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question about switching, Class D, and Class A

I've been reading about Class D amps (which I believe is the same thing as a switching amp). From my reading it looks like class D amps are clearly inferior to class A. So I've pretty much ruled them out. How do you know if the amp is Class D? I don't find it in the specs for, say, the McIntosh MA6300 which I've heard is a "switching" amp. I heard switching amps are Class D.

The thing is in the past I've owned amps where Class A could be switched on and off. In Class A mode the amp ran much hotter. I mostly didn't use it because I didn't think the improvement in sound was worth all the extra heat.

Now I'm thinking about buying a new int. amp. My top two contenders are McIntosh integrateds and a Krell 400Xi. I understand the Krell is class A all the time and can get quite hot. Is this true? Also I was thinking about a Mchintosh MA6300 which I think might be class D. I needed something with a smaller footprint was why I was considering the MA6300 over the MA6500. I've listened to a lot of different manufacturers and the McIntosh sounded really good to me so I'm leaning that way.

What is y'alls thoughts on this whole class D/switching amp business vs. buying something else that going to generate a lot of heat? Is there something in-between?

regards, David
wireless200
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Just to be contrary, :) I sold my class A running amp for a class D, and never looked back. Then again, I have a class A preamp by the same builder I have never heard the better of.
audiooracle
387 posts
 

First of all the Krell integrated is NOT Class A, a pure Class A integrated costs much more to build than $2500!

Also the sound of the Krell in not particularly warm.

Class D is generally a type of amplifier which has a switching power supply and can be either a digital amplifier or an analog amplifier, the difference is weather the signal is converted to digital and then modulated or not.

As a Nuforce dealer, which are analog switching amplifier, the sound is excellent, and you should not rule out an amplifier because it is or is not a class A or switching amplifier.

It comes down to system matching and preference.
photon46
1,089 posts
 
Repeat after me: DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ!! Sorry to shout, but I cannot emphasize how likely it will be that you will be led down a path to audio misery if you base your buying decisions on opinions in audio rags. The often referenced roundtable discusssion about class d amps in TAS was populated by industry personalities with strong biases and agendas IMO. Not that having biases and agendas is unusual or wrong, you just have to know where someone's coming from. Maybe at the most exhalted level of uber-components class d amps give it up to cost no object competitiors, but how many of us are in that buying segment? Class d, properly implemented, is a viable, energy efficient, cost effective engineering tool for an audio designer.
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