2. amps-preamps
  3. 1230097455

Class D question...............

Do you consider class D amps neutral or sweet sounding???
gvickerschtick
Post removed 
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
kory, there is a lot of variability in class D, but I'll try to answer never the less. As a group, class D amps seem to be quite linear through the frequency range. They tend to lack obvious empasized areas from the midrange down to the low bass. . . on the other hand, in olden days -- that means for models that are more than a couple of years old -- there was a tendency in more than some class D amps to sound 'matter of fact, with only moderate harmonic development and with less than stellar microdynamics. The result was at times more outwardly impressive than ultimately musical. In more recent times deesigners have been evolving topologies that have addressed such limitations. . . often by regulating the power supplies and by preconverting the AC to DC even upstream of the power supply with a variety of techniques. The more successful devices now are not only very linear top to bottom, have excellent bass authority, dynamics staging, imaging. . . but also possess excellent harmonic texture, extremely subtle micro dynamics, detail, and a very extended and 'musical' treble and bass. Some designs are very successful. . . while others may be just a little less.

Merry Christmas everyone! G.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
Martin Colloms addressed the question of class D amps in a recent HIFICRITIC. He concluded that their designers were ignoring factors that had always been considered important, listing 19 of them. He concluded, among other things:

What this means:
􀂄I consider that elements of the audio industry have exaggerated the need for High Fidelity enthusiasts to adopt ‘Class D’ amplification.
􀂄
The claimed efficiency advantage is largely valueless except to save for heat sinks for very large sub woofer amplifiers.
􀂄
High frequency and radio frequency noise is a vital issue and has not been sufficiently addressed with Class D designs. Class D amplifiers conduct and radiate substantial wide frequency range noise, both correlated and de-correlated.
􀂄
We know that high frequency noise degrades both the sound quality of the connected audio system and the amplifier itself.
HIFICRITIC:Are Class ‘D’ Amplifiers High Fidelity?

Other parts of this are on the HIFICRITIC web site.
jw94055
125 posts
 
One more time. Class D is as warm as the pre-amp you use.
Solid state sounds, well, solid state. A tube pre with a class d will sound detailed and warm. I went with a tube pre decades ago because I could not stand the sound of a cd player through a solid state pre and power amp. The Class d will faithfully reproduce what it is fed. Tripath, nuforce, UcD, Ice, there are a lot of Class D's. I have both a tripath and UcD based amps. The UcD is superior, but I would rather have the tripath than any Mosfet, JFet, amp. As long as I have the tube-pre.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Jw94055 is right.

Stanwal you have to know the audio business enablers choke at the thought big expensive amps can be usurped by less costly (less profitable) alternatives. It is in the publication's interest to prolong the golden audio stair case. Stereophile printed a similar article. There are many thousands of us who know better.
More to discover