If you’re heading off to university this year or returning to your student house for a second, third or fourth year, then you’re probably looking to put together a survival kit.
Besides t-shirts, socks and underwear, if you’re into music, you might be looking for something capable of scratching your sonic itch. Perhaps a five-star Bluetooth speaker with a chunky discount to help you power through those late nights of studying, writing or partying?
That’s a very sensible and simple route to go down and one which I applaud – partnering your wireless speaker with your smartphone and a Spotify or Tidal subscription is a quick and easy way for you or any of your flat/housemates to get the studying/partying started.
But allow me to point you in a slightly different direction, where you will be able to enjoy your favourite music in higher quality, and at higher volume, through a product that will give you greater pride of ownership than a pair of wireless headphones.
Now, I know a full-blown hi-fi system with multiple separates is the dream, and I would love for music-loving students across the world to cram their accommodation with all manner of musical boxes. But I understand that space is at a premium. There is also a distinct lack of what I would classify as affordable, entry-level electronics to help students get on the first rung of the hi-fi ladder. This means that proper system building can get very expensive very quickly.
This is why I’m attempting to spark your interest in an old hi-fi classic. Since the proliferation of wireless speakers and streaming services, the micro hi-fi system has faded so far into the background that some people are forgetting they even existed…
But every so often, a mention or sighting of the Denon D-M41DAB micro system reminds me of the glory days, when these units were a regular sight in our test rooms. And I personally think this system would be the perfect addition to any uni accommodation. This five-star all-in-one has been ticking over in the background for a number of years now and the fact that it is still around is a testament to its impressive ability.
The Denon will be just as happy in your bedroom or living room and you can crank it up to 11 without fear of sound quality taking a hit.
Sure, I’ll be first to admit that systems like this aren’t as fashionable as they once were; but, for the money, I’m not sure why you wouldn’t entertain something like this whether you’re a student or anyone else looking for an affordable, sweet-sounding all-in-one.
Obviously, you will need a solid CD collection to feed it but even if you have succumbed to streaming, I expect your parents will have a collection ready to be raided (with their permission of course). And then you can head over to the likes of eBay where you can pick entire collections for relative peanuts.
In the same way vinyl has come back into fashion, surely it’s only a matter of time before a CD revival comes around, and going for the Denon now allows you to get ahead of the curve. And I know building a CD collection is a cheaper option than starting a vinyl one!
If you still want to stream music, the Denon has Bluetooth connectivity (which you can switch off to preserve audio quality when using the CD player), but the beauty of this set-up is that it truly is a potent all-in-one package. The main unit can be bought complete with Denon’s own SC-M41 bookshelf speakers (including speaker cable). There are also the multitude of stations offered by the inclusion of DAB radio, a headphone jack for private listening, and both optical and analogue inputs should you want to connect any external kit.
The speakers use a 12cm driver/25mm soft-dome tweeter configuration and when we tested them, they were a great complement to Denon’s electronics, treating the listener to a large soundstage and loads of detail. Dynamics are large-scale and expressive too, with the speakers delivering whether tucked up against or set slightly further away from a rear wall.
Now you could just buy the main unit separately and add budget speakers of your choice. And yes, you might get a bit more detail and extra dynamics; but the Denon speakers were tuned specifically for that system's amplifier and I think you would be better off sticking with the complete Denon ensemble.
Last time we tested the D-M41DAB, the system cost £379, and over time the official price has risen up to £399. Should the urge take you, however, you can now buy the system for £349 at Amazon and John Lewis, a decent saving when you consider how long the Denon system is likely to last, which should be through university and well beyond!
MORE:
Whatever happened to the budget stereo amplifier market?
Separates vs systems: the pros and cons of each path to hi-fi nirvana
How music streaming is righting a wrong of the Compact Disc
Our pick of the best hi-fi systems
