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Class A or Class D solid-state amplifiers (modern designs)

Hey guys.

 

Class A is supposedly superior. Something to do with a conduction angle of 360 degrees...so the entire signal gets processed in one go without crossover distortion.

But in terms of sound quality (subjective enjoyment) is there a benefit to Class A? Can class D provide the same level of enjoyment?

 

The dealer I’m talking to says that really nice Class A amplifiers are designed for "reference quality" meaning completely true to the real life performance.

 

Let’s compare and contrast. Which one is technically better?

 

In other words, could you have equal technical performance and quality in a Class D amp?

 

- Jack.

jackhifiguy
axo0oxa
98 posts
 

Class A is like a muscle car. There are many that are absolutely beautiful, perform really well and others that are just gas guzzlers.

Class D is like an electric car. The same applies as Class A except the gas guzzler aspect, so that is replaced by the utilitarian electric car that under performs and has no mileage range.

 

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,630 posts
 

That analogy doesn't hold water, if you see what I did there.

coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
684 posts
 

This is a troll question and insult to any audiophile. How can you be an audiophile and not already know which design is superior? Everyone knows Class A is pure euphoria. Stop this noise about Class D. But in the end you make a choice and pay your money. Mine is on Class A and tube amps. That’s all the audio anyone needs. Period. Spare me of your newfangled crap D. 

pokey77
1,260 posts
 

It is not about Class A or D. It is about sound quality.

If you want to hear a very good Class D amp, check out the TAD M2500; 95 lbs and sounds truly amazing. I have it and the matching preamp and E1 speakers. My end game core system.

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

This is a troll question and insult to any audiophile. How can you be an audiophile and not already know which design is superior? Everyone knows Class A is pure euphoria. Stop this noise about Class D. But in the end you make a choice and pay your money. Mine is on Class A and tube amps. That’s all the audio anyone needs. Period. Spare me of your newfangled crap D. 

If ”The Audiophile” is running those big refrigerator boxes with <=2 ohm impedance, which requires lots of watts, then the euphoria of Class-A, or 5W SET amps, is just not going to happen… it will be going from euphoria to anorexia.

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