Class D amps seem poised to take over. Then what?

It’s looking more and more apparent that your avatar is a selfie.

And yours is of the small pond you are a big fish in.

When I first heard my first Class D amp on my system it was a revelatory moment. Perhaps the biggest single change in sound ever. The sound changed completely leaving me totally disoriented at first. Totally different. Maybe that’s why some can’t fathom it? Where did the bass go? The imaging and soundstage? Then I tuned in. It’s more organic and articulate and encompassing than ever. Had to open my ears. Whoa! Clean crisp detailed and holographic. Vocals clear and easily understood but no artificial “warmth”. Just smooth and clean. No fatigue lake many SS amps. Like a great restraint had been lifted and now the music was living and breathing unconstrained. You know the way music is supposed to sound. You turn up the volume and it just comes to life. You don’t even realize the actual SPL you are hearing. Like a good tube amp. Except none of that tube bloat and artificial flavoring. Efficiency is a good thing in amps just as it often is in speakers. The amp can do more. That’s it in a nutshell. Class D and Ohm Walsh speakers = game over.

I babysat a friends class D while he was out of country because he didn't want to leave it off. So naturally I listened to it for a while... Well, I wasn't impressed, I left it on as he had requested. I went back to my class A's for listening to music. Class D will not takeover so long as there are people to service class A and A/B's WHEN required. My class A and A/B's have been quite reliable. Three have not been serviced in 42 years. And yes I've checked the electrolytic caps. Actually, some caps are +10-20% over the specified values. I have replace a few caps that have been exposed to excess heat, with 105C caps, no more failures. But NOTHING in the 3 that have not been serviced. I'm not what you would call moderate with my amplifiers either. Only time will tell...

Class D is great for my outdoor system in the backyard.
Listening when swimming or having a cookout. Not critical listening.

That just means you haven’t found the right setup then or it’s perhaps just not for you.