Class D is just Dandy!

Erik, three years later, and still going strong, excellent thread.  Class D is the bomb, and your thread would seem to amplify that message.  I purchased a D.A.C. older amp for my first try at Class D, A/Bs left something wanting.  My Signature Technology is a very nice tube amp, the cymbals never sounded right.  The DAC4800a was my first thousand dollar amp.  It has been a delight ever since, so much so, I purchased a used Maraschino 60 volt model.  Absolutely delighted with each.  The 4800a uses a toroidal transformer, the Maraschino a linear power supply.  Currently saving my money for another 60v Maraschino, will have to be new as these amps seldom come up in the used market.  In another class compared to my Acurus or MTX Soundcraftsman.  Use any adjective in the audio lexicon and these fit and fulfill those descriptors.  I would really like to hear a review about the DAC amps from you.  With respect, Jerry.

I'm afraid I haven't had time to go out and listen to a lot since the last show here in ... Long Beach? Newport Beach?

I've also gotten to a poin where I'm very happy with the sound quality at home but not the remotes. :) Seems bad for me to find a dealer to listen to gear I'm not going to buy.

Maybe I should ask manufacturers to send me gear to review instead??

I just finished reading this thread from the start. I have to say that of all the areas of audio, I find the class D debate to be the most diehard and in some ways hardheaded; its almost like politics.

I think, like a lot of things in life, the danger or pitfall comes with the broad generalizations - e.g. all class D is (crap, lacking, great, musical, whatever); or the best class D can already compete with anything (or no chance against good class A at other end of spectrum), and with having intractable positions. But to each their own. I’m not here to change minds, and I don’t have strong opinions on the class in general, just making an observation.

I think it’s much more fruitful to focus on specific models and thoughts on them, rather than trying to paint whole class with a broad brush. I’ll give an example.

Two of my three systems use class D amps, the other class AB. My main system uses class D Audio Research DSI200, and paired with my Spendor D7 and Teac NT505 to my ears sounds absolutely amazing. I don’t foresee changing anything for 10 yrs. My third system uses class D Bluesound Powernode 2, and paired with my Spendor SA1’s to my ears really leaves me wanting, to the point of hopefully I’ll soon be replacing it with similarly priced class AB Marantz pm7000n.

So fwiw I personally love one of my class D’s and can’t wait to replace the other. So I’ll stake out a new position in this thread: some modern class D is really good to my ears and some is really not so good to my ears. It’s okay to admit both : )

Good thread tho, twas a fun read