Hypex N core module

@snapsc 
 
Check all prices on Nord site, the multiply 1.3  plus  $ 100 shipping
and VAT  , it may be custom charge, 

PS Audio Stellar 300 is not Hypex N-Core , the get MOSFET output
stage,   Benchmark ABH2 is Class D , but dont mention which
module they used , i think no N-core.Just only Taranas  from Merill use
N-core, The sound excellent 

@merrillaudio +1

In the future when technology allows the switching can then be much higher to allow the output filter to do it's job properly and cut out all the switching frequency noise without effecting the audio band.

This statement is false. The filter can do its job properly at current frequencies. There is an advantage to going to faster switching frequencies- lower distortion. But by switching faster, you either have to have faster and more expensive output devices and deadtime to allow the outputs to switch. Deadtime increases distortion. So there's a bit of a carrot that is being chased.

@merrillaudio  would you be interested in a circuit that bypasses the need for deadtime?

Hi bache,

Sorry, I haven’t heard any of the Nord amps but I’d really like to.
I believe such a class D amp is possible because the inventor of UcD and Hypex NCore technology, Bruno Putzeys, has stated he can design his class D amps to sound like any type of amp.
I think the use of class A circuitry before class D power modules has a lot of promise. A well designed one could result in an amp that closely resembles the very good sound characteristics of a good class A amp without the many downsides typical of class A amps: big, heavy, inefficient, expensive and hot running.
In my limited experience with class D amps, I would describe the overriding sound characteristic of the 3 versions I own as extremely neutral.   My examples do not add or subtract anything from the inputted signal that I’m able to detect. There are other obvious common characteristics I notice such as a very low noise floor, wide dynamics and a high level of detail, but I still consider a neutral presentation as their main quality; very similar to the Absolute Sound’s description of an ideal amp: "a straight wire with gain".
I’ve found this neutrality has allowed me to quickly notice the affects of all upstream changes to my system, such as components, cables, power cords and the quality level of recordings played.
I fully expect Nord’s placement of class A circuitry in sections prior to the power modules to affect their amp’s overall sound. Whether this results in a sound that closely resembles that of a high quality class A amp can probably only be answered by auditioning one in your system.
I’m going to search for professional reviews of Nord amps with class A circuits.

Tim

mitch2
I have no idea whether my impressions are related to the switching frequency George describes, but they could be. I owned and used in my main system a pair of the Acoustic Imagery Atsah monoblocks made from Bruno Putzeys' highly rated Ncore NC1200 amplifier and power modules. In summary, I sold them after a prolonged, direct comparison with three other Class A and AB amplifiers.
IMO, they just cannot compete with the better amplifiers I have owned.     

statman
I will try and explain my experience. I was happy with my Theta Prometheus monoblocks. I must add that I am much happier with my D’Agostino Progression monoblocks

It's not the Class-D switching frequency itself so much, but the low order filter that's needed that has to get rid of it.
  
If that filter could be much steeper then it's filtering, then it would work and not have any affects into the audio band, and maybe compete with good linear amps. But it can't be a steep filter, because it has to handle the full power of the amp and would burn out very easily.

So the only thing is to make the switching frequency at least three times higher, then that filter can do it's job properly and not have or leave any effects down into the audio band.

The designer of Soulution amps and many other hi-end amps are of the same opinion.

 Cyrill Hammer (Souloution) 
"if you want to have your product performing at the cutting edge it is not possible with today’s known switching technologies. In order to come close to the performance of the best linear design we would need high-current semiconductors that provide switching frequencies of several MHz or even GHz."

Lew Johnson (Conrad Johnson)
"I tend to think that Class D circuit design is an approach best relegated to producing low-cost, physically manageable multichannel amplifiers—where one might accept some compromise in sound quality for the sake of squeezing five, six, or seven 100 watt channels into one moderate-sized package for a budget home-theater installation."

And there are many others if you care to search.
You'll see many "old school" linear amp manufacturers starting to do Class-D just to stay afloat, as they are having an economic effect with those businesses, that can't weather the storm and wait for Class-D to get better with future higher switching frequencies. 

Cheers George