Denon DP-450USB turntable review: An ideal tool for digitizing your vinyl collection

If the USB on this Denon turntable’s mannequin quantity caught your eye, you’ve most likely been pondering of digitizing your vinyl collection. And you’ve most likely checked out a number of the—ahem—less-expensive USB turntables and located them missing. 

Well, right here’s the excellent news: Denon’s DP-450USB turntable delivers nice sound and audiophile construct high quality, and it makes recording your vinyl tremendous straightforward—even with out a pc. The dangerous information? The Windows software program Denon selected to bundle with its product leaves a lot to be desired.

Audiophile construct and design

Denon is greatest identified within the U.S. for its distinctive line of AV receivers, however the firm has a wider portfolio, together with beautiful headphones (such because the Denon AH-D9200 TechHive reviewed lately), a wonderful multi-room audio system generally known as HEOS, and, after all, a powerful line of turntables. Many folks don’t realize it, however Denon has been constructing turntables for greater than a century—its legacy dates again to 1910, with the event of Japan’s first gramophone. 

Denon’s DP450-USB seems to be and appears like an audiophile turntable. The stable base is available in your selection of lacquered black or white finishes. My assessment pattern got here in black. 

Four anti-vibration ft are mounted to the bottom. The outer shells of those are plastic and every foot’s internal circle is comprised of a dimpled rubber that pivots to soak up vibration. The ft aren’t as substantive as you’ll discover on some costlier turntables, however do you have to really feel the necessity, you may at all times complement them with an IsoNode or Sorbothane-based product. 

The DP-450USB comes with a steel platter and a rubber mat, which isn’t uncommon at this value level. The platter has two rectangular openings by way of which you’ll be able to pull the belt onto the motor’s pulley.

Theo Nicolakis / IDG

Setup is simple and simple. To get probably the most out of the DP-450USB, you have to reference the web proprietor’s guide. What comes within the field is only a quick-start information. Page 10 of the guide offers you a QR code so you may shortly obtain the complete person guide from the net.

But you received’t want the person guide to find that the DP-450USB is a veritable Swiss Army knife: It will play information at 33-1/3-, 45-, and 78 rpm. Denon says the DP-450USB has an built-in sensor that routinely controls the platter to stop undesirable pace fluctuations.

Appealing to each the novice and the audiophile, the DP-450USB comes with a transferring magnet (MM) cartridge, however may also settle for a MC (transferring coil) cartridge. The included stylus is nice for about 400 hours of playback.

The onboard phono preamp permits you to join the DP-450USB to powered audio system, a multichannel A/V receiver, or an built-in amplifier. The solely factor lacking from this turntable’s bag of tips is the absence of assist for…