What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
02 MAR 2004
Densen B-800
The winner of our 2004 Best Analogue Tuner Award is a no-frills FM-only device, its 99 presets and rear-panel switches for IF bandwidth and local/DX reception reinforcing the impression that this is the product for the enthusiast. It even has an input for an offboard power supply, to boost the already spectacular sound.
A hefty power supply is used along with custom capacitors and transistors, while the output stage is a Class A design that uses no feedback in the quest for the greatest signal purity. Signal paths are kept minimal, the main circuitboard is made from Teflon for optimal signal transfer and all the solder used is silver. Control software is Densen’s own, and is programmed on a single chip, making future upgrades simple.
And speaking of upgrades, the tuner can become a DAB/FM device with the installation of an extra module.
Ruthlessly revealing
It’s ruthlessly revealing of broadcast quality, which means many commercial stations sound horrid, while quality transmissions on Radio 3 or 4, for example, have excellent power, weight and clarity. Listen to a good Radio 3 live concert or BBC recording, and there’s presence and impact you only get from the very best ‘live’ CDs.
This tuner shows radio need not be the poor relation to TV – with the Beat, the pictures inside your head will beat those from a 42in plasma any day.
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