The sound quality of this amplifier is just great especially if you are a listener who gives a lot of importance to the vocals of a song. The high freqencies too are well defined when compared to the previous amp I used, the Pioneer A-339. The bass of the pioneer was a little more punchy maybe because it was a more powerful amp. The Denon's bass is smoother, not very punchy and I kinda started to like it. The variable loudness control is a great feature by which you can adjust the tonal quality according to our taste. Overall a great amp with its pleasant listening quality you get at an attractive price.

Quite open and transparent

Lost details when music gets crowded (many instruments playing together)

DENON plays well and is quite open comparing in its price range. The loudness switch give additional boost when you like rock and roll style, but you definitely do not need it when used with good spearkers (mine: Dali 6006 and PSB Image 4T).

very pronounced tone, asserted midrange

too artificial sound. pretended to be instrumental sound, not very realistic indeed.

i have purchased the japanese model pma-390 mark three,which is identical to the european model pma-535r.its sound is full on but not the bass,which means mids and highs are very pronounced but bass is a little bit lean. overall sound attention grabbing,but not very realistic,say,piano's sound is very artificial, not very natural,but pop and rock sound fantastic through this amp,like prince's soulful pop and funky,very immediate and assertive sound.
sound is lean sometimes and lacks substance and atmosphere. some subtle nuances is not very well reproduced. maybe mid-range is too outstanding and obvious,which obscures the performance of treble detailing.
but it must be said that this amp's sound is better than denon's line of av-amps and receivers,like avc-2800.
i own the avc-2800 also and make a direct comparison with the sound of 390,of course in stereo, source direct mode. the former is in no comparison with even the strepped-down line of the little stereo amp,in terms of soundstages, back and depth widthness, directness of sound and musicality.
to be more precise,the 2800 has no soundstage and seperation of instruments at all. the instruments are mixed up and u cannot really identify where the singer situates. i wonder how some magazines can comment on the 2800 for 'good stereo performance'. though the 390 is in a more junior line, the sound it produces is actually what we known for "stereo sound". because of this level of achievement,i give the 390 (525/535) four stars.

Similar Products Used:

kenwood ka-3020se,sansui au-x515,nad c320

Ahh...the Denon PMA-525R reminds me of the good ol times I had with my PMA-560. What I like about this amp is it has clean mids and higs. Most noticable if coupled with PLCs or power line conditioners. The bass, somewhat OK, could be improved but still, I'm not complaining. As for its depthness, well, it all depends on your setup and your room. My experience was quite unforgetable as it managed to deliver a very-close-to soundstaging environment.
FINAL VERDICT IN WORDS : Best to be experienced on your own...you'll be surprised.

good detail and soundstaging, great highs and mids

not any in this price range, but if i picked one it would be the bass(its good just not as good as higher priced units

I like this intergrated amp especially for its price range. I originally had adcom products as listed and was in search for something that sounded as good with a remote. I have found that this amp to me sounds as good if not better for a lot less and with a remote! I borrowed a bryston b-60 from a hi-fi store in nashville and thought it sounded better until i switched back to the denon after a couple of days of burn-in. I personally like the variable loudness control (it allows me to make the sound more flat or increase the detail when desired, also great if your set up is alittle harsh in the upper treble). Very satisified, would definitely recommend trying if in the market for a low priced intergrate!! Did not get a 5 because I've never heard any sytem that is perfect at any price.

this is my set up:
denon pma 525r
snell e-III
sony cd player
analysis plus oval-in interconnect
analysis plus oval 12 speaker cable

Similar Products Used:

adcom gfa-555 and adcom gfp-555II,bryston b-60

This amp is a very good "build a system around it" amp. It has a deep bass and a nice treble. The midrange is soo good that you can´t describe it in words. It´s the best amp in this priceclass.