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Time to buy a class D amp?


Will some new class D amplifiers outperforming the current ones appear soon

(the newest ones i know were released a  few years ago)?

Class D amps attract me as I consider them the most ecological ones with obvious non-auditionable benefits.

I have no doubts that they posses the maximum ratio performance/sound quality among the amplifiers of all classes.

At the same time, the sound quality the class D amplifiers that I have auditioned produce, although is quite good,

but not yet ideal (for my taste).


I use PS Audio Stellar S300 amp with PS audio Gain Cell pre/DAC with Thiel CS 3.6 speakers in one of my systems.

The sound is ok (deep bass, clear soundstage) but not perfect (a bit bright and somehow dry, lacking warmness which might be more or less ok for rock but not for jazz music).

I wonder if there are softer sounding class D amps with the same or better details and resolution. Considering two reasonable (as to the budget) choices for test, Red Dragon S500 and Digital Audio Company's

Cherry  2 (or Maraschino monoblocks), did anybody compare these two?



128x128niodari
niodari's avatar
niodari OP
299 posts
 
Hpa 9 as preamp with Stellar s 300 with a quite good outcome. Gain cell is not as good but still is getting better with more hours.
sumaato
98 posts
 
So, Niodari, you still have, and are breaking-in the PS Audio Gain Cell DAC/Pre? How many hours do you have on it so far?
niodari's avatar
niodari OP
299 posts
 
It should have already about 150 hours (almost enogh). It did get better, after all it's not that bad. Dac is not excellent but perhaps aceptable for some settings and pre has i think 8 inputs. It does not get hot (even warm) and consums only 20 watts. I do not peceive a lot of distortion in sound. 
sumaato
98 posts
 
Thanks....I hope it works out for you ultimately....that would be the easiest solution for you!

I am very curious about the Nuprime AMG preamp recently released.
It has adjustable gain and a sophisticated bass management system.
I wonder how it would match up with the PS Audio S300. I'm tempted to get hold of one to try.
niodari's avatar
niodari OP
299 posts
 
It looks interesting. Hpa 9  has also two levels of gain, i always prefer low gain.
Keep us posted on your impressions on amg pre. 
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