Denon PMA-1700NE Premium Silver Hi-Fi Integrated Amplifier

Denon PMA-1700NE Premium Silver — Reference Integrated Amplifier for the Modern Audiophile

The Denon PMA-1700NE Premium Silver is a high-current integrated amplifier built around Denon's UHC-MOS single push-pull topology and a dual El-core power transformer. Rated at 70 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 140 watts per channel into 4 ohms, this model drives demanding loudspeaker loads with composure. The amplifier's 5 Hz to 100 kHz frequency response captures deep bass fundamentals and the most delicate high-frequency overtones without compression. Two coaxial and two optical digital inputs join a USB-B asynchronous input, while four analog line inputs and a moving-magnet/moving-coil phono stage cover every traditional source.

What Sets This Integrated Amplifier Apart

At the heart of the PMA-1700NE sits Denon's Advanced AL32 Processing Plus, a waveform reconstruction algorithm that restores low-level information lost during digital recording. The PCM1795 DAC operates with a dedicated master clock and full galvanic isolation on the USB-B input, suppressing jitter before it reaches the analog stage. A dedicated Analog Mode button on the front panel bypasses all digital circuitry, giving listeners a pure signal path from phono or line input to speaker terminals.

Power Output and Amplification Circuitry

The amplifier's power stage is built around seven UHC-MOS devices in a single push-pull configuration, fed by a dual El-core transformer that maintains stable current delivery into low-impedance loads. This topology delivers measured power with vanishingly low distortion.

• Rated Power Output: 70 W + 70 W into 8 ohms (20 Hz–20 kHz, THD 0.07%)
• High-Current Output: 140 W + 140 W into 4 ohms (1 kHz, THD 0.7%) — drives less efficient or bi-wired speakers with authority
• Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.01% at rated output –3 dB, 8 ohms, 1 kHz — clean signal even at sustained high levels

Digital-to-Analog Conversion and Signal Processing

The DAC section accepts high-resolution audio from computers, network streamers, and disc transports, then upconverts every input through Advanced AL32 Processing Plus before analog reconstruction.

• DAC Chip: Burr-Brown PCM1795 — long-standing reference in high-end audio for its musicality and low noise floor
• USB-B Input: asynchronous XMOS XU210-256-TQ128 with full galvanic isolation
• Maximum Resolution: PCM up to 384 kHz / 32-bit, DSD up to 11.2 MHz (DoP)
• Optical / Coaxial Inputs: 2 optical + 1 coaxial, 192 kHz / 24-bit maximum — accommodates TVs, disc players, and legacy digital sources

Phono Stage, Chassis, and Physical Connectivity

The built-in phono preamplifier accepts both moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges with a tightly controlled RIAA curve, while the chassis and connector layout reflect decades of Denon mechanical engineering.

• Phono Input: MM 2.5 mV / 47 kohm, MC 200 µV / 100 ohm, RIAA ±0.5 dB (20 Hz–20 kHz)
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 107 dB (CD), 89 dB (MM), 74 dB (MC) — black backgrounds even on quiet classical passages
• Speaker Terminals: two gold-plated pairs, bi-wiring compatible, 4–16 ohm (single pair) / 8–16 ohm (both pairs)
• Chassis: SECC t1.2 mm steel, aluminum front panel, extruded aluminum heatsink, 17.6 kg net weight — mass-loaded construction resists vibration

Who Should Choose the PMA-1700NE

Serious listeners who want a single chassis that handles every source — vinyl, CD, computer audio, and television — without compromise will find this integrated amplifier a natural fit. Owners of moving-coil cartridges gain a quiet, accurate phono stage that rivals many outboard units, while computer-audio enthusiasts benefit from asynchronous USB-B with full galvanic isolation and native DSD support up to 11.2 MHz. With 140 watts per channel into 4 ohms, this model drives floorstanding speakers of moderate efficiency with confidence, including the Paradigm Founder and Bowers & Wilkins 700 Series mentioned in Denon's own customer feedback. Listeners who prefer a pure analog signal path can engage Analog Mode at the press of a front-panel button, disabling all digital circuitry for the shortest possible route from input to speaker. Roon Tested certification means the amplifier integrates cleanly into a computer-audio control ecosystem without driver fuss.