2. amps-preamps
  3. 137918-20253

The Truth about Modern Class D

All my amps right now are Class D. ICEpower in the living room, and NAD D 3020 in the bedroom.

I’ve had several audiophiles come to my home and not one has ever said "Oh, that sounds like Class D."

Having said this, if I could afford them AND had the room, I’d be tempted to switch for a pair of Ayre monoblocks or Conrad Johnson Premiere 12s and very little else.

I’m not religious about Class D. They sound great for me, low power, easy to hide, but if a lot of cash and the need to upgrade ever hits me, I could be persuaded.

The point: Good modern Class D amps just sound like really good amplifiers, with the usual speaker/source matching issues.

You don’t have to go that route, but it’s time we shrugged off the myths and descriptions of Class D that come right out of the 1980’s.
erik_squires
mdeblanc's avatar
mdeblanc
62 posts
 
I’ve had my Class D Cherry Amplifiers for a yr now and I’m extremely happy. I don’t ’hear’ anything that sounds like a bad-purchase, and I listen Friday / Saturday nights from like 8P to 2 or 3AM. Will I trade them some day? Probably, like I trade cars. But I do believe Class D’s time has not just ’come’ but is here to stay. My Cherries were preceded by a First Watt J2 which was preceded by a Yamamoto A-08S which was preceded by a long list of amps. For reference, my system to-date is as follows PS Audio DirectStream Memory Transport> PS Audio DirectStream DAC > Cherry Amp DTM 60V > Reference 3A MM de Capo BE.
timlub
2,043 posts
 
I have built some mono amps from Abletec modules.  They were actually quite good.  I don't know if they were "World Class" or not, but you know what, they played music and they sounded like music.  I did sell them, but not because I didn't like them.  I simply had an old Audiophile buddy that had his amp go down beg to get them from me.  
erik_squires OP
16,645 posts
 
@timlub 

Parts Express is now selling ICEpower modules directly and for cheap. :) 

Best,

E
audiothesis
168 posts
 
I've heard about five different versions of Class D over the last few years and they all disappointed in one key area - naturalness.  There was always something artificial sounding that never let me engage with the music.  In all honesty, the Pioneer SC series receivers impressed me with their presentation.  It was still a receiver, but I found their amp sections to be almost unparalleled in that application.

I haven't given up on the technology yet regardless of the above.  I understand it might simply come down to finding the right specimen to hook me.
gammajo's avatar
gammajo
846 posts
 
Grannyring+1. I have the Nuprime Reference 20 monos modded and compared the other half dozen class D that I have heard and many conventional amps, they are up there with the best. Liquid, natural, transparent, killer bass, and zero edginess, tizzy, or glassey,
More to discover