My NAD 3020 D proves your Class D tropes are wrong

I can always hear class d amplification because it is so tonally off that it is like fingers scratching on a chalkboard to me.

I just listened to a class D yesterday that was more focused and just as relaxed as a good tube amplifier. So I very much doubt this statement- it is trolling IMO.

Class D is used in most powered subs which is not to say it can produce high frequency well.

This probably depends on what is meant by 'very well'. I listened to two amps yesterday, one tube and one class D. They both have less than 1 degree of phase shift at 20KHz. The class D amp has over an order of magnitude less distortion than the tube amp at that frequency. But its primary distortion product is the 2nd harmonic, and enough that just like a tube amp the 2nd is able to mask the presence of the higher orders. So it sounds like a tube amp, although considerably more neutral owing to lower distortion overall and the ability to act like a nearly perfect voltage source.

But not all class D amps are like this. They have as much variance from model to model and brand to brand as you see in tube amps, which cover the gamut of SET, OTL, push pull triode, push pull pentode and so on.


The bottom line is you have to be careful about making blanket statements; in the world of class D as in almost any other topic blanket statement are so general as to be rendered false.

Guess you can get used to anything after it’s been on long enough 🙃

I have four power amps: NAD M22v2 (Class D), PS Audio BHK 250 (Hybrid Class A), McIntosh MC 2600 (Class A), and Pioneer SPEC-4 (Class A).  My vintage Mac and Pioneer amps work well in my rec room, but not so much in my listening room.  In my listening room, I use the BHK with the NAD as my backup.  

The BHK 250 sounds the best in my main system; it is more musical than the NAD.  There is no harshness, and it is more detailed, has better imaging and sound stage, etc.  At twice the price, I would hope so.  

Having said all of that, the NAD sounds very good in my main system and in my rec room systems.  I could live with it if I had too.  Like the BHK 250, the M22v2 can be run in standby mode so it's quick to warm up.  I give both 30 minutes before doing any serious listening.  The M22v2 is OK by me.

Enjoying mightily my week old D 3020 V2. Sounds delish. I also own Tommy's Cherry amp. And a rebuilt Dynaco. Ergo, both ends of the amp spectrum. Anyhoots @erik_squires I'm with you 100%. To own one is to kick back & smile. 

Going along with that, there is something about some Class D that requires DAYS to warm up.

@erik_squires I missed this earlier. This is not true of all class D amps. I'm not contesting that this is your experience with your amp, but its nothing to do with class D- its something to do with your amp.