2. amps-preamps
  3. 1244811660

Do all Class D amps lack soundstage depth?

Hello!
Recently I bought a class D amp for my friend from Audiogon - PS Audio Trio A-100. In general, I liked it sound very much. Compared to the power section of my much cheaper integrated amp (NAD C320BEE), Trio A-100 sounded fresher, more transparent, richer and juicier. NAD was obviously duller and more reserved. Trio A-100 seemed to energize the air with a sort of vibrancy, while NAD seemed more lifeless. (Of course, I am exaggerating the difference between the amps a bit to make it more clear how they differ from each other.) However, Trio A-100 lacked one parameter, which is very essential for me and without which I cannot truly get lost in the music – namely, the soundstage was flat. It wasn’t absolutely flat, no – but NAD did so much better in this department. When NAD was playing, I heard which instruments and singers were farther from me and which were closer to me. When Trio was playing, everything seemed to be on the same line, equidistant from me.

The previous owner of PS Audio Trio A-100 had told to me about its sound before I bought the amp from him, and he frankly admitted that the soundstage was kind of flat. Before this purchase, I nearly bought another Class D amp – namely, Bel Canto S300. Eventually, this amp went to another buyer, but the owner shared with me his impressions about this amp and, among other things, he wrote: “There might be less depth with some recordings”.

So, at least two owners of Class D amps confessed that their amps lacked soundstage depth.

I wonder – are all Class D amps like that? Is the lack of depth something which is intrinsically inherent in Class D?

My second question is – what if I buy TWO Class D amps and use them as monoblocks – will it solve the problem with the flatness of the soundstage?

Any advice based on personal experience will be much appreciated.
ironmine
tholt
551 posts
 

06-12-09: Tan43
The other components in your system affects the class D amps
more then you would think.

I echo this sentiment 100%, though disagree with balanced interconnects. You don't need these for soundstaging (!)

I have Nuforce amps paired with a tubed pre, all copper and single-ended cabling, and have truly dimensional imaging.
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
I've listened to all the current Jeff Rowland Design Group amps and none of them have this issue. Given the right material, my Continuum 500 will throw and image that'll expand to 180-degree to the outsides and front of the speakers and deep beyond the wall in back of the speakers. Think Radiohead or "I Robot". With Mahler and such I get an image to the outer edges of the speakers with layers of instruments going from the speaker to my wall and beyond, with placements of instruments a various front-to-back depths.

Dave
jim_swantko
301 posts
 
My NuForces throw whatever soundstage my preamp generates... which lately is massive! :)
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Tan43 and Nick778 are right. I have found, with my gear, almost all cables sound bad, as well as almost all CD players. This is a fact. I have not heard the amps named here, but I think I can assume my findings would apply to class D amps in general. My super charged Audio Note DAC works wonders, mining CDs for all they are worth. The amps lets it all through untouched.

And now a word from Audiogon's dealers.....
2chnlben
595 posts
 
Sounds like a speaker placement issue to me. Proper speaker setup will really make big differences in soundstage (especially depth). How far away from the back, front and side walls are the speakers placed; is there gear between the speakers; how large is the room...etc...??
More to discover