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In the Forum: Audio Discussions
In the Thread: Hi-Fi Mini Systems
Post Subject: Denon UD-M31 and loudspeakers.Posted by Romy the Cat on: 4/7/2007

 Ronnie wrote:
Did you buy the Denon?
I'm curious because Denon D-M31 (speakers not included) is on a recommended components list by the Swedish LTS (Sound Technical Society).

Things with zero or low detected coloration, after meticulous listening tests, end up on that controversial list.
The ultra-scientific approach and resulting recommendations tend to ...stir up a lot of feelings and long boring debates on statistics. :-)

Yes, I got the M31. I head it number of times and never liked but now I decided to give it a try. Some of my friends who use it for years told me that it does the best with own little Mission SC-M51 speakers. It is very comfy “desktop” setup but unfortunately very poorly sounding, primary because of the Mission speakers. Those little Mission bustards flood everything with very heavy ported noise; have absolute immunity to MF tone and their heights sounds quite rolled off but at the same time very unnatural.   I found the sound of those Missions is absolutely not acceptable for anything besides picking the voice message from my answering service.

Next I was trying to drive Tannoys 10 Red with my M31. Theoretically with low power handling of the Tannoy’s REDs the 22W of Denon M31 should be fine. However, the Tannoys sound insultingly flat with M31 with complete lost of bass. I was trying to drop the Tannoys impedance but the M31 was absolutely oblivion making Reds to sound very poor.

I settled with M31 driving SL600. This combination does not produce a good sound but from all available for me currently evils I have chosen lesser. The SL600 need way much more current to sound acceptable but I am not wiling to add an extra amp to the setup – I would like to go away with “small blood”.  I could go in more details and specifics describing how the Denon sound with each speaker I trued but what is the point? It is very possible that the Denon is fine and I juts need to find a good high sensitivity mini-monitor that would be able to work with the Denon (I do have a separate LF channel that I might plug in if it is necessary). However, so far the "reported advances" of the M31 did not manifest themself into a better Sound on my desk.

Rgs, Romy the Cat

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