Denon PMA-50 Lifestyle Stereo Amplifier Preview

The Denon PMA-50 Lifestyle Stereo Amplifier delivers 50 watts of high-quality sound and features like HD Audio and Bluetooth with aptX in a compact size that doesn't suck up the space in a room.

The Denon PMA-50

A total of six inputs, digital and analog, ensure that all of your devices can be connected simultaneously, and the USB input allows the PMA-50 to serve as a high-quality DAC for your computer's HD audio files up to 192kHz/24 bit resolution like those available from HDtracks.com.  The PMA-50's USB input also handles DSD HD Audio at 2.8Mhz and 5.6Mhz.  Bluetooth with aptX for cd-quality sound is included and can easily be paired with all your mobile devices via a simple front-panel button or by NFC where you simply place your NFC-capable device on the Denon's side panel, and the two are paired without the need for manual entry of a passcode.

The Denon PMA-250 Rear Connections

The Denon PMA-50 pump 50 watts into 4 ohms at an unspecific distortion level via a high-efficiency, low-noise, class D stereo amplifier.  High-quality, 5-way binding posts allow you to connect any passive speaker of your choice, even if you want to use silly-thick speaker cable.  A mono subwoofer pre-out allows you to augment the low-end of bass-restricted speakers, though it's presumably full-range so you'll want to choose a sub with a built-in crossover/filter.  The Denon PMA-50 is designed to drive headphones as well as traditional speakers, and offers three impedance settings for the headphone output.  

High-end finish details are evident with a matte aluminum chassis that sports a clean and simple face complete.  A single large rotary control an minimal buttons indicate easy operation.  The OLED display orients itself automatically.  If you stand the amplifier on it's end for a vertical orientation, the items on the display will automatically rotate as well, keeping input and system info right-side up without have to manually switch any settings.  No overall dimensions are currently given, but you can a sense of how compact the system is by looking at the connection on the back.  A remote control rounds out the package, and is not pictured, but promises an ergonomic design with access to advanced features like display dimming.

The Denon PMA-50's OLED display automatically rotates when set vertically.

The only potential omissions we see in the Denon PMA-50 are a USB host port to allow playback of files stored on portable flash and hard drives.  Certainly, there is no lack of alternative connection options.

Summary

If you're looking for a brain and engine to anchor a high-quality, compact system, the Denon PMA-50 check off almost every box.  Assuming performance meet expectations, which our experience with Denon products indicates is almost always the case, I would rock one of these in a hurry replacing my current office system.  At $599, it certainly isn't a less expensive option than a full-blown receiver like Denon's own AVR-X1100W, but the PMA-50's compact footprint and HD audio DAC capabilities would certainly fit the bill for anyone looking to build a digital-centric system that's small in size but big in features and sound. 

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.