2. amps-preamps
  3. 165466-4741

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.


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ml8764ag's avatar
ml8764ag
502 posts
 
Atmasphere.... agree 100% with your.    “You need to hear better preamps!”

FWIW,I have  a Joule Electra pre in front of my PS Audio S300 ... absolutely glorious.
niodari's avatar
niodari
305 posts
 
Hm. You need to hear better preamps! The way to limit distortion (and colorations) with tubes is not unlike how you would do it with transistors- go fully differential. This keeps the even ordered harmonics down (part of the 'tube' sound) allowing for far more transparency. If you have such a preamp it can work fine with the very transparent class D amps that are now available.


You made me to reconsider a tube pre option with class D. @ml...  did you also try a non-tube pre with Stellar S300?

@atmasphere, this is also a stimulating note for me since i was and remain to be a tube fun.   I still enjoy very much my tube integrated. Could you be a bit more specific on "marching the distortions" and what kind of a tube preamp could be of a "right type"?

ml8764ag's avatar
ml8764ag
502 posts
 
@niodari.....Sorry for the delayed response re. The S300...Haven’t had the chance to try a SS with it.... But did run direct from my PS Audio DAC (has a volume control)... Much much better with the pre there.

However, been using the tube front end trick with solid state amps during the years...Essentially, give you best of both worlds... And generally is less costly and involves less tube maint.  Also a good solution for those with power hungry speakers.  Very powerful (quality) tube amps can get very expensive, heavy, and hot.
niodari's avatar
niodari
305 posts
 
Essentially, give you best of both worlds... 
This sounds perfect. 
Thanks @ml... for letting us know your thoughts and impressions. I understand your preamp is LA300me, should be very good. Looks like that you have spent about 8 times more in your preamp than in your power amp right? 

Compared to PS audio DAC, I guess your amp gives more soundstage, gain/power, is the sound also  more clean and transparent?  


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