So....MC chimed in on a thread with a YouTube link. Shocking.
Class D amps seem poised to take over. Then what?
I am certainly biased by my lifetime final amp being a Class D. But I know that after 30+ years of development, Class D seems to be on a high plain. I know there are now many, many companies focusing on Class D and, maybe, a good handful already as good as it gets. My Class D amp is as smooth and beautifully musical as a great tube amp and as punchy and detailed as a great SS amp. I am satisfied and done with my search. A class D amp has effectively taken me off the amp merry-go-round. It’s about time after 50 years. And, for me, this Class D is a milestone. Will all other classes of amps fade away?
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When I think Class D, I automatically think of the good stuff like Devialet, Linn Amps, and Bryston (sp?) amps. I have a very nice pair of Audio Research DS450M monos that I really like. These are fairly powerful, meaning 450 wpc into 8 and 650 wpc into 4 so no lack of power there, and since these are ARC amps, I know it’s good stuff. They’re even voiced with the ARC house sound. As an added bonus, they don’t cook the entire place after an hour or two of listening like my Pass monos do so they’re good on electricity use, and low on heat generation. |
Heard so many amps with class d. Auditioned a lot of them past years, there was always something missing, always, the sound seemed just .......lifeless? I don’t know.....when switched to an a/b Amp in the listening room, same source, cables, speakers, just the amp was switched over, ...the definition of each instrument, came to life, guitars were more detailed, vocals, high’s ......it all came together, while the D seemed veiled, or,.....just missing the sparkle, or depth of a class A/a/b amplifier. Just my opinion to my ears, and how I feel. After 24 hours of warm up, my system, still makes me shutter, and the hair stands up on my arms, and my scalp gets tingly When the first minute of a song plays. If you love D, great, hope they are reliable for 30 years. \,,/ |
As far as the above mentioned stock IceEdge amps from Legacy.......you can buy a dual mono amp with the same stock modules delivered from Rouge Audio to your door for less than $1600.....same thing, way less money. I can then do a mod on the amp that will transform it for $600..... As far as Purifi.....it depends on the skill of the implementor. Check out 10 audio.....they reviewed the $2000 Purifi based NAD C298 and only gave it 6 out of 10......he just reviewed my modified VTV Purifi amp ($1700 total for amp and mod) and gave it a 9.5....and sometimes bordering on 10. There is as much variance in class D as there is in class A/B or tubes. It is all about the skill of the designer. http://www.10audio.com/evs-vtv.htm There are plenty of new class D amps coming out too (almost all GaN based). The $3K GaN based amp from LSA, the $3K GaN amp from Wyred for Sound, the $6K GaN based amp coming from Mytek, the already released $700 GaN amp from Premium Audio and the latest $2500 GaN amp from Orchard. And for serious money the 500 watt GaN mono blocks from Mytek ($20K the pair). Fun times ahead. |
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