Best Class D GaNFET Amp Comparison. Who to invite?


The time has come to put to the people a listening test of some of the better

current "Contenders" in the race for Best Class D GaNFET Sound.

 

The existing media can not manage such an undertaking for many reasons.

This event will help consumers decide which products best meet their needs.

 

I have not heard all the players but will suggest these names for inclusion in this comparison.

 

1. Mola Mola 

2. Atmasphere 

3. AGD

4. Bel Canto

5. NAD

6. ?

7. ?

8. ?

 

Finale Aavik vs winner of above 

 

Event will be held either in Seattle or the Bay Area.

 

We can support about three more brands in this comparison.  

It will be setup as an A/B audience listening event

comparison starting with the two lowest MSRP products.

 

 

After the seven A/B comparisons one amp would emerge as the audience favorite.

This winner would then go head to head with the Aavik in the 8th round.

 

I will plan this for a July-August 2023 event open to the public.

 

I now open this to further discussion, ideas and suggestions for the last three slots.

 

 

 

128x128jeffseight

@shkong78  please PM me to discuss further. As per our discussion on another forum, I replaced my LM805 with the Class D’s. So I have done that one ;) but maybe we can figure something out. 

@nquery 

 

Hello

 

I found that I and my friend prefer the sound of Scaena 3.2 driven by Line Magnetic SET amp fitted with vintage tubes to that of Starkrimson.

 

But I am  curious whether Atma D match the sound of LM 508

 

Are you willing to do side by side comparison between Atma D and LM 508 at my home.

 

I am living near Burlington, WA

 

best 

 

Thomas

I just proposed to the Lou Hinckley, PNW Audiofest organizer,

that we use the top floor of the Show Hotel on Saturday June 24th as a place

to setup the amps for comparisons. Awaiting his response.

So far thanks to some generous local folks we have:

1. HiFi Rose

2. NAD M33

3. Orchard Audio Ultra

4. PeachTree 400

5. Atma-Sphere 

Only 6 left to garner: Aavik, Mola Mola, Technics, AGD, Bel Canto, Lyngdorf

Stay Tuned for further Updates

pin wa,

Thank you for the gracious offer.

Would you mind PMing me with your contact info

so when I have the specifics I will contact you?

 

Best,

I am interested and could bring the Peachtree GaN 400 if the event is held in Seattle area.

LKV uses hypex module. And offers a 180wpc Integrated at $2,200.

Price is reasonable as is warranty and trial period.

Will look for them at Axpona, thanks!

The best iteration of this I have heard was LKV Research PWR+ amp.  It has a Class A front end with a GaNFET back end.  Their PWR3 amp was 80% of the PWR+ at one-third the cost. 

 

Both pieces were fantastic.

My latest thought is to actually hold it at/during the PNW Audio Event.

Simplifies a lot. Need to see what Lou has left.

 

Nquery- Excellent!

Tomic-Never rains in Arizona...

 

If it’s not raining, i am in Seattle and an interested participant…..

Cool that you are doing this - good on ya !

Jim

I researched the Technics MkII and could not find anything about the amplification (GaN or otherwise) in their literature. Maybe they updated it

I don’t have an aavik, but do have audions.  Not sure if I can commit to being there…

Recap:

Without calling any manufacturers yet we may have available for the Seattle event:

1. Aavik I-180 courtesy Peter S

2. HiFi Rose RA 180  Courtesy HifiHandy

3. NAD M33. HiFiHandy

4. Orchard Audio Ultra Courtesy Leo/Joe

5. Peachtree GaN 1 Courtesy Santabarbara

To Locate:

A. Technics

B. Mola Mola

C. Atmosphere

D. AGD 

E. Bel Canto

F. Lyngdorf

 

Also will need to secure a venue for 2 days.

Free is best but we could pay up to $1,000.

 

Anyone in possession of the amps in the above "To Locate"

willing to participate please advise.

 

I will be at Axpona to solicit maker's participation then.

 

It might be logical to hold this event the last Saturday in

June as Lou's event PNW Audiofest is the week before.

 

Bay Area Event

We have some locals volunteering gear and Scotch. Not a bad start.

