Class D and High Efficiency Speakers?

09-18-08: Audiofeil
Low powered tubed amplifiers are a better match for horns than class d amplifiers.

Onkyo, Pioneer, Sansui, and Kenwood notwithstanding.

That's my formed opinion based on experience.

Nobody said anything about Pioneer, Sansui, or Kenwood. Your lumping of the Onkyo--and the incredible job they did with the A-9x55 series--in with them is desultory and dismissive.

The question wasn't an invitation to audio snobbery, but rather an inquiry whether a higher powered class D amp is categorically a bad match. I cited a professional review into very high sensitivity horn-based speakers powered successfully by the Onkyo. The high switching noise typical of a class D amp would make for a bad match with a high efficiency horn, but Onkyo of all the class D amp designers has put together a couple of features to lower the noise floor--a large, powerful analog power supply, and a patented circuit to mirror the switching noise and thus cancel it. Robert Deutsch's review verifies that it works. He also tried a $1500 Flying Mole class D and reported that it was unacceptable, and nowhere near as good sounding as the Onkyo.

That one might ultimately still prefer SETs is a separate issue.

It seems the old VTL Tiny Triodes would be a good matchup for such a speaker as well.

Thanks for the input guys. It seems that If I really want to satisfy my curiosity I am just going to have to give them a go with my speakers.

Cheers

Let's not confuse snobbery with years of experience.

Of which I suggest you seem to lack.

Good luck with your Onkyo or Pioneer or Kenwood or whatever.

I tried, keep going with tubes. But since I manufacturer loudspeakers I have to keep class d about to test on loudspeakers. Why not a class a ss amp? I find these better than Class D.

Johnk,
Understood.

As a retailer I have various class d amps here which I switch in and out of systems to understand the strengths and weaknesses.

They are a godsend for difficult loads when space, heat, and budget constraints exist.

And the sonic quality is becoming very very good with the proper load.