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The Truth about Modern Class D

All my amps right now are Class D. ICEpower in the living room, and NAD D 3020 in the bedroom.

I’ve had several audiophiles come to my home and not one has ever said "Oh, that sounds like Class D."

Having said this, if I could afford them AND had the room, I’d be tempted to switch for a pair of Ayre monoblocks or Conrad Johnson Premiere 12s and very little else.

I’m not religious about Class D. They sound great for me, low power, easy to hide, but if a lot of cash and the need to upgrade ever hits me, I could be persuaded.

The point: Good modern Class D amps just sound like really good amplifiers, with the usual speaker/source matching issues.

You don’t have to go that route, but it’s time we shrugged off the myths and descriptions of Class D that come right out of the 1980’s.
erik_squires
tweak1
3,653 posts
 
Gfi

Me thinks thou doest protest too much

I will soon-ish hear old vs new class D vs GaN

My Audio Alchemy DPA-1 Hypex 400ucD (MSRP $1995), which I've owned close to 2 years, sounds excellent to my ears, in my system; Emerald Physics KCIIs (93dB), CorePower 1800, Audio Alchemy DDP-1 + PS 5, Marantz HD CD 1 as a transport, Oppo 105 (upgraded power supply) for SACD & DVD-A, and WireWorld series 7 & 8 cabling.

I expect to have ric schultz EVS 1200 ($2200) in a couple weeks, to compare  against it. And a few weeks after that I will be listening to a ~200 wpc GaN prototype

I have little doubt that the GaN will be better, but by how much, and at what MSRP differential?
erik_squires OP
16,039 posts
 
What I like most about this thread is the clear difference between those willing to give Class D a chance and detractors.

Those who are neutral to positive are talking about specific brands, and models and making direct comparisons with linear amps. They talk about sound quality, systems and trade offs.


Those who are against Class D are talking about tropes from the 1980's, and measurements and broad claims that become impossible to test.


georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
The Truth about Modern Class D

This is the heading to this thread, kinda makes you think, does he believe his the new Messiah to lead the linear amp lovers out of Hades and into the garden of Eden?
  
And it's a common theme to every Class-D thread he starts up, to me it's like he's looking for reco or even consolation maybe. 

Yet he doesn't seem to want to embrace the new GaN Class-D Technology which will rid the sins of the old Class-D technology.
 

ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
Ladies & Gents,

It's about matching technology to assemble a HiFi system.

I've been a HiFi'r since I was old enough to manipulate the arm on my Dad's Bogen/Lenco in the mid 50's. Over the decades I've heard many 10s of amps with the latest buzzword technology. Not all moved the ball forward in the context in which they were heard.

I have TC-50, BiWired and recapped, and tri-amped LFT-8b. Both speakers are renowned for their phase coherency, a property without which I cannot listen. AND a long list of absolute failings.

I have 4 amps: Rotel bipolar, NuPrime ST-10 Class D,  PrimaLuna Prologue 5, and a pair of VTA M-125s I reworked. Each has its ±.

Depending on program material AND time of year, each trounces the others. ALL present an excellent and engaging sound stage.

As Ralph can attest, there are 1001 details to get right, some of which are diametrically opposed. Each has it's foibles. Some genuinely beautiful boxes have no soul in some systems. AND all can be severely compromised with poorly mated cables and companion components.

The proof of the pudding is ALWAYS in the eating. AND you must eat the whole pudding!!!
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