Class D amplifiers. What's the future look like?

I believe direct digital amps are the future. With regular class D you need a DAC and maybe a preamp. Direct digital amps are not only simpler but purer sounding. The modified Peachtree GaN 1 is incredible. Best sound I have heard.....and cheap. Modified streamer into this $1800 (with mods) thing and you are in for serious sound. The Mark Levinson (Daniel Hertz is his new complany) direct digital integrated amp (Maria 50...$10K) is probably even better. He has written software that improves the sound of any digital source......and according to Steve Huff....it’s the real deal....He likes the Maria amp better than any Class A or other Class D amps he has EVER heard. .please check out these links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ2fDLh1NX8

http://tweakaudio.com/EVS-2/Digital_amp_mods.html

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/peachtree-gan-1-beta

https://danielhertz.com/collections/amplifiers/products/maria-50

and for bi-amping and or making your own speakers.......well, this is incredible:

http://tweakaudio.com/EVS-2/DIY_Bi-amped_super_speaker.html

I think that Levinson will license this technology so other companies can join in the fun.........come on Ralph.....you know you want to try it!  NO FEEDBACK.....no analog amplifier circuits....no tubes....no preamps.... no analog cables....this is way cool!

The only thing that is real is what is experienced. Many have experienced the "latest and sonically best" class D as equal to or even better than class A. Check out the latest from Steve Huff, for instance. He thinks the pure digital class D integrated amp from Mark Levinson (Daniel Hertz company) is better than any class A he has ever heard. The Daniel Hertz amp is similar to Technics and Lyngdorf and Peachtree GaN1.....pure digital input, no analog stages, no feedback. Levinson has proprietary software that enhances all digital sources (so he says).

If you have not even heard the latest analog class D amp.....like my modded units....like Ralph’s amps.....like the latest version 3 AGD units, etc.....then how you can know what class D sounds like? Your opinion, for it to mean something, has to be based on direct knowledge.....(actual A/Bs in your system).....for it to be worthwhile. Otherwise it is just ego BS.

IF you want to be taken seriously.....you need to talk from direct knowledge of what is happening RIGHT NOW with the latest gear.....not what you heard before.

I "think" that pure digital input class D will take over the market. The modded Peachtree GaN1 ($1800 including mods) sounds really great and some people think the STOCK Peachtree is as good as their $12K+ stack....if not better.....stack meaning DAC plus preamp plus amp. What is so cool about these inexpensive pure digital amps is that you can use two of them and make your own bi-amped system like described on my website......so for around $6K you have the crossover, two amps....all the drivers, wires and baffle.....fully equalized, fully open baffle, planar mids and highs, no normal xover, no binding posts, no DAC, no Preamp, no normal amp...no analog interconnects,,,easy to build. What this would give you is incredible sound.....basically untouchable for the money.......two 12 inch woofers on the bottom flat to below 30hz.......OMG!!! Who will be the first to try this? I will help you do it.

There are more and more powered speakers with built in class d amps (including direct digital class d) coming out all the time. We have only just begun......class D will keep getting better and better.....and pure digital class D makes the most sense to me (less is more). I think a modded Gan1 ($1800) would keep up with the latest $3K DAC plus latest $3K preamp plus Ralphs amps ($5400) plus two interconnects ($500).....or basically $12K total. Now compare that 12K system (WITHOUT speakers and speaker wires).....to the $6K total system mentioned above that INCLUDES super seriously tweaky speakers........no contest.

The ego defends and fights.....that is its game.

Check out the GaN1 thread here on Audiogon for a couple of posts by people who liked the stock and modded GaN1 better than their $12K system. I did not make this up.

So, who do you know that liked their $500 class A/B better than the stock Gan1 by 70%? Do you have a link to their statements/postings? The stock GaN1 can only sound as good as the source and the digital cable and its footers, power cord, line conditioning, etc. Just the digital cable alone makes a world of difference....and of course, the mods take it to another whole level.

"Do you really want to hurt me?......do you really want to make me cry?"

Or.....do you really want to serve me....worship me......and want me to be happy?

You are beautiful, I am beautiful...everyone is beautiful....we are all worthy.  It is now time to stop this "making wrong" game.  Make everyone Right.....just say "YES!"  OMG it feels so good.

What?  A tube manufacturer and dealer comes on to a thread about "What's the FUTURE of class D".....and puts down ALL class d amps without even mentioning what he has heard and specific A/B tests.  Then he tells us all the cool stuff he has and then invites us to come and listen.  He might as well pay for an ad on the side of the thread.  His post has NOTHING to do with the thread and adds nothing to what it is being talked about.  Just an ad.  I have nothing against advertising......but to come on here with clearly an intent to sell and add nothing?  Where is the LOVE?  Do you really care about the future of class D?  Obviously not.  Do you care about people who like class D.....obviously not.  Do you care about making money?  Obviously.  

