“Denon has produced something even better than last year’s Award winner.” – What Hi-Fi?
Continuing Denon’s run of fine form is the Japanese brand’s latest incumbent, the DM40. It’s recently hit our shelves and the first impressions look positive.
Denon’s dominance of the budget mini system market in the past decade has been truly spectacular. Recently, its DM39 model has received numerous ‘Product of the Year’ awards including one from What Hi-Fi magazine. Even before this, many of its predecessors in the DM series have picked up the coveted prize, so you can appreciate our excitement for the latest model.
Built around the same chassis as the DM39, the DM40 is definitely evolution rather than revolution, but given its pedigree this isn’t surprising. The same 30 watt per channel amplifier is used inside, but with a revised version of Denon’s Triple Noise Reduction Design (TNRD) at its heart, the DM40 is aiming to be the best in its price range for out-and-out sound quality. Matched with the right set of speakers you could be enjoying sound quality that’s pretty surprising for a system of its size.
The mini system that packs a lot in.
Will this be another award winner?
It is with the addition of a second optical connection that Denon are ahead of the curve. As the key input for plugging a TV into a modern Hi-Fi, its almost guaranteed that this connection will be appreciated at some point by most people. Keeping one spare then, is only going to make future connectivity even easier. USB is featured again, and with its Apple iOS compatibility, the socket makes it easy to play music from an iPhone, iPod or iPad. Those not part of the Apple fraternity needn’t fear, you can still use this connection for memory sticks and HDDs.
CD and DAB (still in ‘+’ form, should this ever reach these shores) are still onboard, with these mainstays still an important part of the modern mini-system despite the upsurge in streaming music.
Author: Chris, Liverpool store
