layout and build of a high hend initiative, with a sober, back to business front. Sound has a deep and powerful foundation, with sweet and informative highs that never fall into analytical. Excellent for metal domes. So does it sound better than my tube reference? I'm afraid the answer is no. When it comes to 3D and tactility tubes still reign supreme in their absolute form. However good tube amps are expensive and you still need to change tubes. The Denon does a fairly good tube impersonation, as it sounds great at low levels with loads of musical details. It possesses a killer of a soundstage, without a hint of aggression. Bass is tight and deep, quite delicious at times, while details are illuminated from within- quite a rare treat at this price. Requires careful cable matching. It may not possess the speed and impact of a top notch tube amp, but it's low maintenance and trouble free. In short, an amplifier with a rare collection of qualities, which goes about its business in a calm and coolected manner, and does make you forget about tubes every once in a while. An amp which, unlike many European and American snake oil companies, serves music right. When you factor in price, it's just about a must hear. Highly recommended.

none that I can think of

Bought this amp on a whim. It is the original PMA-2000. Does not have the remote. This amp was built in 1997. I am seriously impressed with the sound of this beast. Schiit YGGDRASIL with the FET line amp. as the source. I don't understand the previous post about the murky sound of the version 4. The mids and highs have excellent clarity. I can hear the metal of bells and triangles distinctly. The mids are also pristine. I don't hear any sloppiness in the bass. The woofers in the speakers used for this review are JBL 2206's. They have a light moving mass of around 60 grams. That is pretty light for a 12 incher. Maybe the reason I can't hear the overhang the previous review reported. Joey Sommervilles' "Just wanna be with you" is in the room right in front of me. As others have said: "This amp is a sleeper".

None. The unit I have is flawless in it's operation.

A really amazing amp. So clean and warm. I have Yamaha and Onkyo in this price range. But no one could beat him. You must have a matching speakers and the pleasure is garanted. If you can find one, get it.

This review is for the Denon PMA-2000ivr as well as the similar priced Yamaha A-S700 integrated amp.

I just purchased the A-S700 off of ebay two weeks ago and I am so pleased with it that I decided to go ahead and write my first review. Let me start by saying that I have been an audiophile for 21 years now and have owned a wide variety of medium priced gear over the years. Normally the gear that I buy falls into the $1,000 to $2,000 dollar range. Most of the time I get good discounts on new gear or just buy used so rarely do I ever spend over $1,000 on anything. Most recently I have had the challenge of putting together a completely new system on a tight budget so this is how I ended up with the A-S700.

Today my system consist of:
A very expensive Rega P-9 turntable that my brother gave me as a gift,
Low output Grado Statement Platinum Cartridge
Jolida JD-9 Tubed Phono Stage
Sony SACD Player
Yamaha A-S700 Integrated Amp
Klipsh RB-81 Bookshelf Speakers
Various medium priced cables

When I originally put this system together I really wanted to get the Yamaha A-S1000 amp but due to a tight budget I ended up with a very nice Denon PMA-2000ivr integrated amp that originally retailed for $1,200 and I got off of Audiogon for $450. I searched high and low for weeks for the best amp I could find for under $500 and the Denon was by far the best value for the money. The build quality of the Denon could not be beat at that price. The Denon had everything I needed and was built like a tank weighing in at 52 lbs. I loved everything about the Denon except one thing...the sound.

Boy was I disappointed with the sound of the Denon. Overly warm, dark, soft, slow and rolled off on the top. Basically a marsh mellow sound that I absolutely could not live with. On the plus side the Denon did have a very big sound stage and was even a bit holographic on certain cuts but for me it was just way too warm. Granted, others might love a warmer and darker sound but when a overly warm or darker sounding component comes into my system it is usually gone in days.