Anyone else still living in the Bay Area with needed product?

 

 

 

@jeffseight

"Or just get an $7k Luxman and call it good.’ :)

I’ve already got my Lux and may very well do just do that, but since I’m in the Seattle area I’m curious about your project and have subscribed. My only experience with newer Class D is a recent home audition of an Aavik I-180. 

Thanks for your efforts and thanks to the folks who can bring an amp to the party..

SPdude- yes level matching is a must. Blind most likely.

 

Tag- The comparison to an a or a/b is a good thought  but which one?

The Class Ds will range in MSRP from $3k to $10k with the Aavik as an 

outlier. So where do you draw the MSRP line for a legit comparison?

Or just get an $7k Luxman and call it good. 

I am in the Pacific Northwest and would be interested and may have something to bring. Please keep us informed as this develops.

A class D amp shootout is a great idea.

The winner should then go against a reference amp (A/AB) in the same price segment.

This will attract attention from manufacturers.

If you include a Peachtree in the competition, then maybe avoid it’s preamp and inbuilt DAC.

 

A suggestion

Get the most expensive of the lowest overall cost brand and then match the rest to that price point.

Technics needs to be in the mix.  I believe they were the first to offer GaN in the USA.

We all have an opinion. I gave mine and you seem upset about it. When we resist the love that is in the now......we do not feel it. I meant no harm nor did I suggest that no one do what was suggested. I have exerienced most all the things I talked about and TO ME they are all relevant. What you believe is what you believe. There is no right or wrong here......just a sharing of truth.....our truth is our love....for each other.  I would never tell you to stop sharing your truth.  YOU are necessary....your truth is necessary......it is all of us.....no one is better or worse.....we are all needed to make the whole.  The universe would not be the same without YOU.......every YOU that exists.

@jeffseight Thanks for taking the lead on this.  I'm in full support and would love to assist in the Bay Area.  

I'm thinking I could help secure a good spot in the North Bay...:)

@ricevs Please stop with all your irrelevant conditions.   At some point, you need to step in the batter's box or line up to the free throw line.  Can't pass on your next golf shot...

All this gear isn't dependent upon humidity, atmospheric conditions, red pill/blue pill, mattress tags, Mars orientation....

 

Racer,

I do have some of the items on your list.

But with your knowledge and assistance

the event will be fun and provide Class D guidance

for those who tweak and those who do not.

This will be a 4-5 hour event.

 

Dude,

Revised to be Class D . Gan or No Gan.

Here are my thoughts on what is being suggested:

This is a "fun only affair".  No clear information will be attained.  Because:

1. You will have some modded gear and others not modded......If you are not hearing a component at its tweakiest best.....then you are not hearing it fully.  Every amp that uses Purifi modules sounds different from every other amp with Purfi modules.....and then you add tweaking?  Now you have a whole bunch of different sounds.  If one person modified all of the amps the same way to the max then you would be at least hearing them all in a better way.

2. Every amp needs a different amount of burn in and especially WARM UP time.  I will never listen to the modded GaN 1 here unless it has been playing music for at least 1.5 hours.....sounds like shite before then.  This was the same with my modified IceEdge amps (what tweak 1 has).....they sounded thin and grainy for at least 2 hours.  So, are you going to have all amps playing music for a long time and not turn them off before the testing?  Hardly.  As the amp here has been playing music it has gotten even better.......so, it is still burning in!!!

3. All amps need a MATCHING or at least GREAT footers underneath them.....and underneath the feet needs to be a Great platform.  So, do you have super platforms and super feet for each component.  Did you try different feet and platforms to see what sounds best with each amp?  I have an air bladder (super deflated inner tube) on the bottom then a bamboo cutting board (Ikea) then a maple slab and then the best Mad Scientist footers (two balls up and one ball down)....Nice combo.....tweaked for years to get there.  Also adding damped weight on top of a component can do wonders to the sound.  Some amps will sound better without damped weight.

4. All amps need a Matching or at least Great power cord on them.  Are you going to have the same exact power cord on all the amps.....and without shutting them off?

