High end Class D amps?

bluorion: "So having a 30-day trial period is nice. W4S offers a 45 day trial---that was another one on my list. The ICs I'll be using with the amp will be Audioquest Big Surs. Do you recommend any particular brand with he D-Sonics? Again, thanks for the thoughtful posts."

Hello bluorion,

     I've read good reviews on the W4S class D amps but have never personally listened to them.  I'm much more comfortable recommending the D-Sonic M3 monos mainly because I've been using them for over 6 years now with 2 different pairs of main speakers, originally with Magnepan 2.7QRs and currently 3.7is, and they've performed exceptionally well on both.  As far as I know, a comparable pair of W4S monoblock amps could perform just as well or even better than the D-Sonics.  You'd probably need to home audition both with your Luxman to find out for certain. 
     If you'd like more than 30 days to audition the D-Sonic amps, I know if you call or email the owner, Dennis Deacon, and request a longer free in-home trial period, he typically extend the time period upon request.
     Your Audioquest Big Surs are high quality cables and should perform very well as ics.  I use custom balanced xlr cables as ics but I believe you'll need to use unbalanced rca cables due to the pre-out connections utilized on your Luxman.  The D-Sonic amps offer a choice of inputs, balanced or unbalanced. with a switch also required to be set appropriately on the back of each amp.

Later,
 Tim

I purchased a Rotel class D five channel amp (RMB-1575) just for curiosity. It’s a very honest 250 wpc @ eight ohm and 500 wpc @ four ohm. I have it connected to my RBH Reference system, a pair of SV-T2, a SV-6200c and two 770 mounted rear wall. Their all four ohm. 
It sounds incredible and can it ever shake the house. It’s a beautiful sounding amp and I’ve enjoyed it also in two channel mode. 
.........however, I replaced it with a Crestron CNAMPX-7x200.....a 100lb block of AB power. This amp is incredible sounding at 350 wpc x seven channels. It’s suprised me that the Rotel was not totally spanked. It’s just so light and cool to touch it seems wrong. 

Class D is the future. Boomers stop bashing it, its a maturing product now. PS Stellar 1200 is sweet, Red Cherry, Merrill at a lot more money would give any amp made today regardless of cost a run. Now a pure tube system and I mean pure tube, with tube rectifiers will have its own unique sound, and many enjoy that.  But solid state vs. Class D well it’s a toss up when you here a well made class D. As I age class D will be for me, no more trying to lift 100 lb. plus amps, in fact if buying today I look more at class D amps then the big solid state Amps or tube amps in the 30-60 lb. range tops. 

Hello phillyb,

      I've shared, and continue to share, your enthusiasm for high end class D amplification for over 6 years now.  Class D, in my experience, not only has the clear advantage over more traditional amp types in size, weight, operating temperature, relative cost and electrical efficiency, it also provides excellent overall sound quality results that are already very competitive with the other amps regardless of type or price.  I also agree with you that this amp technology is still in its ascendancy.
     My only hesitation in universally and fully recommending class D amplification to everyone, is the concern that not everyone seems to share our enthusiasm in its sound quality performance. 
     Many individuals have claimed for years that they perceive deficiencies in the sound quality performance of class D amps and some have even developed and promoted their own theories as to why, such as georgehifi's consistent proclamations that the class D carrier signal switching frequency is too low and needs to be north of 1 MHz to avoid sonic artifacts in the audible range.   
     The main issue has been the reality that I, and apparently many other class D amp lovers/users, have completely failed to notice any of these supposed sq deficiencies in their own varied and preferred class D amps.  This has naturally resulted in users doubting the sincerity of the class D amp naysayers' claims of sq deficiencies.
     Yes, virtually all agree that there were sq deficiencies in much earlier examples of class D amps but not on the numerous better examples produced within the last decade or so.  The truth is that if class D amp users perceive none of these claimed sq deficiencies in their own amp's performance then, by definition, none exist since our perceptions literally are each of our realities. 
     I still believe it's important to keep an open mind, however, especially in this hobby.  So, even though there remains a complete lack of legitimate scientific evidence supporting these supposed claims of deficiencies in the sq performance of class D amps,  I still don't think it's wise to dismiss the remote possibility that these sq deficiencies actually do exist and that some individuals may be sincerely perceiving them.  
     After all, it's well known that there are gaps in scientific knowledge and that there's a high probability that important future discoveries will be made about the dynamic and technical forces involved in class D audio reproduction and perception.  Perhaps, it will be discovered that some individuals are just more sensitive to certain yet to be identified and measured characteristic(s) of class D amplification.
     Because of the above, I strongly suggest that anyone interested in the high quality sq performance and other benefits provided by a high end class D amp, should audition one prior to purchase to guarantee complete satisfaction. 

Enjoy,
  Tim

@phillyb @noble100 Such interesting dialogue. I admit I don't quite understand a lot of the specific acoustic specs, etc....but I enjoy reading others' opinions about them. It makes me wonder about brands such as Mola Mola, Merrill and JR that always get such rave reviews about their sonic qualities. Do they meet or succeed these sonic measurements that you mentioned---and do more reasonable class D brands (D-Sonic, W4S...) not meet these measurements?