2. amps-preamps
  3. 167595-11588

Class D amps seem poised to take over. Then what?

I am certainly biased by my lifetime final amp being a Class D. But I know that after 30+ years of development, Class D seems to be on a high plain. I know there are now many, many companies focusing on Class D and, maybe, a good handful already as good as it gets. My Class D amp is as smooth and beautifully musical as a great tube amp and as punchy and detailed as a great SS amp. I am satisfied and done with my search. A class D amp has effectively taken me off the amp merry-go-round. It’s about time after 50 years. And, for me, this Class D is a milestone. Will all other classes of amps fade away?
mglik

Showing 3 responses by mrmeaner

mrmeaner
44 posts
 
I prefer the mighty 30w per channel of my pure Class-A, that might sound comical but 30w in class a packs a punch and a divine sound that is hard to better. 
mrmeaner
44 posts
 
I’ll just drop this stereophile.com review here. 

I wish I could show you a picture of the old Carr Street Sugden Factory in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, UK—or let you feel how warm the heatsinks were on the Sugden A21 SE pure class-A integrated amplifier ($3250) that powered the DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93 loudspeakers ($8400) in the room John DeVore shared with Sugden’s importer, Jonathan Halpern of Tone Imports. (The original A21 was the world's first production pure class-A transistor amplifier!) 

Trust me folks, class-D is like fake cocaine compared to the rolling, relaxed, shroom-like beauty of the Sugden A21 SE’s midrange. It was the end of the day: John and Jonathan knew I was revved up but that I’d relax when they played one of my all-time favorite songs, “Raining in My Heart,” by Slim Harpo. Slim’s harmonica was oozing Crayola colors while his words put darkness in my chest. I loved it—and I started to chill—but just a little. I needed more records and sweet sounds.


mrmeaner
44 posts
 
Tweak1, I mentioned just Sugden for some good reasons, firstly they made the world’s first pure class-A transistor amplifier, they are regarded as the benchmark for class A, and seeing as I own one and it’s my last amplifier I’ll buy. 
More to discover