Class A or Class D solid-state amplifiers (modern designs)

I'm very, very happy with my VTV Purifi monoblocks (the 1ET400A, not the Eigentakt). They easily bested my Parasound A21+, and cost 33% less.

I was more curious about the differences, good and bad between class A and D. Assuming that we are talking about amps that were designed for the best performance at their price range, it is a closer race to me about which I prefer. In fact, it matters as well about the amp matching the system to begin with, as I am finding out. In the best combinations that I have to offer in my system, each seems to hold its own. There may have been little competition years ago, but the gap is quickly narrowing. It makes me envy those who have the opportunity to own multiple systems.

FWIW, I just built a class D amp designed by Pete Millet, as well as another type of class D amp designed by Peter Nelson IIRC. Each of them sound different. And different sounding still is my class A amp designed and built by John Dee, formerly from Sudgen Audio. I just feel fortunate to have had the experience.

Let’s get more specific. Which specific class-D power amplifiers compete favorably with the best amplifiers by, say, Audio Research (tube) or McIntosh (tube and/or solid state) or Pass Labs (solid state)? 

LSA Voyager GAN 350 wpc class D is a kick ass amplifier.  I have had multiple highly regarded class A amps and tube amps.  Not yet heard other GAN class D amps..

@rsf507 - Vu Jade Audio come to our listening room in Northern New Jersey and bring whatever you want to compare.

Happy Listening

@bigkidz  when you say "we" have not heard a class D amplifier that competes in SQ who are "we"‽ 

I am reading this with great interest.  To date, we have not heard a class D amplifier that competes in sound quality.  We are open to hear something that comes close but not yet to our ears.

Happy Listening.

Jeff Rowland was asked a question similar to this a few years ago and basically replied that it's what a designer does with the technology that counts as opposed to one classification being necessarily better than another. 

My experience with SS, tube, and Class D amps over the years is consistent with what @atmasphere said about the nature of the various technologies over time and how that translates into good sound. I started with Class D amps over 10 years ago and it’s Class D all the way at this point for me. Tubes are fun but pretty much over that.

Let’s compare and contrast. Which one is technically better?

Here's what you're up against: distortion. Sure, class A does not have crossover distortion. Neither does class D.  The main thing you're dealing with is IMD and harmonic distortion.

Class A amps make both. They are class A to try to minimize that by being in the most linear portion of the operating curve of the output device (whether tube or transistor). But they will make distortion and unless the circuit is designed to be zero feedback there will have to be loop negative feedback to get the distortion into acceptable bounds.

That's where you get into trouble. Back in the 1970s and 80s, the semiconductors needed to actually be able to run the kind of feedback you need didn't exist. We had to wait until the 1990s for that.

If you're thinking that an entire generation of audiophiles grew up with amps that sound bright and harsh you are correct.

The issue is something called Gain Bandwidth Product. You need a lot lot of it! GBP supports the operation of feedback, and to have it support feedback at 10KHz you need more than was possible before sometime in the 1990s. What happens if there isn't enough GBP is the feedback value decreases at higher frequencies- resulting in higher distortion.

This is why the 1KHz harmonic distortion figure tells you little about the amp. What is more important is distortion vs frequency- it should not rise across the audio band, otherwise the amp will have higher distortion at higher frequencies, and this will translate directly into 'harsh and bright' since our ears convert distortion into tonality.

In addition to the semiconductors needed you also need the design. And the will to create it. That took until the 2000s...

As a result, us older audiophiles have been hearing 'harsh and bright' in solid state designs for decades on at this point. That is literally the reason why there are still tube amps around!

If you've been digging deep, you may have realized this isn't a class A vs class AB thing- both classes of operation have can have this issue.

Class D offers a way around this problem.

In a regular amp, if you try to put a lot of feedback in the design you run a risk of the amp being unstable and prone to oscillation unless the feedback loop is very carefully designed, and maybe even then. The reason is there are frequency poles in every amplifier design and they cause phase shift at high frequencies (often outside the audio band). At some frequency the phase shift is so severe that the feedback becomes positive rather than negative- and so the amp oscillates.

