Could Class D really be that good?


I've heard statements praising modern class D amplifiers all the time but was sort of hesitant to try. Lately, one particular model caught my eye, the Fosi V3, which costs sub $100 but is praised for having refined sound like class A/B. To fulfill my curiosity, I quickly ordered one and tried it with my Burchardt S400II and Wharfedale Linton speakers. Basically, this is a neutral sounding amp but, to my surprise, the sound is clean, open, airy, with full mids, wide soundstage, good imaging/separation, with nearly null traces of the edginess, dryness, or lean sound that traditional class D amplifiers have. The background is just as quiet as my current systems. The core is the TPA 3255 chip from TI and comes with a 32v, 5A power block, which is supposed to deliver approximately 65 watts per channel (into 8 ohms). It drives the S400II/Linton without any hesitation, as well as my 130-watt-per-channel high-current Parasound A23. Very impressive.

Measurement is not everything. However, according to the lab test results, when operated under 10-60 watts, the distortion level (THD) is below 0.003%, better than a lot of high-end (price) gears. I am going to build around it for my fourth system with upgraded op-amp and LPS. I believe it will outperform my current mid-end (price) amplifiers.

I know, I know, quite a few Audiogoners' systems are above $100k, and mentioning this kind of little giant that costs a fraction could be rather embarrassing. But I thought this is just like gold digging with a lot of surprises and fun. Don't you think?

lanx0003

@asctim I can't seem to convince that guy that what he's saying about me is wrong. 🙄

@ricevs This is not a discovery. Those that have listened, have known this since audio reproduction and measureing equipment were invented. Most things that make a sonic difference cannot be measured.......plain and simple.

This was true back sometime in the 1980s. But measurement tech like nearly all other technologies has improved quite a lot in the last 30-35 years :)

But many people don't realize that, and worse yet, wouldn't understand the import of the measurements if they saw them- and quite often, they are not published. So the myth (as purported above) continues.

These days there is a direct line between what we can hear and what we can measure. The tricky bit might be understanding what to measure...

Ralph, Prove it. Show us the measurements and the correlating listening tests.....you cannot. You just have Myths that you make up. Yes, it is not published because it does not exist. The only thing tricky is your mind here......you cannot fool anyone. You need to show proof. Your words are tricky (reality is real).....show us the beef! Show us the measurements that show how all op amps sound different.....since everyone who listens thinks they sound different. If they sound different there must be a measurement (according to you). But, of course, to you they all sound the same.....so why measure. How long will you keep up this charade? Till death do you part? Are you married to your opinion? Can you laugh at yourself? Can you feel the love and bliss that exist right now?

@ricevs 

I assure you, it will be counted as a discovery with your name on it if you'll just demonstrate this phenomenon. The science of audio and human hearing will be moved forward, and the big blob of love that we are will grow more lovingly. 

 

asctim,

I hereby assign you to the task you want me to do. You surely want your name in lights because you talk about it. Please, get to work now.....please try to prove the unprovable.....good luck.

Love grows by attention to love. Give everyone more attention....this is the way love grows......"Shower the people you love, with love....show them the way that you feel"........the people you love is everyone.....Every single person you meet from this moment on.....wants something from you......this reality is now imbedded in your brain from this moment till eternity......and what they want is to be loved and noticed and appreciated.....every single person. The only reason why there is violence and lying and anything negative.....is because someone feels unloved.....pretty darn simple.....but it is hard to remember to be loving in every circumtance. This is our task.....to grow in love. Keep loving......never stop loving.

Start in the morning by looking in the mirror and gently stroking your face and tell yourself outloud how beautiful you are and how much you love yourself....smile at yourself......Do this as much as possible everyday....will change your life......then when you do this to others it will blow the whole universe to pieces......OMG....I love you so much.

So on one hand we have a designer/builder/entrepreneur who has been building and selling top quality products for a number of years. On the other hand, we have a  ..... tweaker, who modifies other people's original designs. Hmm... who is right? Tough choice man!