verdict on class D amps?

It depends on your taste which will be determined by your ears and what your brain's sonic preferences are. I have listened to tube amps (Music Reference), hybrid (Audio VanAlstine 250 wpc Fetvalve 550, and class A solid state monblocks (300 wpc Sheng Ya). I also have listened to the Wyred 4 Sound 125 wpc amplifier.

Here is what my ears said to me when I switched out the Music Reference tube amp for thw W4S amp. The W4S amp is smooth, very smooth, silky smooth - almost unnaturally smooth. The sound is very clean but not as big hipped as the Music Reference. Can't say much about the bass as I was running a subwoofer on a pair of bass shy speakers, the Spica Angelus. It is just a very different musical presentation that my solid state, hybird or tube amps and since it has, to my ears, a distinct sonic signature it won't be flick everyones bic.

I like the W4S sonic signature. My amp is not fully broken in so it may get better. It is pleasing to listen to though different.

Jaymark - that was my impression. SS integrated, I had before class D amp, sounded in comparison "brassy". I'm not sure, with my limited experience, how best amp should sound, but I have very liquid smooth sound now. Sibilants, I had before, disappeared and clarity/transparency got better. One thing I noticed was that sound got leaner at lower midrange. I replaced speaker cable (AQ Indigo) with better one (AZ Satori) and the lower midrange got much fuller.

Kijanki, lean in the mid-bass is, I think, what I was getting at when I said that is was not as big-hipped as the Music Reference tube amp. My W4S amp is not fully borken in but it is on the silky, clean, but lean side of musical presentation......

I hesitated between AZ Satori and some other cable until I found few reviews that complained about a little fuller lower midrange - that was exactly what I needed. AQ Indigo was, in comparison, very thin sounding. Satori is not only more refined (clarity) but has very pleasant silkiness on the top.

As for breaking in - it goes thru "stages" (as any break-in) for very long time. My small Rowland 102 stopped at about 500hrs or at least I was unable to detect anything - so be patient. It becomes a little less "forward" and more refined/musical.

Hey Kijanki,

Thanks for that nice list of Class D amps!

Its in my back pocket for future reference.....