Class D Technology

Just received a new pair of Theta Digital Prometheus mono blocks to replace my Simaudio amps. They were a little more money than some other class d amps,but so far I am very impressed with them.

The Esoteric I-03 Class D integrated is one of the best implementations of a Class D integrated amplifier ever made!  BOLD WORDS for a stellar integrated.  MSRP was $12,000.00.

With all that said, I don’t think the snobby audiophiles went for it.

To my ears it is without equal!

I have used the Bel Canto Ref600 mono amps for almost 5 years now, currently driving a pair of ATC SCM 19v2 loudspeakers. 99.9% of the time I don’t detect any issues with their performance. Perhaps that 0.1% anomaly could be attributed to their Class D design, but I can’t say with absolute certainty. What I can say is I agree with what some others have said concerning the synergy between the amps and loudspeakers (a relatively flat impedance curve is optimal), and power source and power cables also come into play. I am pretty discerning and sensitive to the quantity of the sound of my system, and I have tried other amps, but the fact that I continue to stick with the Bel Canto Ref600 mono amps for almost 5 years now speaks for itself. Their sound quality was only reinforced after I purchased their new E1X controller/DAC. So I guess you could say I am biased, but as the old saying goes, “the proof is in the pudding”, and I am really enjoying my system.

Happy listening, and remember to enjoy the music!

if it weren't for efficiency & power, would there be any reason to own a Class D amp?

Class D amps rock the category of watts per dollar, which makes them a good choice for powered subwoofers where the goal is control and damping of large drivers while imaging and spatial information doesn't matter.

Do they beat Class A in any other categories that count for sound quality?

Power and control, both of which are harder to achieve economically with Class A.  Otherwise, Class D does not beat Class A in my experience comparing Class A Lamm M1.2s and Clayton M300s with Class D Ncore NC1200 via Acoustic Imagery.  I owned all of those amps and compared them directly in my system over an extended period.  The Class A amplifiers were way better at portraying music naturally and believably, which seemed to relate to the spatial representation of the individual sounds and instruments.  The NC1200 amps also did not beat better Class AB amps, IME.  Better sound quality seems to be the current goal of Class D designers, with pockets of manufacturers and owners claiming that certain topologies and products are getting closer or achieving the goal but so far, the marketplace has not seemed to fully agree in the long term.

     Hello mitch2,

      From some of your past replies on other threads, I remember learning of your disappointments with the performance of some high quality class D amps you've tried in your system.  From what I've read, however, the class A Lamm and Clayton amps sound and perform about as good or better than just about any other amps, regardless of amp type.  I also believe they're both much more expensive mono-block amps than the Acoustic Imagery and many of the other higher quality class D amps. 
     So, I just wanted to point out that class D amps offer what I believe many would consider very good full range sound quality, typically at a very reasonable price and, therefore, would be considered a better bargain and amp option by those with limited budgets.  
     Yes, the main benefits of current class D amps are still power and control, unsurpassed electrical efficiency, ridiculously low distortion and noise floor levels, extremely small size, weight, operating temperatures and relative price. 
     Sure, their overall full range sound quality may not currently and universally be considered the best in absolute terms.  As class D technology continues its steady upward trend in overall full range sound quality performance in absolute terms, however, I believe it currently represents the best, and certainly the most affordable, pathway to high-end sound quality. 
      In my opinion, it'll also likely just be a matter of time before it's universally considered the premiere amp type, especially considering its near-future DSP technology inclusion and potential.  It should at least be very interesting.

Tim