Denon unveils £399 PMA-50 compact stereo amplifier
Denon has announced the introduction of the PMA-50 – part of what the manufacturer is calling a "new hi-fi series", with its latest product taking a full digital stereo amplifier and housing it inside a compact case.
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But don't let its small size fool you - the PMA-50 benefits from Denon's proprietary sound technologies, which include Advanced AL32 Processing and DAC Master Clock design.
Denon says the PMA-50 delivers "superior audio fidelity" along with "high amplifier efficiency at 50W into 4 ohms". And for those wanting to pack in a bit of extra bass, there's a subwoofer pre-out provided too.
MORE: Read all our Denon reviews and news
Several digital inputs on offer from the PMA-50 include two optical and one coaxial, while you'll also find an analogue stereo input for legacy analogue sources.
Elsewhere, a USB-B connection allows users to connect to a PC or Mac and play high-resolution PCM and DSD audio files; PCM up to 24-bit/192kHz and 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz DSD.
Denon has included a dedicated noise isolation block, which can be found "prior to the digital amplifier" and is designed to help reduce unwanted digital noise from USB connections.
MORE: Denon D-M39DAB review
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For those who prefer to stream music wirelessly via Bluetooth, you're also in luck. The PMA-50 has an aptX Bluetooth receiver and NFC is supported for those with compatible devices.
A dedicated headphone amplifier circuit with adjustable headphone impedance control is also built-in, offering settings for low-, medium- and high-impedance headphones.
The Denon PMA-50 is available to purchase now either in black or silver finishes and comes with a price tag of £399.
Max is a staff writer for What Hi-Fi?'s sister site, TechRadar, in Australia. But being the wonderful English guy he is, he helps out with content across a number of Future sites, including What Hi-Fi?. It wouldn't be his first exposure to the world of all things hi-fi and home cinema, as his first role in technology journalism was with What Hi-Fi? in the UK. Clearly he pined to return after making the move to Australia and the team have welcomed him back with arms wide open.
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