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The Future of Audio Amplification

I have recently paired an Audio Research DS225 Class D amplifier with an Audio Research tube preamplifier (SP8 mkii). I cannot believe how wonderful and lifelike my music sounds. The DS225 replaced an Audio Research SD135 Class AB amplifier. Perhaps the SD135 is just not as good as some of the better quality amps that are out there, but it got me thinking that amazingly wonderful sonance can be achieved with a tubed pre and Class D amp. I have a hunch that as more people experience this combination, it will likely catch on and become the future path of many, if not most audiophile systems. It is interesting that Audio Research has been at the forefront of this development.
distortions
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
jeffwyo577 posts12-22-2018 2:53amClass D, as soon as your warranty runs out have fun getting somebody to fix it if & when it goes down, with all the surface mount components in new digital amps most techs won't touch them including me
This is also so true, yes built in obsolescence is what they do have, when they go smoking it up.
The switch mode power supply (smp) board can "sometimes" be fixed but they do fry up in a spectacular way.
The Class-D amp board, when it goes up sometimes becomes a junker, you can usually say goodby to them. And the manufacturers charge like a wounded bull for a new board, even at trade price, that's if they still have them as a spare part.   
It's sometimes better just to get a new amp if both smp and amp have blown.

Cheers George 
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clearthink
1,421 posts
 

kosst_amojan"SMPS's are notoriously hard on caps."

Do you have any "credible proof" of that as you   demand, insist, and require of others to deliver to you upon your sole, unilateral, and arbitrary demand "proof" supported by scientific data that you accept or reject at your singular discretion while you insist that lack of credible proof reflects "snake oil" "cons" and other such nonsense. 
michaelgreenaudio's avatar
michaelgreenaudio
1,019 posts
 

from 2015

Since Jeff is being mentioned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUEeHhezJaw

tweak1
3,645 posts
 
Nord has what appear to be great value for mostly the same Ncore and Ice amps (stereo/mono) as the uber expensive companies 

NCore: The new board uses two Op Amps per channel and runs even further into Class A delivering up to 250mA of Class A current fed into the Hypex NC500 module.
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