Class D for a Tube Lover


First, I'm sure this has been asked many times but searching the subject wasn't too helpful to me.

So apologies in advance.

I enjoy tubed electronics and class A amps, which tend to be a bit warm.  My current Cary 805s warm my small (12x16) music room even in the cool/cold of winter.  I've got other amps that don't produce much heat, but am looking for something that produces no heat.  Living in a home with no central AC the room gets uncomfortably hot during the summer months.

So...I'd like to try some Class D amps.  Stereo or mono is just fine.  And my speakers aren't difficult to drive so I don't need a thousand watts.  But if that thousand watt amp sounds great, I'm not adverse to that, either.

I'd like to keep the price under 2k used.  

Please help.

Thanks.


128x128audiodwebe
A sincere 2nd vote for the NAD M22 Class D Amp. I have Class A SS, Tube A/B and the NAD Class D and I find compelling reasons to like them all equally well. The NAD does put off some heat, not sure what amp doesn't honestly. Good luck and if possible, demo before making a final decision. I've been amazed at what a blind listening test will unveil in a familiar room.
Don't give up on tube amps.  Two that come to mind that have a control circuit that allows the tubes to run low temps are Carver Crimson 275 and Linear Tube Audio.  If you're hooked on the tube sound class D may not satisfy you, but try Digital Amplifier Company (DAC) and their lineup.
Ditch the amps you have and just get a PS Audio Sprout100 or a vintage Fisher 500-C with the budget you’ve got.  Will blow away any preamp you can get for your current amps.  
I love my Lyngdorf what was chosen in side-by-side comparisons against both LTA tube amps and a couple of class A and AB amps. I couldn't believe it was the best of the lot, but it absolutely was. I have the TDAI-2170. And another advantage is, you don't need an external DAC so you can save a ton of money on that front too. My analog inputs to it include a Feickert turntable with a whestTWO.2 preamp feed to the analog inputs of the 2170. The analog inputs do not sound "digital" at all. Closest thing I've found that acts like a wire with gain. Seems to add or subtract noting from anything you feed it.
Following up on my new(used) NAD M32. So far, it betters my last DAC/amp combo, the PS Audio DSD DAC + M700 monos. It does so many things right (insert a long string of audiophile descriptors here) and very few things wrong - in fact, nothing to my ears, yet. It is not *warm* but I agree with JA in Stereophile, "[...]what emerged as a consistent signature was a clean, clear quality of sound that stepped out of the music’s way[...]" and "Highly recommended." Purchased for $2450 used, and SafeandSound (a NAD authorized dealer) sometimes has refurbished ones available.