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

No, of course not.

There is a still going to be a market for class A-B, Class A, Class T, and even Class C!
Lower-end amps from Chinese companies can have class T or some kind of Class D.
The Class type is only important if the implementation is right. It seems like your final amp got it right. Under the right circumstances, it could outperform a Class A amp.

My point was: people like the sound the way they like it. Class type, distortion signature, or whatever really doesn’t make a difference if someone likes the sound they have.

Yes. However its not as much a 'taste' thing as so many people think. This is because all human's ears obey the same rules and in the case of distortion this is critical to getting the amp to 'sound right'.

Still not convinced sorry.I recently got to hear the latest Purifi class D [P452 I believe] in a very good system-Magicos/Accuphase and they still sound phasey.There is certainly less haze than earlier but they still struggle to create convincing image depth and height.So just not 3D enough.And sorry but the whole point of stereo recording and reproduction is imaging.I know a lot of people can’t seem to hear that sort of imaging and for them class D might be fine but it in absolute terms it is still flawed.
Switching back to the Accuphase and the comparison made the Purifi class D sound as flat and as dry as a gluten free flatbread that had been left on the back shelf of a VW beetle in Death Valley since about 1974.

All implementations of the Purifi module sound different.  Some OK and some very good and some very, very good.  Here is another take on a $1650 version.....reviewed with Magico speakers:

http://www.10audio.com/evs-vtv.htm

Still not convinced sorry.I recently got to hear the latest Purifi class D [P452 I believe] in a very good system-Magicos/Accuphase and they still sound phasey.There is certainly less haze than earlier but they still struggle to create convincing image depth and height.So just not 3D enough.And sorry but the whole point of stereo recording and reproduction is imaging.I know a lot of people can’t seem to hear that sort of imaging and for them class D might be fine but it in absolute terms it is still flawed.

@jtgofish I'm not doubting your experience but to my understanding the Purifi module is not sold as an assembled amp- you have to buy them and assemble them into an amplifier. So a lot depends on how competent the individual was that did that.


I've not heard the Purifi, but I have heard class D amps that have as much soundstage width, depth and height that I've only heard in the best tube amplifiers (which easily best most of the solid state I've heard).


IMO if you really want to know about this you might try a different amp- one amp does not represent all of them.