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.
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.
