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Is Class D Analog or Digital ?

Wow!!!..what a conversation! I called Music Matters yesterday in San Francisco inquiring about an older Spectral 
Preamp since their an authorized dealer for many years. The salesman I spoke to was not familiar with the DMC-10. He took my phone number and said I'll have someone get back to. I received a phone call today from the co-founder/owner Jay. I asked about the DMC-10.He trashed the piece saying it is grainy, bright and the newer designs are the opposite.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Us Spectral geeks know exactly how those older models sound. I told him I already had made a decision on amps. He asked, which amps are you getting? I said the Nuprime Evolution Ones since
Demiam Martin from Spectral is co-designer. He said don't buy them... their digital amplifiers and I tell my customer's to stay away from them because of that bright digital sound. Wow! I said they are analog amps and Class D is just a category. He said no, the D stands for digital. This is another prime example why so many Audiophiles are skeptical and will not put their toe in the water to go the class D direction.
audiozen
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,821 posts
 
@atmasphere , *G*, 'digital' can also refer to toes, toes in the water, all that...never mind.... ;)

D is still in it's infancy in terms of development, HO...  I suspect that most of the negative responses is due to entrenched opinions and tastes, but I view it as a goad to improve the breed..

Given the 'improvement churn' of current digital devices, soon the discussion may be rendered moot.  I may be wrong-headed about this, but I sometimes wonder if a processor linked within a Damp to monitor/analyze/'tweak' a signal would be an interesting aside...*shrug*

They're certainly 'speedy' enough to do so...

I suspect that D will win the hearts, minds, And Ears in the long run.
After all, we who know the differences are literally a dying breed.
Sorry...Time Wins, Ultimately.
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,821 posts
 
...unless you know of a cell phone with an A/B amp.... ;)

bigkidz
3,409 posts
 
I don't know if I agree that class D designs will be better.  A good design is a good design.  As more of a tube guy and building Direct Heated Triode designs, I find the best of all worlds, tone, speed, detail, soundstage, etc.
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,821 posts
 
...and triodes have been around how long?

Evolution still requires a certain amount of time.  I may not see (or hear) the 'ultimate D' in my remaining life span, but I'd wager there's 'fire bottle fans' that didn't get to hear yours; *S*

And, of course, to each his/her own...'twas always thus.  
audiozen OP
831 posts
 
@erik_squires    

Erik....you are confusing an analog Class D amplifier with a CD player. Binary is a single term/method only of how a laser reads the pits on a compact disc. The space in between the pits are "bumps" results in reading pits,bump,pits,bump, 1,0,1,0,1,0.....switching only applies to switching transistors. Mosfet's are dual switching, moving current in both directions. Diode transistors move current in one direction. Just about all Class A/AB amps use switching transistors. Binary only applies to the digital domain and nowhere else. Nothing confusing about that.
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