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
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.
"randy-11
higher switching frequency moves it further from the range of human hearing and enables "kinder, gentler" filtering
georgehifi
+1 many times over Randy, seems like your one of the few that get it here!"

randy and george,

     I believe I understand george's often stated theory that the current typical class D switching frequency is too low at about 500kHz and results in sonic anomalies within the audible human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 Khz. This theory further claims that raising the switching frequency to the 3-5 kHz range will cause these sonic anomalies from affecting any frequencies within the audible range of human hearing capacity. 
 
     My issues surrounding this class D switching frequency theory, that apparently both of you now support, are twofold:

1.  Whether to believe 2 people on an audio forum named randy and george, of uncertain class D technical knowledge and credentials,claiming this switching frequency theory is valid but offering no supporting evidence

 OR
 whether to believe the actual inventor of class D amplifier technology named Bruno Putzeys who seems to assign no validity to this theory and has stated that "500 kHz is a completely reasonable class D switching frequency".
 Written down like this,  it seems like an especially silly and obvious choice to me concerning whose advice I should rely upon in evaluating this theory.  Are you two really suggesting I simply ignore the inventor of Ice and NCore class D power modules and just trust your viewpoint instead?
   If it was empirically proven that these sonic anomalies exist and are audible to a significant number of humans, I admit I would be curious to determine if it improved the sound of my system once the price was much more affordable  As it currently stands, however, I'm not convinced I should care since I've never even heard a hint of any sonic anomalies from any of the class D amps I've used in my system or any I've ever listened to in any system.  
   
     As Aristotle so famously asked Plato so astutely long ago:
"If  your class D amp had a switching frequency proven too low and it caused audible sonic anomalies, but you could not hear these anomalies,  would they even exist to you?"

    That hipster Plato then replied to his teacher in the following lesser known and less famous manner:
 "Mr. Astute, if I cannot hear them pollute then it does not compute and I know the point is thus moot so I properly cease to give a hoot."  True story. 

       I'm with Erik and Plato on this one; I've been living with dreamy sounding amps for a while now, too. I don't need my switching frequency increased to have what I consider the best, either.

Later,
 Tim
At $17k a pair? No. No thank you.

I’ve heard current linear amps that were about that expensive and I wouldn’t switch to them either. To me the idea that we need super technology to finally fix the Class D problem just wont’ fly.

Blame my tin ears if you must, but this was solved a decade ago.

Best,

E
Also, the meters on the Technics SE-R1 are super cool. Wish I could buy the casework alone.

@noble100 

Tim, I love your quote from the upcoming issue of Acta Philosophica Refutata (Vol XXVIII, Feb 29th, 2017.... I have not yet received this issue *Grins!*


Jokes aside, it is my understanding that this conjecture -- it is not a theory in the scientific sense of the word -- asserts that switching frequencies of at least 1Mhz are expected to reduce harmonic distortion to 0.005% or better.


It happens that 0.003% has already been achieved for the entire audible frequency band: Mola Mola Kaluga which uses enhanced versions of NCore NC1200 and its matching power supply. ROwland M925 and M825 are also below 0.005% while using stock NC1200 modules.


But let us come down to Earth from the audiophrenic stratosphere above.... The reasonably priced $2500 Merrill Teranis, based on the lower cost NC500 NCore module, declares a THD of 0.005%, thus achieving the preported distortion goal, using a trickled-down version of NCore, with is mainstream switching frequency of about 450 Khz.


G.