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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
devilboy
1,176 posts
 
While I appreciate all of the class D supporters, as I also am a fan, this thread has turned into an, "I’ll say something positive about class D and wait for George to say something negative about class D", thread.

Having owned multiple class D amplifiers from multiple companies and multiple single-ended triode amps and multiple push-pull tube amplifiers and multiple class A amplifiers and multiple class A/B amplifiers over 23 years......... I will say that, just like women, I’ve loved and hated something about all of them.

In the end, I think audio and women share a striking resemblance. We all search for the perfect audio component or woman. Neither of them exist. It’s just a matter of how well we can tolerate the things that make them annoying.

I can tolerate my current class D amplifier to the point where it may have short cummings but in the end, it pleases me and makes me a happier audiophile.

This post may not convince any class D haters but who cares? In the end, if what you’re listening to makes you happy, then just listen and be happy.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
I’ll say something positive about class D,  and wait for George to say something negative about class D", thread.
Seeing you mentioned me,that's where your wrong and deluded, and non technical.
.    
I only have about the old Class-D technology, not the new GaN Class-D, which I have nothing but praise for "if" used to it's fullest.

 Simply put for you, because it, (GaN) removes the old technologies achilles heels x 2 (dead time and switching noise), x1 (dead time) if not used to it's fullest, as some have done. 
devilboy
1,176 posts
 
You're distorting what I said, George. Old class D is still class D and you've been doing nothing but crapping on it this entire thread. Basically you're saying, if the class D that you're listening to is not GaN, then you're listening to crap. 
Well, I enjoy my "crap".
I enjoy it immensely, actually.
erik_squires OP
16,379 posts
 
The problem is, George cannot exist unless we take his claims of sonic issues with existing, pre-GaN Class D seriously.

Issues which haven't bothered me in the least.

I guess George will wither away and vanish unless one of us, anyone else, can corroborate his claims of audible issues. Oh, wait,, he doesn't actually make claims the issues are audible, just measurable.

A conundrum.
milpai's avatar
milpai
2,420 posts
 
Interesting thread. Been reading about Class D and GaN amps for a bit now.Problem with posters here is you "feed" George and then blame him. Why do you care what he feels? Is he paying for what you are buying? He has the same issues with "active Vs passive preamps". But who cares? Why are you all so obsessed with him?Just move on and stay on the topic.
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