Denon reveals PMA-900HNE HEOS streaming amplifier and matching CD player

[What Hi-Fi?]

Denon's new 'best of both' pairing blends physical CDs with high-quality digital streams. It's affordably priced, too.

Denon reveals PMA-900HNE HEOS streaming amplifier and matching CD player : Read more

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

A new CD player? Heavens.

 

[Combat]

A new CD player? Heavens.

Lol. I couldn't agree more. What it tells me is that the cost of developing a CD player is peanuts so they do it because selling even a few hundred or thousand units globally will still be profitable.

What surprises me more is the fact that their all singing all dancing steaming amplifier doesn't have HDMI Arc. You've alienated a whole load of people (like me who will have to fall back to the Bluesound Powernode) who want something to feed TV and music to a pair of speakers that sit either side of the TV (I saw a recent survey that found that two thirds of audio enthusiasts have a TV in between their main speakers).

 

[WayneKerr]

Good to see that Denon and Marantz are both still investing in physical media playback

 

[Luis Santos]

Indeed it's nice to see a new physical media player.

But why in the hell it doesn't also play SACD? And it already has a DSD DAC.

 

[Tamada]

What surprises me more is the fact that their all singing all dancing steaming amplifier doesn't have HDMI Arc. You've alienated a whole load of people (like me who will have to fall back to the Bluesound Powernode) who want something to feed TV and music to a pair of speakers that sit either side of the TV (I saw a recent survey that found that two thirds of audio enthusiasts have a TV in between their main speakers).

A thousand times yes ! You'd be surprised at how many audio enthusiasts do not care at all about 5.1, 7.1.2 or crazier setups. Something like the Marantz NR1200 (stereo with HDMI eArc + HDMI inputs, to be the interface for some more devices like consoles or decoders) is really the way to go. Any new high end stereo hi-fi amplifier that does not go this way now, is missing the point, for me.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I keep thinking, when approaching the magazine rack in Sainsbury's, that it'll be something other than vinyl, streaming or a TV on the front. A CD player group test would be a moment of giddy excitement - but I'm not holding my breath. Or opening my wallet, usually.