2. amps-preamps
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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:
  • 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
erik_squires
erik_squires OP
16,021 posts
 
Please, people, the ear and brain combination are a mutable shiftable changeable trainable device. Like the rest of your body, brain and eyes, etc.


While this is true, in general, it does not explain what I have heard. First, the time I went away from the system and turned it off for two days. I didn’t really listen to music while away.


Second, going from a warmed up Class D to the Luxmans did not show the same audible issues as I did when listening to cold Class D.  As others have noted, you don't have to listen to the amps for 2 days to have their sound change, just leave them on.


When the Class D’s were cold they sounded cold and harsh. When I went from warm Class D to Luxman, I did not hear Luxman being warmer, or less harsh. I heard the Luxman being less warm, with more extension.


Please try again.


Best,
E





teo_audio
2,197 posts
 
I don’t have to try again, I nailed it in a nutshell.

The sign on the audio world door says ’pursuit of the finest reproduction’,

it does not say

’reproduction good enough for most to call it outside of their capacity to resolve as better or worse... and therefore the best possible.’
erik_squires OP
16,021 posts
 
Your theory explains 1/10th of the evidence.


Equivalent of explaining that Columbus invented sailing.
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
For an alternative possibility, see my post in this thread dated 6-20-2019.

Regards,
-- Al
 
erik_squires OP
16,021 posts
 
TBC: Yes, the ear brain mechanism is very pliable, and constantly adjusting.

No, this theory is not a good fit for the multiple case studies reported.

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