Andrew,
Your comments very much appreciated. Thank you very much for taking time out and responding to the review I did.
It seems like those who know about this amplifier have praised it very highly. There was another gentleman at AA by the handle "scytales" who seem to know a great deal about this amplifier which I think is useful for sharing it here for the members.
I quote:
Hello.
Nice review. Thanks for having written it.
I myself own the further evolution of your S10, the PMA-10II. Actually, the S10II is more of an evolution of the monobloc combo POA-S10 with passive line preamp than an evolution of the PMA-S10.
Some comments on your nice text, as I have all the schematics of Denon S1 and S10 amplifiers and preamplifiers components.
First, the PMA-2000 is very different from the PMA-S10, despite the fact that the further models (PMA-S10II, PMA-S10III, PMA-10IIIL, PMA-SA11) share the same chassis than that of the various PMA-2000 marks.
The PMA-S10 have a circuitry near to that of the PMA-S1, but in non-symmetrical fashion. There is essentialy a cascode final stage, with a single pair of UHC-MOSFET capable of 30A continous each and associated with bipolars to keep the drain voltage of the UHC-MOS at a constant by following a magnifyed version of the input signal in the BIAS stage.
A very nice design IMHO. Nelson Pass advocates that cascoding even the output stage of an amp does permit to approach the caracteristics of class A operation and gives a feeling of power well beyond the actual power ratings thanks to the elimination of large amount of what he names "compressive intermodulations".
Apart from this technical details, I am agree with your comments about the sound of the PMA-S10, as I recognize most of what I think about my PMA-S10II. Nevertheless, the 100W/8 ohms rating of the S10II should overcome a large amount of the weaknesses you have noticed due to a lack of power.
A last word about the current capabilities of this amp. You noticed that it is rated to double its power when the load impendance halves from 8 to 4 ohms. The oldest specifications of Denon S series suggests that nor can it, but is it also able to double its power under 2 ohms on musical signals. Denon do not provide such detailed specs nowadays, but there is no clues that the continued S series amps do not have the same ability than the discontinued ones. Especially after having saw measurements of the S10II which shows that the impulse power equals the continuous power with both channels driven under 8 and 4 ohms, suggesting quite a beefy power supply.
Finally, after have a look insinde of my amp and on others of the S series, I second you when you say that the built quality is very good. Actually, it is really outstanding for the price!
Your comments very much appreciated. Thank you very much for taking time out and responding to the review I did.
It seems like those who know about this amplifier have praised it very highly. There was another gentleman at AA by the handle "scytales" who seem to know a great deal about this amplifier which I think is useful for sharing it here for the members.
I quote:
Hello.
Nice review. Thanks for having written it.
I myself own the further evolution of your S10, the PMA-10II. Actually, the S10II is more of an evolution of the monobloc combo POA-S10 with passive line preamp than an evolution of the PMA-S10.
Some comments on your nice text, as I have all the schematics of Denon S1 and S10 amplifiers and preamplifiers components.
First, the PMA-2000 is very different from the PMA-S10, despite the fact that the further models (PMA-S10II, PMA-S10III, PMA-10IIIL, PMA-SA11) share the same chassis than that of the various PMA-2000 marks.
The PMA-S10 have a circuitry near to that of the PMA-S1, but in non-symmetrical fashion. There is essentialy a cascode final stage, with a single pair of UHC-MOSFET capable of 30A continous each and associated with bipolars to keep the drain voltage of the UHC-MOS at a constant by following a magnifyed version of the input signal in the BIAS stage.
A very nice design IMHO. Nelson Pass advocates that cascoding even the output stage of an amp does permit to approach the caracteristics of class A operation and gives a feeling of power well beyond the actual power ratings thanks to the elimination of large amount of what he names "compressive intermodulations".
Apart from this technical details, I am agree with your comments about the sound of the PMA-S10, as I recognize most of what I think about my PMA-S10II. Nevertheless, the 100W/8 ohms rating of the S10II should overcome a large amount of the weaknesses you have noticed due to a lack of power.
A last word about the current capabilities of this amp. You noticed that it is rated to double its power when the load impendance halves from 8 to 4 ohms. The oldest specifications of Denon S series suggests that nor can it, but is it also able to double its power under 2 ohms on musical signals. Denon do not provide such detailed specs nowadays, but there is no clues that the continued S series amps do not have the same ability than the discontinued ones. Especially after having saw measurements of the S10II which shows that the impulse power equals the continuous power with both channels driven under 8 and 4 ohms, suggesting quite a beefy power supply.
Finally, after have a look insinde of my amp and on others of the S series, I second you when you say that the built quality is very good. Actually, it is really outstanding for the price!