Aragon, Parasound or Bryston

energeezer,

     All 3 are very nice class A/B amps but I know from personal experience that a good class D stereo or monoblocks will give you better performance at a reduced cost, size, weight, heat and they'll consume significantly less electricity to operate which also translates to lower electric bills.

     I know  your VTL 2.5 preamp is very good.   I previously used the same one with NOS Mullards paired with a ss Aragon amp.  When I replaced the Aragon with a class D amp, it significantly improved my system performance.  I mainly noticed improved bass and dynamics with the mids and treble remaining smooth but detailed.This is an excellent pre-amp to pair with class D amps and there's really no down side.

Tim

     

energeezer,

      Yes, I've learned that class D has made big strides over the years but I never heard the early examples.  My opinion of current good class D is that you give up nothing in the mids and treble to class A/B but gain better bass response and dynamics.  All the other benefits (smaller size, reduced weight, more affordable price, much cooler running and reduced electricity consumption) enticed me to give it a try. 

     I know not everyone respects class D yet, but others not knowing how good it really is, for me, just adds to its appeal and makes it even cooler.  Realizing there were no negatives to class D only made me wish I had tried it sooner.

     I understand your reluctance since I was a bit reluctant myself initially.  If you ever get curious though, most class D amp sellers offer free in-home trial periods of 3-6 weeks with full 'no questions' refunds so there's no real risk. 

      I know someone who gives it an open-minded comparison would really have to be biased to not admit class D is equal to or superior to class A/B in every meaningful criteria we care about. 

      The best class A/B (Aragon, Bryston, Pass Labs, Parasound Halo, etc.) may be close in sound quality but, when all the other benefits of class D are taken into account, class D is clearly superior in my opinion.

Good luck and Enjoy!

     Tim  

Hi dbphd,

     I have a combo 2-ch/HT 5.1 surround system currently using 4 class D and 1 class A/B amps in a 23'L x 16'W x 8'H carpeted living room .  All amps are directly connected to the amps from the outputs of an Oppo-105 (used as a 2-ch pre-amp, wireless DAC connected to a laptop and NAS for streaming CD and hi-res music files, 5.1 surround sound processor and Blu-ray player).  Amps are:

D-Sonic M3-600-M class D mono-blocks that drive my main L+R mains (Magnepan  2.7qr) connected via XLR cables from the Oppo's front L+R mains outputs. 1,200 watts each into the 4 ohm Magnepans.

Emerald Physics EP-100.2-SE class D stereo amp bridged to mono that drives my center ch ( Magnepan CC-3) connected via RCA cable from the Oppo's center output.  275 bridged mono watts into the 4 ohm Magnepan.

ClassD Audio SDS-440SC class D stereo amp that drives a pair of rear surrounds(Infinity in-ceiling) connected via RCA cables from the Oppo's l+r rear surround outputs.  220 watts each into the 8 ohm Infinities.

Dayton Audio SA-1000 class A/B mono sub amp that drives 4 non-amplified Audio Kinesis subs.

      I've used class A/B  amps (Adcom initially and then McCormak and Aragon more recently) exclusively for the past 30+ years before substituting class D amps in the past few yrs.  I've always left my amps on 24/7 and continue to do so with class D.   I think my system performance has improved with the switch and my monthly electric bill has gone down by between $40-$50/ depending on the season.

      I'm currently involved in another thread on audiogon discussing class D amplification.  Many, including myself, prefer  good quality class D amps but many also prefer class A, A/B, tube, G and even class H amps.

     My opinion is that no amp type has a monopoly on good sound and that class D is not for everyone.

Thanks,
  Tim