Atma-Sphere Class D… Amazing

If you get musical satisfaction with Class D at the $1000 price point, great; if someone else gets Class D musical satisfaction at $3000, $5000 or whatever, great. There’s no right or wrong in that. Likewise, everyone is entitled to their own assessment and value criterion; again nothing right or wrong in that.

+1 @facten

We all have our biases. Even the most ardent objectivists.

Charles

@facten

Seems like you made a subjective judgment - at best similar performance - about the Atmasphere amp without having heard it. Nothing objective about that.

I said:

"I would not pay $5000 for an amp that offers me at best similar performance to one priced at $1000- it’s a non-starter."

What makes you think this is a subjective statement? I have been asking for measurements consistently and have said ad nauseam there is no value in discussing, debating, or arguing, subjective opinions about amp performance. Clearly if you had read and understood my comments you would have realized I am referring to objective performance above. Since the manufacturer has refused to produce the measurements, we can not compare the performance, thus my "at best" qualifier.
 

However, neither Ralph or any other designer has to be beholden to the design approaches that you favor. And, if they feel that their differently designed amps warrant a different price point that is their choice; they understand the market and their business objectives. No one is forcing anyone to buy anything. If you get musical satisfaction with Class D at the $1000 price point, great; if someone else gets Class D musical satisfaction at $3000, $5000 or whatever, great. There’s no right or wrong in that.

I don't believe I have said anything that contradicts the above, which is all obvious on its face. I have stated that the amp, from an objective performance standpoint, provided that at best it performs as well as the current state of the art, is a poor value at 4x the price. That's MY opinion, based on fact. As you astutely remarked, "There’s no right or wrong in that."

This is just my observation but the Atmasphere OTL amp products have always occupied a very unique niche, technically much different than other products.

I think it would be foolish for Atmasphere or any other smaller vendor to try to compete with Hypex or Purifi based on technical specs  because you will probably never differentiate yourself positively that way.   
 

Rather, it’s better to offer a unique option.   Like anything of unique quality, it will cost more probably than more mainstream products.   It’s like coffee wine or any other product.   There are always more niche products that excel and they usually cost more.   
 

Looking forward to hearing Atmasphere Class D amps .  That will be a draw for me at upcoming Capital Audiofest hopefully .  I have a lot of respect for Ralph . He does things his way and very well historically  .  His posts here are almost always very informative and I appreciate that  

"I would not pay $5000 for an amp that offers me at best similar performance to one priced at $1000- it’s a non-starter."

I have stated that the amp, from an objective performance standpoint, provided that at best it performs as well as the current state of the art, is a poor value at 4x the price.

What measurement could be provided that would possibly change what is quoted here? You are already convinced it is a poor value and something that is a non-starter for you. So the question remains, why are you here other than to harpoon and tear down a product you have no interest in buying? It is blatantly obvious what you are doing.