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Warm Class D for horns?

Hello to all,

Recently  was researching about the evolution of class d amplifiers, for what I understood the most advances around are the Hypex N Core, ICE, Pascal, and appears that also some manufacturers are developing their own Class D amps, like Spec from japan for example and Devialet from France for example..

I understood this right? This is what is happening?

The whole point of make evolving the Class D amplification is to make they sound more warm?

I'm panning to build a 3 way loudspeakers, radial horn, super horn tweeter, and woofer, at first I was considering just use Class D for the 12" woofer, but what about Class D amp for the horns and super tweeter, anyone using?

Let's talk about this, would like to know more how Class D evolved over the years and who are the manufacturers that are on the vanguard fo design of this amplification topology...

Oh.. Class D analog, Class D digital... never found a consensus, if Class D can be analog to..

Thanks!
128x128cosmicjazz
markmuse
283 posts
 
I have a pair of Jeff Rowland 535 class D amps, bridged to mono, driving a pair of Totem Forest Signatures. Voicing is virtually identical to the 25 year old, class A/B Rowland Model 2 that they replaced. I would call them neutral, neither warm nor bright, but rich and detailed. The scale of imaging is astounding. Enormous and specific. There are times when it wraps almost completely around me. 
noble100's avatar
noble100
2,419 posts
 
cosmicjazz,

     The overriding characteristic of good class D amps is their neutrality, nothing is added or subtracted from the inputted signals.  I've heard many class D amps and currently own 2 stereo and a pair of mono amps, they're all neutral to the extreme.  
     In your case of wanting a warmer sound, the best solution I'm aware of is using a tube preamp that you like the sound of and pairing it with a good class D amp of your choice. The overall sound will be determined by the sound of your tube preamp and source components since the class D amp virtually has no sound of its own.  

   I used a VTL 2.5L tube preamp with and replaced the standard Russian or Chinese tubes with NOS (new old stock) Mullard tubes for a warmer, more dimensional sound.  I paired this with first a Class D Audio SDS-440-CS stereo amp and later an Emerald Physics EP-100.2-SE stereo class D amp and it provided overall the sound of a very good tube amp with very good bass, a rare combination that sounds like something you'd really enjoy.


Tim
cosmicjazz's avatar
cosmicjazz OP
243 posts
 
Cool, thanks for the advice.. 
mrdecibel
3,063 posts
 
I have used 100’s of ss amps on my horns, and the warmer of these amps, have been the designs using mosfets, specifically, those using the original Hitachi devices. They sound nice on my horns. Hafler, Soundcraftsmen and some others available, used, and all can be sent out to Musical Concepts, or Jensen Stereo Shop, to further the designs with better everything, leaving those mosfets in place.
toetapaudio
474 posts
 
@cosmicjazz, they all sound different even those using the same modules because the implementation is different.

Hypex 1200 modules, designed by Bruno Putzey, as used in the Mola Mola Kaluga’s are amongst the best class D amps currently available after listening to quite a few of the top designs. If it’s a softer more valve like character then something from Spec might be worth looking at.
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