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Class D amps that are superior to all or most?

Recently, I have heard about some Class D amps that may be close to the best there is regardless of class. Certainly, this technology has been in development for decades. The main issue has always been the switching power supply. In this regard, I have taken notice of AGD. They have created a whole new power supply that “switches” at a frequency 100 times the normal silicon based MOSFET. The designer uses a gallium nitride based PS. Interesting, it is enclosed in the KT88 glass envelope that sits on top of his amps. I am aware of two more pricey amps that seem to be also at the top- the Solution and the Merrill. There must be others that compete for the title. After my thread, “Is there a SS amp that can satisfy a SET guy?”, I am still on the quest.
Don’t want to spend $50K!
mglik
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Good for you Ralph, you need a different income stream direction now, with tubes waning.
invalid
1,186 posts
 
I would think there would be less class a solid state amps, than tube amps. Seems like manufacturers are getting away from class a solid state.
tmcclintock
35 posts
 
Another recommendation for AGD Audions.  They're the best I've heard in my system and bested other Class Ds and a pair of Class A transistor amps.
ricevs
1,543 posts
 
So, what class D amps have you heard and which Class A transistor amp did the AGD better and in what ways?  Thanks.
tweak1
3,658 posts
 
Over the decades, I owned numerous class Ds several from W4S, then Emerald Physics 100.2SEs with custom fuses, then Audio Alchemy DPA -1, PS Audio M700s, and for ~ 1.5 years (long before PS Audio introduced the M1200s), I have owned a EVS 1200. At the time I bought it (30 day trial) I was anticipating getting a LSA Voyager GaN amp to compare. Well, shipping has still been delayed (though now supposedly shipping by the end of this month MSRP $3000; May 2021), much of the delay with CoV, not being able to get parts from china and numerous issues discovered when firing up the earlier mules, so...

It has been reported that several of the available uber expensive GaN amps sound overly warm, which for me is no bueno! How does the Audion stack up, I will likely never know

 What I can say is the Voyager has its work cut out for it as the EVS 1200 stands tall, very tall indeed. Of late there are 3 reviews of the PSA M1200s (MSRP $6000) all extremely positive, and all missing out on EVS’s amazing pixie dust. But ric is no longer making them (or is he?), and the 200/400wpc Voyager has a very attractive MSRP
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