What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
24 JUL 2008
Denon D-M37DAB
Denon's micro systems are back with a vengeance – all this for £300 has to be a bargain
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It's been three years since we've tested a Denon micro system at the £300 mark, and after previous successes this latest machine has been eagerly awaited. What's more, it couldn't come at a more opportune time: this sector of the market is suddenly becoming very active, with two new micro systems just announced by Onkyo.
Clearly Denon hasn't been resting on its laurels, the D-M37DAB having had a serious overhaul in terms of specification on the inside, and design on the outside.
Available in silver or black, the 30W-per-channel system features an all-new circuit design, including separation of digital and analogue domains, plus UK-tuned electronics and SC-M37 speakers (the system costs £70 less without them).
There are both USB and 3.5mm mini-jack inputs placed handily on the front of the unit, while there's a dedicated connection for an iPod dock on the rear. Inside there's a DAB/FM/AM tuner, plus a CD player capable of playing MP3 and WMA discs
Built to survive a nuclear bomb drop
As is normally the case with Denon, the machine has the feel of something that might still be around with the cockroaches should that nuclear bomb drop, with sturdy buttons and a rigid disc tray, plus solid, substantial speaker cabinets. The remote control's had a re-think too, looking smarter and cleaner than rivals' offerings.
But it's the sound quality that really has us marvelling. Wyclef Jean's punchy, bass-heavy Where Fugees At? sounds just like that. The Denon is capable of some serious weight and bottom-end power, but as a result, do be careful with placement or this could become over-bearing.
Much like the unit itself, the sound is solid and full-bodied, but at the same time never lacking attention to detail. Coldplay's Death And All His Friends shows vocals that are full of texture, piano that's delicate and natural and meaty, powerful guitars. Dynamically it's capable too, delivering a broad soundstage that pushes in to the corners of our listening room.
Strong DAB and FM reception
The on-board tuners have strong signal reception, providing clear, detailed sound from DAB and FM, the latter especially delivering an authoritative, subtle delivery. Using the remote it's intuitive and easy to navigate, too, meaning a wealth of features and functions, along with top-notch sound mark this as a micro machine of serious quality.
So is it better than Onkyo's 2007 Award-winning CS-515UK model at the same price? In a word, yes. It also beats Onkyo's two new micro systems, the £300 CS-525UKD (replacing the CS-515UK) and £200 CS-325UKD, making it our 2008 Product of the Year.
Click here to watch our video review of the Denon D-M37DAB.