Class D Amplification Announcement

Years ago at a show in NYC I heard Joseph Audio Pulsars driven by Bel Canto Ref 500M mono blocks and it sounded excellent — changed my perception of Class D on the spot and realized it’s really all about implementation.  Definitely one of those “aha” audio moments. 

Yes, it's all in the details, the implementation, the execution. Technics cringes when someone calls their GanFET integrated a Class D design as it's an all digital amp designed in house, built around their digital decoding tech. 

The best part is, it sounds like nothing else I've heard and just gets better all the time. 

All the best,
Nonoise

If you started driving in the early 1960's, you know what a crappy car is and you know the worst car you can buy today is leagues better.  Our stereo equipment today has gotten so good for knowledgeable enthusiasts it's also hard to buy something poor like we listened to 60 years ago, relatively speaking to the state of the art that existed then and now.  Unless we listen to every piece of equipment, for us average listeners reviews are mostly what we got.  It would be nice if every review could give an absolute answer about relative value to competing equipment.  Sometimes the reviewers compare, but more often they don't.  I seem to think it happens more with lower priced audiophile speakers because like in cars, it's easier to design a $200k Ferrari in some ways than to bring a high percent of that performance in a $20k car.  I think reviewing equipment is an art and what I've learned is that reviews are a good guide but reading the review is also an art where if you read enough of them you get more insights into what technology and equipment is really good and a good value, too.

Just got my AGD Audions back after they were upgraded to the latest revision-MK III. The power supplies were greatly improved. Before the upgrade they were not very good at powering my difficult to drive Quad 57s.

Now, they pick up the Quads and dance them around the room. Wow, what a difference! I was considering other amps but no longer. Can't imagine anything better.

JV is confusing Class D amps with poor digital playback (usual digital-like upper-mid/lower-treble glare). Overall, Class D amps don’t sound like that, to the contrary, they are flat and artificially smooth, and unresolving.

FWIW, I have heard both examples. The upper mid glare is usually on cheaper examples.