Class-D Audio USA have just released their new GaN amp at the CES

Before Covid-19 i was able to audition just about every Class-D amp available. To ME they have all sounded like SS on steroids and unnatural much like when CD players first hit the market.

My question, do these GaN Class-d amps sound real and natural? Or are they bringing more of the same just in a different package? I could careless about the tech the sound could be coming out of the exhaust of a Ford Pinto i don`t care but it needs to sound real.

Did you listen to Merrill, AGD, latest and best Nuprime, the best Cherry, modded Purifi, modded IceEdge, Technics biggie?  All these were available before Covid except the modded Purifi.

The very best of the latest Class D sound very neutral.  If you are a tube person, or a super lush class A person, then you will still might find some of them lacking in warmth.  However, if your system is tweaked so you don't "need" a warm amp to balance it then you can get goosebumps.  Many find they like a tube preamp with a class D amp....and that gives them the magic they want.  I lower the distortion in my system so that I can run a solid state DAC right into my class D amp and get super NATURAL sound.  When some people say "real" they are talking about a sound I would call colored.  I once ran a solid state phono stage directly to my amp and then inserted a Modulus line stage (just the output stage....no pot, no switching, etc.).  It sounded way more real with the tube in the chain.  It was adding its own coloration....that made the music sound more real because I did not have a great source.  Turns out that my Ariston turntable was real grainy and my phono stage was not great either.  But if you tweak your system for super low distortion then the very latest class D can give you chills and thrills.

every Class-D amp available unnatural much like when CD players first hit the market.

Very good analogy, and still have a way to go just like CD did. Technics with the SE-R1 have advanced it more than anyone, others to me have just gone sideways.
Don’t think, even these USA made GaN poweramps for $699!!! are going to be the answer either
https://ibb.co/jy8wpNS

https://premium-audio.com/

Cheers George

The only ones that i have not heard are the Merrill, AGD and Technics. The Cherry is a notch above natural, if your around live music or people who play instruments which everyone in my family does what i have heard so far in Class -D portrays a better picture than the real deal.

I`m open to the new tech i just do not want to waste my or a manufactures time if i`m going to hear the same signature that i have heard in the past.

I`m open to the new tech i just do not want to waste my or a manufactures time if i`m going to hear the same signature that i have heard in the past.

I think it’s just going to be more of the same, but at $699! instead of >$2k

The only one mentioned here that has pushed the Class-D envelope with it’s 1.5mhz switching frequency and output filtering of it, is the >$20k Technics SE-R1, and maybe the new affordable integrated SU-R1000 as someone mentioned.

Looks like (if you can believe the manufacturers specs) the $9k SU-R1000 can double wattage from 150w 8ohm to 300w 4ohm, which many Class-D have trouble with, but again nothing about doubling 4ohm to 2ohm.
https://www.radiokoerner.de/technics-su-r1000-reference-class-stereo-vollverstaerker.html (you have to translate)

Cheers George