Class D amp with Tube Preamp Combo?

Guidocorona, you left out the Gilmore from your list. In my evaluation, the Gilmore blew the NuForce Ref 9 SE V2 completely and utterly out of the water. I'm sure it was just an oversight...

Hi Ait, unfortunately I have no experience with amp2amp warfare. . . . and I have not yet heard the Gilmore. Do you know if it will be featured at RMAF?
But on this particular thread we are not contrasting digital amps, rather we are enumerating combinations of switching amps and tube pres that we have personally enjoyed and found to be working well. Have you driven the Gilmore with a tube pre? G.

Hi Guidocorona,

It was one of the earlier Class D amps, though I don't recall the model number. I bet it was still low on the learning curve and subsequent models have been improved.

I am hesitant to talk about "tube magic," because it means different things to different people, and because MOST tube gear I hear completely lack what I look for in tube gear (particularly, high-powered pentode amps driven by KT-88/6550s disappoint). In my setup, I did not fully get what I was looking for until I found a suitable tube linestage and a tube phonostage to match with my parallel single ended triode amp. The Levinson No. 32, which I still keep as a backup, did not quite deliver what my Emotive Audio Epifania delivers.

I am not saying that tubes are superior. In systems where more power is needed, I think that solid state is often much more desirable than high-powered tubes -- different horses for different course. I bet Class D would be the appropriate choice in some applications. The point is, one cannot make a generic choice, trial is the only reliable method. Also, I think one will usually not find success trying to compensate for strengths and weaknesses based on perceived individual qualities of particular components; the results are too haphazard for that.

There is a lot of practical sense in sticking with one brand for amplification or to go with an integrated -- usually, a good designer has worked out such compatibility issues.

Hi Larry, do you happen to remember if the JRDG device in question was a stereo or mono amp? and if mono pair. . . whaht physical size/weight?
G

Hi Guidocorona,

It was a massive, single chassis stereo amp. I think the model number was 302, but, I am not sure. The owner used it to power Kharma speakers, but sold it in favor of a Hovland amp after buying a pair of Sonus Faber Anniversarios. We got to play with it prior to it being shipped to a buyer in the far east.