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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
16,390 posts
 
Don’t need to, they are all variations on a technology that has an achilles heel that can’t be fixed.


But only George can hear it.

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
But only George can hear it.

Not just me sunshine, everyone else that hears something wrong in the upper mids/highs with Class-D, you just don’t hear it, and choose to ignore that very big fact.
https://live.staticflickr.com/3666/33726831296_436f60f683_b.jpg

You say you can’t hear it that’s fine then live with it, but stop starting new Class-D threads to look for confirmation/cred from everyone about how good it is compared to the best linear amps.
When that old Class-D technology moves forward instead of sideways with the new GaN technology and make use of the 3 x higher switching speeds available, then it will compete with the best linear amps.

I’ve said it before, when Class-D can finally drive a pair of speakers like my big ML’s, Wilson Alexia, Alexandria or Watt/Puppies to their very best like linear amps can, then it will be time to sell my inefficient boat anchors, to purchase them.
tweak1
3,680 posts
 
George, you continually exhibit selective memory. Your ad nauseum mantra, makes me wonder WHY you persist?

WE ALL GET IT: you’re not a fan. Neither are you ’converting any of us, so what’s your point?

Oh, and FYI, ALL genres of amps have Achilles Heels.

Previously, I pointed out the high cost of 300 wpc+ UNLESS going class D. GaN may solve the issues deter you, but they will also be uber expensive, at least for the foreseeable future

I have owned quite a few SS and tube amps as well as class D over the last 10 years, none compared to either my Audio Alchemy DPA-1 or the PS Audio M700s @ 350 wpc MSRP $2995 the pair. And I have previously stated I have a RicSchultz EVS 1200 on order; 600 wpc, dual mono, highly tweaked board and chassis for $2200


jetter
3,052 posts
 
tweak1, you two are not that far off on your love of all things audio.  I am uncharacteristically interested in how you like your EVS 1200.  As I know you will, give your initial impressions, but be sure to circle back after you have a month or two under you belt for the longer term view, after the honeymoon is over.  Thanks in advance. George 
erik_squires OP
16,390 posts
 


You say you can’t hear it that’s fine then live with it, but stop starting new Class-D threads to look for confirmation/cred from everyone about how good it is compared to the best linear amps.

Says the man who has to, absolutely HAS to jump into every thread that includes mention of Class D.


Unlike you George, I can use specific examples and talk about exactly what I do and do not hear. Others who have or are enjoying Class D can also cite specific examples of what they bought or what they listened to.


Some may not like the Class D amps they have heard. That’s fine. The whole point of this article was that I was happy with a specific type of Class D but went to Luxman anyway and that the collection of Achilles’s heels you carry around with you, like a homeless man and his shopping cart, have not made it into my listenable space in a very long time.


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