What Would Be the Reasoning Behind Leaving Class D Amps On?


I think my Marantz Ruby integrated sounds better if it is just permanently left on.  I'm a bit of a tubehead, but I've had 2 other Class D amps and I recall them sounding better left on. 

I've seen a handful of manufacturers that even recommend their Class D amps be left on--e.g. PS Audio, etc. 

In addition to the potential improvement in sound quality, I suppose keeping caps and things on might be easier on them too.

Do you agree?  Do you know why this may be true or at least the theory behind it?  

Thank you in advance!  I'm super curious about this stuff.

 

128x128jbhiller

I have a pair of Wyred 4 Sound SX1000 (no R). Two day to sound good. A lot of people said the "R" model was a lot better. The fact of the matter was they have to be driven and on at least 48 hours. Mine actually "Boomed" and hated longer cables. I added some FAT speaker cables and a FAT power cable. It was like night and day between the first 2 hours vs a week later with cables. I actually kept the amps.. Powerful too, man alive!! Oh they like a good power supply to.

I added Triplite 2400 to maintain 120vac, too that was an eyeopener when I drove 100-300hz bass columns to over 110 db, with no audible distortion.. Without they got hotter and did distort at 10 minutes or so. After the maintainers.. 15 degrees cooler with the same ambient temperature, sound wonderful. 

I moved to 12Ks they will pound the poop out of your ears. Best bang for the buck on the planet.. I have 4 LOL NU12000s. I can't break one!

Where I live class A stopped when I hit 55. :-) 115 degrees is not uncommon where I live. Class Ds are king. Preamp are usually valves, here. I need a warehouse!!!

"The Church of Sound" nonprofit. :-)

 

it’s been said multiple times on the forums that it’s best to leave solid state / class d amps on all the time as it sounds better. turn off / unplug solid state equipment if going out of town or bad weather is coming.

tube equipment gets turned off when not being used.

Yes, Riley this has been said many times. Also, I think we all know the general idea that some stuff likes to be warmed up before use. I was, however, looking for more of an explanation as to what is going on in a Class D amp, if anything, that increases the need for more idle time.

For example, I think lots of us will agree that a tube amp warms up enough after say some range--30 minutes to 2 hours--at which point it’s warm and sound performance doesn’t improve anymore. But, with Class D, it seems to many of us that 30 mins to 2 hours might not even do it. So the question is why?

Many folks seem to believe (and I think that includes me) that Class D may need more warm up than say a Class A/B amp. Why would that be? That’s what I’m asking.

I wasn’t looking for the garden variety basis--hey warm up your car, snowblower, etc. and it works better. I wanted to know what is it, if anything about Class D, that seems to give better performance if the unit is nearly always on or on for hours upon hours.

Is there something specific in the topology of this type of amp that lends itself to far more warmup time or always on status?  It's a fascinating technology and I was looking to learn more about that. 

Thank you @oldhvymec .  I have a nice tube preamp here that I may drive the Marantz ruby with just to see how valves fronting Class D sounds.  I did that once before with an NAD M22--I put a Schitt Freya in front of it and it sounded great that way, yet sterile on its own.  The Ruby was voiced by Ken Ishiwata and he really dug tube amps, holographic pictures of sound and 3D imaging.  So it's not as dry as that NAD that I had. 

 

Next time I'm 6 drinks in and talking hifi with someone who cares or is not bored of me, I'm going to say this plebeian thing....

When Class A/B idles, it's only running at say 1000 rpm--to use a motor analogy. 

When Class D idles, it's only running at say 100 rpm.  So, Class D needs longer idle times to keep stuff warm because its rpms are so low. 

PS. I have a masters degree in BS, but it sounds good. 🤣

"What's the science behind why they sound better."

 

You're asking people on this forum about science as it relates to audiophilia? That's hilarious.