In comes the A-S700. Yamaha saves the day again. Open, clean, clear, crisp, extended and accurate with just the perfect touch of warmth in the mid-range. Actually, the warmth in the mid range is one of the Yamaha's best attributes. Normally one would expect an amp with the above characteristics to sound a bit on the clinical side. Not so with the A-S700. The A-S700 retains the neutrality of much more expensive amps yet achieves a nice, musical mid-range at the same time. I would go as far as saying that the A-S700 has a liquid mid-range. How the engineers at Yamaha achieved this kind of neutrality and musicality at the same time is anyone’s guess but my hat is off.

My first reaction when I heard the A-S700 right out of the box was to say to myself that I could now hear my Rega/Grado/Jolida magic coming through. I first attributed the nice mid-range to my tubed phono stage but as I went back and forth to my CD's I could still hear the magic in the mid-range.

If anyone out there is reading this and wants a warmer and darker sound then go with the Denon. If you want neutral plus musical then go with the A-S700. I know that if I had a grand or two to drop on an amp today I would just upgrade all my cables instead. The A-S700 is the perfect amp for me.

Amazing integrated amplifier for the price on the used market. Extremely high current, and mine bench tested at 128 watts per channel @ 8 ohms. True dual mono design that doubles this output into 4 ohms.

Built like a tank and these things define Denon quality.

A true giant killer.

The reviews are positive for a good reason.

This review is for the PMA-2000ivr. This is the sleeper integrated of the decade perhaps. It has an incredible soundstage that is deep and third dimensional. It sounds warm like tube audio but it is accurate and clean instead. It has the punchiness of solid state. It is very dynamic and sometimes hot recordings can sound hard or over the top and will cause listening fatigue, but that is not its fault. It is very much audiophile gear, lots of detail, focus, grain, and air. Bass and treble are nicely trimmed in the audiophile tradition and may be perceived to roll off early, especially the bass. The mids are quite strong and assertive and do not leave you wondering what is going on here. They are so strong that cranking it with horn loaded speakers may cause eardrum grating. Recording room dynamics are easily conveyed as opposed to other gear that totally omits this dimension. This monster is about 54-55 LBS. Quality is everywhere. After a year of experiencing, I am still surprised at is subtle qualities. I say subtle because they don't strike you right off the bat. You almost have to wonder what the designers had in mind and then find those virtues. IF you can find one, get it, experience it and then write your review. I did not find that this integrated mated well with mids-heavy speakers, the mid section becomes too dominant. Clarity is also unequal. Music detail is abundant, it has great speed for transients, Columbia used very good semiconductors and audiophile capacitors inside. For the money, you can't go wrong. If you are a wine & cheese audiophile, this may be the bargain integrated you have been looking for.

I feel compelled to write a review of this now discontinued model--the PMA 2000IVR, after purchasing USED from the original owner who has had it for less than a year. I've been an audiophile for more than 20 yrs., beginning in my teen years in the 80's. Though I've owned Denon amps in the 80's and early 90's, I've moved on to "higher-end" gear over the years. Shuffled from solid state top model Naim and YBAs, then to Conrad Johnson vacuum tube amp/pre-amps that cost an arm and a leg to acquire. Two years ago, sold all my gear to relocate and focus on my 2 newborn kids.

I decided to look to for inexpensive gear this year after letting my vinyl and cd colllection gather dust. I landed this amp and was surprised by what I've heard and continue to hear. I picked up a B&W CM floorstander to pair it with and the qualites of this amp continues to impress me. First, it's has a very good top to bottom balance, with the only flaw is a slighly loose bass end but not too loose to cause trouble. The bass extension is impressive and tuneful, not a monotonous thud. Imaging and detail retrieval is excellent, even at low volume levels. Rhythm and timing is very decent, thought not in the Naim fashion, but is still very good. Very good transparency and soundstaging. I hear sound coming from the far end of the speakers, way out in fact, the illusion is it's in surround mode. I have not tried the bulit-in phono amps to assess its vinyl play, but for CD sources in source direct mode, I'm very impressed.

This amp could be the most underrated amp of the decade. The hi-fi media in North America has overlooked this solidly built and formidable sounding amp. Because of the lack of media reputation, this amp can be had for very cheap prices USED these days. The best $600 bucks you will ever purchase for a USED amp. Guaranteed.

