Class A vs. AB vs. D... can you hear a difference?

Bill as you can see objectivity can be hard to come by especially when one loses site of the question.

I really enjoy my home theater. It's a 7.1 system in a smallish space with a Pioneer Elite receiver driving sensitive Triangle speakers and two 10" Velodyne DD plus subwoofers.

I've heard some very expensive HT systems that are simply wasted on the quality of much of the media that's available today. In the end it's just TV with a digital source which doesn't even come close to the elegance of analog two channel. Here is were switching amplifiers make sense because they can be constantly powered without wasting tons of volts. I wouldn't stress the THX standard anywhere near as much as getting the extra low frequency right and having the ability to control the ELF on the fly with remote volume and EQ presets.

If you have enough room effective speaker placement rather than depending on drastic room correction usually results in a better presentation.

My system really came into its own when I went to 7.1 and got rid of the dipoles. The transitions from back to front are much more defined even with 5.1 media matrixed to 7.1.

Bill, I'm very sorry that I wasn't objective and lost site of this question.
"Some Class A amps go to class AB after so many watts... is there an audible change?"

A short answer would be, don't worry, a good representation of Class A, A/B or D could do a good job in your home theater.
It is more how the design is implemented than the class of Amplifier. Check the forums and read a few reviews, you'll zone in on a few pieces very quickly. I'm sure that if you would like to advise if your are thinking a receiver or integrated or seperates, you will get some good advice.
Good Listening, Tim

Tim, Please accept my apologies for what appears to be a comment directed at you as that was not my intention.

Without even thinking that my comments were following yours I didn't mean that YOU weren't objective, rather a portion of the thread in general.

Again my apologies.

in the Threshold S/160 loud, the sound is more dirty, but do not notice changes in dynamics, and precision ... at low volume work in class A, greater volume and less accurate

M-db and Bill, I also apologize, I realized those remarks might or might not at all have been directed at me... I sometimes find this forum quite difficult, we are a bunch of arrogant audio heads, we all know it all. On occasion some new members or less active members find their courage to get involved and post, then out of nowhere they get shot down and that ends their involvement. I'm sure that I am guilty. I've been at this 35 years and have said DUMB things on this forum... I hope he doesn't mind, but the mighty Ralph Karsten once sent me a private email about a post, he was caring that I didn't look stupid... what a gentleman!.. I explained my position to him, he said I was correct and then I re explained correctly on the forum. This is what we need in this this forum.... Sorry for the rant here and M-db, I don't make any of this statement toward you, in fact your points were quite valid. I've seen others slapped several times in other threads just the within past few weeks and its been on my mind. Bill, didn't mean to steal your thread. Good luck. Tim