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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
mglik OP
911 posts
 
Ralph, 
So, it seems you have heard Bakoon. How would you describe them? Current drive?
Speaking of tintinabulation, I get that fully with AGD. Not quite as much with Bakoon.
jtgofish's avatar
jtgofish
515 posts
 
No  it was me with the Bakoon .You really need to hear a Bakoon amplifier rather than just a headphone amplifier.Even the very affordable 15 watt 7511 Mk3 will give you a good taste of the Bakoon sound.The Korean Bakoons look a lot nicer than the Japanese ones and have fancier boxes but are not as good value.
mglik OP
911 posts
 
But it was Ralph who said "excluding the Bakoon".
I believe the Bakoons are superb and that the HP-1 is the lessor of the models. I need balanced for preamp/phono and TT rig. And really need the 100 wpc of the top model.
My general feeling though is that Bakoon is not quite as "juicy" as AGD.
Although it is super clear and musical. Bakoon captures the flow and AGD more gets the phrasing.
But before I bought my AGDs I really considered the Bakoon. The 50 watt one would have probably be enough power but it was no balanced and no mono blocks.
jtgofish's avatar
jtgofish
515 posts
 
I had the 50 watt monoblock 5515M on loan for a few months.They are what got me hooked on the Bakoon sound.As friend said you can’t unhear that sound.I agree the Bakoons excel at the musical and tonal flow.I have never heard an amplifier [well a Kondo IOngaku does] do little note bends/lilt like it.If you listen to say Avashai Cohen,Anat Fort ,Bill Evans,The Flying Bulgars,Cat Empire or a sublime singer like Eddi Reader you hear all that interesting stuff which I am sure you would hear in a live performance but most amps can’t properly resolve.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,931 posts
 
So, it seems you have heard Bakoon. How would you describe them? Current drive?
Speaking of tintinabulation, I get that fully with AGD.
I was referring to the post above mine rather than the amp. Not many people use 'tintinabulation' these days :)  but its a useful word for things having to do with audio.
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