Class D Technology

Mapman, I'm glad that you enjoy your Ice Modules. The KEF LS50 was just released in an active version. The woofer is powered by Class D and the tweeter is powered by Class AB. Does this mean that there is a problem with Class D higher frequencies to some ears...or is it just an issue with procurement budget and not being able to purchase the better Class D modules? I don't have those answers but it is food for thought.

Kef know what's better for the upper range with using an A/B amp for it, otherwise they would have used another smaller Class-D for it as well, instead of just for the bass, and it would have cost less to manufacture, and been "greener", then they could have called it Kef LS50"G" active.

Cheers George 

Bel-Canto Ref 600 mono’s as the newest and most complete.
They really respond to tuning with power cords! They are green, run cool, but perhaps as important they are much easer to move around. Are they the last word in amps? not yet.. but getting much better day by day.

+1 They have sounded the best Class-D to me so far, but they have modded the filters of the newest Hypex modules to do it.

As you said "are they the last word not yet", and I agree, as for me to have liked them, they had to be driving a very benign 6ohm load of a very expensive Raven Ribbon to get me to say this. Even then with long term listening they were still a bit too "cold/analytical" sounding in the upper range.

Cheers George

I do not have "ice modules" . i have stated repeatedly I have BelCanto Ref1000m amps. These use ice modules but also custom input and power circuitry and the price and sound reflects that accordingly.

Again generalizing and glazing over facts and details to help an argument helps nobody and is a disservice.

I would likely not have been satisfied using that older revision of vanilla Ice modules to drive my speakers which is why I opted for a better design. The original Bel Canto ref1000 was vanilla icepower (and much cheaper) and the differences between the two are well documented.


I don’t know what KEF uses or why. Its their choice so better to ask them. Probably just easier or cheaper or better for them to biamp in general which opens up options to use different amps for different purposes rather than try to get either one to do it all best at their price point. I’ve heard those those KEFs in my home and they are small power and current hungry speakers.   I'd definitely use Class D for teh bass with them but if biamped then many decent options for the less demanding  (power and current-wise) high end.

I am not sure where obsession with the switching frequency comes from.  It is inaudible

This statement needs clarification! It is very easy to demonstrate that switching frequency is audible. Once it gets above a certain minimum it becomes progressively harder however.

Ok, let me clarify then: I cannot hear 500kHz, not only because of my hearing apparatus (at my age I have difficulty hearing 15kHz), but also because tweeter’s output drops like a rock with combined effect of membrane inertia and increasing tweeter’s impedance (easy enough to check tweeter’s frequency response chart). There might be intermodulation products, but only if tweeter’s membrane can move at 500kHz - no chance . In addition output filter, set to about 1/10 of the switching frequency, is at least two pole resulting in >40dB/decade suppression. 500kHz frequency that I cannot hear and tweeter cannot response to is already suppressed by >40dB from the peak loudness. I challenge anybody to detect, form the seating position, when my amplifier is on.