When someone tells you it's a $40,000 amp, does it sound better?

Isn't the harsh reality of class D is that it's to clinical and precise, and harsh. With class AB you get distortion and isn't that what harmonics is all about when you listen to music. It's all about the design and the colorations that are done by the amp designer. Most class D stuff is all about fitting lots of power in a small package.

And class D it's kind of cheap stuff so good luck making class d a preferable way to go

@jumia In a word, no.

I've heard class D amps that are smoother than any class A/AB amplifier. Its easier to design a class D amp that exhibits lower ordered harmonics rather than the higher ordered harmonics which cause harshness and brightness.

This is because with class D its possible to run a lot more feedback than you can with conventional designs! Its a nice side benefit of course that they are less expensive and less heat. There's a problem with feedback in conventional designs; not enough of it results in the amplifier's presentation being harsher and brighter due to unmasked higher ordered harmonics generated by the feedback itself. But if you can run enough feedback, it can clean up the mess it otherwise causes.

So at least with the class D amps with which I"m most familiar, they sound as smooth and sweet in the mids and highs like the best tube amps, but with more detail (easier to hear into the rear of the soundstage) than conventional amps.

Yeah that probably relates to higher cost class D amps.  But mostly d amps are bargain basement variety and sound pretty bad.  Because home theater is the niche market for d stuff in a world where sound Quality don't matter too much.

Yeah that probably relates to higher cost class D amps. But mostly d amps are bargain basement variety and sound pretty bad.

@jumia  That is true of some but not all. I have two customers that were quite surprised by the Nobsound class D amps which are less than $300.00! I’ve not heard one myself. As best I can make out some of these less expensive amps are bass response limited to avoid all their power being gobbled up but otherwise sound pretty decent.

Ok so $40k sounds better in what system. Everything in the system comes into play. Setup, synergy between components, and room all are factors here. You can’t just pick an amp and drop it in. Most of the time within the same company the more expensive will do something the cheaper one won’t. However it may not be better depending on the application.  ie: if the more expensive amp is more expensive because it offers more power and you have very efficient horn speakers then the less expensive low power amp may produce a better sound. So, No! all more expensive amps are necessarily better sounding. Depends on application,  too many variables for a single answer. You have to get specific in order to get more solid opinions. 

Something to keep in mind is that a $40,000 amp is likely not going to be playing $200 speakers; its likely to be playing on speakers that have a similar price tag. Some speakers with that sort of price really are wider bandwidth and lower distortion. So it may well be that the $40,000 amp sounds better on that account alone...