What Class D amps will drive a 2 ohm load

m-db:
"I’m a class D fan but I’m not fooling myself either. Their plate glass transparency along with switching amplifiers general lack of congestion make them a tool in my studio. In the living room they’re simply no match for the relaxed musicality of my tube amps. All the best with that Ralph, you’ve got the ears for it. "

Hello m-db,

     ’Plate glass transparency and a general lack of congestion’ is a very good description of good class D sound characteristics. I’m a big class D fan, too, using a pair of D-Sonic M3-600-M monos for my main speakers for music and two additional stereo class D amps for HT, one in bridged mono for the center and one in stereo for the rear surrounds. They all function and sound great and they draw so little juice at idle, I’ve just left them on virtually 24/7 for the past 5 years.
     I usually describe their sound as very detailed, accurate, dynamic, smooth without ever sounding harsh or bright and so neutral they’re like ’the audio ideal of a straight wire with gain’. But ’plate glass transparency’ is very descriptive and really paints an accurate picture. I hope you don’t mind if I steal that phrase.
      I'm also really looking forward to auditioning the class D amp or amps Ralph is creating.  He definitely does have the ears for what good amps should sound like.  Hopefully, he's able to make them reasonably priced since I get the feeling I'm going to be a future customer.

     We all know George will be first in line.

Thanks,
Tim

We all know George will be first in line.

Having a dig are we? well at least you’ve got that one right sunshine. I’ve never been against Class-D, just it’s two Achilles Heels I have a big problem with, switching frequency and dead time. Which gives it that " Plate glass transparency" that you call it, I call it "sterility" and missing harmonic decay.
I’ve always said, ever since I started the the debate about the new GaN technology here way back, that when the GaN Class-D amp becomes affordable to me, with what Technics has done with the SE-R1 with using 1.5mhz switching speed, I’ll be the first in line to get one, and ditch my inefficient hot boat anchors, door stops if you don’t live by the sea.

he’s able to make them reasonably priced since I get the feeling I’m going to be a future customer.

Judging by his offsider Tweak1 by another maker here, that’s going to cost you far bigger than it should.
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/which-class-d-amplifier-ps-audio-ghent-nord-merrill-or-other/...

I'm the guy Ric was referring to who previously had a Bryston 14BSST (15 amp version as that's all I could get with my circuit in the old house) and a Modwright KWA 150SE amp to drive my Thiel 3.7s  Before the 3.7s I had Thiel 7.2s.  The room in my old house was huge (19 foot ceiling and over 6,000 cu. ft. that opened into other spaces) and on certain things (both music and movies as I have an integrated system with a Modwright LS 36.5DM preamp) the Bryston 14BSST would go into protection mode from overheating due to the impedance.  I had to build a custom amp stand with fans inside.  The Modwright (amp) drove the 7.2s better but still would get so hot (and the heatsinks are inside the case).  I ended up selling the 7.2s and getting the Thiel 3.7s (when they came out), which, although not as bad as the 7.2s are not an easy load (https://www.stereophile.com/content/thiel-cs37-loudspeaker-measurements).

Anyway the EVS 1200 dual mono amp not only sounds better than the Modwright  KWA 150SE (which was better than the Bryston) in my system, it doesn't even get warm to the touch when I crank it loud.  My current room is not as huge as my old one but it is still a big room (over 3,000 cu. ft.) that opens up into other spaces that are probably a bit bigger than the room itself (system is in the living room which is completing open to the foyer, dining room and most of the kitchen).

The CS5 impedance (https://www.stereophile.com/content/thiel-cs5-loudspeaker-measurements-0) is tougher below around 70Hz but probably not quite as tough as the 3.7s over the rest of the band.  After the EVS 1200 (which I've had for just over a month), I have no desire for anything else.  I'm still tweaking things and had a friend over (he has a Pass Labs amp, XA25, but his room is smaller and his speakers are more efficient and an easier load, Reference 3A Taxims) and he was quite impressed with the sound he heard from my system.

the Bryston 14BSST would go into protection mode from overheating due to the impedance.

With these sorts of speakers like the CS5 ect it’s no wonder, these tested figures show it was definitely no current master into low impedances
8ohm load 690w
4ohm load a reasonable 1000w
2ohm load it barely got off the 8ohm mark at 720w, very sad.

Cheers George

" With these sorts of speakers like the CS5 ect it’s no wonder, these tested figures show it was definitely no current master into low impedances
8ohm load 690w
4ohm load a reasonable 1000w
2ohm load it barely got off the 8ohm mark at 720w, very sad."

That probably was the beginning of what turned me off to mainstream dealer sold companies (not that Bryston is anything but a good company).  Before I bought the 14BSST, I was using a 6BSST on the front (3) channels.  As noted the room in my old house was huge.  I had a 4BST at one point and it was clear that was at its limit driving the (Thiel) 7.2s.  I corresponded back and forth many times with Bryston about the 15 vs. 20 amp version of the 14BSST.  When I had the old house built (basically in mostly in the first half of 1997), I specified I wanted an extra receptacle on its own circuit in addition to what would be behind the audio system.  I found later they used a 20 amp breaker but just used 14 ga. wire.

Anyway, the purpose of many communications (with lots of detail) going back and forth is I wanted an upgrade to the 6BSST (and in my old room was probably around barely above its limit based on my old 4BST where I had situations where it would almost go into protection mode) and then just use the 6BSST on the center and surrounds.  I guess they just didn't want to admit that the 15 amp version of the 14BBST wouldn't drive my 7.2s.  Before I sold the 14BSST, I sent it back to Bryston to have a check-up to make sure it was OK and it tested fine.  When I spoke to the technician and went into detail over the phone and told him my Modwright KWA150 SE drove the 7.2s better, he just told me that was (literally) impossible.  I may not be a technician but can feel heat and the protection circuits certainly confirmed the heat felt.  The guy I sold the 14BSST to had B&Ws so I didn't think he'll have an issue with it (and he didn't).

So that was the beginning (and in combination with the fact that there are fewer brick and mortar 2-channel dealers than there used to be vs. stuff like custom installers who don't have showrooms) about a dozen years back of what pushed me more in the direction to look at things that are sold consumer direct.  When one considers the cost of materials/quality that one gets at the price point, it is just off the charts compared to what gets from going to a brick and mortar dealer.  One may not be able to go to such a route for all purchases for various preferences and purposes but it is a strong consideration for me personally.  I have multiple systems (including one with a Hegel H190 and one with another with a Class D amp using the IcePower AS1200 stereo module) in different rooms and I'm quite satisfied that if I were to walk into a store the EVS 1200 would compete favorably to amps between $10-15000 (my Modwright was $9k list and the Bryston 14BSST was not a cheapie either) and if I went to buy either the Modwright or Bryston today used, I'd likely be paying almost double what my EVS 1200 costs new and I already know which amp is easily much better in my system.