High Quality New “Open Box” Compact Denon Speakers SC-M53

Denon says it first came into existence in 1910 as part of Nippon Chikuonki Shokai, the Japan Recorders Corporation, a record and gramophone company. Its direct predecessor, Japan Electric Sound Company, dates from 1939, and became Japan Denki Onkyo in 1944. The company joined Nippon Columbia in the 1940s.

Broadcast roots. From 1939 Denon supplied NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, with disc recorders and other broadcast equipment. The DL-103 moving-coil cartridge was developed with NHK in the 1960s and sold to the public from 1970.

Hi-fi. The DP-5000 of 1970 was Denon's first consumer record player, and the PMA-500 of 1972 its first integrated amplifier. Denon calls its DN-023R of 1972 the world's first practical PCM digital recorder. Its first consumer CD player, the DCD-2000, came in the early 1980s, and its first AV amplifier, the AVC-500, in 1985.

D&M and today. Denon was spun off from Nippon Columbia in 2001 and combined with Marantz in D&M Holdings in 2002. Sound United bought the group in 2017, Masimo bought Sound United in 2022, and in September 2025 HARMAN, a Samsung company, completed its purchase of Sound United.

DRA stereo receivers: such as the DRA-625R of the late 1980s and the DRA-835R, up to the DRA-800H of 2019 with HDMI inputs.

AV receivers: the AVC line from 1985, AVR-numbered models such as the AVR-1800 and AVR-3808CI, and the AVR-X range from 2013.

PMA integrated amplifiers: from the PMA-500 of 1972 to current models such as the PMA-600NE.

DCD CD players: from the DCD-2000 and DCD-1800 onward, and DCM changers.

DP turntables: direct-drive models such as the DP-3000 (1972) and DP-7000 (1976), and 1980s automatic models such as the DP-47F.

DL-103 cartridge: a low-output moving-coil design, still made by hand at Denon's Shirakawa factory, Denon says.

HDMI boards. On modern AV receivers, HDMI is usually the first thing to fail; owners report failed HDMI boards on models such as the AVR-3808CI. Test every HDMI input and output, with the on-screen menus. We do that on every one we list.

2020 HDMI 2.1 models. Some 2020 receivers, such as the AVR-X2700H, could show a black screen with 4K/120Hz sources; a free external adapter was offered, and later units have the fixed chip. Ask whether the adapter comes with the receiver.

Output stages. Play any amplifier or receiver at a realistic level on both channels; owners report protection-mode faults after abuse.

CD players and turntables. Check tray belts and play several discs, including a CD-R. On an automatic turntable, play a full side, including auto return.

DL-103. It needs a moving-coil phono stage or step-up, and its low compliance suits medium- or high-mass tonearms.

Everything we list is inspected, tested and serviced as required here, and comes with our warranty.