DenonDP-400 Semi-Automatic Analog Turntable with Speed Auto Sensor | Specially Designed Curved Tonearm | Supports 33 1/3, 45, 78 RPM (Vintage) Speeds | Modern Looks, Superior Audio

Of all the turntables I tested, the Denon DP-400 offered the best combination of sound quality, ease of use, and convenient features—including a built-in phono preamp, a speed control dial, a cue lever, and automatic platter stopping with tonearm lift. Plus, it’s easy to upgrade the cartridge to get even better performance.The DP-400’s sound quality is very good. Background noise ranged from very quiet to almost inaudible, and this model did a good job suppressing pops and other issues in records that some turntables had problems with. As much as I enjoy listening to vinyl, hearing fewer pops and crackles is always a good thing. Some of the other turntables offered slightly better bass detail, but that was due to the cartridge that came preinstalled. When I replaced the Denon DP-400’s stock cartridge with an Ortofon Red or Blue, it sounded as good as or better than any of the other turntables I tested.The black record player cover standing on end next to the record player.The Denon’s cover does double-duty as a record presentation stand. Photo: Rozette RagoA close up of the denon counterweight on the record player arm.The counterweight has adjustment markings to help you balance the DP-400’s tonearm. Photo: Rozette RagoA close up of the speed selection knob on the denon turntable.The speed-selection switch makes it easy to choose 33, 45, or even 78 rpm without having to lift up the platter. Photo: Rozette RagoA close up of the raising lever for the denon tone arm.The DP-400 comes with a cue lever to easily raise and lower the tonearm. Photo: Rozette RagoThe black record player cover standing on end next to the record player.The Denon’s cover does double-duty as a record presentation stand. Photo: Rozette RagoA close up of the denon counterweight on the record player arm.The counterweight has adjustment markings to help you balance the DP-400’s tonearm. Photo: Rozette Rago1 of 4Measuring the performance using the Platter Speed app, I found the belt-drive Denon DP-400 to be the most speed-accurate of all the turntables we tested at both 33 rpm and 45 rpm speeds. In tests, it had a bit more wow and flutter than some competitors, but that’s not something that I heard when listening.Aside from the fully automatic turntables we tested, the Denon DP-400 was the easiest to use. Balancing the tonearm is simple, and speed selection is done with a dial, so playing back 33, 45, or even 78 rpm records doesn’t require lifting up the platter (as you must on some of the other turntables we tested). The included auto-stop function stops your record when you get to the end of a side and lifts up the turntable arm. This saves wear and tear on your stylus needle, which might only be rated for 300 to 400 hours of use, and lets you enjoy playing a record while you do other things without worrying that you aren’t there to stop it.The integrated phono preamp performed well and is easy to disable if you’d prefer to use an external phono preamp. Unlike some of the other turntables we looked at, the Denon uses standard RCA phono jacks instead of an integrated cable, so you can select a cable of the appropriate length. Using an external phono preamp worked well, and this turntable includes a grounding wire connection that some others lacked to help eliminate any ground hum that could occur.A side view of the denon record player showign the phono out and other ports.The Denon uses standard RCA phono jacks instead of an integrated cable, so you can select a cable of the appropriate length. Photo: Rozette RagoThe DP-400 is also an attractive turntable. Finished in a gloss black, it lacks the cheaper, plastic feel of some other models, and it includes a stylish cover that does double-duty as a record presentation stand.It’s easy to upgrade the DP-400 to a higher-quality cartridge down the road. With some of the turntables we tested, you are limited to using the company’s own cartridges. Others lack a counterweight that you can adjust to account for a new cartridge. The Denon accepts a standard SH-4 headshell, so it’s simple to install a pre-mounted Ortofon Red or Blue cartridge with no tiny screws. I upgraded to an Ortofon Blue, and the resulting sound was so good that I see no reason to ever upgrade past that.If you want to digitize your record collection to save to a computer or hard drive, Denon offers the DP-450USB, which is otherwise identical to the DP-400 but adds a USB output for an additional $100. This is an easy way to make digital copies of your favorite albums but not as easy as just streaming those titles from a music service (although the sound quality may not be the same and certain records might not be available to stream).

