Class D Amplification Announcement

The Aavik integrated amp mentioned had my interest...very nice..until I saw the price. Not happening for me anytime soon. Top notch sound, at least to meet my requirements, need not cost that much these days thanks to widespread related advances in technology. Were I to take a plunge like that, I would expect support beyond the norm at a minimum to help insure the investment.

An unbiased shootout with the competition to maybe help justify the cost would be interesting. But it looks like a boutique type product at least for American consumers and that alone will draw some interest. Especially when everything else prior is purposefully labeled a "disappointment" by the OP.

I recently upgraded my Class D amp in my main system from older Bel Canto ref1000m IcePower based (already quite excellent) to a more recent Hypex-based design. Being an engineer myself always with an eye on new legit technical innovations that can move things forward, I was considering the various GaN options as well, including AGD amps I heard in another A’goner’s system, but did not find exactly what I was looking for yet with GaN (based on features more so than sound alone), so tried the Hypex-based product  and it is not leaving anytime soon. Meanwhile, will wait to see what else new comes out in next few years, GaN and otherwise, and see what happens then.   Several  Purifi-based products were also given strong consideration.

Class D is like Bluetooth or USB--a licensed technology that must adhere to certain standards and chipsets

This statement is 100% wrong and apparently poorly informed. Class D is nothing like Bluetooth or USB other than in someone’s mind apparently.

Class D is a design approach. Anyone can try and build one anyway they choose

It does often but not always involve popular modular designs or a board/component that can be used to build a complete amp product.

The reason certain modules are popular are because they are the product of a lot of modern technical innovations done well ( as a result of years of R&D) and therefore THEY ARE VERY GOOD ie they do the job very well and often for more modest cost.

Not to say everyone will choose them. That is never the case. Personal preferences always rule in the end. Some simply may not believe that technology always moves forward but in fact as a whole it always does.

Glad we cleared that one up. 😉

Well for GaN specifically orchid audio, Peachtree (what’s with all the fruit references ?) and Class D Audio come to mind. But the topic was Class D in general.  GaN may be a useful new technology but many modern modest cost Class D amp designs do things exceptionally well and are competitive.   I believe personal preferences will be the main deciding factor, as is commonly the case when talking about high quality products these days. 

Those two are both good I’m sure ( have heard AGD but not yet Atmas Class D) and popular brands on this site but by far not the only very good choices and for sure not the most cost effective, if that is a consideration. 

I’m assuming folks making comprehensive statements about what class D amps do not do have heard them all.  

It’s about time! I guess no more naysaying now or else.