Best Class D GaNFET Amp Comparison. Who to invite?

The suits ought to learn a thing or two from Ric, but they won’t bother listening to the grassroots from their high towers.

Who are the 'suits'??

Why would you buy a DAC, a preamp, analog interconnects and a regular class D or other amp......when all of that can maybe be replaced by one component?

Presumably if the amp you're using only accepts a bit stream as an input then this question is very easy to answer!

You would keep the DAC separate from the amplifier for the simple reason that DACs have been under continuous improvement over the last 40 years and many of them have decent volume controls in them these days so a preamp might not be needed. Of course, class D amps have seen vast improvement in the last 50+ years too!

So if you wanted to upgrade your system by getting an improved DAC or amplifier, you wouldn't have to replace the whole thing.

again..i celebrate the initiative of the OP… i live about 15 minutes South of tge show, so i am interested …..

The Gan 1 and VTV D300 can be as versatile as your imagination. Many streamers have multiiple inputs including phono. The Technics digital amps have analog inputs, phono inputs and volume. The Daniel Hertz amps have analog inputs and volume. However, many people (like myself) only listen to digital.....so having a simple digital system that is super transparent (and SUPER affordable) makes sense......you only need what you need.

PowerDACs (digital amps) have been around since the 90s (Tact Millenium). But, just like regular DACs they will keep improving. What really matters is how good are these digital amps right now......If they beat or equal $15K worth of gear for $2K then why would you want to spend more? Use the money saved to get off the grid (for way better sound) or bi-amp using two amps and make your own world class speaker for very, very little. As more people get the modified digital amps and the Daniel Hertz amp and A/B with "normal" stuff then we will know just how good digital amps are......until then....we are just making noise. So far, the feedback on the stock and modified Peachtree and VTV is SUPER GOOD.

Here are the people who will be resistant to the super transparent digital amps:

People with turntables who HATE the idea of digitizing their records.......people who HAVE to HAVE tube gear and love Tube sound. Digital amps will never sound like a tube.....and poeple who already have a ton of money and ego invested in their "normal" gear.......and dealers who will make very little money because they cannot sell you all those heavy expensive boxes and cables......and manufacturers who want to sell you their "normal expensive gear"........The idea of making a digital amp that is better and way cheaper than their 200lb. mono blocks and $150K DACs and $150K preamps freaks them out......if this technology turns out to really be superior to all that expensive stuff.....several companies are going to go out of business or have to switch to products that are cheaper. LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Tomi,

I could use some help

@tjag The modded GAN1 as better than the Benchmark pre + amp in more qualities than the Benchmark was better than the GAN1. That was with my KEF LS50 Meta (soon to be upgraded to the KEF Reference 1 Meta). I sold 1 Benchmark AHB2 to someone who has some new horn speakers that are 118 DB sensitive. My guess is that I would prefer the BM stack with his horns over the GAN1. So it depends.

I would say that the modded GAN1 is very close to my Benchmark LA4 preamp + CODA #16 + Lumin X1 DAC/streamer. I think the modded GAN1 is almost as good but the slightly better stack cost so much more. The CODA amps has more power and that shows up in a very audible way, It is close sonically though with my not so difficult to drive speakers.

The GAN1 is a first gen product, while sounding amazing it is hard to use. Easy with my Lumin X1 but not so easy or as high quality with other streamers, The future products of this same design should be very interesting.

You would keep the DAC separate from the amplifier for the simple reason that DACs have been under continuous improvement over the last 40 years and many of them have decent volume controls in them these days so a preamp might not be needed. Of course, class D amps have seen vast improvement in the last 50+ years too!

Only DAC that I have heard that can approach the volume control of the Benchmark LA4 ($2500) was the Lumin X1 and even that Leedh volume control was not as good as the LA4 at low volume. The volume increments at low volume was not as linear or consistent as with the LA4 (nitpicking for sure).

From my perspective, the only standalone DAC tech that is really different (or evolving)  are FPGA designs, I plan on using the LA4 preamp + CODA #16 + FPGA DAC in my Livingroom system, Only reason the GAN1 won't b used there is because of ease of use and I need a lot of power for KEF Blade 2 Meta.