Power is not an issue even with a lowish 80 watts, the power supply is steep and will drive speakers to their potential. Incidentally, a European version, the PMA2000AE has garnered wide praise in Asia and UK press (check h-fi + review, Issue 50). Not sure how different these 2 models are, but the innards indicate, it is similar.

Get one if you can. Partner with a synergistic speakers and listen without prejudice. This amp has the great balance of solid state and tube sound.

Excellent amplifier, too bad, Denon North America, bungled the marketing of what could have been a hi-fi blockbuster!

THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE PMA-2000IVR. I HAVE BEEN ON A QUEST FOR THE GREATEST BALANCE BETWEEN TUBE WARMTH AND SOLID STATE ACCURACY. I HAD SETTLED ON TUBE UNITS UNTIL BY CHANCE I CAME ACCROSS A PMA-750 80 WATT INTEGRATED. AFTER NOTICING IT A CUT ABOVE OTHERS, I WENT TO THE DENON WEB SITE AND FOUND THEIR INSIDE PICTURES OF THE DENON PMA-2000IVR. HAVING BEEN A TECHIE ALL MY LIFE, I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED QUALITY AND THE ELNA SILMIC II CAPACITORS LOADED ALL OVER THE PLACE, NOT TO MENTION THE HUGE SEPARATE POWER TRANSFORMER AND FILTERING CAPACITORS. I SET OUT TO FIND ONE, YES, ONLY ONE WAS FOR SALE WORLDWIDE! IN A NEIGHBORING COUNTRY...WELL I QUICKLY SNAPPED IT UP. I WAS IMPRESSED RIGHT OFF THE BOX TO FIND THE UNIT IS HEAVIER AND BIGGER THAN IT LOOKS. IT IS ALL BUSINESS AND NOT PORTABLE, AT 52 LBS, IT COMMANDS RESPECT. THE TIME I GOT TO AUDITION IT, WAS ALSO TIME FOR RESTING, BUT LITTLE REST DID I GET SINCE THERE WERE DETAILS COMING AT ME FROM THE MUSIC I JUST NEVER HEARD BEFORE. THIS KEPT WAKING ME FROM A LIGHT SLEEP AND I WAS WONDERING IF SOMEONE HAD SNUCK INTO THE HOUSE. BUT NO, IT WAS THE DENON UNCOVERING DETAIL AND CONVEYING THE REALITY OF IT WHEN RECORDED...I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT AND IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO GET USED TO THIS NEW DIMMENSION. THEN THE OTHER THING HIT ME TODAY. THE DETAIL AND ACCURACY UNCOVERED IN THE SOUNDSTAGE JUST LEAVES ME BAFFLED. IT IS LIKE GOING FROM REGULAR 480 PIXEL TV TO 1080 HDTV IN TERMS OF SOUND--NO EXAGERATION. I CAN SPOT INSTRUMENTS LEFT TO RIGHT AND FRONT TO BACK. SO MUCH FOR THE TUBES BEING ABLE TO ONLY CLAIM THIS QUALITY. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN ON THE SHELF SINCE THE DENON, THERE ARE NO TRADES OFFS TO GO BACK THERE OTHER THAN TO WARM UP THE ROOM A BIT. THIS THING IS INCREDIBLE AND I DOUBT EVEN DENON KNOWS WHAT THEY CREATED...AND BTW, IT IS BEING DISCOVERED BECAUSE THEY DO NOT LAST ONCE FOR SALE AND FOLKS DO NOT LET THEM GO. I KNOW THEY MUST BE BROKEN IN SINCE I HAVE USED THESE CAPACITORS IN OTHER UNITS AND BURN IN IS REQUIRED. BUT BY NOW, MOST OF THEM ARE ANYWAYS. IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU HEAR AND ANAL IS SOME WAY ABOUT AUDIO, THEN YOU HAVE TO TRY ONE, TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, YOU WILL BE AMAZED. BTW, I AM NOT SELLING ONE OR INTEND TO ANY TIME SOON. HAHAHA, JUST LOVE IT!!!! GOOD JOB COLUMBIA/DENON....DID I MENTION, MADE IN JAPAN (NOT CHINA)?

