Class-D amps - a different re view

It's kind of silly to have to drag out the "dwindling supply of NOS tubes" argument. There are more tube manufacturers than 10 years ago thanks to the music and hifi industries, and MANY manufacturers (basically all) use current production tubes and get excellent sound from them.

Yes, you can likely improve the sound with some pricey NOS tubes, but the costs are going way up and you tend to simply change the sound with differing tube brands and vintage, not always for the better. I have a pretty good stash of NOS tubes, but I could live just as happily if my rig was running current production stuff.

RFG

Guidocorona, fellow secular humanist, you are right about the futility of guessing evolutionary trends. I am sure you picked up on that fool's recent surmising there will be two races in 250 years, tall and swarthy haves, and ding dong dwarf have nots. Who can say? Given the world's species environmental peril, I have darker predictions.

Just the same, I think if I were a struggling proto-mammal 240 million years ago, after spying a sleek early dinosaur..... I would put my money on him to rule the world for the next 200 million years. Don't you think? :D

We have an internal design rule we call the 20-year rule that prevents us from using NOS tube types, IOW the tube type has to be in current manufacture. We've had this from the beginning, so its already served us well, as we have an aggressive update program for our older products.

Its a simple fact that semiconductors go obsolete and out of production at light speed relative to tubes. You can still buy new manufactured tubes that were designed 60 years ago, but I can think of quite a few semiconductors designed in the last 10 years that are already long gone.

The 'dwindling tube stock' idea is a red herring, unless a manufacturer has chosen to design around a tube that is no longer made, a foolhardy undertaking.

As a lot of the current class D amps are on monolithic modules using proprietary semiconductors, you can expect that if you need to service the amplifier in 10 years or the like that the device is going to be tricky to find. This is one sure way of knowing that the technology is still on its way up.

To get a better understanding of this, an example of a mature semiconductor technology is the lowly op-amp. You can still buy TLO82s brand new, despite their having been designed in the 1970s.

How many people on this thread think that they will have the same class D amplifier ten years from now- knowing full well that in far less time than that their amp will be superseded?

"How many people on this thread think that they will have the same class D amplifier ten years from now- knowing full well that in far less time than that their amp will be superseded?"

Excellent question Atma. . . and I should add, How many people on this thread think that they will have the same class anyclass amplifier ten years from now- knowing full well that in far less time than that their audiophilia will have the better of them and will force them to 'upgrade'? Only I, and very few other rabid audiofools, keep amps of any kind for 10 years, B-300, Mos FET, ICE, Doppler eliminators. . . or otherwise.

Very interesting debate. For the most part conducted in a thoughtful and considered manner (not withstanding the usual sarcasm from he who must not be named). We can attempt to guess the future but that is a fools game best played by fools. Digital amps are here to stay and the technology will only improve. The fact is they are gaining market share and they are converting many audiophiles into believers.

I have spend many hours listening to Bel Canto amps (the new Evo 1000's) and they are in a word MUSICAL I also have many hours on the older EVO 2's which were (if you believe reviewers) a class A rated product. Debating these amps subjectively (against tube amps), while somewhat useful, is like debating how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

From a design point of view the Bel Canto line is a home run and the modular look and concept appeals greatly to young professionals ---and is wife friendly. Who knows, it may even save a few marriages as tubeaholics partake in a mass conversion.

In a hobby populated with insane pricing and cables that possess magical propertties I for one like what I am hearing. In case you think I am a Bel Canto spokesperson or salesperson ---I am not. However I will give credit when it is deserved. Seven years ago Bel Canto was primarily a vendor of tube equipment. Before you could say "Class D"
they had, quite literally "switched". Pretty gutsy don't you think? Yeah, I can hear "he who must not be named" frothing at his bit "they compromised to follow the money trail". Probably. And I hope so...

Lest you think I am a nerdy computer geek who who dislikes tubes or audiophiles then think again. I am a 52 year old vinyl junkie and confirmed tube man (Wyetech Pearl pre and Wyetech monoblocks}. I love tube rolling and am a great fan of Ralph's OTL amps; as many of my friends own them. Yes I have paid the power company mucho dollars to run my equipment and participated in many sweat soaked listening sessions during the hottest days of summer. Yes I have diligently sought out NOS tubes and paid dearly for the honor.

I knew change was afoot when my friend called me up and said the furnace repair man took one look at his rather elaborate tube amps and asked what the hell are those things --- a freakin bomb!!!!!

Like the magazine says-----enjoy the music and show a little respect. And don't believe everyyhing you read particularly in a stereo magazine.

Cheers