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This is a Denon hi-end stereo pre-amp. Looks and sounds gorgeous!! It also has a stella phono stage that can play MM or MC cartridges. The kind of quality from this pre-amp competes with today's top ranging units costing over the $1000 to $2000 range. If you are into vinyl, this will make your turntable sing !! Don't miss out :) Specifications p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px 'Trebuchet MS'} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Verdana} span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px} Frequency response: 10Hz to 100kHz Total harmonic distortion: 0.002% Gain: 63.5dB (MC), 35.6dB (MM) Input sensitivity: 0.1mV (MC), 2.5mV (MM), 150mV (line) Signal to noise ratio: 77dB (MC), 90dB (MM), 105dB (line) Output: 150mV (line), 1V (Pre out), 10V (Pre out Max) Dimensions: 464 x 124 x 312mm
This A$990 asking price is ambitious for a Denon PRA-1000, sitting well above the A$743 75th percentile and nearly double the A$471 median from your recent AUD comparables. Unless this unit is in pristine, original-owner condition with rare accessories, the price overreaches the current used market for this generation of Denon preamps, which was replaced decades ago by newer integrated and digital-friendly designs.
The PRA-1000 remains well-regarded for its warm, musical tonality and robust discrete build, delivering excellent separation and control in the analog chain. It’s a worthwhile buy if found near the A$450–A$500 range, where its vintage charm and reliability offer genuine upside. At A$990, however, it becomes a hard pass unless the listing includes proof of full service, original remote, and box—otherwise, wait for a fairer entry point around the median.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Denon traces its origins to 1910, when American entrepreneur Frederick Whitney Horn founded Japan's first audio equipment company, Nipponophone, initially focused on gramophones and records. The Denon brand emerged in 1939 from the merger of Japan Denki Onkyo—combining "den" for electricity and "on" for sound—with other entities, marking a shift toward professional audio development. This heritage includes pioneering Japan's first professional disc recorder in 1945, used to capture Emperor Hirohito's voice, and launching the nation's first long-playing records in 1951.
The brand excels across a broad spectrum of hi-fi categories, from amplifiers, turntables, and tuners to loudspeakers, cassette decks, and phono cartridges. Denon's innovations extend to digital frontiers, such as the world's first practical PCM recorder in the early 1970s, the inaugural CD player in 1981, and early home theater systems with Dolby Digital in 1995. Today, its lineup encompasses AV receivers, headphones, wireless streaming solutions like HEOS, and high-channel processors, blending professional-grade components with consumer accessibility.
Denon holds a commanding position as a mid-to-high-end mainstay in the hi-fi market, revered for its blend of technological firsts, robust build quality, and balanced sound signatures that appeal to discerning enthusiasts. No longer a vintage collector's niche, it competes confidently against premium rivals, backed by over a century of audio leadership and strategic partnerships like its merger with Marantz.
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