Long story short, this is a wonderful integrated!
Have owned quite a few over the past years, the recent Denon PMA-2020AE and Hegel H160 being two of them. But was never fully satisfied.
This amplifier has it all though with that wonderful "analog sound" compared to the new stuff out there. Its got a tight, constant and firm grip of the sound no matter how loud and long you may play. Compared to PMA-2020AE this just seems a bit more powerful and the sound overall is slightly improved. Most noticable when playing very loud, the PMA-S10 II is rock solid like nothing Ive ever listened to before.
Bass is nice n tight, highs are crystal clear but never harsh sounding. The crucial midrange is where it shines the most to me, incredible!!!
The remote control could have been better but thats it.

Engineered with extreme meticulousness. Sound of its own not so easy to discern. Well-machined input and output teminals. Very good tone controls and source direct path.

Speaker terminals do not accomodate bannana plugs well. Tone controls lack features lack like turnover points or ajustable attenuation.

I have bought this integrated mostly for its impressive specs and technical features. After lot of investigations, I concluded that this is a wonderful piece of engineering, without any trace of useless audiophile nitty gritty, but with conspicuous care to subbtle details noone usualy stresses.

Soundwise, I can not state that the PMA-S10II is free of any flaws, as I barely know competitors in its price range or over. But after a few years of usage, the only thing I can think of is that this integrated do not cease to surprise me with utmost resolution. I should point out that the soundstage is as rock solid as the sound is generally vivid and extremely dynamic.

Specs and lab reports suggest that its drive capabilities of difficult loads is beyond any doubts.

There is absolutetly no parasistic sounds when switches and pots are in use. Terminals are practical and feel robust enough to allow long and problem free operation. The only caveat is that bannana plugs are a beat loose at the speaker terminals, wich, on the other hand, accomodate very well bare cable or even U-shape spades.

I use the Denon PMA-S10II paired with Cabasse Iroise SCS floorstanding loudspeakers and a Sony SCD-555ES SACD player, Cabasse speaker cable and Van den Hul The WELL Hybrid interconnects. Other amplifiers contest : Rega Elicit and Mira 2000, Neodio Modell 100, Etalon Origo solid state amps ; Audio Institute VR70 and Audiomat Solfège Référence tube amps.

Similar Products Used:

Rega Elex, Rega Elicit