The Denon Home Amp may be small but it’s both big on features and big on sound. Connect it to a set of speakers and this streaming stereo amplifier will output at 100 watts of power. It will enhance audio played from a television, turntable, CD player or hi-fi system while allowing you to enjoy a host of streaming services. As such, it’s sure to bring any existing audio setup bang up-to-date while allowing you to get the very best out of any new equipment.
Best in class
Denon certainly knows what it’s doing. It has more than 110 years of hi-fi heritage and, with this powerful class D amplifier, the company is offering a premium experience at an affordable price. It has been designed with users in mind which is why it’s easy to set up and flexible. The idea is that the amp will sit at the heart of your audio system and allow you to scale your experience as your needs grow. It’s perfect for anyone looking for a transformative upgrade to better sound.
A well-connected amp
The device comes with some key physical connections, not least HDMI eARC which lets you connect your TV to a soundbar or speakers for full Dolby Atmos content and the broadest format support including DTS: X. You’ll also benefit from USB, Ethernet, optical input and line-in connections as well as subwoofer output for additional bass with low and high pass crossovers but there are wireless connections too.
You can use Bluetooth to connect and play music directly from your smartphone, tablet or other compatible device. You’re also able to use AirPlay 2. Crucially, the Denon Home Amp is part of the excellent proprietary, wireless HEOS ecosystem so it works across multiple brands and hundreds of products. This offers great flexibility in where and how you can listen to your audio because it lets you keep the music going throughout your home in any way you wish.
Music to your ears
On the one hand, you could create an entire 5.1 surround system by pairing a Denon Home Sound Bar 550 with twoDenon Home Speakers as rears and a Denon Home Sub. On the other hand, you could share content across multiple rooms by grouping other HEOS Built-in devices such as wireless speakers, soundbars, mini-systems, two-channel hi-fi systems, and AV receiver into one seamless multi-room audio ecosystem.
You could, if you wish, have the same song playing throughout your home or you could select a different song for each room. In that sense, you’re able to enjoy a perfect fusion of traditional hi-fi and multi-room convenience, with the benefit of Denon sound quality. Above all, you’re in total control.
Putting you in control
Control also extends to the ways in which you can enjoy your music. HEOS Built-in supports ALAC, FLAC and WAV files up to 192kHz/24-bit as well as DSD 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz tracks so, as well as using traditional physical inputs for your songs, you can use the Denon Home Amp to enjoy hi-res streaming using services such as TIDAL and Amazon HD.
You can also use Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Sirius XM and Deezer, and, since there’s support for Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect, you can switch between speakers without interrupting playback.
What’s more, everything is controllable using the HEOS app which is available for iOS, iPadOS and Android. Although there are also buttons to control the volume, skip tracks and set shortcuts on the amp itself, the app will let you remotely see, play, pause and skip your tunes while helping you create the perfect setup. If you’re looking to extend the capabilities of your existing AVR/hi-fi gear, this is a product that needs some serious consideration.
Pricing and Availability
The Denon Home Amp is available now, costing $799 in the US and £699 in the UK with free shipping and a 30-day return.
