Denon’s latest system is available in a range of configurations, and each matches convenience with performance

As track-records go, Denon’s history in compact systems is pretty much unmatched. After all, it more or less invented the slimmed-down separates idea with its D-70 system, reviewed in these pages just short of 21 years ago, and while it has seen the idea copied by others ever since, the company has continually developed its original concept ever since.

Back in February 2002, looking at one of the first of the new Denon compact systems, Geoffrey Horn commented in these pages that ‘this system is very nicely calculated, each component contributing to an overall performance which will satisfy the ambitions of everyone except the more dedicated audiophiles.’

That was the Denon D-100, the more upmarket of the company’s original mini-separates systems alongside the better-known D-70, and the spiritual successor of the system we have here, the Denon D-F109DAB.

In that original D-100 system, the electronics comprised a tuner, an amplifier, a CD player and a cassette deck, each in its own enclosure but linked together to provide system control; in the modern D-F109DAB system we have a receiver (combining the functions of tuner and amplifier), plus CD and network music players.

In 2002, the complete D-100 system less speakers sold for £630, with the optional SC-M1 speakers adding a further £100; now the D-F109DAB starts from £480, with the speakers adding £150 to the price (although they’re readily available for up to £50 less).

System options
I say ‘starts from’ simply because this is a system, available in black or silver, you can configure to your own needs: that £480 will buy you the DRA-F109DAB receiver and DCD-F109 CD player, £600 the receiver and DNP-F109 network player, and £800 all three components.

Whichever system you buy, the components can be controlled by a single remote handset, thanks to control connections between them; however, add the network player and you gain the option of controlling the entire system using Denon’s free remote ‘app’ running on Apple iOS and Android smartphones and tablet devices.

This not only allows a smarter control interface, but also puts information displays in the palm of your hand, thanks to bi-directional communication between system and controller.

New technology such as this, network playback and DAB/DAB+ radio aside, there’s much here that would be familiar to buyers of that D-100 system of a bit over two decades ago.

The heart of the system is that DRA-F109DAB receiver, which has both FM RDS and DAB/DAB+ tuning, plus an amplifier able to deliver 65W per channel into 4ohms. The amplifier is built using Denon’s self-explanatory ‘simple and straight’ signal paths, and the receiver has two sets of analogue inputs, two electrical and one optical digital input, a subwoofer output alongside the speaker outs, and a headphone socket.

The DCD-F109 CD player is a little unusual in only having a digital output for audio, but also has a front-panel USB socket for the connection of iPods, iPhones and the like, or USB memory keys,  and can play discs carrying MP3 or WMA files as well as CDs.

The DNP-F109 is Denon’s latest network music player, and benefits from most of the company’s recent upgrades in this department: it connects to a home network either wirelessly or via wired Ethernet, has a choice of analogue or electrical digital outputs, a USB socket to the rear for iOS devices and memory keys, internet radio using the popular vTuner platform accessed via a dedicated www.radiodenon.com website, can stream music from the Last.fm service, and also acts as a hub for system control using the Denon app.

It also provides AirPlay wireless connectivity, allowing music from iTunes library to be played, either directly from an iOS device running the current version of the operating system or from a networked computer running iTunes.

Finally the optional SC-F109 speakers use a 25mm balanced dome tweeter and a 12cm mid/bass driver with a double-layer cone, in an enclosure just under 30cm tall.

PERFORMANCE
What’s immediately striking about the Denon system is how simple it is to set-up and get working: from a stack of four boxes to playing music took me no more than 15 minutes, including connecting the system to the home network, setting up some radio presets and getting the iPhone app controlling the whole thing.

It also becomes apparent relatively quickly that while the SC-F109 speakers available as an option here are actually pretty good by the standards of such designs, they’re a bit thick-sounding, with a slightly mechanical bass whether you use them close to a rear wall to boost the low-end, with the port-bungs supplied to tighten things up, or out in free space. They’re also rather treble-shy, tending to emphasise sibilants; taking the rather plasticky grilles off helps  – but not much.

This system gets better when used with speakers some notches above those a mere price-point would suggest you use. That’s long been a feature of these Denon systems – it was noted back in the original reviews all those years ago, and even the latest version of the company’s budget one-box CD receiver micro-system, the £250 RCD-M39DAB, is capable of driving some very grown-up speakers if required, and doing so to a high standard.

