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I went from Class D to Luxman A/AB - And most of what you think is wrong

Hi everyone,

As most of you know, I’m a fan of Class D. I have lived with ICEPower 250AS based amps for a couple of years. Before that I lived with a pair of Parasound A21s (for HT) and now I’m listening to a Luxman 507ux.


I have some thoughts after long term listening:
  • The tropes of Class D having particularly bad, noticeable Class D qualities are all wrong and have been for years.
  • No one has ever heard my Class D amps and gone: "Oh, wow, Class D, that’s why I hate it."
  • The Luxman is a better amp than my ICEPower modules, which are already pretty old.

I found the Class D a touch warm, powerful, noise free. Blindfolded I cannot tell them apart from the Parasound A21s which are completely linear, and run a touch warm due to high Class A operation, and VERY similar in power output.


The Luxman 507 beats them both, but no amp stands out as nasty sounding or lacking in the ability to be musical and involving.


What the Luxman 507 does better is in the midrange and ends of the spectrum. It is less dark, sweeter in the midrange, and sounds more powerful, almost "louder" in the sense of having more treble and bass. It IS a better amplifier than I had before. Imaging is about the same.


There was one significant operational difference, which others have confirmed. I don't know why this is true, but the Class D amps needed 2-4 days to warm up. The Luxman needs no time at all. I have no rational, engineering explanation for this. After leaving the ICEPower amps off for a weekend, they sounded pretty low fi. Took 2 days to come back. I can come home after work and turn the Luxman on and it sounds great from the first moment.


Please keep this in mind when evaluating.


Best,

E
erik_squires
hddg's avatar
hddg
123 posts
 
I own many types of amps, different types of tube amps, different A/B amps, including the much referred to Benchmark AHB2 (which is actually A/B/H) and big classA Gryphon Mephisto monos...
I have no classD amp to date, but do believe that, given the proper design and parts, they are the future of amplification.
I have seen many good classD amps mentioned in the thread, but I dont think I've noticed anyone make mention of the relatively new Japanese brand called Spec. These are the very example of what classD can be; better than many high end amps, whether tubes or SS!!  
tlinkie
107 posts
 
Agree with Paul Creed. I still have and love some old-fashioned A/B amps, but each year finds me with more D types around the house.

And I’m never, ever buying another 100-lb amp--or anything close--ever again. Those days are gone for good. And good riddance!
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,230 posts
 
Yup I'm with Mr. Creed as well.
jmolsberg's avatar
jmolsberg
467 posts
 
i briefly used an ncore class D amp which did everything right, except keep me in the sweet spot. excellent low end, great highs, whisper quiet but it was certainly uninvolving to my soul. not to say this doesn't happen from time time be it a set amp or class a, but more often than not, i would lose interest rather quickly. as soon as i hear one that keeps me in the sweet spot, i am all over it. too many pros with the technology!
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,826 posts
 
This amp opened my eyes what digital can do, I'm not a digital snob anymore. I'm now wanting to look at more current digital amps to see what there all about, mine is quiet but you do hear a little noise if you put your ear close to speaker.
Just for the record, the fact that class D and the word 'digital' both start with a 'D' is coincidence (which is confusing to the market)- its D because A, B and C were already taken. Class D amps are not digital although they are switching. They are an entirely analog process.
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