Class D Amplification Announcement


After 60 some odd years of disappointment, Class D has finally arrived. As per The Absolute Sound’s Jonathan Valin, the Borrenson-designed Aavik P-580 amp “is the first Class D amplifier I can recommend without the usual reservations. …the P-580 does not have the usual digital-like upper-mid/lower-treble glare or brick wall-like top-octave cut-off that Class D amps of the past have evinced.”

Past designers of Class D and audiophiles, rejoice; Michael Borrenson has finally realized the potential of Class D.

psag

(Note for tomorrow:  Stock up on adult beverage and popcorn. Shows all the signs of a multi-page 'discussion' with the usual sturm und drang....)

Jeff Rowland perfected Class D years ago. Amplification is just a technology, not bad or good. It’s what you do with it that counts.

iirc it was back in 2008 or 2009, someone talked me into getting a pair of the fairly recently (at the time) released pair of jeff rowland class d mono blocks... sure looked pretty with those 3/4 in thick milled faceplates ... but those amps were one of the most disappointing, grey and lifeless sounding pieces of gear i ever recall buying ...

i punted on them in less than two weeks

I heard the Aavik systems at the Long Beach audio show a couple months ago... It was fantastic, but the amp alone is $30k+, it better sound incredible ...

A little too "clean" and sterile maybe, but very powerful, tight, clear... Was it the most amazing thing I've heard, no.. my CI audio class D amps sound awesome, are these 10X better, no way, not even close

They made the speakers, cables, dac, streamer, preamp which were all super expensive and high end... It's amazing stuff with all kinds of crazy engineering, but not magical for the few tracks I heard

 

 

The recent PNW Audiofest Show was lightly attended. I took advantage

of the downtime and spoke with Michael Borresen at length. He was very proud

of his new 200wpc class A amp. No Heat. $70k. When I asked how this could be

he said it was all about the parts used and attention to detail in the build. He holds

a patent on the only speaker using no iron. At $30k they don't come cheap.

JV is confusing Class D amps with poor digital playback (usual digital-like upper-mid/lower-treble glare). Overall, Class D amps don’t sound like that, to the contrary, they are flat and artificially smooth, and unresolving.