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

Very interesting information with all the different thoughts and out comes.

Aprox. 2 years ago I bought and demoed numerous class "D" amps and/or which some refer to as switching amps.

What I found interesting when I read what Geph0007 had to say in general, putting aside the gear that was made reference to because that totally differs from what I listened to including owning.

What did come across was these specific amps ("D") are in one category referring to saying it's so clean, great bass, it's so smooth, etc. Then there is the other category which is "emotional where you want to jump up and start playing air guitar or you get choked up if the mood is right on certain songs."

I have to say from my experience I agree and that is what I was missing when I did my demoing but as we all know lots had happened since then (improvements)and I always keep an open mind so that is why I still have interest.

I have this year done some more evaluations comparing and here are a couple situations and what my thoughts were, these are my thoughts only!

System;

Jeff Rowland Continuum 500 integrated amplifier paired up with Neeper speakers, JM-LAB Alto Utopia Be speakers and Sonus Faber Amati Anniversario speakers. Cables used were Transparent and source AR REF7 cd red book, Esoteric with clock and DCS stac. Material all cd

I listened changing only the speakers and sources, same day and all gear well broken-in.

The JRDG was in the rack, on the floor was a Audio Research REF110 and HD220 both stereo pces and there was a REF3 pre also in the rack.

I spent some time listening to the different pcs. in different configurations with the JRDG first. I actually went with the intentions of buying the JRDG 500, the Rowland sounded really nice while I was evaluating and mentally going through the Audiophile check list, in my mind it was truly doing a spectacular job but that's it.

I played the same pces of music that I'm very familiar repeditively. I then switched over to the ARC amps and I discovered immediately what I was missing and it was exactly what Geph0007 said; which is the emotional aspect where you want to jump up and start playing air guitar or you get choked up if the mood is right on certain songs.

I just actually forgot all about the electronics and melted away being drawn into the music emotionally. It really reminds me of two years ago and how I felt also when I demoed "D" class amps for aprox. 8 months and then installed PASS X600.5 mono blocks.

So my latest exspearince, JRDG 312 stereo amp paired up with a ARC REF3 pre., Transparent cables and same sources again but with the new JM-LAB Scala speakers. First time I ever heard these speakers and the 312. Very nice experience indeed and much different than my past with the JRDG 500 and all "D" class. This set-up offered that emotion toe tapping experience that is very important to me that was lacking so far with all other "D" class amps that I have heard.

Still more auditioning to come as I now need to compare, ARC HD220 and REF 110 and Boulder with same speakers and electronics, should be interesting.

Dev,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that each case that appealed to you involved tube amplification. Also, you liked the Rowland Class D amp with the ARC tube pre.

I suspect that the "toe tapping" sound you like is more a result of the tubes, even if just in the pre, more so than as a result of using a Class D power amp.

Maybe a tube pre-amp and Class D power amp is the way to go, particularly with certain speakers that present more difficult loads to drive where Class D's that double down to 4 and even 2 ohms hold a distinct advantage over tubes for maintaining tonal balance with the low end.

I recently added the ARC sp-16 tube pre to my system running a well regarded SS amp needed to drive my difficult large Ohm Walsh 5 speaks and the toe tapping factor increased significantly.

I would consider a good Class D in my current setup in a heartbeat if I felt I really needed more power than the 120w/ch Musical Fidelity A3CR amp I currently use.

Hi Mapman,

I have heard my same amps used with a tube preamp, and the sound was just what many may want. It was very smooth, clean, and musical.

I prefer no tubes in the preamp, as long as that preamp is the H2O Fire. A 6moons review is in the future. This is an abnormally squeaky clean solid state preamp.

This is not to say my system doesn't benefit from tubes. I have mine in my non sampling DAC. The beauty of tubes and NOS carry through unsullied by the preamp. The advantage to my liking is the sound is more lively and detailed with the Fire aboard rather than a tube amp.

Hi Mapman,

Not exactly because in the past that 8 month spell with the "D" class amps I was actually using a tube pre, ARC REF3, Supratec Sav., VTL 7.5 and one of the amps where the Jeff Rowland 501's which I believe is the amp section of the 500 integrate.

The class "D" is very interesting and there are a handful that I have not heard and would like to do so but I will say to date the Jeff Rowland 312 is my fav. for this type of amplification.

Regarding amps I seem to actually prefer tube, just have not found that magical match for my current MBL's. Not that I have really heard allot either because I really had purchased the Cat JL3 thinking that would be it but unfortunately it wasn't do to other issues but the Joule is on my radar and will be listening to the exact system Dob heard and raved about.

Maybe I missed something. Are you ( Dcstp) saying the Bel Canto with the Tripath module is not digital???? Keith