The media could not be loaded. First, this is not a “fully automatic” turntable. I know that on Amazon it's not listed as one, but I have seen it called that elsewhere. The tone arm has a selectable auto-lift function, but placing the stylus onto the disc is still a manual process similar to most other TTs.I’ve put it through about 40 hours of listening over the past few weeks. Mostly it’s been classic jazz along with miscellaneous rock thrown into the mix. So far it’s held up pretty well. It took about 10-12 hours for the cartridge to loosen up, but after that everything sounded great. If I notice any issues down the road I’ll update this review.Perhaps my absolute favorite thing about it is the fully removable, low profile dust cover that doubles as an album sleeve display. It’s an ingenious concept. It’s 1.) sturdy and 2.) allows me to squeeze the turntable into a shelf as shown in the attached photo. That is, I don’t have to fret over needing enough room to flip up an attached dust cover.My first impression is that Denon designed this to smooth out the wrinkles in the DP-300f, which really wasn’t a bad TT to begin with. The 300f was plagued by rumors of speed / motor deficiencies, and the permanently affixed power and signal cables along with the absence of a ground point made it a non-starter for more finnicky consumers. With the DP-400, the power and signal connections are open and thus upgradeable, and there is a ground point.The speed monitoring function appears to work extremely well. The lines on the strobe disc that I use for speed checking are totally and completely static. They don’t move the slightest bit.The knobs are in a different ballpark compared to lower priced counterparts from Denon, which have buttons instead of knobs anyway. They are big, beefy, and they feel solid. The power on /off knob that is also the speed selector feels very durable. Same goes for the anti-skating dial.The counterweight is also a very heavy and solid upgrade to the counterweight for the 300f. No comparison. When I wanted to set the tracking force at 2.0 grams, I was able to get the gauge to 2.01 grams. Absolutely precise micro-adjustments are possible with this counterweight / tone arm combo.A complaint that 300f owners had was the so-called tone arm clamp that was really a twist tie. This time Denon included a fully functional clamp integrated into the tone arm rest. So that’s another item checked off the list. A big thank you to Denon for doing that. Also, it’s an S-shaped tonearm, which looks classy.Advertised signal-to-noise improved slightly over the 300f maybe because of the external power supply. It went from 60 to 62, the latter being similar to that of the highest quality tape decks of yore. I did not detect audible noise while playing 180g LPs through quality speakers powered by a flagship Denon AVR.Consider that this S/N rating factors the stock cartridge and "equalizer" into the equation. Both are low-output as far as voltages go. The manual --which is also a lot more detailed btw--says that total voltage output with EQ and cart is 150 mV. Compare that to the 500mV that an $80 after-market pre-amp like a Pro Ject Phono Box produces.Here's my only real complaint: the cartridge. It is the same DSN-85 stylus / cartridge combo that is found in the 300f. I’m confused about that. The 200f has the DSN-84. So if the 300f has the 85, then shouldn’t the 400 have like an 86 or something? Denon couldn’t have just slightly changed the 85 to give us consumers peace of mind? I guess they figured if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it. But even the Marantz TT42 stock cartridge, the 251 S, is a better cartridge. Marantz and Denon both share the same ownership. Couldn't Denon have just adopted the 251 S for this turntable?On the same token, enthusiast-grade turntables aren't expected to include a cartridge anyway. The idea is that the money the manufacturer could've put into a cartridge went into the TT instead. That seems to be the case with the DP-400 ---that Denon included a giveaway quality cartridge so that a better product overall could be produced.An after-market cartridge costing as little as $40 will be a noticeable improvement, as the DSN-85 is a low output 2.5mV cartridge. Consider that the $40 AT95e has 3.5mV of output, which is still on the low end. A $100 Ortofon Red has 5.5mV of output, more than doubling that of the DSN-85. Spend just $100 on a Pro-Ject Phono Box pre-amp which Denon recommends on their website and there is yet another improvement. That is when the real potential of this turntable has been unlocked. A $59 Phono Box E would also work.For $500 we expect a TT that will outperform tables like the Orbit Special and Debut Carbon, both dominating the sub-$500 market right now. Yamaha's new turntable line just hit virtual shopping shelves as well.With the Orbit Special’s hardwood plinth, Ortofon cartridge, and acrylic platter, it’s hard to say that this DP-400 will be giving its competitors a run for their money. Then again, the Orbit has a straight tonearm and no on-the-fly speed selector. Nor does it have a ground point. But how much that actually matters is really debatable. It all depends. Also, neither the Orbit nor the Debut Carbon has a built-in EQ for <$500 if you need one.You might say the wow & flutter of .10% is where this Denon leads in its price group. It's difficult to find one spec'd lower than .2%. Consider that W&F of .3% is generally unacceptable. So, that did have some bearing on my decision. For the Debut Carbon to get anywhere near those specs, a $100 accessory, the Speed Box, is required.I guess the pros and cons could go on forever. The innovative dust cover is a major selling point for me, and if the speed monitor works perfectly for years and years then I am very satisfied. Ultimately, I gave it 5 stars because it clearly provides a better value than the 300f in many ways, and so far my favorite LPs sound terrific. For this table to sound its best, a cart and pre-amp upgrade is critical. But the same can be said about most TTs in this price range. Even if neither was included, it would still be worth it for its build quality alone.Also, kudos to World Wide Stereo for A+ cust service.