Class D is just Dandy!

Welcome @nonoise

I must say, AA makes some of the very best looking gear. :) Also, there are a number of new (< 5years) dacs which sound outstanding at any resolution, and make Hi-Res and SACD less important to me.

Thanks @mdeblanc glad you found a good resource. Let us know what you listen to and what you end up buying.

Best,

E

Great thread! Thanks to all for sharing :) I have to say something now...................

I use Crown XLS amp with my pair of Magnepan 1.7i. I read online about Crown amps and maggies, and took the plunge. I am really happy with the sound. It has been little bit over a year I have this system primarily for 2.1 channel music listening. So far I have resisted the urge to switch my amp to something else - tube or ss, class A or A/B. One time almost bought a McIntosh MC452. But that was mostly for the sexy blue vumeter and to have some bragging rights as a McIntosh owner :)

Occasionally I wonder though about switching to any of the other class Ds mentioned here like Bel Canto or W4S or NuPrime or Red Dragon.

Will that improve the sound like what I constantly read in any amp or preamp discussion / review, like larger sound-stage or better separation of instruments or more air or faster micro-dynamics etc.? I don't know!

Anyone have experience or an opinion on CIAudio, aka Channel Island Audio, class D amps? 

@confuse_upgradeitis - I used a crown xls1500 for about two years. This past winter I bought a used pair of Ghent audio class D monoblocks here on Audiogon. I was sceptical, since their power ratings were the same, but I was getting too curious about what, if anything, would sound different from my crown.

What I’ve heard is an improvement in clarity, sound source separation, a reduction in harshness and an increase in bass clarity and smoothness. In addition, the sound stage is deeper and wider.

Now, all of these differences took a few days, maybe a week, to discern. So, while it was a significant improvement, it wasn’t a quantum leap and I still greatly respect what the crown brought to my system for $325 brand stinking new.

I did, however, go from a stereo amp to monos, so I can’t speak as to what improvements were due to a better amp and what were due to moving to monos.

Oh man. I broke one of my amps tonight. Miswired an IC I built. I need your genius class D smarts please. 

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/oh-man-i-broke-my-class-d-amp-make-fun-of-me-then-help

Pretty please?