Class D is just Dandy!

Erik, and all the contributors,
After having read this thread from top to bottom - lots of good information - my question is: Did someone compare the amplifiers from Class D Audio to the ones from Ghent Audio? Because most likely I will order one from these two.

I have been running an old Class D Rotel RB 1072 for years.  I slowly upgraded everything around it by adding

Sonos (wyred4sound mods)
Wadia 321 DAC
Rouge Audio RP1 (tubed pre)
Focal Aria 936

Each of the upstream upgrades were a long range plan to try and stay with a class D amp.  Finally about 3 weeks ago I tried the new PS Audio Stellar S300 amp.  I just called them to inquire but when they offered a good price on the Rotel as trade in I took the hook.

I think they got one of the engineers from Classe' to do the ICEpower implementation.

I am completely satisfied with the improved sound (proly a slam dunk considering where I was).  I have pretty much turned off my Velodyne Micro V.  Enjoy the tone and increased realism and sound stage.  Running a little warm but nothing like a class A/B Unit.  Now I can turn my attention toward my TT or SACD player.

If you have an amp to trade in, the S300 can be a real value.

Let the crack habit continue.

I experimented with two Class D amps in my system; Merrill Audio's Taranis and Digital Amplifier Company's Maraschino Monoblocks. My system consists of an Esoteric X-03 SE CD/SACD player -> PS Audio DirectStream DAC -> amp -> Reference 3A DeCapo BE. 

I chose Tommy O'Brien's Cherry Amp Maraschino monoblocks over the Merrill Audio Taranis. Nevertheless I found both amps to be detailed, powerful, and musical...albeit the Taranis more powerful at 400WPC. The Cherrys are small, efficient, and at 6"x6"x8" easy to move around; the Taranis is a single-chassis configuration. However the Taranis' single-chassis configuration did not figure into my decision-making.

Tommy encapsulates his Maraschino models in their own shielded enclosure, mounted atop a marble block for stability, and separate from their outboard power supply. I like that the amp is contained in its own housing. IMO it minimizes interference between the amp and power supply. Taranis probably does as well but w/ the Cherries, I can verify the separation.

Each Cherry amp was meticulously packed, w/ its accompanying ps, in separate boxes. DC cables (ps to amp) are included, as is a pair of RCA to Balanced adaptors...how thoughtful is that?

Neither the Taranis or the Cherry amps sounded their best out-of-the-box. However after 48hrs of continuous power with about 10hrs play-time in between, the rough-edges were gone. That's when I realized Class D was worthy of my serious consideration...ymmv.

Will these be the last amps I ever own? I don't know. I'm the unsettled-type who likes buying new gear periodically. For now, I'm happy with my purchase. If I could want for anything, it would be an increase in gain from 22db to at least 26. But I trust Tommy knows best. After all, he's likely forgotten more about amplifier design than I will ever know.

In closing, if you're considering evaluating a Class D amp, I think you'll be surprised. It ain't the undeveloped technology it may have once been. Pick one of the brands bandied about here, give 'em time to break-in and make up your own mind. PM me if you want to hear more about the Taranis.

Two more questions regarding amplification modules:
How different is the sound of a Hypex from the sound of an ICEpower? Do they have distinctive sonic differences?
And how important (or not) is it to have a dual-mono (in a stereo single case) rather than a single amplification module to produce stereo?

I don't think the case makes as big of a difference as the power supplies.

Both ICEPower and Hypex allow you to use a single power supply for 2 channels.

This has potentially two benefits:

- Headroom
- Channel separation

Lots of good stereo amps share a single power supply though, so having dual-mono power supplies is by no means an absolute requirement.

Spec-wise, the Hypex modules are better at very difficult loads, like electrostatic speakers. In practice with "normal" speakers, I can tell you I have the ICEPower in my living room and cannot hear a difference from a linear A/B amplifier. I have Hypex designed amps on my desktop system, via an NAD D 3020, but this is a bit of a unique design. All I can tell you is I'm very happy with both.

Best,

E