Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Denon celebrates its 110th birthday with powerful 8K AV receiver

By

It’s Denon’s 110-year anniversary, and the revered audio company is celebrating the only way it knows how: By dropping some seriously high-end gear.

Recommended Videos

Denon has announced four new products to commemorate its anniversary: The $5,500 AVR-1110 A/V receiver, the $3,500 PMA-A110 integrated amplifier, the $3,000 DCD-A110 SACD player, and the $600 DL-A110 MC phono cartridge. Each of these anniversary edition products features an exclusive silver-graphite colorway, as well as 110th-anniversary logos on the front panel.

Related

With the receiver, amplifier, and SACD player set to be available in October 2020 and the phono cartridge set for November, here’s what we know about these new Denon devices.

AVR-A110 A/V receiver

Denon AVR-A110 receiver
Denon

For an A/V receiver to cost $5,500, it needs to have everything but the kitchen sink built into it to justify such a price tag. It seems the AVR-A110 may have achieved that status.

First, the basics. The AVR-A110 is a 13.2-channel, 8K receiver that supports nearly every popular audio format, from Dolby Atmos to DTS:X and DTS:X Pro, as well as IMAX Enhanced and Auro-3D. This behemoth delivers 150 watts of power per channel and provides 8K/60Hz pass-through or upscaling and 4K/120Hz pass-through for gaming.

Speaking of gaming, the AVR-A110 offers Auto Low Latency Mode, Variable Refresh Rate, and Quick Frame Transport to minimize lag and latency. The AVR-A110 has eight HDMI inputs and three out, including an eARC output, and supports the latest HDR standard to help users enjoy brighter colors and deeper blacks.

The AVR-A110 has HEOs built-in for multi-room streaming and has Apple AirPlay 2 for quick and easy streaming from iOS devices. In addition to that, the new receiver is compatible with popular voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for hands-free control. Like we said, the only thing Denon is missing with this high-end AVR is that elusive kitchen sink.

PMA-A110 Integrated Amplifier

Denon integrated amp
Denon

In contrast to the AVR-A110, which is meant to be the ultimate heart of a home theater system, the PMA-A110 is designed to be a stereo amplifier for music listening. And, according to Denon, it’s the highest-end integrated amp that the company has ever introduced to the North American market.

At the heart of the PMA-A110 is the seventh generation of Denon’s Ultra High Current (UHC) power amplifier, which puts out 80 watts per channel. The PMA-A110 can handle a variety of hi-res audio sources, and is equipped with Ultra AL32 Processing, which is meant to achieve as close to the original audio signal as possible.

The PMA-A110 supports both analog and digital sources, with the option of enjoying high-resolution digital audio from coaxial, optical, or USB-B inputs. Denon says the PMA-A110 is the ideal foundation of a system that also employs the DCD the DCD-A110 SACD player, and the DL-A110 MC phono cartridge. To be clear, though, that ensemble comes at quite the premium price.

DCD-A110 SACD Player

Denon SACD player
Denon

With all the streaming music possibilities that have taken the audio world by storm, there’s still a place for well-crafted CD players. The DCD-A110 SACD Player fits that bill with playback of CD’s and Super Audio CD’s, as well as DSD files and high-resolution audio files up to 192-kHz/24-bit.

The SACD Player has a Quad DAC configuration, which is built to “deliver superb channel separation,” and outstanding audio performance according to Denon. The player also has fully independent power supplies for digital and analog circuits to avoid interference or noise. These power supplies have several high-end parts around them, according to Denon, including different transistors, capacitors, and regulator circuits that are supposed to work together to create a dynamic overall performance.

DL-A110 Phono Cartridge

Denon phono cartridge
Denon

There’s some old-school nostalgia weaved into the DL-A110, since it features a Moving Coil design that was hand-spun in the same Denon Audio Works factory in Shirakawa, Japan that completed the work in the 1960s. This new phono cartridge sports a lightweight design, with a 6-gram silver-graphite headshell that ensures that the cartridge is properly aligned to produce a detailed sonic signature, as Denon calls it.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Nick Woodard
Nick Woodard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
  As an A/V Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Nick Woodard covers topics that include 4K HDR TVs, headphones…
Are AirPods waterproof? Everything you need to know
A pair of Apple AirPods Pro in an open case with water splashed on them.

If you've recently bought a pair of Apple AirPods or are considering it because all your searching has proven that they’re some top-notch earbuds, you might be curious if they're waterproof. The short answer is no, so it’s best to avoid using them in overly rainy conditions or around water. However, you’re in for some good news if you’re eyeing the third-gen AirPods or the first- and second-gen AirPods Pro. They are indeed water-resistant.

Let’s examine what this means and examine how each AirPod model handles water. We'll also discuss the levels of water resistance and what that means for your use. Let’s dive in!
Water resistant vs. waterproof
As we mentioned above, none of Apple's AirPods -- AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPod Max -- are waterproof. But what is "waterproof" anyway? From an electronic device standpoint, being waterproof means that the device is watertight and can be completely submerged in water. There's a common ratings system designed for electronics to measure this (as well as dust and dirt resistance) known as the IP (Ingress Protection) rating, which we cover in our post on the water-resistance rating system.

Read more
Need a cheap soundbar? You can’t beat this $99 LG deal at Walmart
The LG SPM2 2.1-channel soundbar on a white background.

Even a very cheap soundbar may do wonders to improve the audio of your home theater setup. If you're on a tight budget but you want better sound in your living room, you should check out the LG SPM2 2.1-channel soundbar. From an already affordable original price of $129, it's down even further to just $99 following a $30 discount from Walmart. Its price may be back to normal as soon as tomorrow though, so if you're interested you better make your purchase right now to be able to pocket the savings.

Why you should buy the LG SPM2 2.1-channel soundbar
Compared to the best soundbars that you can buy right now, the LG SPM2 2.1-channel soundbar is extremely basic, but it's going to get the job done if you simply want better audio when you're watching your favorite shows and movies on your TV. Our guide on how to buy a soundbar explains that as a 2.1-channel soundbar, the LG SPM2 offers two channels -- the standard left and right channels -- and it comes with a built-in subwoofer that enables extra bass. Other soundbars offer more channels and support surround sound, but they're much more expensive than the LG SPM2.

Read more
LG is having a massive OLED TV sale for Mother’s Day
The LG B3 Series OLED 4K TV in the living room.

If you want to give a new TV to  your mom this Mother's Day, why not make it an LG OLED TV? Here are three OLED TV deals that you should consider -- the 42-inch LG C3 evo OLED 4K TV for $900, down $400 from $1,300; the 55-inch LG B3 OLED 4K TV for $1,200, down $500 from $1,700; and the 48-inch LG Posé OLED 4K TV for $1,500, down $299 from $1,799. You can't go wrong with any of these offers, but you need to make the purchase right now if you want to get them in time for the holiday.

In OLED TVs, every pixel on its screen is a self-contained organic light-emitting diode, which eliminates the need for a backlight. This gives them one of their biggest advantages over other TVs -- the ability to create perfect blacks. In our OLED TV versus QLED TV comparison, other reasons why you'd want to go for an OLED TV include superior response time, wider viewing angles, less power consumption, and better eye comfort.

Read more