Can we add to the knowledge and love on the planet?  Or do we just want what we want?  I love Peter and everyone.  AND, I call people on their behavior......we all should.  If not, then the world would be a mess.  We are each others brother AND each others parents....that is right.  I am your daddy.....and you are mine.  If we parent each other with love (only calling the actions bad and not the person)....then we all grow.  No one is bad.....we all forget how beautiful and connected we are and act selfishly....time to time.  Forgive and move on.  Hopefully we don't repeat the "bad" behavior. 

Sunday.....full of the light of God.  Celebrate this and every moment.

This is now just turned into another thread on Class D.....rather than what the future of it is.  The Atma-sphere amp may be the best $5400 class D amp you can buy....or maybe not.  The review has nothing to do with that.  He compares (BY MEMORY) to an older tube Atma-sphere that he reviewed some time ago.  What the heck does that have to do with anything?  Where is his very precise review of these new mono blocks against all the LATEST class D or otherwise,,,,,done directly in his listening room, RIGHT NOW.      NOT there....not there at all.  How does the Atmas-sphere compare to a Benchmark amp, to a VTV high powered Purifi or Orhard with all my mods, or to the AGD amps or to Pass amps or to super tube amps in that price range, etc.?  How are we to know anything about how it really is and compares with anything already available?  All reviews need to be against a known reference in the same system at the same time or it is totally meaningless.  The reviewer does not even mention any other amps nor the amps that he currently owns.  This review is typical of reviews these days.....completely meaningless.  It is if Ralph himself wrote the review.....it is simply ad copy.  I am not saything that is what happened....just that "WHERE IS THE BEEF?"...This review is spam....he he.  High end audio has NO REFERENCE......there is no agreed upon anything.  Nothing like car hot rodding.....you can simply measure car performance on the drag strip.  There is no drag strip in audio.....It is every man for himself.....beating on his chest that he knows something.  Pretty silly, really.  Here I am beating on mine....he he.

What if some magazine got 10 of the reputed best amps all around $5000 and compared them all in several systems over several months and gave you their TOTALLY honest opinion about them......This would never happend as the magazines are all about money.  In fact, Stereophile has banned me from making comments on line after reviews because I would come in and describe how the product just reviewed could be made better....not as a put down.....just as information for the betterment of sound.  They don't want the manufacturer to be shown that.  They want the manufacturer happy, so they keep paying for ads.  Stereophile makes no money on subscriptions....its all about the ads.  Sad, but true.  This is why you have to listen yourself and make your own mind up.  Stop being so outer directed.....YOU KNOW what the truth is.  But, you have to seek it out for yourself.  Magazines will not give you truth....for the most part they are ad copy.  A lot of reviewers do not want to compare to older or different things because they are not getting paid much or very little so they want to keep all avenues open to everyone in case they want to buy something from a manufacturer later on at half price (which is what reviewers usually pay).  Audio is a game.....played by people who are enthusiastic about audio....BUT, are also commited to their own DESIRES (money and saving money and prestige).   

Love does exist.....but it is not generally shown in audio reviews. 

I believe the future of class D is digital amps like the Levinson (Mark Daniel) and Peachtree GaN1, the Technics amps, the Lyngdorf amps, etc.  And bi and tri amping with digital amps is what we will see more and more....for that is the ultimate.

I just looked inside the Technics biggy and I see some things I could do to make it sound noticeably better......not going to do it.  But, there is way more to be gotten than what is avaiable stock now.  I could mod the Atma-sphere amps to sound way better too......You will see....er hear....as time goes on.  Again.....as Karen sang "We have only just begun".  Audio keeps getting better and love grows and grows......Life is great!

The guy reviewed the M-60s in July 21.  Look up the review.....guess what?  In the review of the M-60s he did not even mention any other amp.  So, at least he is consistant....consistantly uninforming.....  He writes very good ad copy.  So, you have no idea how the M60s compared to anything else and then over two years later he tells you the M60s and the GaNs sound the same (from memory).  Gee, that is really enlightening.  Now I know everything there is to know about the possibilities of $6000 amps.....NOT!!!!

What is this mans purpose for reviewing if he is not going to tell you anything worthwhile?  What is the point of ever posting anything anywhere if it is not to actually inform and be of service?

The greatest service I can give you is tell you to go out and listen for yourself because you are NOT going to get any real information from reviews in magazines.  Posts on forums from those that have A/Bed in their own homes are generally more infomative.  Trust yourself.