Marantz PM 6005 vs. Denon PMA 720AE

[Tibor]

Which one is better choice for my Quad 11L Classic speakers, I mean which one has more open, more dinamic and more detalied, but also musical and not soulless sound. Mainly for classical music.

Tha Marantz PM 6005 is at 1,5X price compared with Denon 720AE (I wonder if there is a great difference sonicaly, I am not interested in built in DAC from Marantz) My budget is for a budget amplifier, nor for Rega, Arcam, Creek, Naim and others.

I have no possibility to listen or compare the amplifiers

Eventually another options are Onkyo A 9030 and Pioneer A 30

Thank you for any suggestions

 

[drummerman]

Which one is better choice for my Quad 11L Classic speakers, I mean which one has more open, more dinamic and more detalied, but also musical and not soulless sound. Mainly for classical music.

Tha Marantz PM 6005 is at 1,5X price compared with Denon 720AE (I wonder if there is a great difference sonicaly, I am not interested in built in DAC from Marantz) My budget is for a budget amplifier, nor for Rega, Arcam, Creek, Naim and others.

I have no possibility to listen or compare the amplifiers

Eventually another options are Onkyo A 9030 and Pioneer A 30

Thank you for any suggestions

Based on a KI Sign and PM-355UK, both ancient ancestor of the two you've mentioned and both owned by my goodself many a moon ago;

Denon has better focused soundstage. Subjectively more detailed with more extended treble and bass. Marantz is more fluid and bouncy with better dynamics but slightly softer at frequency extremes, some would call that musical

At the time I took the Denon to my local Hifi Retailer to compare to a few amplifiers. I could not hear any difference to an Arcam A28. I would assume the 720AE is as good or better than the 355UK.

With larger speakers I'd go Denon, with smaller ones Marantz. There won't be any 'night n'day' differences, both have their limitations, mostly related to power and solidity to sound. - I don't think you can go wrong with either but I would probably also consider a NAD as an alternative.

Never heard the two you mention but I am sure there will be some on here that have.

 

[Tibor]

Thank you, it was a great help, it seems to me, that will Denon bring out more detail from my cd collection and will be more suitable with my Quad speakers (they need a fast, open, revealing sounding amp)

I hope the Denon 720AE is not a clinical sounding amp (like old japanese budget amplifiers)

 

[drummerman]

A good choice me thinks.

Here is an excerpt from the Dec 2012 HifiChoice review of the amplifier with matching DCD 720AE player;

' ... many customers will probably purchase the pair together, but taken on their own, the PMA 720AE amplifier is the star of the show. This is an impressive amplifier and only Rega's rather less comprehensively specified Brio-R has impressed me as much under £500. With useful reserves of power, a lovely phono stage and surprisingly substantial build quality, it should be on anybodies shortlist. ... ' Ed Selley

Enjoy

 

[Tibor]

Thank you for review. It is sounding very promising. I hope the Denon is a musical amp, and not a "technical sounding"one.

 

[drummerman]

Thank you for review. It is sounding very promising. I hope the Denon is a musical amp, and not a "technical sounding"one.

Mmmh, subjective.

I guess it is more 'technical' (hifi?) sounding than a Marantz but mine certainly wasn't 'clinical', whatever that means. I enjoyed it whilst in my posession.

Would be good if perhaps others with experience of the specific two models you are considering can chime in their 2c's worth.

I shall keep out from here on

 

[Tibor]

what is diference betwen Rega Brio R and Denon Pma 720AE?, if any ?

 

[matthewpiano]

what is diference betwen Rega Brio R and Denon Pma 720AE?, if any ?

I've owned both twice! The Denon is a good amp for the money, but the Rega is significantly better. More natural sounding, wider soundstage, more convincing dynamic range, more clarity, more detail. The Rega is something really special.

 

[Tibor]

For me is the most important, that Denon should be without edgy and harsh treble, and to be a better amp compared with my old Arcam Alpha 7

 

[matthewpiano]

For me is the most important, that Denon should be without edgy and harsh treble, and to be a better amp compared with my old Arcam Alpha 7

The Denon doesn't have an edgy or harsh treble. If anything it can sound slightly diffuse and soft around the edges. I've have had an Alpha 7R, and my personal feeling is that in switching from this to the Denon you would find a loss of atmosphere and some loss of soundstaging capability. Out of the two, I'd rather listen to the Arcam.

 

[Tibor]

Very interesting what you said, I am wonder if the Pioneer A 30 or Cambridge Audio Azur 350A would be a better choice than Denon PMA 720 AE (I need urgently to replace my Arcam Alpha 7R because became inreliable and noisy)