Mytek slams Hypex in Stereophile Amp Review

Class D amps remain controversial in high-end circles. I did a lot of reading about them before finally buying one (a used Wyred4Sound ST-500 built around an ICEPower core) to use w/my ATC SCM12 Pros. I was struck by how balkanized much of the commentary was: armed camps w/Class A and AB lovers on one side, and Class D lovers on the other. And the Class D ranks were riven with dissent over the positive/negative attributes of various amp cores (Ncore vs ICEPower vs Pascal). 

I don't have a pair of big speakers w/subs built in to test the Wyred4Sound on. But I can tell you it drives these ATCs extremely well. Among other things, I'm getting the best bass I've ever heard from a 2-way speaker. With a Marchand external/electronic crossover & sub in the system, I don't need anything below 80Hz from the ST-500; but I've done plenty of listening without the sub, and the bass is very fine--impactful & tuneful all the way up through the upper bass. Plus there's none of the etched upper mids or treble one kept hearing about with Class D amps 10-15 yrs ago.

Does that mean I'd use Class D if I had a big, expensive living room system? Maybe, maybe not. But IMO, Class D is definitely "on the table" now as a quality sonic option in various high-end applications.

From a couple of manufacturers I am familiar with (B&O and Hypex), the modules offer two inputs. One fully buffered, and the other low impedance.

The unbuffered and low impedance input allows the opportunity for OEM’s to make their own input stages. From tubes to discrete class A amps, you name it.

Of course, it also matters how many you are buying. If you buy 10,000, I am sure B&O or Hypex can accommodate custom engineering changes. :)

Best,

Erik

I’ve had several audiophiles listen to my system. No one ever said "Gosh that sounds like class D"

If they don’t know what is driving them they just sound like really good amplifiers, with the usual issues of amp to speaker and component matching. 

Best,

E

Mytek is known to have been using strange marketing methods, especially  for a pro originated company. I remember when Brooklyn came out they were advertising features worth "thousands of dollars"- I believe they meant the phono input. In my experience nothing beats
n-core in d-class. Recently I compared the new IcePower AS 1200 with nc500oem and the SQ factor is definitely pointing to n-core.