Denon DM-35DAB

DM37:Many features, such as USB stick input. Easy user interface.Excellent clear sound. Great for voices.Plenty of Bass

Just possibly too much bass for the very small room the system is in right now -- I have toned down the bass by 2 decibels, which makes it about right.

A side by side comparison with Onkyo's CR 515, Pure's DX60 and Yamaha's M170 confirmed the Denon's superiority - the Onkyo had more slam and tighter bass but was relatively hard edged with a recessed mid range. In contrast - the soundstage of the Denon D-M35DAB was more natural with vocals clearly in front of and separated from the backing instruments. The Pure and Yamaha were way off the mark in terms of sound quality - and the Pure felt particularly flimsy. So to sum up - Denon a definite first place - followed by the Onkyo - with the Pure and Yamaha very distant runner ups.

Tip!! Take the so called professional rave reviews with a pinch of salt - treat the 5 star ratings and superlatives so often peppering Hi-Fi mags with caution and listen for yourself - trust your ears only! Based on magazine hype I expected to be hugely impressed by the Onkyo and although it was way ahead of the Yamaha and Pure - it couldn't match the musicality of the Denon.

I've always been a fan of big hi-fi, but we really needed to downsize, and I was at first quite sceptical about choosing a micro system. The Denon D-M35DAB is probably a little bigger than most micro's on the market, and it is probably mid-way in size between and micro and a mini system. With this in mind please check your space, especially if you are hoping to place it on a shelf, as it's 328mm deep. The speakers are also quite deep (249mm), and they may not fit on all shelves.

The all-important thing for me is the sound quality, and this micro doesn't disappoint. It's only 22 watts per channel, but it seems a lot more powerful than that. I decided to buy the package with the Denon M73 speakers, although you can buy it without speakers and buy your own.

If space is tight and you can't fit a whole bunch of separates and big speakers into your room, it's a perfect choice. The sound is spot on, and if I'm honest. it is as good as my old system, which included some great Mission floor standing speakers - praise indeed for Denon speaker technology.

I paid £329.99, and I think it's great value for money. It is not the cheapest micro in the shops, but you get what you pay for when it comes to quality hi-fi.