Denon DP-400 Turntable, Premium Belt-Driven Hi-Fi with MM Cartridge, Built-in Phono Preamp, Auto Lift & Playback Stop - Black

I was looking for a replacement for my fully manual turntable that had been residing in a cupboard for some years because of having a cover that was not really easily removable to enable it to fit under our TV. I finally came across this Denon that didn't need much space above it in order to remove the cover, the added advantage was the auto lift at the end of a record and it was slightly smaller than average. Since it was a good price when I bought it I decided to take the chance on sound quality. Once installed it was a perfect fit and and looked superb plus I am blown away by the sound to such a degree that I am now purchasing vinyl LPs again. I am using it via the Phono input on my Marantz AV Receiver but it does have a built in Phono pre-amp so it can be used with Line Level inputs.Contrary to a previous review you do not have to turn it off and back on when changing records, at the end of a record the arm lifts and the platter stops rotating, manually move the arm back to the rest position, change your record, move the arm back over the record and the platter starts to rotate again.

I was looking for a new turntable that would give me at least semi automatic functions with an easily interchangeable headshell and end of the record arm lift. The Denon provides these and is well built. It is a three speed deck, so you can play old 78s if you have any, though you would need a different stylus or cartridge to do so. I have a few of these old shellac records and an inexpensive cartridge in a headshell that is easily changed from the normal LP one as required. For normal playback, the deck sounds great. It comes with a Denon cartridge (they make some of the best in the world, though this is an unnamed Denon version). It is easy to set up - a requirement for me, as my eyesight is no longer that good - and simple to operate. It has its own phono preamp built in, though I used the one already in my amplifier. I have had many turntables over the years including some very expensive ones, but the Denon sounds very good to my ears. The turntable dust cover is unusual in that it sits on the platter itself when not in use and is lifted off the deck when you play a record. I was unsure about this at first but soon got used to it. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to play 78s as well as singles and LPs and who wants to have a deck that lifts the arm off the records at the end, meaning you don't have to leap from your chair at the end of the disc.

I bought this Denon turntable to work with my Denon audio kit including the smart speakers throughout the house. I found the set up straight forward and the instructions worked for me - I noticed from other reviews that some people struggled with them. I would say though that you need to pay attention to what the instructions say about setting up the needle arm skate settings and needle head weight (sorry for the not perfect terminology). I found that the No 2 setting on the weight was not heavy enough and I ended up setting mine to 3 and the skate setting to 2 as originally instructed. I do play mainly old vinyl though which some people mention but I don't know if this is important as I am not an expert.The sound quality I found to be very good and clear through my Denon system and I did not experience any of the humming that others reported on Amazon and I can only imagine that is because it is a Denon turntable plugged into a Denon piece of kit of the same generation but the hi-fi experts out there may have a more informed view. The turntable is described as semi-automatic but it is not. You have to turn the turntable rotation on separately and then manually operate the needle arm although there is the up and down device to assist and it certainly doesn't self return. I knew the plastic cover was not perfect when I bought the thing and although it looks very nice I now think it is a cheap and lazy piece of design which has little relation to the real world of living with it! The lack of automatic needle arm operation is similarly a cheap and lazy thing to do by Denon. Upon assembly I noticed that the finished metal parts were of course functional (it works) but the finish on them was not what I would expect of a Japanese or Western made piece of precision kit. Would I buy it again knowing what I know now? - well, yes I would but only because the audio functions well with the other Denon kit as I expected it to, but I won't be buying Denon again if it still still being made in China or similar and not Japan as it used to be.

Very good product great sound quality requires a preamp to be fitted, bought separately, I had one from my old set up. The stylus has to be placed on the record no automatic switch however it does lift off at the end of a record

This is a great record deck

Loved it. Hear notes that I’ve never heard before from my 80s vinyl collection.

Silent, accurate speed and the automatic lift at the end works well (but no return to arm rest). My hearing is too old to judge the sound quality except for rumble (none) but coupled with my Denon RCD41 is seems a good match and I really like the Denon sound. Even to my old ears it seems very rounded and has a quality I like - a lot. Like their other products, Denon seems to offer good quality for not a lot of money.