In technical/engineering terms this condition is described as 'the phase margin of the amplifier being exceeded'.

In a class D amp you can put a lot of feedback in the design, with the expectation that it will do exactly this. The oscillation is then used as the switching frequency, killing two birds with one stone.

At this point you can have enough GBP that the distortion remains constant at all frequencies, and the distortion normally caused by the application of feedback can also be cleaned up by the simple fact of so much feedback available. You really need to have 35dB or more of feedback to really allow feedback to work right- less than that and it contributes distortion of its own.

This is very difficult to do in a class A or AB amp, although there are a few examples.

That is why some class D designs can easily keep up with class A designs (and FWIW, I've been working with class A amplifier designs for nearly 50 years, if that means anything...).

Trying to label the value and quality of sound from an amplifier based on the class of the design is not useful. 

Totally this. Without knowing your system and budget, it's also difficult to make any suggestions. 

I haven’t heard these, and the size and price kinda makes me wonder, but AbSound gives them a product of the year award. The size is amazing. I am tempted to try a pair.

Orchard Audio Starkrimson Monoblock Power Amplifier

$1500/pr.

While virtually all Class D amplifiers use off-the-shelf output modules, the diminutive Starkrimson is built from a proprietary circuit topology of Orchard Audio’s own design. The Starkrimson features gallium nitride (GaN) transistors rather than silicon devices, which allow the switching stage to operate at a super-fast 800kHz, almost three times faster than conventional switching stages. This leads to fewer switching artifacts, lower THD, and higher SNR. With 150W into 8 ohms on tap, the Starkrimson yielded a remarkably transparent soundstage and a spacious presentation. The musical tapestry was vibrant with transients unleashed to their full dynamic potential. What also endeared it to reviewer Dick Olsher was its ability to scale dynamic peaks without changing its tonal character. This was coupled with stunning resolution of complex passages, which left DO thinking that this should not be happening with a $1500-per-stereo-pair amplifier. The Starkrimson sounds like a high-definition Class A amplifier, and surely offers a glimpse into the future of Class D amplification. An absolute must-audition, and our Budget Product of the Year.

Absolute Sound POY

TCO is total cost of ownership--I'm guessing he means power bill.

What is TCO?

If I were in the market for a new amp, I'd definitely be looking at Atma-Sphere's new GaN class D monoblocks.  If there's anyone who will do class D justice, it's Ralph Karsten.  If they really give his tube amps a run for their money, then his class D might be very high level performers, and they aren't terribly expensive at $~5-6K.  For 2 channel, I've only owned one class D, the NAD C388.  It was very neutral, albeit a bit "dry" sounding in the treble, and perhaps a bit anemic in the midrange.  I don't think all class D is like that though.  It's all in the implementation, I have no doubt that some class D out there sound fantastic, I just have no interest in it at this point in the game.   

Lots of great Class D out there now.

Bel Canto.

Cyrus

AVM

NAD (okay)

Rogue

Just to name a few.

You will pay a premium in TCO for a good power guzzling Class A amp. No need these days IMHO. So many practical and affordable and great sounding Class Ds in various kinds of integrated devices.  Class D is where it’s at these days and in the future.  Pick some and listen for yourself. Also consider features and practicality if that matters to you.

If you are able, perhaps make your way to Axpona in April where you will be able to audition a variety of many of the amps currently available and perhaps engage in meaningful social intercourse with the designers.

Even within Class D there are different technologies and designs which you have the opportunity to learn about in between now and zen.

I recognise perhaps two or three purveyors of Class D in that link. There maybe more that I don’t recognise.

I personally prefer some Class D to some class A. And some A/B to A.  I currently use Class A/B in my Luxman 507ux and there is no way you could convince me to change to another amp based on the class alone.

Trying to label the value and quality of sound from an amplifier based on the class of the design is not useful.  Class A gets everyone's juices flowing due to the massive iron, heat and power consumption but it by no means makes it more desirable to an individual listener.

I would think it's very possible given some great designers out there.