Denon DCD-SA500 (2004)
The DCD-SA500 is a multi-channel SACD player Denon released in Japan in March 2004, priced at ¥99,000. It was positioned as a model that brought the design philosophy of Denon's flagship players down into a more accessible chassis. The official line was that it combined technology from the company's digital player development with the approach of the top-of-the-range model.
Inside, the DCD-SA500 used Denon's own latest-generation drive mechanism. The spindle motor is a 3-phase brushless type, and its short shaft was intended to suppress resonance during high-speed rotation. The pickup angle was individually adjusted in both radial and tangential directions to compensate for disc tilt. The digital control board sat beneath the mechanism. It was a four-layer glass-epoxy design, shielded by thick steel plates and isolated from the chassis to reduce noise radiation.
The D/A converter was an advanced segment type inherited from higher-end models. It handled both PCM and DSD signals, the same approach used in the DCD-SA100. The DAC was developed for a high dynamic range of 123 dB, with a simple pure analog FIR filter in the post-stage. The power supply split digital and analog sections onto separate boards with separate transformers. The analog transformer was mounted on a thick steel bracket to suppress resonance.
For multi-channel playback, the DCD-SA500 handled up to 6 channels. It had bass management, speaker configuration, and channel-to-channel balance adjustment with test tones. The multi-channel output could be set to a full-band Fix mode or an adjustable Vari mode. A surround circuit OFF function could cut power to the surround, center, and subwoofer channels for cleaner two-channel listening.
Specifications as recorded: SACD frequency response 2 Hz - 50 kHz (-3 dB), CD 2 Hz - 20 kHz. Signal-to-noise ratio is 113 dB (SACD) and 118 dB (CD). Dynamic range is 107 dB (SACD) and 100 dB (CD). THD is 0.0008% (SACD) and no more than 0.0017% (CD). Analog outputs are two FL/FR pairs and one set each for SL/SR/C/SW at 2.0V/10kΩ. Digital outputs are one optical and one coaxial. Power consumption is 25W, dimensions are 434 × 135 × 330 mm, and weight is 7.4 kg. A wireless remote (RC-968) was included.
No period reviews or owner impressions have surfaced in the archive's research. The used market record is thin, with a few listings in Japan and Russia but nothing that establishes a collectibility trend. The documentation comes mainly from the manufacturer's own technical description.
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