PAO-A1HDCI Listening Evaluation

CD: Dianne Reeves Never Too Far

This is the first CD I turn to when initially calibrating a system as many of the tracks in this CD are an awesome test for a system's bass response and accuracy. The bass track in Track #2 “Never Too Far” will sound muddy or weak on an improperly set up or inadequate system. I initially ran just my front main speakers bridged to the POA-A1HDCI to determine how cleanly they would play once I started pumping the volume up. The presentation was free from audible strain or graininess and the system's bass response was tight and articulate - just as it should be when driven by quality electronics. The tonal balance seemed slightly more forward than what I recalled when the amps in my Denon AVR-5805 were powering my speakers but it also seemed more grandiose. I found the POA-A1HDCI displayed excellent stereo separation portraying Dianne’s powerful vocals dead center. The drums had a nice pop to them while the saxophones exhibited a nice bite giving you that “live” feeling. The soundstage was very expansive making me feel the “never too far…" chants from the backing vocals where emanating from my side channels despite the fact that I was only listening in stereo. The POA-A1HDCI maintained a very clean composure even when driven to LOUDER than comfortable listening levels in my nearly 6,000 ft^3 Auralex acoustically treated listening room sitting 16ft away from my speakers. Switching over to PLIIx Music mode was like being thrown right into a high power nightclub. Now I had all the speakers powered off the POA-A1HDCI and instead of rnning out of gas, it seemed to want to play louder so I continued increasing the volume hypnotically watching the needles on the power meters pump away flirting into the red +4dB levels during bass transients in track #3 “Come In”. The floor in my theater room shook as if it were alive and the transients in the sax sent chills down my spine. Although this was insanely loud, it didn’t at all seem strained and I had to remind myself as my SPL meter hit 110dB transients that I was listening at unsafe levels.

SACD: Patricia Barber – Night Moves

Track #1 “Bye Bye Blackbird” revealed that the POA-A1HDCI can handle delicate musical passages with authenticity. Piano music is very hard to accurately reproduce as the harmonic overtones are quite complex. The POA-A1HDCI’s low noise floor revealed all of the nuances with plenty of depth at airiness. I heard all of the presence in the cymbals of Track #2 “Invitation” with plenty of body in the music. Bass was abundant and well extended in track #3 “Yesterdays”. I switched the processor to pure direct and just sat back listening to pristine two-channel audio that would make even the most critical of audiophiles drool over. The Denon gear was driving my speaker system with ease and adding no sonic nasties that would distract my enjoyment of the listening session no matter what power level I was running at.

CD: Pat Metheny – Off Ramp

No serious reviewer forgets to throw in a little Pat Metheny in their product reviews, especially when testing out top echelon gear like this. I pulled out an oldie but goodie and took it for a spin using PLIIx Music Mode. I was drawn into the immense sound field that Track #1 “Barcarole” was portraying and Pat’s synth guitar was simply surreal. This got my endorphins pumping as I couldn’t wait to really crank out my favorite track of the disc which quickly followed. Track #2 “Are You Going with Me?” starts out calm and collected until Pat’s synth guitar erupts into a solo so few guitarists can convey this level of emotion in their playing. I found myself continually cranking it up because it was so clean and non-fatiguing. A sign of a good system is when it’s blasting and it doesn’t seem all that loud. The Denon POA-A1HDCI was certainly reaffirming this point with me.

DTS CD: Diana Krall - Love Scenes

Track #2 “Peel Me a Grape” had Diana’s vocals centered straight ahead while the bass rattled my floor joists. I was in awe that despite my room was shaking with so much tactile energy, I still heard all of the great reverb from the surround channels in the recording and the twang sound of the bass. There was excellent separation of musical instruments and no sigh of strain or smearing like I’ve heard on lesser designed amplifiers. In track #3 “I Don’t Know Enough About You” I actually did hear distortion but quickly realized it was part of the recording likely caused by preamp clipping during the recording process. My system was revealing enough to showcase this recording flaw.