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

soix - the amp it's replacing is Music Reference RM10 MkII which I've enjoyed for 11 years now, one of my favorites of a long line of high quality tube and SS amps.

 

The sound of a high rez two channel system sounds nothing like live music

Three possibilities:

-The ‘high rez’ system is not assembled well; it is not well balanced.

-Recordings being played are not very good.

-The listener is not familiar with the sound of live music.

———

The idea that there can be a high rez system (def: revealing of the recording) that is not well-balanced is, if anything, a contradiction in terms. The qualifier ‘well balanced’ is so vague as to be essentially useless.

There is no universal definition as to what constitutes a good recording, other than that it sounds good. The idea that a good recording is supposed to simulate a live performance is simply false for the vast majority of recordings.

Whether or not the listener is familiar with the sound of live music (I am) is simply not relevant- neither the recordings nor the equipment is designed to simulate a live performance. Which is as it should be. How much of the music that is consumed these days is comprised of acoustic instruments on a stage, recorded ‘live’? Virtually zero.

 

The idea that a good recording is supposed to simulate a live performance is simply false for the vast majority of recordings.

Big +1. Listen to Donald Fagan’s Kamakiriad or Morph the Cat — they were clearly recorded in a studio with absolutely no pretense of sounding at all like live music, so if a system makes them sound “live” it’s manipulating the crap out of the recording and is highly inaccurate. But, as I said earlier, different strokes…

I do not believe the majority of " audiophiles " know how to listen to music, and are listening to the things that do not correspond to live, unamplified musical performances. Buying an amplifier, to make Nils Lofgren’s guitar ( from Keith Don’t Go, Live ) " sound " a better way....a different way, in tone, in stage location, all from a source that was recorded ( it is done regularly by most ). Music has several key components....rhythm, texture, dynamics, pitch, form and timbre. Admittedly, I have a musical background, and learned about music. I listen to recorded music a particular way, and my low cost system ( compared to others here ), delivers the goods, that pleases me and engages me.

“…so if a system makes them sound “live” it’s manipulating the crap out of the recording and is highly inaccurate.”

I’m reminded of Yes’ album, Close To The Edge.  Not the greatest recording, but it very nicely gets the job done.  When Rick Wakeman’s church organ comes in, are we meant to believe we’ve been transported to a cathedral?  Thankfully, the recording engineer didn’t waste any effort trying to make it sound that way.