It’s not the class D (ICE in this case) that’s the issue. It’s the sucky SMPS’s that are the problem. I have a pair of (when available) $25k Acoustic Reality Thaumaturges, it is one of the finest amps I’ve yet to hear and own and that is a very long list. I also had a pair of the Acoustic Reality Ones (if I recall the model correctly), they were about $6k per pair and had some custom mods performed by the manufacturer to take them even higher than stock. The One’s used a SMPS and like all SMPS’s I have ever experienced, the moment they are plugged in anywhere near my system, the whole system TANKS AND SUCKS!
I sold the One’s, they were HORRID! I’ve owned the Thaumaturges with their linear power supply for nearly 10 years now. The only amps I’ve preferred to them are my Graaf GM 200’s and my Graaf Modena, maybe my former Tube Research Labs GT 200’s but not sure about that, been a long time since I owned the very impressive TRL’s.
Class D can be wonderful but in my experienced opinion, if it has a SMPS just forget it! Even my Mac Mini music server SMPS killed the sound, it now has a linear supply.
Even my router LOL!
I sold the One’s, they were HORRID! I’ve owned the Thaumaturges with their linear power supply for nearly 10 years now. The only amps I’ve preferred to them are my Graaf GM 200’s and my Graaf Modena, maybe my former Tube Research Labs GT 200’s but not sure about that, been a long time since I owned the very impressive TRL’s.
Class D can be wonderful but in my experienced opinion, if it has a SMPS just forget it! Even my Mac Mini music server SMPS killed the sound, it now has a linear supply.
Even my router LOL!