Slimpikins5 stated:
"Fast forward: I was further piqued now about Class D and wanted to get into something much more advanced, so I picked up a pair of Anthem Statement M1 Class D mono blocks which run around $7K for the pair. These babies put out 2000 watts per channel at 4 ohms (my speakers) and all I can say is; holy moly I was blown away at how much better they play than the Class A/AB amp I have been using! Far more dynamic range, better soundstage and imaging, no high frequency harshness at all, just super clean floor shaking output."
I find your description of the improvements you hear from your Anthem Statement M1 class D amps, "far more dynamic range, better soundstage and imaging, no high frequency harshness at all, just super clean floor shaking output", to be very similar to the improvements I've experienced upgrading to the D-Sonic M3-600-M class D monoblocks.
I just wanted to add a few additional comments about my experiences for the benefit of readers who haven't yet listened to a good class D amp in their systems. I suspect my comments will ring true to all owners of good class D amps, also.
I was initially struck by how quiet these amps are. Music just seems to emerge from a dead silent background with absolutely no background noise that is verified by their excellent Signal to Noise Ratio measurements. I believe this, along with extremely low distortion measurement levels, combines to result in an exceptionally detailed and transparent overall presentation that also allows for a sound stage illusion that is remarkably 3 dimensional and stable ('in the room' sensation on well recorded tracks).
Another quality that is quite obvious upon first listen is the overall neutral presentation. I was actually a bit concerned about this quality since I thought I preferred a more flavored sound tilted to the warm side of the spectrum. I had used a VTL 2.5 tube preamp (with NOS Mullard tubes swapped in) expressly for this purpose in my system for years. After careful comparison with and without the tubes in my newly class D amplified system, however, I discovered my music sounded just as sweet and without any hint of harshness without the tubes.
I thought my tubed VTL would always be in my system and I had even just bought an expensive quartet of replacement NOS Mullard tubes for it. But I felt I had to trust my ears, so I sold my beloved VTL to a buddy and have no regrets.
I think the above descriptions by slimpikins5 and myself are a good summary of what to expect from a good quality class D amp. Just remember that there arevariances in the performance quality of class D amps just like all other amp types so try to audition any candidates in your system prior to deciding.
But I'd still prefer to know your needs, system and budget before offering specific amp suggestions.
Tim