TONS of true dual-mono power - well beyond its rating. Has no problem driving hard to drive low-efficiency speakers. Outstanding Phono-stage. Excellent Sound-staging for the money.

None at this price range. Some have mentioned the sheer weight of this unit as a weakness - while it's something to be aware of with regards to placement, I would count it as a strength and a testimony to how well built this amp is.

Denon PMA-2000IVR

Mindblowingly good amp for the money.... even at retail. Perhaps the sleeper of the decade.

The sheer clean power this puppy puts out is astounding and if you're a vinyl junkie like me, the built in phono stage is, hands down, the best I've heard in any integrated I've owned.

Some quick background and related equipment:

I've owned tens of thousands of dollars worth of audio equipment over the years - everything from Musical Fidelity, to Portal, to Rogue, etc. - the current "mid-fi" system I currently run is, by far, the most enjoyable of the lot and the PMA-2000IVR is at the center of that system:

- KAB SL-1200MK2 Turntable with Fluid Damper, Cardas Tonearm Rewire and J.A. Michel Clamp
- Audio-Technica AT-150MLX Moving Magnet Cartridge
- NHT Classic Two Monitors
- Outlaw / HSU LFM-2 Sub (via PMA-2000IVR Bi-Wiring Outputs)
- AudioQuest Cables (Sidewinder Interconnects / Type-4 Speaker)

This amp does a wonderful job of properly sound-staging instruments given its price - perhaps not the pinnacle of 3D placement with regards to depth, but does a great job of maintaing the soundstage it presents at all times. Hits well beyond its price-range in this regard and is a testimony to it's true dual-mono design.

Bass is deep and taught - best described as punchy, very well suited for jazz and rock. Highs are clear, precise, and have the desired "sparkle" and sustain without the slightest hint of brightness when coupled with the NHT's. Midrange is liquid and smooth - just a very nice "even" presentation across the board.

For $1,200 I just don't think you could ask for anything more from an integrated. I already mentioned the phono-stage, but it warrants a second mention. By far, the best integrated phono-stage I've come across and it bests any sub-$500 stage I've heard and outperforms many stages I've heard that cost more than this $1,200 package.

Similar Products Used:

Musical Fidelity, Portal, Cambridge Audio, Creek.

Excellent build quality. True dual mono design. As mentioned above, power, dynamics, neutral, dead quiet and did I mention slam? Not many manufactures can claim to double their power in relation to impedences.

Ok, if I have to come up with something I will say that the volume controls on that nifty little remote is very sensitive.

Sadly having to part with my separates in order to make some financial recoveries and to make space, I sold off my preamp and 200 watt monos to make room for a simple integrated amp. Having done my research and reading the many positive reviews on the Denon PMA 2000IVR, I found a used but in prestine condition 2000IVR on Audiogon. To be honest, I did not expect the greatest results on this unit for I was worried that this integrated would not provide sufficient power for my 6ohm NHT 2.5i's that my monoblocks were so good at providing. Boy, did I underestimate this integrated! Power, dynamics, neutrality and dead quiet were words that popped in my head. I listen to everything from Chopin to Coltrane, to Metallica and this integrated really brings out the music and brings it out very well. No listening fatigue at all. I decided to tweak this machine a bit more by replacing the single 10amp and two 5amp fuses with PS Audio Criticle Links. I also converted my home brew speaker cables from bi-wire to bi-amp configuration. Took my listening experience to a mind blowing level. Speaking of levels, I cannot push the volume knob past 10 o-clock without ticking off the neighbors. A fantastic piece of gear that will be a keeper!

Customer Service

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Similar Products Used:

Parasound P3 and Sherbourn M-1/300 pre/power combo, Hafler 915 and 9300 pre/power combo, Rotel RA and RB 1070 pre/power combo