Denon DCD-1700NE CD/SACD Player - Silver

Your SACDs Finally Get a Player Built for Them

The DCD-1700NE reads SACD as well as CD. That matters because most SACD owners have been playing those discs on a universal video player, which treats the format as one job among many rather than the main one.

The numbers show what a dedicated design buys. From SACD, signal-to-noise measures 119dB and distortion 0.0010%. From CD it is 117dB and 0.0016%. Dynamic range reaches 112dB on SACD. Those are separates-class figures.

Conversion runs on a Burr-Brown PCM1795, a 32-bit chip with a long track record. Advanced AL32 Processing Plus upsamples ahead of it to 384kHz and 32 bits, giving the converter more to work with.

The Clock, the Drive and the Discs It Reads

Denon's DAC Master Clock Design makes the converter the timing master and synchronizes everything else to it. That is the opposite of the usual arrangement, and it is where jitter gets controlled rather than corrected later.

The disc sits on Denon's S.V.H. drive, short for Suppress Vibration Hybrid. A spinning disc generates its own movement, and a mechanism that resists it hands cleaner data to everything downstream.

Beyond SACD and CD it reads recordable DVDs loaded with files: WAV and AIFF to 192kHz, FLAC, ALAC to 96kHz, and DSD to 5.6MHz. Burned CDs carry MP3, WMA, AAC and WAV.

What Reviewers Are Saying

LB Tech Reviews described the connections plainly: "On the back of the large enclosure, there is only a set of RCA sockets for analogue audio, as well as optical and coaxial digital output."

On the converter and the Pure Direct control, the same review notes that "The digital converter in the DCD-1700NE is based on the Burr-Brown PCM1795" and that "The Pure Direct button switches off the digital output to reduce the risk of noise in the analogue circuits."

Who Is This Player Best For?

• You own SACDs — a player built around the format converts that layer with a PCM1795 and Advanced AL32 Plus, rather than whatever chip a universal video machine had room for.
• You want the quiet measured — 119dB signal-to-noise and 0.0010% distortion from SACD are figures that hold up against separates costing a great deal more.
• You have burned high-resolution discs — recordable DVDs carry WAV and AIFF to 192kHz and DSD to 5.6MHz, so a data disc becomes a hi-res source.
• You listen through the analog outputs — Pure Direct switches the digital output off to keep its noise away from the analog circuits, which is the point of buying a good converter in the first place.
• You want a player, not a platform — this is a disc machine with RCA analog plus optical and coaxial digital outputs, built to sit in a system and last. Pair it with one of our integrated amplifiers.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the RCA analog outputs to a line input on your amplifier. This is the route SACD takes, because the DSD layer is converted inside the player rather than sent out as data.

For CDs you have a choice. Use the same analog outputs, or take optical or coaxial to a converter you already own and let that handle the disc instead.

Pairs Well With

Building around the DCD-1700NE? Here are some great companions:

• Integrated Amplifier: The natural partner — see our Integrated Amplifiers.
• Floorstanding Speakers: Give the dynamic range somewhere to go — see our Floorstanding Speakers.
• Interconnects: A clean run from the analog outputs — see our Interconnect Cables.
• Equipment Rack: Keep a 9kg disc player steady — see our Audio Racks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which discs will it play?

SACD, CD, CD-R and CD-RW, plus recordable DVDs carrying high-resolution files including DSD to 5.6MHz.

Which converter is inside?

A Burr-Brown PCM1795, fed by Advanced AL32 Processing Plus which upsamples to 384kHz and 32 bits.

What outputs does it have?

A fixed pair of gold-plated analog RCA outputs, plus optical and coaxial digital outputs.

How does SACD reach my amplifier?

Through the analog outputs. The DSD layer is converted inside the player, which is why the internal converter matters so much on this model.

What does it measure?

SACD: 119dB signal-to-noise, 112dB dynamic range, 0.0010% distortion. CD: 117dB, 101dB and 0.0016%.

How big is it, and what is the warranty?

434 by 384 by 135mm and 9.0kg. Three years on parts and labor for the original purchaser, when bought new from an authorized dealer. It does not transfer if the unit is sold on.

See It in Action

A first look at the DCD-1700NE in a working system:

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Learn More

Want to learn more about SACD and DSD playback, jitter and clocking, or matching a player to your amplifier? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.