The ability to calibrate a phono stage directly at the amplifier is one of the curiosities of hi-fi history. That is precisely what Denon offered in 1978 with the pairing of the PMA 600 integrated amplifier and the TU 400 tuner, sold in the USA as the PMA 701: using the accompanying PCC test record (Phono Crosstalk Canceller), crosstalk in the phono system can be adjusted on the unit itself. Since this record, complete with its own manual, surfaces only extremely rarely today, it is precisely what makes this offer so appealing to collectors.
The documentation is virtually complete: the PCC record in its original cover with instructions in four languages, an extensive collection of period literature, and the manuals for both units as copies. In this state of completeness, the combination will hardly be found a second time.
Both units were overhauled by the previous owner and subsequently serviced again by our audio technicians — cleaned, optimized, and tested to manufacturer specifications and VDE guidelines. Switches and controls operate without scratching or crackling, and the tuner delivers noise-free FM stereo. In the course of the restoration, amplifier and tuner received new, well-matched speaker terminals, so banana plugs and larger-gauge cables can now be connected without difficulty; the top covers of both units were refinished in a uniform satin grey using a wrapping process, and the feet were replaced with more substantial rubber absorbers.
Sonically, the pairing shows the warm, colourful, and lively character for which this Denon era is prized — hours pass quickly in the listening chair. After nearly five decades, marginal, unobtrusive traces of use are present, but the overall impression remains elegant. Included are the PMA 600 amplifier, the TU 400 tuner, the PCC test record with manual, and the collection of literature.
