The GAN1 (after mods by tweakaudio.com) approaches levels that are shocking for $1200 + 500 mods. Send me a DM if you want to discuss more.
The reason being the nature of the GAN1 design. It is SIMPLE.
Digital input amp
I see a few coming on market. Previous threads were quite old.
They take a USB or other input. No DAC on the front end. Just the DSP engine to do volume, eq, etc, then whatever conversion to PCM to feed the class D output. So the only "DAC" is the output stage. This makes sense as it further reduces the functions in the chain. I have not seen objective testing or any reliable subjective testing. The ones I have seen are Infineon processer based. No idea if the output filtering or feedback implementation is up to the Purify quality. I guess the next innovation is the GaNFET output. One has a DAC to feed a sub out. Easy as any old $5 DAC will wo there.
I was browsing and came across the Sajab A30a. ( quite inexpensive) Peachtree has the old Gan-1 but coax PCM only. That would be fine if it managed buffering and clocks internally. Unfortunately my all-in-one only has USB out.
I suspect there is a lot to be learned here but it makes sense to me for the future.
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Jeff, I was talking about the Gan1 amplifier technology. Not the Bluesound node. I think the streamer has a PCM out so you can bypass the internal DAC. The reason to use it as a front is to move the volume control to it, get a remote, and a sub out. I don't give a rat's patutti about Airplay or other low resolution pay as you go garbage and the last thing I would ever have in my house is Alexa. The Sabaj has some of these functions built in. It has a larger DSP section than the Peachtree and includes a traditional DAC for sub output. FYI, I have designed and built SS, tube and amplifiers. I have a degree in electronics. |
Whatever okay. I will stick to known engineers, designers and builders that have a stellar product line and reputation as my sources of information. Not an unknown commodity as such. You also seem to be very attracted to cheap, economical products. Are you a regular from ASR?
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@tvrgeek If this is so, then the amplifier is not also class D. Class D is a very specific class of operation. Since you apparently have a degree, then you know that class D was proposed in the 1950s and the first home implementations were sold in the 1960s. You also know the building blocks required. So pick one: if its class D then it has a DAC built into the same box to which the digital signal arrives prior to the class D circuitry and probably one the same board as the class D section. If this is false then its not a class D amplifier inside although it might employ switching technology. |
Thank you Ralph. Much like the Gold Note PA-10 that employs switching technology (their version of GaN) and is not Class D as some of the audio journalists have misstated over the last couple of years (Darko).
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