Class D amps that are superior to all or most?

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.

From the detail of your posts I’m sure your modified ICedge boards and designs are of great quality in how the service you offer modifies the stock offering and how they sound. I’d like to hear them some day and that would be a great compare as well to do with what’s in front of me in this particular variation.

I’m a customer of Legacy as previously noted, have nothing to gain from these posts to be clear. I don’t make or sell products and have nothing on offer to others in this hobby. When I had the top off of my amp, I compared the boards against the stock boards available to anyone to buy and they are clearly (to me) not exactly the stock boards or what is pictured on other amp manufacturers' sites (Rogue and several others) for their amps based on the AS1 and AS2 boards from what I can see directly in front of me. They seem to be Legacy-specific and the whole amp assembled by Legacy (on the Ultra version at least I can speak of) with attention to mating of the boards and the chassis to ensure continuous ground connections removing anodized finish where board and chassis mating must occur to ensure continuity with the chassis and also have additional grounding attention paid in the form of a 6 pound copper bar that is not visible in the photo.

This from someone who actually has seen, held, inspected and lived with this amp since May 2020.