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Class D for a Tube Lover

First, I'm sure this has been asked many times but searching the subject wasn't too helpful to me.

So apologies in advance.

I enjoy tubed electronics and class A amps, which tend to be a bit warm.  My current Cary 805s warm my small (12x16) music room even in the cool/cold of winter.  I've got other amps that don't produce much heat, but am looking for something that produces no heat.  Living in a home with no central AC the room gets uncomfortably hot during the summer months.

So...I'd like to try some Class D amps.  Stereo or mono is just fine.  And my speakers aren't difficult to drive so I don't need a thousand watts.  But if that thousand watt amp sounds great, I'm not adverse to that, either.

I'd like to keep the price under 2k used.  

Please help.

Thanks.


128x128audiodwebe
yyzsantabarbara
4,779 posts
 
I decided to sell my KRELL K-300i integrated today so that freed up the long speaker cables I need to test out my new Class D stereo amp.

https://www.d-sonic.com/product/m3a-800s-stereo-amplifier/

It is now connected to my difficult to drive Thiel CS3.7 floor stander. I first tried my new Gustard X26 Pro (an incredible DAC) into my Benchmark HPA4 preamp and then to the D-Sonic amp. It was more powerful, detailed and a touch warmer than my regular Benchmark AHB2 monos (my reference). However, there was a little edge to the sound that I noticed that is not there in the all Benchmark stack.

I then removed the preamp and went direct to the D-Sonic amp. That edge or hardness was reduced, almost eliminated. I always prefer the volume control on the HPA4 preamp but the Gustard DAC was not bad as a preamp. The D-Sonic benefited with HPA4 removed removed. The Benchmark and D-Sonic do not seem to mix well.

So I now have a $1500 amp with a $1500 DAC and the sound is almost as good as the $9000 of Benchmark gear + $1500 for Gustard  I had before. I think the D-Sonic amp is better served on the Thiel’s than the AHB2 which are not officially rated for 2 Ohm speakers in mono.

I have a SET based preamp coming next week (I hope) that should be great with the D-Sonic. Anyways, this amp has given me confidence to move my great Benchmark stack to my living room system with a speaker that maybe is a better match for the AHB2 specs.

As I mentioned in a prior post the D-Sonic was bought to be used with RAAL SR1a headphones which needs a warm amp to tame that beast. It did do that and now I tested it on the floor stander which was also a winner.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,149 posts
 
Thanks for the update on the d-sonic.  Sounds like it is a player.  
decooney
1,949 posts
 
@audioguy85
"The heat thing with class A is over blown in my opinion...Yes, they generate some heat, but not near enough to impact your comfort in the summer time."

Not over blown for those who run larger high-bias / big transformer full Class-A amplifiers in the summer. Worse with monos or smaller rooms. It can absolutely impact room heat. Many high bias Class-A amp owners have secondary amps to rotate in over summer months.

Hence, all the recent interest in evolving Class-D designs again, even if it’s just "tolerable" to listen to. Glad to read Ralph @Atmosphere is working on this. Put me on the beta-tester list, tube amp guy builds Class-D, yes! 

audiodwebe's avatar
audiodwebe OP
237 posts
 
Thanks, everyone, for the continued suggestions and information on the various amps.

Around what year, in your opinions, did Class D amps come into their own?  

On a side note, I suck!  Here I am getting all this info and I went ahead and ordered the BoyuuRang A50 Mk III because I'm curious about an amp with 300b output tubes.  I have amps that use the 300b as drivers and other tubes as outputs.

Damn Steve Guttenberg!

Sorry, everyone.  Please don't flog me, as I am still in the market for a Class D amp for the summer months.


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