New Class D amplifiers


Hello. I'm very interested in getting your opinion on the newer Class D amplifiers.  There has been a couple of very positive reviews (by Guttenberg) of the Bel Canto C6i and NAD M23.  These, and perhaps some others are offering new technology that significantly lower the class D noise level and other drawbacks.    

I currently use a Class A amp, Pass Labs INT-25 (with Dynaudio Heritage Special speakers) which has a wonderful sound. But I am transitioning to another location, and due to using Roon primarily I find that this system stays on most of the day.  Due to heat and power usage of Class A amplifiers, I'm interested in translating to Class D if I find something comparable.

128x128grantgg

but unlike many others, they are based on facts.

Show me a GaN amp other than Orchard’s product that performs as well as Hypex or Purifi. Show me a $5000 class d amp that performs 5X better than the $1000 class d amps using Hypex or Purifi modules.

@kuribo, what are the facts you are talking about that create your absolutes in performance and value?   You are always talking in absolutes, but can't explain what you have listened to (or own) and what makes one perform better than another...  Does one sound better to you?   If so please explain the differences you hear?  What different speakers have you tried these different amps with?   Are you only going by measurements, then clearly say so that we all know your opinions on what is best and what offers the best value is based solely on the measurements you consider important.

Throwing it back at you, please show me why the $5000 AtmaSphere amplifier does not 'perform as well' as the Orchard or the Hypex, or the Purifi.

I haven't told you what speakers I own, but I'm guessing your answer will take that into account, right?

 

 

@ddafoe


Throwing it back at you, please show me why the $5000 AtmaSphere amplifier does not ’perform as well’ as the Orchard or the Hypex, or the Purifi.

The designer has said he can’t compete with the performance of the Putzey’s designed amps, so there is that.

Subjective opinions can not be debated so there is no point in discussing them. There is no right or wrong, nothing provable, nothing factual. No need to discuss what I have heard, what you have heard.

What we can discuss is objective performance. That can be quantified, measured, compared. It's what amp designers use to design their product. Most, but not all, endeavor to create a device with as little added distortion as possible. Please compare the distortion added to the signal by the Hypex and Purifi amps and compare to other class d amps. Tell me which are truest to the input signal. This is the only way to objectively judge and compare amps.

"Objective performance has never been proven to mean anything sonically.....so there is no need to discuss it, the only thing worth discussing is how it sounds"......

This statement is the opposite of what was just stated above. Who is correct? It does not matter. The mind believes what it will.....but your senses tells you what is REAL

Can any of these above mentioned amps (Purifi, Hypex, Orchard, AGD, Atmasphere, Technics, Lyngdorf, etc.) keep up sonically with a modified Peachtree GaN 1 or VTV D300 digital amp? Your analog Class D amps need a DAC, analog cables and maybe a preamp....the digital amp just needs a streamer with volume control and a single coax cable. Way less money........and we shall see very soon how they compare......as the first modded Peachtree GaN1 will soon be compared to the Coda 16 amp.....both driven by the Lumin X1 using Leedh digital volume control......this will be fun!

as the first modded Peachtree GaN1 will soon be compared to the Coda 16 amp.....both driven by the Lumin X1 using Leedh digital volume control......this will be fun!

I wonder if this would be apples to apples comparison ? With Peachtree GAN1, you are using only the streamer functionality of X1, while with Coda 16, you are using both the streamer and DAC functionality. Likely, they would sound very different ?

I haven’t heard or read of any issues with customer service from the many US and European sellers of class d amps using Hypex or Purifi modules. Do you have actual evidence of poor customer service you can share from any of the main stream amp providers?

This is a strawman; I didn't mention anything about the brands above.

I didn’t bring up your product here, you entered the discussion after I commented that there is no need to spend $5000 on a class d amp when there are better performing amps available for a fraction of that. I didn’t mention your amp by name. You jumped in and offered a justification for the high price.

And no, I have not singled you out, I made a general comment. I would respond the same way to any product here that has a performance not scaled to the price. I appreciate substance over form.

Calling BS. If you are going to take that approach, you need to up your game.

FWIW we did not make our class D with an idea of making it to a certain price point. Instead we wanted good quality in all the parts with good reliability and priced to the same formula we've used for the last 40 years.

As I said, there is no reason to spend $3000, $4000, $5000, or more on a class d amp to get state of the art performance. When you spend that sort of money, you are paying for cosmetics rather than performance. If that’s what is important to you, have at it.

So this is what you think Technics is up to?

I have chosen to troll this thread? No, I made a general statement that you decided to challenge. I simply responded.

But, ok, I have failed to identify the market you are attempting to serve. Let’s say then it must be that segment of the market where high prices are a feature, not a bug, and where "value" isn’t a consideration. That’s fine and honest. No need to justify your price here, I get it.

Again, calling BS. And FWIW, still don't seem to understand the market. Your strawman here demonstrates that obviously enough.