Price Paid:  $800.00 from a&b sound

Summary:
plain and simple, this product has serious issues with its mp3 compatibility. i tried everything and it could only read 1/5 CDs that i have used. A&B told me to ensure that i am using good quality CD-Rs and good quality MP3s - i tried again --- using Sony CDR and MP3s with minimum 128KBPS - the unit could not read the CD (the unit sits with "Reading" displayed forever). ITs really too bad, cause the system is outstanding. Also - just to confirm, i have a sony mp3 boombox - which read the MP3 data CDRs that the denon unit couldn't without a problem. In fact, i took the CDs that Denon couldnt read to A&B Sound - there demo unit had same problem - while another mp3 stereo in there store did not. With all this trial and error, i am 100% confident that it is not the cd and not my system - but in fact, these denon units have a serious mp3 compatibility issue. I hope denon addresses this because i love the system.

Price Paid:  $250.00 from pcmall (charged me $

Summary:
I was looking for a shelf system which didn't sound like junk. I settled on the Denon which was available at PCmall for a steal and supposedly got rave reviews from 'impartial' magazine reviewers. In any case I have it for a few months now and have the following observations: On close inspcection the build quality of the unit is plasticky and cheap and definitely not worth the MSRP of $750. The lettering on my remote has begun to wear off and the remote seems to have some unnamed mystery buttons that do nothing. Also the goofy remote has a door flips open right to left and so is an ergonomic nightmare for left-handed persons. The unit is made in China.(OK I'm biased) The speakers are not Mission speakers. Another thing to note is that the clever design of the system houses the amp in the subwoofer, so you connect your speakers and your main unit (via a digital cable) to the Dub. The problem with this design approach is that you replace the sub and if the sub or the main unit fails all you have left are two flat cheesy speakers. OK ..enough bashing the system ! On the bright side the sound is surprisingly good and crystal clear. The Sub is wonderful and all combined the output is excellent although it's not for head-bangers. Being a classical fan, I am a little dissapointed by how it sounds, but that is to be expected on a shelf system. Mozart, Vivaldi or Handel don't even tickle the sub. Jazz sounds great. There is a equalizer in the system but as I prefer natural sound I don't use it. As far as looks go - all I can say is Wow ! I hung it up on the wall at ear level and it looks a damned sight better than the Van Gogh repro that I had hanging in it's place ;-). The unit plays MP3s flawlessly. Though I never use this feature.

Strengths:
Looks. Nice clean design. Sound. Surprisingly good. Though IMO not as good as the Denon D-M30 with the Mission speakers.

Weaknesses:
Design. Dual point of complete failure (if you lose the Sub or the Main unit you've got an expensive doorstop) You NEED the remote as there is very limited set of controls on main unit. Cheaply built - Made in China Overpriced at MSRP ( I ma giving it a 4 for the price I paid $250)

Similar Products Used:
Denon D-M30, Nakamichi SoundSpace 3, Yamaha TSX-15

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Yes, it looks good, but what's impressed me most so far is the good clean sound it generates -- the speakers and subwoofer are quite well integrated. I bought it for my kitchen, and something like that or a home office/study seems the perfect application...it has *almost* the features you'd want in a bedroom system, but some annoying gaps (clock is only shown when it's off, you must set an end time as well as the start for the daily timer) prevent it from excelling in that role. Several other of the products I looked at have comparable (althought not better) sound; I ended up choosing the Denon because of some of its smaller features -- the clock and timers, CD-R/RW capability, and MP3 decoding. It only occured to me when I was rating the product for this review that for the sound quality, plus all these small features, plus the flexibility it offers, it's actually a pretty good value. And yes, it looks good, too.

Strengths:
- Good clean sound and imaging. - Looks. - Flexibility (mount on wall or on included stands). - Miscellaneous features: sleep timer; clock; CD-R/RW playback; MP3 decoding.

Weaknesses:
- Remote: lightweight plastic feel; silly door covers most buttons; several unused buttons. - No balance control.

Similar Products Used:
Looked at various "executive" systems from JVC, Panasonic, and Yamaha; Nakamichi Soundspace 5; Pioneer NS-33.

Price Paid:  $477.00 from WWW.DMART2000.COM

Summary:
Poverty prevented me from buying a Linn Classik and my wife prevented me from buying a NAD L-40 with PSB-Image 2Bs. For aesthetic reasons was railroaded into buying a Denon D107. After a brief toss up, the Denon won against the Nakamichi SS5 and the Shewood Lyceum. Appearance : Looks good, but on closer inspection side panels look slightly plasticky. Muted front panel is good. Most importanatly the display can be turned off. Specs : reasonable specs, 40W power off speakers and 100W of sub decent for bedroom. 0.9% THD with 60Hz-20KHz frequency response at 6dB. Clock and Timer (not there in Nakamichi)Price includes sub Turn it on : Sound is not totally transparent although system retains good imaging with good tonal separation. Billy Joel, Neil Diamond and Vivaldi's Four seasons as well as Cream came off with a sound that seemed a little too rich and boomy. Amplifier includes some ability to adjust Base/Mid/Treble (Although I like to keep it flat). Still no sign of sound or clarity fading/distorting/breaking up as you crank up the volume. Surprisingly good compared to my expectation Plus looks fantastic on my wall.

Strengths:
Aesthetics Clock and Timer Good CD Transport Radio reasonable pickup of AM/FM stations Reasonable sound reproduction

Weaknesses:
Not an audiophile product but pretty good for poor enthusisasts