2. amps-preamps
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Class D amplifiers. What's the future look like?

I have a number of amplifiers: Luxman C900U, Bryston 4BSST2, Audio Research VSI 60 Integrated, NAD C298 and some other less noteworthy units. As I swap them in and out of my main system, I've come to the conclusion my very modest NAD C298 is about all I really need. Granted if I had extremely hard to drive speakers, I might be better with the Bryston or Luxman, but driving my Harbeth 40.2 speakers, the NAD is just fine. 

I thought a while ago that class D would quickly overtake amplifier design type mainly due to profit margin which I think would be much greater than A/B and tube. I'm not saying the other design styles would go away, just that D would be the most common style. 

Clearly my prediction is not panning out, at least in the mid and high-end audio world and I'm wondering why? It seems companies such as Bryston, Luxman, McIntosh, Hegel and so many others are sticking by A/B. I'm no "golden ears" guy, but is the perceived sound issue(weather real or imaginary) still holding D back? Maybe my assumption of profit margin is not correct? Maybe the amplifier manufacturers are experimenting with D, but keeping tight lipped until release? Perhaps brand loyalists don't want change similar to what happened with "new coke". What else am I missing?

 

128x12861falcon

Showing 2 responses by tonnesen

tonnesen
137 posts
 

@deep_333 

Those quotes have little value with out a date.  In my opinion any criticism is welcome, but it would be more helpful if it were based on listening to actual, specific components, not a google search.   And did you have to make fun of the Special Olympics and athletes with disabilities as a way to criticize class D?  Not cool.   Many of those athletes are more more fit and better athletes than 99% of the general population. 

tonnesen
137 posts
 

I’ve been wanting to try Class D amps for a very long time - for energy efficiency and heat management (I don’t have AC). I put it off for years because I was concerned about some of the criticisms. I was convinced after Ralph said his Class D was as good as his tube amps, and also after reading some of the AGD reviews and reading about Alberto’s history.

 

I just got the new AGD Duet monoblocks - I went with AGD because I wanted the extra power, 300 watts at 4 ohms, and because of the possibility of upgrades as the technology improves. I’m still breaking them in but they already sound great. My other SS amps are the Pass INT-25 and the Boulder 866. I’m in the process of putting together my "retirement" system and I’ve made a LOT of recent changes, so I don’t want to try to compare the AGD Duets to the Boulder 866 yet, but my initial impression is that, in my system, the AGD Duets are certainly as good as and possibly better in some aspects. I’m using the Playback Designs MPS-8 CDP/DAC with balanced interconnects connected to the Duets and using the PBD volume control, driving YG Hailey 2.2 speakers.

At some point I’ll put the Boulder 866 back in for a comparison, but my plan is to keep using the AGD Duets with the YG speakers and moved the Boulder to a second system. Alberto has been great to work with and I highly recommend checking out his web page that has info on his designs and his test results.

At some point I also want to try Ralph’s Class D amps, and it would be fun to compare them to the AGD. If anyone in the Denver/Boulder area has the Atma-sphere amps, I’d be willing to get together to compare them. I’m glad I waited this long, but I do think now is a great time to try the AGD and Atma-sphere Class D amps.

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