"D" amps, general discussion who's 1 and why?

Coffey, I empathize with your experience with Red Dragon Leviathan. . . I suspect this device may not be quite representative of the state of the class D art. Conversely, on the subject of Bel Canto. . . it's a brand, not a device. Unless you have auditioned at some length the Mk.2 versions of the Ref 500 or Ref 1000, you may have heard obsolete models that sound to all accounts not quite as refined as the new ones.

Which Bel Canto Coffeey? Even in an otherwise limiting system at this year's RMAF I could hear a lot of promise. Were you comparing to your Counterpoint? Of course Bel Canto isn't near the top of the ICEPower heap, but it shouldn't make your skin crawl.

If your skin crawled with the latest Bel Canto, then I expect that there was something wrong with the system.

What aspects made your skin crawl? That's a pretty broad dismissal, said with a certain degree of authority that would imply that you know what you're talking about, so why not share some details? Maybe, as little as listing the other system components and where the audition took place. Were there any comparisons made? Were the components in balanced mode?

I haven't heard the Red Dragon, but I'd worry about the wooden chassis and sheet metal chassis not delivering the isolation from EMI and RFI that ICEPower needs. Those are pretty expensive units in a very basic looking chassis.

Dave

I have been a tube guy for a couple of decades but after demoing and then moving to Spectron amps - from stereo to mono block there can never be any doubt I made an improvement in my enjoyment of my rig. Now, there are lots of good SS, Tube and class D amps and similarly lots of overpriced but well hyped but not great gear. For me the bottom line was that the Spectron class D amps removed a veil that my previous tube amps had and also class D amps seem to have the speed and cadence to ensure that all of the signal reaches the speakers at the right time. Hard to define but easier to hear.

There are a bunch of great amps that I would be delighted to have in my system (assuming appropriate synergies) and I could name a short list of SS, Tube and Class D. My point is that circuit design, good board topography, effective procurement and manufacturing can deliver a great product, or not, so the best class D will sound superb and the poorly designed class D will sound like crap and the same goes for tubes, SS etc. etc.

Bel Canto, Rowland, Spectron are all great products.

My rant ends with the principle that system synergy ends up defining the quality of final sound - and most likely a product of electro-mechanical parameters.

"best class D will sound superb and the poorly designed class D will sound like crap and the same goes for tubes, SS etc. etc."

Thank you Radical. . . couldn't have said it more eloquently myself (grins!)

The review of Nuforces Ref 9 SE V2 in Decembers The Absolute Sound is a good example of how Class D has evolved. A very positive review by a first rate rag.

I have been on this ride from the beginning with Nuforces class D amp, my first NF Ref 9 of three years ago. The latest version V2 like i suspect of most class D amps mentioned above is far superior to the first versions of these super revealing amps. The truth is these amps are so revealing that if the rest of your system is not up to it you hear the weakest link and its not the amps.

What i dont understand is the wasted time on advising something to someone who like a lot of others i have encountered on this subject who just like to pick and make statements with out any merit. As for Coffeeys negativity who cares i know i dont. We are free to buy and enjoy what we like.

I dont know about other manufacturers of these super amps but in Nuforces case upgrades are offered to there customers. You are not stuck with the old and can easily move up the the newest technology. As good as that business sense is the real reason for my owning these class D amps is they take my system to levels i thought not possible with power, speed, clarity and hours upon hours of music with out fatigue.