I tried the Denon with my usual speakers of choice – the little Neat Iotas and the PMC GB1 flootstanders – and found it went a long way toward exploiting the Neats’ detail and involvement for close-up listening, but was also perfectly happy driving the compact PMC floorstanders, which cost more than twice as much as the complete Denon package!

And while the Denon system sounds a little lightweight by the standards of much more expensive separates amplification and streamers – the Naim UnitiLite also reviewed here betters it in just about every way, but is more than twice the price of the three-box Denon package – for the money, and for the kind of small-to-medium-sized room in which it’s likely to be used, the sound here is very acceptable indeed.

There’s fine bass definition and speed, if not ultimate low-end extension, and while the treble plays things a bit safe, and thus loses just a little air and presence, it’s sweet, informative and nicely detailed. The same goes for the midband, which is again controlled and smooth but makes a good job of vocal and instrumental textures and rhythms.

The best thing about the Denon system is that it’s equally as impressive whatever the source, from internet and DAB radio all the way through CD to higher-resolution music files. It can handle WAV or FLAC files up to 192kHz/24-bit, and is certainly good enough to allow the benefits of this higher-resolution music to be heard – or at least when the optional Denon speakers are swapped out for something more revealing!

Indeed, only one thing is likely to count against the Denon for some users, and that’s the lack of gapless playback when streaming music: it’s not a problem provided you don’t want to play works with sections flowing seamlessly from track to track – such as some opera recordings – and it’s par for the course at this level of the market, but it’s best to approach the Denon with this limitation in mind.

That aside, this is a superb little system for those wanting music in smaller rooms, whichever configuration you choose. Partner it with so good speakers such as those suggested in the panel at the top of this page, and you’re unlikely to be disappointed.

SPECIFICATION
Denon D-F109DAB
Type Mini component system
Price from £480 (see text)

DRA-F109DAB
Type Receiver
Power 65Wx2 (into 4 ohms)
Radio FM RDS /DAB/DAB+
Inputs Two analogue, two electrical and one optical digital
Outputs 1pr speakers, subwoofer, headphones
Accessories supplied Remote handset, radio antenna
Dimensions (WxHxD) 25x8.2x28.3cm

DCD-F109
Type CD player
Plays CD, CD-R/RW, MP3 WMA
Audio input USB
Audio output Electrical digital
Dimensions (WxHxD) 25x8.2x26.4cm

DNP-F109
Type Network music player
Plays MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC to 192kHz/24bit, WAV to 192kHz/24-bit, ALAC, internet radio, Last.fm (where available)
Inputs Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Apple AirPlay, USB
Outputs Analogue stereo, electrical digital
Accessories supplied Remote handset
Dimensions (WxHxD) 25x8.2x25.7cm

SC-F109
Type Loudspeakers
Drive units 25mm tweeter, 12cm mid/bass
Sensitivity 86dB/W/m
Impedance 6ohm
Dimensions (HxWxD) 29.6x18.2x23.7cm
www.denon.co.uk

DESIGN NOTES
Roger Batchelor, Product Marketing Consultant, Denon

On early exposure to Emerson, Bach and Holst, and how lossless makes the most of computer audio

Roger Batchelor’s job title doesn’t quite tell the whole story: he may work for himself these days, and be employed by Denon and Marantz as Marketing Consultant as well as being a highly respected industry trainer, but his involvement with Denon goes all the way back to 1991, when he joined then Denon distributor Hayden Laboratories as training officer on the back of 12 years in AV and hi-fi retail and before that seven selling musical instruments.

An accomplished bass player, he says his earliest musical influences were ‘The Beatles, The Kinks and The Nice,  and in particular keyboard player Keith Emerson’ – widely known it the time for stabbing knives into his Hammond organ –, while early classical favourites included ‘Bach, Grieg and Holst.’

As part of his work, he’s been heavily involved in the tuning of successive generations of Denon products, working closely with his Japanese colleagues, and popular and classical music have run side by side through this process.

He says he favourite works include Mahler’s 4th and The Beatles' Rubber Soul, and his most memorable musical experiences were a recording of the Mahler for the Denon label at Abbey Road, and his first rock concert – The Nice at High Wycombe Town Hall in 1968.

‘We consider sound quality still of the utmost importance, even when using portable devices,’ he says, adding that, ‘As AirPlay streams using Apple Lossless, if music tracks are ripped in this format the sound quality is very good but you still have the convenience.

‘If a NAS drive is used on a home network with the DNP-F109, then you can play high resolution audio tracks, too.’