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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
16,380 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.


toetapaudio
474 posts
 
@georgehifi, so I take it your not talking from actual experience of GaN or top end class D. 
aolmrd1241
1,042 posts
 
I would say that’s a 10/4 good buddy............
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
 would say that’s a 10/4 good buddy............
I have been enjoying my new Merrill Audio Veritas mono-bloc amps for the last month or so. These amps have been a revelation in my system
You should have a listen to the Merrill Element 118,116 or 114's from reports I'm getting from reviewer friends that do show reports, they are even more of a revelation, than the older Veritas.

GaN Technology is definitely the future for Class-D, if fact even in linear amps can benefit a little also (but there's no switching speed advantage there), it more the other benefits GaN technology  can give. 

Cheers George
aolmrd1241
1,042 posts
 
George...I have been enjoying my Veritas mono blocks now for going on 5 years. If they were a less than musically engaging amp to listen to...I would have dumped them long ago. Class d done right is a great testament to the advantage of the technology we can enjoy right now...no waiting required.....I do plan on enjoying the benefit of GaN when the time comes,just not at the pricing scheme in place right now. 
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