Class D Amp For 'Stats?


For a number of reasons, I am considering the purchase of a Class D amp (or amps) to drive my Sound Lab A-1s. Most uses of such amps detailed here and elsewhere seem to have been with 'conventional' speakers, which obviously present very different impedance loads than a full range electrostatic (approximately 40 ohms in the bass, dropping to 2 ohms at the highest frequencies). I would be most interested to hear of members' experiences.
curriemt11
One will run into a lot of pitfalls when trying to implement the H2O (I have the Sig monos). For me, there is no doubt they are the best amps I have ever had in my system.

I have found any speaker cable that has anything but minimal insulation coating will cause dielectric polluting of the signal. Also, I am a fast non-upsampling convert. Preamps with a strong power supply do better.

This is a new technology, and that applies to all digital, and class D amps. It requires a rethink of system priorities to bring out the best. The potential is there.
Caveat, I have no business offering any advise here. I've never heard the Sound Labs. I've very little experience with digital amps. Many seem to think that the digital amps can be bright. I just wonder if the traditional Rowland house sound still exists in their digital offerings. A_rt of Analog Research Technologies has mentioned something about offering an option to customize the frequency response of his amps to match a given load. There may be options. Perhaps now that there are quite a few manufactureres offering digital amps we should start respecting them as individual products rather than lumping them by technology.
Curriemt11,

I have owned many amps similar or perhaps parallel to what your tastes may be. I have owned McCormack DNA-2 Deluxe, Quicksilver V4 monos, auditioned the Ayre, as well as the Rogue Zeus. I now own the H20 Signature Monoblocks. Srajan's review is on the money. I would also take note of Srajan's review on the Nuforce, in specific where he states, almost all ICE powered class D amps sound a certain way... EXCEPT the H20 Signature monos. That is not a coincidence.

The H20 Signature Mono's are the real deal. Are they the best amp out there? I will never claim that. Everyone has sonic "preferences", however, they do carry themselves with the heft of a true class A solid state, with the liquidity of tubes, yet without the harshness or grain at high levels of solid state, and without the euphoric coloration of tubes.

As for system matching, I have had no problem. I have my system posted here on A'gon and there should be a clickable link by my moniker.

If you are seriously considering a new amp, I would try those you are interested in, in your home, in your system.

I would also make certain to audition the H20 Sig Mono's as Henry offers a trial. For what they do, at their price point, they will get the respect they deserve sooner or later when people hear them.
Try the Channel Islands D-200s which use UcD modules. These modules take feedback at the speaker terminals and are said to be load independent which would mate particularly well with speakers having large impedance swings. Said to be the best sounding of the class D lot.

Review here:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue22/cia_d200.htm
"Switching amplifiers have an output filter and, this filter will interact to some degree with the load impedance."

I have said this many times before, and I am glad that someone finally concurs.

'Stats are not a purely capacitive load, although they do have a great deal of capacitive reactance. Most of the new Class D amps will handle the capacitance, but the low value of the absolute impedance may present a problem. For reasons stated above.

Anyone who thinks that "all" Class D amps are mechanical have not heard any of the new genre. Period.