Using a Gan 1 or VTV 300 in your system is a lot simpler and cheaper than using other GaN or mosfet class d systems. When yyz is comparing his less than $2K (WITH MODS) GaN 1 with his $12K amp he is also using a $3K preamp and a $2K DAC with analog interconnects into the $12K amp. You also need 2 more power cords using an analog class d amp.....unless you are using the volume control in your DAC. The GaN 1 is being driven directly from a streamer or other digital source using a digital volume control.......seriously way less money. When he complains about the GaN 1 being a pain in the arse its because he wants to use tuners and subs that might not be compatible with the GaN 1 outputs. I have a streamer going directly to my VTV D300 digital amp and then directly to my speakers.....most of you reading this do not have vinyl or tuners or whatever. Of course, with intelligence you can interface many things to a digital amp (including phono stages and subs).
Besides modding your class d amp (analog or digital).....you can do some things that will bring parts of your system and even your entire system to another level: These things are for class a, class ab and tubed gear as well:
1. Damping chassis and heatsinks. The cover on the VTV amps and the Orchard amps are really thin and ringy. Add some damped weight on top for much better sound. My friend is using the Parasound JC 1+ amps and I told him to damp the heatsinks and top cover.....way better sound. He used a small 1 inch wide strip of EAR SD40AL constrained layer damping material (sold by Micheal Percy Audio) down the middle of the tips of the fins on both sides of the amp. He then put some damped weight on the amp.......loves it. He also damped the heatsinks on his Rythmic Audio servo sub amps........tighter bass. DO NOT OVERDAMP!....listen for best sound.
2. Serious feet underneath a component are necessary. I use the best Mad Scientist feet and underneath that are two different types of hardwood shelves (Maple on top of bamboo) sitting on an inner tube with barely any air in it so it resonates under 5 cycles.
3. Here is a seriously great upgrade for you all.............GET OFF THE GRID!!!!! Run you entire system on an inverter. The Giandel PS2000SAR...2000 watt pure sine wave inverter is on sale right now for $289 delivered. Buy a $300 100 amp hour LifePo 4 battery and a 20 amp charger and for around $700 total....you will be mind blown. The same great sound day and night. Always sounds the same. The inverter will sound better by itself than most expensive line conditioners and you can use it in front of a great line conditioner (like the Puritan) for even better sound. All inverters put out some noise.....but it is way better than the wall. You have NO IDEA how transformative this is. I just turned on someone to this system and he was already using the Core Audio isolation transformer on his system (low powered tube amp driving modified Klipsch speakers). He just called me today and said the inverter made it sound way better. He is still using the core audio thang but will plug the stuff directly into the inverter and see what the difference is when adding the isolation transformer. The fan in any Giandel inverter does not come on till you are running at least 40 % of its rated power. So, a 2000 watt inverter will only run its fan when it is pulling 800 or more continuous watts.......we don't want no stinkin fans going when listening to music. Please see way more info on inverters on my website. My friend with the JC 1+ amps uses the Giandel 5000 watter and two 200 amp hour batteries.....but he is drawing 700 watts continuous.......Us class D users need way, way less juice......smaller, lighter, less expensive and great sound. Please read the review in Stereophile by Jason Serinus about his use of the Stromtank inverter ($16K!!!!!!). This $700 Giandel system is probably as good or better and it can do more power....and you can hook up as much battery as you want.
