Time to buy a class D amp?



Will some new class D amplifiers outperforming the current ones appear soon

(the newest ones i know were released a  few years ago)?

Class D amps attract me as I consider them the most ecological ones with obvious non-auditionable benefits.

I have no doubts that they posses the maximum ratio performance/sound quality among the amplifiers of all classes.

At the same time, the sound quality the class D amplifiers that I have auditioned produce, although is quite good,

but not yet ideal (for my taste).


I use PS Audio Stellar S300 amp with PS audio Gain Cell pre/DAC with Thiel CS 3.6 speakers in one of my systems.

The sound is ok (deep bass, clear soundstage) but not perfect (a bit bright and somehow dry, lacking warmness which might be more or less ok for rock but not for jazz music).

I wonder if there are softer sounding class D amps with the same or better details and resolution. Considering two reasonable (as to the budget) choices for test, Red Dragon S500 and Digital Audio Company's

Cherry  2 (or Maraschino monoblocks), did anybody compare these two?



128x128niodari
Having owned 3 class AB integrateds before, I have started my class D journey with a pair of Calyx Femti power amplifiers, which I still have on a 2nd system. They are based on an ICEpower 125ASX2 module. Having liked them, my 2nd amp was a Wyred 4 Sound STI-500v2, also based on a pair of 125ASX2, no coincidence.

Then I decided to upgrade to separates and tried in my system a friend's Nord NC500 with the Rev C Sparkos small opamps. I liked what I heard and decided to keep Wyred 4 Sound as a preamp (bought the excellent STP-SE stage 2) and chose my 3rd class D amplifier to be an Apollon NC800SL, also based on a pair of Hypex NC500 modules, but with the larger Sparkos opamps. This current pair of separates cost me about 4.5k usd (preamp was 2nd hand), which is a steal. This pair is a giant killer and I think it would be very, very difficult to beat without spending some big money (tens of thousands).

The STI-500v2 integrated went to my brother's system by the way, so all class D amps are still in the family. :)
What is it with Class-D owners, my last loved amp lasted more than 8 years, sources usually 4-5 years.
But Class-D owners seem to be in a hurry to get somewhere by changing their Class-D's like like they are a pair of socks or jocks.

Cheers George
Class D world economic stimulus packages.  Plus we don't lose our socks as much when we sell them on the used market.
I went from a Parasound A21 to Class D, no difference in sound.

With no difference in sound, the Class D was a better amp. Cheaper, cooler, less expensive to run.


The Luxman I replaced it with beat them both, at 6x the price.


I went from a Parasound A21 to Class D, no difference in sound.
Something seriously wrong there.