Class D amps that are superior to all or most?

The i.V Ultra series of amps from Legacy Audio are not stock IcePower modules in a box. That discussion needs to be discarded. I have not shared everything I know about the design. I am not interested in sharing it all, as well.

Further, I presume that Legacy’s use of one channel with a dedicated power supply per channel could outperform all the mods of the EVS amp. Or, vice versa. 

Obviously, no one - including EVS, Legacy, or myself - knows short of an actual comparison.

As to the rest of the reply, you cannot have one without the other, i.e. a speaker that will do it when the amp cannot accomplish the same goal and vice versa leaves you with the system not being able to do it so with all respect, it does have to do with the amplifier’s capabilities.

If the amplifier is unable to follow the waveform presented to it (which is the source of all dynamic contrast) then it will distort.

Perhaps a bit counterintuitively, if a particular amp is **more** dynamic than most others (for example SETs) its also because of distortion. In the case of SETs up to about 20% of full power their distortion is pretty benign. But above that point, the higher ordered harmonics become more pronounced. Since the ear uses the higher ordered  harmonics to sense sound pressure and because transients is where most of the power is, when the higher orders show up on the transients, the ear interprets that as 'louder on the leading edges' IOW more 'dynamic'.

Its a simple fact that when audiophiles talk about dynamics, about 90% of the time they are really talking about distortion, and you can safely replaced the word 'dynamics' in that conversation with 'distortion' without changing the meaning of the conversation.


Put another way, amps that sound more 'dynamic' are very likely to do so out of distortion and nothing else. The dynamic character of the music should come from the source, not the amp, that is if the amp is accurately reproducing the signal!

Actually, I should add to my last comment. A simple comparison is not terribly informative. A comparison between amps in use with 4-6 speaker systems, and from 12-18 discrete systems yields an entirely different assessment (perhaps consistent with first impression, perhaps not) than simply use in one system with one pair of speakers. 

Short of such a thorough familiarization with an amp, the judgment of which is better is quite limited. That is why in my review I built more than a dozen discrete rigs with several pairs of speakers, my methodology. I pay no attention to what many think is SO important, break in. I build systems - and get a far better, global understanding of the performance of any component.  :) 

If the amplifier is unable to follow the waveform presented to it (which is the source of all dynamic contrast) then it will distort.

Perhaps a bit counterintuitively, if a particular amp is **more** dynamic than most others (for example SETs) its also because of distortion. In the case of SETs up to about 20% of full power their distortion is pretty benign. But above that point, the higher ordered harmonics become more pronounced. Since the ear uses the higher ordered harmonics to sense sound pressure and because transients is where most of the power is, when the higher orders show up on the transients, the ear interprets that as 'louder on the leading edges' IOW more 'dynamic'.

Its a simple fact that when audiophiles talk about dynamics, about 90% of the time they are really talking about distortion, and you can safely replaced the word 'dynamics' in that conversation with 'distortion' without changing the meaning of the conversation.

Put another way, amps that sound more 'dynamic' are very likely to do so out of distortion and nothing else. The dynamic character of the music should come from the source, not the amp, that is if the amp is accurately reproducing the signal!

All so true....great post!  I would only add that great amps that sound more dynamic can also do it due to extremely low distortion and better execution of instantaneous power delivery.

Doug,
The picture of the insides of the Legacy amp shows stock modules in a box......nothing more......it does have ground wires running from each module to ground......and a custom bracket for each module so they can sit on their sides and fit in the box. I see nothing except that. Stock modules in a box is what it is unless you show proof otherwise. There is nothing wrong with stock modules in a box. But don’t make it out to be something it is not. A stock module will sound like a stock module. A modded module will sound different....and to me, much better. I also A/Bed my mono modded IceEdge amp with two monoed stereo stock IceEdge and that person has now dropped off one off his stereo amps for me to mod because he was so impressed at how much better my modded amp was......and at that time, I had only done half the mods!

Using a mono module per channel is exactly the same thing as using one channel of a stereo module.....no difference. I know, I did both....same sound. My amps were dual mono using mono IceEdge. The mods make the module better......I know, I did each mod one at a time. They all work, you no have no idea what my mods do. Call me if interested in talking about it. You would find it enlightening. Everything can be improved. We are all a work in progress.....there is no end. Wishing you and everyone happiness, joy and love. We don’t need to defend ourselves....just state the truth (what you actually experience, first hand). The big TRUTH is that we are all totally worthy. We are all infinitely beautiful.

I have no need to further this discussion here....and I am sure, most others would like it to stop. Until the next truth be spoken......infinite blessings and Love to all.