The Future of Audio Amplification


I have recently paired an Audio Research DS225 Class D amplifier with an Audio Research tube preamplifier (SP8 mkii). I cannot believe how wonderful and lifelike my music sounds. The DS225 replaced an Audio Research SD135 Class AB amplifier. Perhaps the SD135 is just not as good as some of the better quality amps that are out there, but it got me thinking that amazingly wonderful sonance can be achieved with a tubed pre and Class D amp. I have a hunch that as more people experience this combination, it will likely catch on and become the future path of many, if not most audiophile systems. It is interesting that Audio Research has been at the forefront of this development.
distortions

George makes up something untrue about Merrill amps and all he can do is say that whatever I say is biased because I am selling something. The truth comes from different places.....even from manufacturers. My amps will speak for themselves. If they are good, they will sell. Trust no one (neither George, nor me nor anyone). Trust your ears. Listen and decide. You cannot know anything about how something sounds without listening to it. Class D (and all classes) are getting better and better. Whatever you heard before is not what is best today.

All class D amps have the switching noise superimposed on the audio signal.  However, how much does a low level 500K sign wave affect the sound you hear?  Pretty dang far out of the audio band.  It does make sense to use a higher frequency so you can filter higher and have even less noise......but how much does it do audibly?  Only those that have tried it know.  All else is a guess.  Personally, I believe it would make more difference to use better coils and caps on the output of the amps.  Cryoed PCOCC inductors and super capacitors would give way better sound.  No one is doing this. The future is bright indeed. 

Now, single speed DSD has a problem with noise, for sure.  The noise at 50K is a lot and that can fold down into the audio band.  I read somewhere that double speed DSD has 40db less noise at 50K (40db is 100X!!!).  No wonder it sounds better. Quad speed is a little better yet.

It will be at least 5 years before there is an absolute state of the art class D amp.  There might? be something like that available now in class A in the AudioNet latest amps ($105K the pair)......or maybe the D'Agostino monsters ($250K the pair.....and 574lbs each).

http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/raising-the-bar-a-preview-audionet-stern-preamplifier-and-heisenberg-monoblock-power-amplifiers/

Sorry, but we wouldn't even be having this discussion if great class D amps had been around for ages.

Judging by the measurements I keep seeing, great class D amps still haven't arrived.

That's the first mistake.

Look, I use technology a lot. A LOT!

I believe in it, but I also know the limitations. It is one thing to measure distortion given our most common measures:
TIM and THD+N
They may tell us very little about how this is perceived or how it affects music reproduction to the human ear/brain/pleasure centers. I can critique practically ANY amplifier to death.

And also, take a look at some of the most highly touted amps out there. They aren't exactly stellar spec performers.

My point: Human beings perceive sound differently than pure specmanship. If you want to go "by spec alone" then you really can't make any claims at all.  I'd argue that based on the literature, some Class D are excellent amps and no one can hear better. 
My point? Your own ears are FAR better judges of quality and pleasure. Find me a measure that compares pleasure to transistor speed and I'll be really interested, but claiming that there's X parameter that Class D amps have to overcome before you admit they are excellent is hard for me to accept.

Do you know what I cannot argue against? People saying "I heard Class D amps by X manufacturer, and I did not like them because they sounded like ..."

That's fine.

But me? I've heard great Class A amps from highly touted makers and I preferred Class D.

And here we are back to my overall thesis:


Buy what you like listening to, specs and other people's opinions be damned. It's your wallet, and your time on earth that is important. No specs, no transistor speed, no class (A/B/D) matters when it comes time to spend your money. Make yourself happy.
What I lack, is a belief that a specific set of technical specs can be made so much better in Class D that they would change everything. Sorry, I like what I have. Show me not the spec but the performance and I may want more.

Please, buy what your ears like.
Best,
E




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