Audioman mentioned that Jeff Rowland top amps use modified Pascal modules. The only other amps, at least that i know about that use Pascal modules (also modified) are D-sonic amps which I happen to own and can attest that these things are pretty remarkable. Very few people have heard them but after owning these, i see no real reason to go back to AB class.
I went from Class D to Luxman A/AB - And most of what you think is wrong
Hi everyone,
As most of you know, I’m a fan of Class D. I have lived with ICEPower 250AS based amps for a couple of years. Before that I lived with a pair of Parasound A21s (for HT) and now I’m listening to a Luxman 507ux.
I have some thoughts after long term listening:
I found the Class D a touch warm, powerful, noise free. Blindfolded I cannot tell them apart from the Parasound A21s which are completely linear, and run a touch warm due to high Class A operation, and VERY similar in power output.
The Luxman 507 beats them both, but no amp stands out as nasty sounding or lacking in the ability to be musical and involving.
What the Luxman 507 does better is in the midrange and ends of the spectrum. It is less dark, sweeter in the midrange, and sounds more powerful, almost "louder" in the sense of having more treble and bass. It IS a better amplifier than I had before. Imaging is about the same.
There was one significant operational difference, which others have confirmed. I don't know why this is true, but the Class D amps needed 2-4 days to warm up. The Luxman needs no time at all. I have no rational, engineering explanation for this. After leaving the ICEPower amps off for a weekend, they sounded pretty low fi. Took 2 days to come back. I can come home after work and turn the Luxman on and it sounds great from the first moment.
Please keep this in mind when evaluating.
Best,
E
As most of you know, I’m a fan of Class D. I have lived with ICEPower 250AS based amps for a couple of years. Before that I lived with a pair of Parasound A21s (for HT) and now I’m listening to a Luxman 507ux.
I have some thoughts after long term listening:
- The tropes of Class D having particularly bad, noticeable Class D qualities are all wrong and have been for years.
- No one has ever heard my Class D amps and gone: "Oh, wow, Class D, that’s why I hate it."
- The Luxman is a better amp than my ICEPower modules, which are already pretty old.
I found the Class D a touch warm, powerful, noise free. Blindfolded I cannot tell them apart from the Parasound A21s which are completely linear, and run a touch warm due to high Class A operation, and VERY similar in power output.
The Luxman 507 beats them both, but no amp stands out as nasty sounding or lacking in the ability to be musical and involving.
What the Luxman 507 does better is in the midrange and ends of the spectrum. It is less dark, sweeter in the midrange, and sounds more powerful, almost "louder" in the sense of having more treble and bass. It IS a better amplifier than I had before. Imaging is about the same.
There was one significant operational difference, which others have confirmed. I don't know why this is true, but the Class D amps needed 2-4 days to warm up. The Luxman needs no time at all. I have no rational, engineering explanation for this. After leaving the ICEPower amps off for a weekend, they sounded pretty low fi. Took 2 days to come back. I can come home after work and turn the Luxman on and it sounds great from the first moment.
Please keep this in mind when evaluating.
Best,
E
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- 297 posts total
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Jeff Rowland top amps use modified Pascal modules Giving both sides, have a close look for differences, great value?? $14k Rowland Continuum 2 https://ibb.co/TvbyXhb $100 subwoofer module https://ibb.co/ZgmdW2x https://youtu.be/EZCxCg-QWDQ?t=3 Cheers George |
@laserjock, tested Benchmark ABH2 vs Nord 500vs SST Ampzilla 2 vs Mola Mola Kaluga’s. Results in our opinion from best: Mola Mola Kaluga’s SST Benchmark Nord The Nord was the most reasonably priced amp at around £1,800 and was good value for money. The Benchmark was a bit better with a more relaxed mid and top but costs nearly double. The SST was definitely a step up from the other two, the sound being much more fleshed out and comfortable to listen too. The Mola Mola just plays in another league and is close or better than some much more expensive class A amps. |
Erik:"To repeat, the point of this thread is not "my amp sounds better than yours." It is that we need to stop using 1990's Class D sound to describe modern Class D. Treat modern Class D amps as you would any other amp and decide what to buy or not based on your own ears." Amen! I switched from good class AB amps (McCormack, Adcom and Aragon) to my first class D amp(a ClassD Audio SDS-440-CS stereo amp) about 12 yrs ago. I was so impressed I replaced all my class AB amps in my combo 2-ch music and 5.4 HT surround system with class D amps soon after(an Emerald Physics EP-100.2EP for my center and a pair of D-Sonic M3-600-M mono-blocks for my mains). I perceive my class D amps main characteristics as having a very high Signal/Noise ratio resulting in a dead-quiet background noise level and a high level of detail, very good dynamics, extremely low distortion levels, especially good bass response with a detailed but very smooth midrange and treble and overall a very neutral presentation with nothing seemingly added or subtracted from the inputted signals, like the audio ideal of a 'straight wire with gain'. Class D amps also have significant and numerous non-audio benefits such as small size, light weight, relative affordability, cool to tepid operating temps and high electrical efficiency both during use and at idle. I understand the appeal of all the various amp types and know excellent sound quality can be attained using any of them. Of course, we should all just use the amp we like best. I choose to use class D amps in my system due to a combination of sound quality and non-audio benefits. Tim |
- 297 posts total