Class D Amplification Announcement

@frogman Album tracks have autotune, drumbeat correction, volume compression etc... to enhance the clarity. I mean just compare demo tapes to finished albums and you’ll hear why enhancements are highly desirable. This implies that the album doesn’t sound like the live performance, even in a recording studio.

I’m assuming that you only listen to live recordings of acoustic performances. Softer acoustic performances in well-treated rooms sound inherently crystal clear, so enhancements aren’t necessary. So you’re limiting your musical library immensely.

And to be frank, the importance of a balanced hi-res system is overstated (IMHO). Budget gear is getting better by the year, especially dirt cheap class D amps. AND for people like me LIVE music is way more affordable and accessible than high-end Hi-Fi. That's the perk of living in a metropolis I suppose. 

I guess you've never listened through TacT or Lyngdorf Millenium II or IV amplifiers! There are alternatives in digital amps. All this focus on "Class D" is stupid.  TacT goes back to about 2000 with their Millenium II which was a 24/96 and 2003 or 2005 with their Mk III. Lyngdorf then created the 4 after Peter Lyngdorf and Boz parted ways. Class D is like Bluetooth or USB--a licensed technology that must adhere to certain standards and chipsets. And to the doinks who prefer to look at an ugly, made for a rack, in their living room or whatever room in your home, well, have at it. There is benefit to cabinet construction, including the solidity to the fascia as well. About.2% of people want to or have the skills to DIY. What's a joke is the dismissals based on no experience and the experiences of reviewers.

at the low cost end of the spectrum there is the excellent little mini gan5 - $700

it doesn’t have the uber silky refinement and tonal density of the agd’s but for the money it is very very nice amp, small in form factor only

slightly leaner midbass, slightly drier bass, very refined treble, very few classic solid state nasties, and does not have the bleached out lifeless sound of typical ice or purifi module based units

My experience has been is that there is rarely a "one size fits all" when it comes to audio gear. It takes some mixing and matching to get the sound that you prefer...and it is quite likely that others might think it could be improved to make it to their liking.

Benchmark gets a lot of love...but some think its too lean.  Pass gets a lot of love, but many don't want the heat.

I have a buddy with a Magnepan 3.7i set up.  I've heard it recently with three different amps...they all sound a little different, but they all sound really good in his room....Halo A21, Sanders Magtech and Lyngdorf 2170.

The Lyngdorf is probably the surprise of this group???  It is even better with room perfect engaged...and when used as a preamp for the other amps and when room perfect is on, it seems to improve them as well.

Class D is like Bluetooth or USB--a licensed technology that must adhere to certain standards and chipsets

This statement is 100% wrong and apparently poorly informed. Class D is nothing like Bluetooth or USB other than in someone’s mind apparently.

Class D is a design approach. Anyone can try and build one anyway they choose

It does often but not always involve popular modular designs or a board/component that can be used to build a complete amp product.

The reason certain modules are popular are because they are the product of a lot of modern technical innovations done well ( as a result of years of R&D) and therefore THEY ARE VERY GOOD ie they do the job very well and often for more modest cost.

Not to say everyone will choose them. That is never the case. Personal preferences always rule in the end. Some simply may not believe that technology always moves forward but in fact as a whole it always does.

Glad we cleared that one up. 😉