Oh how I wish Class D amps ...

I have a Jeff Rowland Continuum 500 integrated amp that sounds as good if not better than any other amp that I've owned. You should hear it with a pair of Wilson Sophia 2's. It sounds fantasic. I don't think that all Class D amps should be written off characterized as being all the same. Just my .02 cents.

Simon, I checked Spectron website - very impressive. 100kHz bandwidth and 65A max current is not easy to do. I am especially impressed with bandwidth - less phase shift in audio band. Spectron will be possibly my next amp.

Mapman was absolutely right saying,

"If you want Class D to sound good to you bad enough, maybe try building your system around a Class D amp of choice."

I have the same class D amps, the H2O for 7 years. My system now is clear through every frequency point. That was not so over the first 4 years. It was great in the 2 years between then and now, with now being spectacular.

I continued making changes in my system around my class D amps as Mapman suggests.

I'm thinking on Kij's wavelength.

I'm a current 'd' owner....some ICE amps, but the Spectron would be on any short list of auditions....and it is a pretty short list.

With the black faceplate!

Timtim, your interest for switching amplifier improvement and your appreciation for their obvious strong points is refreshing.

Not to devaluate system synergy I feel there are obvious similarities of the basic amplifier types that are distinguishable regardless of synergy. I still own a tube amp, linear solid state, and two switching amps. and I'm sorry none of them sound like the other contrary to all the, "sounds like a tube amp," statements one reads.

The weakest aspect of switching amplifiers is they are not plug and play. They may need a little effort to integrate them into a system and more importantly the systems electrical supply. If a class D design has any of the sonic generalities you read about, more than likely they can be tuned in or out. As Muralman describes it can be a substantial tuning process or as simple as a cable switch. Unfortunately, you seldom read of a major reviewer taking any special effort to integrate them.

Currently, I'm listening to a standard Asthetix Atlas (hybrid?) on loan. To my ears the Atlas comes very close to bridging the tube to solid state gap. At some point a direct comparison with an Acoustic Research VT would be interesting. The Sanders Magtech linear solid state with its unique regulating power supply and the Devialet integrated switching amp running in class A whatever that is are very interesting. As I understand it these amps have some unique design innovations and initial reports of both designs sound very promising.