It would help if the OP described what streamer and DAC he was using before and currently.
As to his question about using a center channel for music, , I don’t see how to do this in his current setup
Class A, A/B vs Class D amp Soundstage
Good evening.
i just upgraded my Cambridge 850R Class A/B to Cambridge EVO 150 Class D with integrated streamer. I use B&W Diamond II with good cables and interconnects. So, there isn’t really a weak link in my system to be uncovered or exposed when going to a. Class D amp.
There actually is nothing I changed other than the amps
I lost all front to back soundstage. I lost 50% of my right to left soundstage (speaker position has not changed at all and is 6 ft from the back wall.
I stream hi-res from Qobuz. The mid-range sounds a tad bit muffled. The base drivers distort and lower top power than my other amp which remained tight in the base even at ear hurting volume.
The only and I mean only thing I did was change amps. So, I am wondering, does going from a class a/b to a class d amp cause a significant decrease in soundstage? So far, whatever it is, I don’t like it at all, not one kilo-bit
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@geworthomd , Welcome, welcome to the class D sht miracle (promised/touted by the advertising branches).....Now that you've learned your lesson, throw that class D garbage in the garbage can and go back to your AB..or even better yet, try some class A (could get a lil expensive), if you get a chance. |
Of course, nowhere in this discussion is the general thoughts about the speaker impedance, and that this is a tiny integrated amplifier that might just be mismatched to the speakers, or that this is otherwise an entirely new device vs. the original. We’ve simply thrown out all Class D because one very small integrated amp didn’t cut it. Never mind that in all classes of amps, different amps have different output impedance curves so amp X may perform well with a pair of amps but amp y may not. Before you throw out an entire class of amplifier altogether you need better control of the testing, and to use multiple examples of Class D. Otherwise, if it was me, I’d say all Class A was crap because I heard one brand of Class A amps and it hurt my ears. |
I’ve owned PS Audio class D. It was a must to leave amp on 24/7. If amp was put back in the system it could take 3 to 5 days before things sounded correct again. A/B amps would take maybe 24 and at most 48 hours and class A tube a few hours. Why class D took so long was a shocker the first time I discovered this. |
I agree with Erik Squires suggestion of checking out NAD Class D amps, but Zlone also nailed it on three separate items being changed by going to the CA all-in-one. Did you consider the all-in-one offerings by Naim? My Seattle Dealer carries both the EVO models and the full line of Naim all-in-ones and steered me clear of the Cambridge offerings if I could somehow go with Naim [even if used over new for the Cambridge]. |
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