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Reviewer: Frederic Beudot
Financial Interests: click here
Digital Source: Esoteric X-03SE
Analog Source: Acoustic Solid Classic Wood, AS WTB211, Grado Reference Sonata 1, Denon DL103, Dynavector DV20X-2, Clearaudio Nano, Esoteric E03, Nagra BPS [on loan]
Pre-amplifier: Wyred 4 Sound STP SE
Amplifier: Genesis Reference 360, Yamamoto A08s, First Watt F5, Gryphon Diablo [on loan]
Speakers: FJ OMs, Rogers LS 3/5a, Zu Essence
Cables: Zu Varial, ASI Liveline interconnects & speaker cables
Power Cords: Zu Mother, ASI Liveline power
Powerline conditioning: Isotek Nova [on loan]
Sundry accessories: Isolpads under electronics, ASI resonators and sugar cubes, ASI Heartsong racks
Room size: 21' x 13’ x 7.5'
Review component retail: $1.350
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I don't know if it’s an absolute necessity but if two for two is start of a trend, it certainly helps to be a charismatic character to succeed on the Danish audio scene. After Flemming Rasmussen of Gryphon here comes Thomas Sillesen of Densen Audio Technologies. Although probably not as famous as Flemming in the audio world, Thomas certainly has fashioned Densen to his image just as strongly as Rasmussen has created Gryphon from ash and sweat.
All you do to convince yourself is read the history page on Densen's website. All equipment is designed for Thomas meeting his tastes rather than any marketing demands. This culminated in putting the volume control on the left because—you guessed it—Thomas is left-handed. Now that's dedication to a vision. Hopefully it’s shared by a few customers here and there if one hopes for a marginal chance in as cut-throat an industry as high fidelity.
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I’d honestly never heard any Densen gear before. I barely knew the name when our publisher forwarded the information that TrueHarmonix had become Densen’s US importer and was looking for reviews. I proceeded as I always do. I took a look at the brand's website where I could not refrain from a smile or two while reading their history page.
Two things then really caught my eye. The first one was a lifetime warranty for original owners, a true testament to the trust Densen has in its equipment. The second was an original concept for the power supply of their phono stages.
Since I had just finished the second part of a series of phono stage reviews, it only made sense to sample Densen's solution. Shortly after RMAF 2010 a fully broken-in unit was dispatched for assessment and comparison to some very tough competition.
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Densen offers four different phono boards: the DP01 and 03 for MM cartridges only (gain is 38dB), the DP04 and 06 for MM and MC cartridges with an internal toggle switch (38 and 66dB gain respectively) although the Allen screws used to secure the case must be non-standard as I could not find a wrench that fit them in my growing collection - a first in four years of reviewing.
The DP01 + 04 boards will fit in the DP-drive (Densen's name for their standalone phono stage) while the DP02 + 06 boards are designed to fit in the brand's integrated amplifiers to add an optional yet bona fide phono input.
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