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?
mglik
Yep...reviews like this:

https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/amplifier-reviews/power-amplifier-reviews/nuprime-agm-sta-stereo-po...

are definitely making me think about class D. I don’t think I need a replacement for my class A/B, but I’d add a D due to the fact that they are tiny and run cool and easily could fit with my current amp.
I’ve tried some high level class D amps and none have sounded better than my Class A Threshold amps. 
I purchased well regarded, highly recommend and reviewed Class D mono amps 1,000 watts of power and had high expectations but the Class D amps did not have the life, dimensionality, transparency and immediacy that my Class A SS amps had. With the Class D amps, the sound was flatter and much less engaging. So even though Class D amps may work well for many applications, IMO Solid State Class A amps produce better sound. And IMO, well designed tube amps sound even better than SS in terms of music. 
I honestly think the Benchmark amp is the ...Benchmark.

Sure, more power would be good, but because of how it's designed, bridging mono actually works and doesn't degrade performance anywhere, despite what some grumpy old know it all gatekeeper keeps spewing on this forum.

I have tubes, which i love for different reasons...have had icepower, hypex, A, A/B...However, lately i'm having a hard time NOT listening with the Benchmark. Having such a quiet noise performance, no matter what the haters say, is very special and makes the listening experience different, in every good sense of that word.

This is the first amp i've had where i'm not tempted to sell and upgrade, for fear i'll miss the sound too much. Hands down the best i've owned, and I will probably grab another soon.
Most of you know I have owned the EVS1200 for almost 2 years; dual mono based on AS1200 IcePower modules, but highly tweaked by Ric. During this time my system has undergone a number of cable improvements, plus new speakers (Emerald Physics 3.4s). I had been using optical cable between my Oppo 105 and my Audio Alchemy DDP-1 + PS 5 power supply.

For some reason (probably read one of the AG threads) I began looking into coax digital cables. Prices run the gammit from < $100- > $1000+. I contacted AA who offered either WireWorld ($$$-$) and Pangea ($$). I also looked at DHLabs, but decided to buy the Pangea. I bought a 1.0m SE ($49.95) and immediately was amazed how much better it was vs the optical. I reported this on my digital cable thread. Someone responded that 1.5m sounds much better. Why? I don’t know. For sure the others were $$$s for 1.5m, so I ordered it from Audio Advisor ($59.95). It performed much better, as mentioned, but how many hours of break-in before it really comes on song? Last night was day 6 of connection, but maybe 10 hours of actual play time. I listened to Lyle Lovett and his Large Band, followed by Bonnie Raitt, Nick of Time (I have owned them both for ~10 years): they both sounded quantum levels better than they ever did, no matter whether I had an all tube system, or all SS with class AB amps.

Cutting to the chase, ones digital connection could be why some have negative comments about class D

OMG I see they also have a Premier XL $149 for 1.5m, so I'm ordering it now

hth