5. All amps (and all your equipment) will sound better run off a super Inverter (Giandel 5000) then through any other kind of line conditioner or dedicated line.....you will hear more differences and really hear the amp with the great Giandel Inverter.  A Puritan line filter can be used after the Giandel for even better sound.  Also your ground for the stereo should be a separate ground on its own Ground rod with a GROUND filter like the one Puritan sells.

6. System would need to be super tweaky and pure....no cables on floor.....speakers way away from the back wall and side walls.  Room treatments.  You would want to use recordings that showed everything....not just some rock music.....you would want Chesky type recordings......natural instruments in natural space.....so you can really tell what amp makes it sound REAL.

 

Since no one has the above.....then the best way to really find out what something sounds like is to get one amp at a time and A/B it with your reference amp on your own system......and tweak the power cord, footers, etc. over some time.   Then get a second amp in and do the same and on and on.  After you have spend a couple of months really finding out the differences then compare the best ones......that is the time to then have a get together with maybe 5 (at the most) other people......then you can do the shoot out over 6 or more hours so you can hear each amp properly warmed up and being fed by the best power cords....etc.

But, if you just want to have fun.....then mass shootouts are fun.  Wine, beer, cool dudes, good music........However, if you really want to know something solid about the possibilities of things......then mass shootouts are NOT the way of knowledge.

No matter what you do.....you can enjoy it......enjoy and love the ride.....The ride goes on (forever)......We are the ones that decide whether we enjoy the ride.....or not.  I pray you all choose love and joy.....in more and more moments of your day.  Blessings.

 

Seattle seems to be taking the lead on support. 

I need to find a better venue to rent for 2 days.

Anyone in the NW with a good room for audio?

Need to be legal for a 200 person capacity.

Joe/Leo- thanks! 

HiFiHandy- the Rose and new NAD are great. Please PM me so we can coordinate.

---

Mbolek,

I will contact the Bay Area folks to see about arranging one there as well.

 

 

 

PS Audio M1200 would be a great amp to test as well. I'm actually looking to pick up a class D amp so I'd be willing to bring some drinks to the event to listen, if in the Bay. Scotch anyone?

I live in Anacortes, so coming to Seattle with my two amps is doable.  I currently have the HifiRose RA180 and NAD M33.  I am very familiar with those two amps.  

@evank,@rajugsw, and @ricevs  thanks.

I am open to supporting this please contact me and we can make arrangements.

Jeff.....ya forgot our Orchard Audio Ultra. It'll win I'm sure of it. Let me know when you need it and I'll work it out with Leo for ya.

I’m interested if in Seattle.   I can’t bring amps, but I can lend a hand and ears.

@jeffseight Jumping over to this thread.

I’d be up for a shootout in the Bay Area.

I could bring the following:

Hifi Rose RA 180

Peachtree GaN1

Class D Mini GaN 5

Purifi 1ET400A

I’ll shoot you a PM...

I was just abbreviating.....it is the newer high powered module from Purifi....the 1ET7040SA

The mods are mostly the same for all amps.  I will have more info on my site in a few days.   Basically, clean up the AC input path.....the output wire and output jack path, change the caps in the output filter or mod the existing ones.....Sometimes I change the input wire, mod op amps, damp things, remove not needed parts, raise the input impedance, change some input stage parts, etc.  

HiFiHandy, Which other Class D's are you familiar with?

I spoke to the Seattle people today and they are excited

about a class d event. 

@ricevs 

Rick, I looked on the VTV Purifi website and

could not find your number 1.  VTV Purifi 700

Is the model wrong?

@tweak1, I am not sure of the significance of your posting of the M.L video, but I can assure you, that listening 1 meter away from the mouth of Coltrane's horn, and  for hours, as he states this experience when he was 16 years old, surprises me that Mark is not deaf by now, and listening this close is not a recommendation I can make. This, from my own experiences. Always, MrD.

@jeffseight I can send Ric's modded Peachtree GAN1 but I cannot make it up to either location, working too much. You need a SPDIF streamer and volume control. 

I have a few options at home to do both. 

I would definitely say the HifiRose RA180 is the best sounding class D Ganfet I’ve ever heard.