Class D is just Dandy!

tweakjunky
I struggle to understand why this tech isn’t more prevalent today.

Because mainstream semiconductor manufacturers like Motorola, Hitachi, Sanken ect, haven’t tooled up for it yet, probably because the inventors of the GaN devices EPC (a small company in comparison) I would say have a provisional patent on it, who were if you dig deeper from what I’ve found maybe also the inventors of the Power Mosfet transistor as well way back.
And are now maybe waiting for the best offers from the big boys above. Till then they are probably happily supplying in small numbers to Technics for their SE-R1 poweramps.

tweakjunky
Am curious to open my amps and check the components but given the heatsinks present I suspect it’s not based on GaN tech.

Only the $20k Technics SE-R1 has them so far, and you need connections to get one.

PS: Just dug up the link to EPC being the co-inventors of the HEXFET power MOSFET back in the day.
https://epc-co.com/epc/AboutEPC/Team.aspx


Cheers George

I have tried a several Class D amps over the past 18 months.  I have owned a PS Audio HCA-2, Classe Sigma 2200i, Lyngdorf TDAI 2170, and now have an Esoteric I-03 integrated.  

My ranking in in order of preference is:
Esoteric I-03
Classe Sigma 2200i
PS Audio HCA-2
Lyngdorf TDAI-2170

I can’t imagine ever imagine getting rid of the Esoteric!  Wonderful imaging, dead silent, and tons of power.  This 68 pound tank blew me away compared to the other three Class D amps I’ve owned, or any of the other amplifiers I have auditioned/owned for that matter.

@sfseay.

I am looking at the classe 2200I right now considering a purchase.
How did you find its performance on digital sources? Very interested in your thoughts on this

D-Class amps?

Commercial break:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis8f7f8-ps-audio-stellar-m700-mono-block-power-amplifiers-pair-in...

@uberwaltzi used the Classe for all my video sources and my DAC.  It worked very well.  If I wouldn’t have tried the Esoteric I could have lived with the Classe for a long time.  I didn’t use the internal DAC or streaming capability though.