Class D is just Dandy!

@georgehifi

I understood your input to me as not trashing class D designs, per se. They differ among themselves as much as designs within categories of other topologies do. Sometimes the output devices (in this case—for our discussion—Duntech and Dunlavy SC speakers can reveal and distinguish those designs as being better matched over others, whether class D or class AB (tubes, for example). 

Even folks here who rave about their preferred designs within the class D family would concede that point. Their raves are within a given reference context. 

georgehifi,

There’s a vast number of class D amp owners literally throughout the world that have absolutely no doubt about whether their amps are extraordinary performers in their systems. Yes, the great majority of them have switching frequencies in the vicinity of 500 KHz and may not possess the latest and fastest FET transistors in their output stages. Most of them are probably unaware of this but likely wouldn’t give a hoot if they were aware because they sound so incredibly good in their systems.
The owners of one of the many current or recent crop of extremely good class D amps just hear the obvious; their amps have very low distortion levels, dead-quiet background noise levels due to very high signal-to-noise ratios, excellent frequency response throughout the entire audible range, very good dynamic range, very good channel separation along with the ability to handle very low speaker impedance levels and deliver more than enough power to properly drive any speakers.
Additional class D amp benefits include small size, low weight, high electrical efficiency that results in low electricity consumption and very little excess heat and all at very affordable prices. What’s not to like, right?
Despite all the benefits of good class D amps described above, you continue to suggest avoidance of these amps until they utilize switching frequencies in the mega-Hz range and the latest and fastest generation of super-fast FET output stage transistors .
Will higher switching frequencies and faster FETs enable class D amp performance to get even better? As a user of several exceptionally good class D amps of recent vintage, I find it somewhat difficult to imagine how their performance could significantly be improved but I’ll keep an open mind until I give one a good listen in my system.
Until then, however, I. would advise anyone considering a class D amp that it makes little sense to wait for possible class D amp perfection.
Nobody needs to deprive themselves of high quality sound by making the same mistake that georgehifi consistently and inexplicably insists upon: making perfection the enemy of the extraordinarily good.

Tim

I love my Audio Alchemy DPA 1, which is said to be a hybrid, due to an FET input stage, I guess. Last night I swapped out a silver over copper Surf XLR for an old PS Audio (mid model) and was floored at the much needed warmth that was hiding in the amp

@tweak1
+1, my friend. I suspect some type of class A-class D hybrid will likely be the future for all class D topologies. 

I am really not a fan of silver over copper cables. 

However, solid silver interconnects are pretty good and inexpensive to build on your own. 

Best,

E