High end Class D amps?

George is correct. Lack of switching bandwidth is the problem. I know Bruno Putzeys claimed differently in an old interview, but he's mostly a self-promotor so no one should take what he says as gospel truth.

I tried the low-end Technics integrated which only had around 800 or 900 kHz of bandwidth and was generally unimpressed even if it wasn't terrible. There is going to be a huge difference between that and the SE-R1 which I haven't listened to.

I also own a Cherry amp, the older lower end one with the external power brick. I was told Cherry was the revolution of class D, etc etc. It wasn't THAT bad, but it didn't hold a candle to my Odyssey Stratos. It's currently on PC speaker duty.

I don't think you guys really appreciate how deadly to euphonics that traditional class D output filter is. I didn't start out hating class D I developed that position after being burned many times being told this or that class D module was the revolutionary savior of the topology. I remain interested in GaNFET because it seems like that is what will finally be able to pull class D into the realm of quality audio.

I generally think of the Odyssey units more as PA amplifiers than serious audiophile gear. Throw lots of brute force at a problem, but not a lot of finesse ending up with a "warm" but bloated sounding box.  If that is the sound you like, then I am not surprised the Cherry was not to your liking. It is transparent, not "euphonic".

 Bruno is a promoter, but unlike many in the audio industry, actually has the technical chops to put something together.


Switching frequency was important 10+ years ago before people figured out putting the filter inside the feedback loop.

The claim the output filter is "deadly" to euphonics, again is "old" knowledge, see last comment about the placement of the filter in new higher end class-D amplifiers, not to mention a bit better practical understanding of how to tune class-D filters, however, keep in mind the filter is to keep ultrasonics out of the speaker.

You have absolutely no idea, your burying your self with your own brand of **** ****

@audio2design Okay what class D amp today can beat my Stratos? I can’t have fatiguing sound. Does the little Cherry just lack juice? My speakers are ProAc D30R.

Edit: it's a Stereo Maraschino with an external power brick, less than the 48V listed on the website but I forget the exact value.

madavid0:
" I don't think you guys really appreciate how deadly to euphonics that traditional class D output filter is. I didn't start out hating class D I developed that position after being burned many times being told this or that class D module was the revolutionary savior of the topology. I remain interested in GaNFET because it seems like that is what will finally be able to pull class D into the realm of quality audio."

Hello madavid0.

     I believe the most prominent characteristic of the newer, good quality class D amps is neutrality, with no euphonics or anything else added or subtracted.  In my experience, this high degree of neutrality is very revealing of everything upstream, even interconnect and power cable quality levels and differences are more easily detected.  
     I know that Bruno Putzeys, the inventor and designer of the Phillips ucd, Hypex Ncore and the most recently the Purifi class D modules, has stated that he has steadfastly maintained a goal of optimum neutrality in all his modules in order to appeal to the largest number of potential customers.  Based on my experience, the designers of most other class D amp modules, such as TI, Anaview/Abletec and Pascal, have apparently maintained the same neutral presentation goal.
     As to your statement " I don't think you guys really appreciate how deadly to euphonics that traditional class D output filter is.", I don't know where you read this, why you believe it or what class D amps you've listened to, but it's definitely not true with my class D monoblocks.  These are good quality units and, as I stated above, their primary characteristic is a completely honest neutrality, like the traditional audio ideal of a 'straight wire with gain'. 
     It is definitely true that this level of neutrality very distinctly and articulately portrays the quality level of both the recording and the music but there's absolutely no elimination or theft of 2nd or 3rd harmonics and euphonics taking place.  If the music contains these euphonic qualities, and the recording is of sufficient quality to have captured them, then they are faithfully amplified and reproduced.
     I happen to appreciate and prefer utilizing very neutral and revealing  amps in my system while understanding that numerous others seem to prefer a bit of flavoring.  However, I believe this is a topic best left for a separate thread.

Tim