Atma-Sphere Class D… Amazing

@fsonicsmith

I...commented that the parts could not justify the price.

What exactly and specifically is the parts cost? Did the deleted post contain an exact and specific accounting of the parts cost? What date was that accounting performed? Is the poster familiar with parts cost inflation in the past year?

If the post lacks the # requested above, I submit to readers a potential the poster conveniently ignored for the deletion: there was no factual basis for the opinion expressed as a fact.

Even if the # was posted: what is the exact and specific threshold for ratio of parts cost to SRP beyond which a product is deemed "failure?" Readers need to know this ratio to confirm the poster is being consistent and not being derogatory for some hidden agenda.

Also, does every single audio item the poster own meet his own criteria?

The omission of all this data surely justifies the deletion, a personal attack on the product masquerading as an innocent opinion.

Lastly, to imply that any product’s SRP is justified solely by passing the value test described herein is simply wrong. To be polite I won’t say such test is naive, but I can imagine some thinking that.

@ johnh

Thank you for your fantastic post.  Surely this type of post with so much personal experience with a good number of the most relevant currently produced amps is literally the definition of advice that "money can't buy."  No pro review I've ever read (that I can think of) has so much valuable info for direct comparison.

Amir @ Audio Science Review has good test gear and has tested the Purifi.  Purifi tests at the very highest level as does an amp I referred to and owned.  Oh, if we could only read test results and make purchases based solely on these tests!  But we can't because I owned one of those amps and Ralph's class D is at least 1.5 to 2 clear steps up the food chain in audio performance.  (Maybe Ralph's class D would test similarly but I won't be surprised if it does not.)

I recently had here a superb $40k DAC and pair of class A $60k/pr mono blocks.  I know the designer, who told me personally that he could improve the DAC's static test specs but would not because it would degrade its audio and musical performance.  

Maybe we should ask @atmasphere ? And avoid descending into extension cords, which have nothing to do the power cords on these amps...

Power cords affect audio equipment due to voltage drops occurring at 60Hz but also at much higher frequencies.

The more feedback you have in an amplifier the greater its ability to reject anything that isn't the signal, such as noise,

As a result, the class D is relatively unaffected by power cords at low power levels. But as the power is increased the power cord would be more important. It will not affect the amp nearly so much as power cords affect our tube amps!

Thanks Ralph.

Well, Ralph has outdone himself and shipped my new Atma Class D amps (with black face plates) sooner than thought. As I am in the middle of putting all my gardens to bed and hopefully overwintering the non hardy material, I have to put their installation on the back burner for a little while.

The amps are a bit more compact than comparable Class A, A/B amps, but are quite heavy, -Something I was not expecting, as many Class D amps seem to be quite smaller than these. But, I haven't had any experience with other Class D amps and have relied upon only visual depictions.

Once I get them 'run in', I hope to visit my dealer, John Rutan, and schedule a time to demo them, and compare them with other amplifiers.-Of course, if Johnny is willing. I really want to do this as I have heard so much about Class D, and know Ralph is a great designer who would only release a product if he felt it to be of deserved quality.

Who knows, maybe my MA-1's will be for sale, soon.

Bob

Bob