Class D is just Dandy!


I thought it was time we had a pro- Class D thread. There's plenty of threads about comparisons, or detractors of Class D.

That's fine, you don't have to like Class D amps, and if you don't please go participate on one of those threads.

For those of us who are very happy and excited about having musical, capable amps that we can afford to keep on 24/7 and don't require large spaces to put them in, this thread is for you.

Please share your experiences with class D amps!
erik_squires
Always fun to talk tech.... but I've been living with dreamy sounding amps for a while now. I don't need my switching frequency increased to have the best.

E
I'll lay money on it Eric your the one of the first to change to the higher switching speeds when they come available/affordable, hopefully soon, judging by Technics lead in this area of higher switching speeds.
 
I know I will sell my inefficient, hot, heavy, boat anchors just before it happens, before they become worthless, as will today's Class-D amps.

Cheers George
I always thought the gentle filter slope was b/c steep "brick wall" filtering caused audible distortions...

I do agree that the amplifier is the closest component most of us have that is near perfection.  Speakers, room tmts, DACs, source material... all are in more need of improvement on a relative basis.
It’s because a simple low order output filter can take the amps full power, but it’s effects reach down into the audio band and still leave some switching noise left overs, hence the need to take it up much higher as Technics did with far higher switching frequencies, so they can be effectively removed, without effecting the audio band.

These days when Stereophile tests a Class-d amp, they put on an external output filter, the Audio Precision’s AP0025 filter, which has a -50db rolloff after the audio band so the 1khz square waves look half decent without the switching noise embedded right across it, (good for sales) 10khz square wave still looks a mangled mess though, trouble is this AP filter can only take very low power, would be real nice to leave it in to listen to, but it would blow up in a micro second.

http://www.stereophile.com/content/class%C3%A9-sigma-2200i-integrated-amplifier-measurements#31YFAPfYVDGeowzZ.97

And yes steeper filters as you said do have their own set of problems re sound, as ML found out with their No.53 monoblocks.

Cheers George
You know what I like about my Class D (Primare I32)?
It sounds really, really good. I have no idea if it has ICEpower or NCore, or Hypex in it, and I'm really not sure I want to learn enough to know if it matters. Every time I get more educated on the technology of HiFi it causes gear-lust costs me money. I'm much better off listening in blissful ignorance.
Seeya, fellas.