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Class D is just Dandy!

I thought it was time we had a pro- Class D thread. There's plenty of threads about comparisons, or detractors of Class D.

That's fine, you don't have to like Class D amps, and if you don't please go participate on one of those threads.

For those of us who are very happy and excited about having musical, capable amps that we can afford to keep on 24/7 and don't require large spaces to put them in, this thread is for you.

Please share your experiences with class D amps!
erik_squires

Showing 6 responses by ricevs

ricevs
1,543 posts
 
GaN transisitors don’t cost any more than mosfets. People are charging more for GaN amps because it is the latest buzzword and they are first out so they gouge you. The EPC GaN fet recommended by EPC for audio use costs $1.05 each at 100 quantity. Hardly expensive. At the most 4 per channel....so that is $9.

GaN amps will be available from China for a few hundred dollars.....I have no doubt. However, they have to design the circuit from the ground up.....so will take a little while to come. The big manufacturers are slow and conservative (Hypex, IcePower, Pascal, etc.). It takes a sledgehammer to get these guys to try something new and then it takes years for them to develop it. It will be just small companies for awhile with GaN amps.....but hopefully, the big guys will get on board. TI and Infineon, etc. make class D amp chips as well. Maybe they will be first to come out with a GaN version......then you will see things like this:

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/IRS2092S-Mono-Channel-Digital-Amplifier-Class_62169638554.html?spm=a2700.pc_countrysearch.main07.99.3d202a3c3TR7hg

The above is an Infineon class d driver and some IRF mosfets.....cheap enough for you? Maybe the 2092 can drive GaNs? Fun stuff ahead.
ricevs
1,543 posts
 
Check out this review:

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0220/AGD_The_Audion_GaNTube_Monoblocks_Review.htm

He loves them...bought them...replaced his tube amp.

AGD says they are using the IRS20957S PWM driver chip ($2.01@100).....and probably then a pair of $1.05@ GaNs on the output.  You can see most of the circuit inside the tube in the above review.  This means anyone can do this for practically nothing.  Putting the circuit in a tube is just a gimmick.  If they put that board inside the box and it was made in China with all the very same parts it would sell for around $1000 for the pair of mono blocks....no kidding   AGD are using LM4562 op amps ($1.00 each) on the input. There are no expensive parts in this amp.  You can see the very good sounding inexpensive Wima caps and Nichicon caps.  

But we don't want to wait for the Chinese version that sounds as good for $1000......no, let's buy the one with the board in a tube for $7000......heck, we have money to burn.....he he.  You see, fun times for cheap are right around the corner.  Of course, anyone can make an amp similar to this....if someone else here is the US made it and sold it direct....probably $2500 the pair.....still...way less than $7K.
ricevs
1,543 posts
 
Would require more technical ability and energy than I have and my health could be better (I will leave the amp making to the younger guns) .....but mostly I am writing a book that hopefully will make more difference in the happiness of people than a better inexpensive power amp.  I want everyone to be happy!
ricevs
1,543 posts
 
There is no such thing as straight wire with gain.  Every single inch of wire sounds different from every other kind of wire and even the directionality of the wire makes an audible difference.  Every single thing inside a power amp (class A, B, C, D or whatever) changes the sound.  This is why every class D amp sounds different from every other one.  They don't all have no sound or the same sound.  I did 14 mods to the IceEdge modules to make them sound more dynamic, musical, extended and transparent.  There is no end to infinity.  We have not reached any sort of final class D sound orgasm..  If class D sounded perfect with mosfets, then why would we be looking at GaNs?  Nothing is perfect on this plane....all is perfect in spirit......all is suppose to be this way....perfect in its imperfection.....and always we strive for more perfection.....hey, its fun!
ricevs
1,543 posts
 

Class D is not digital and there are no "digital" parts in the amps.  Class D uses chips that are easily attainable and will be around as long as parts used in Class A amps.  Here is the rub......if your class D module breaks then it is usually replaced by another module.  They are designed to last years and years and they are inexpensive enough that they can be replaced relatively cheaply.  However, if you paid $2000 for a class D amp today and one of its modules died 10 years from now would you even have it replaced for $300 or would you rather get the latest $500 amp that sounds even better.....they will get better and better and cheaper and cheaper.  This is, of course, the same with class A/B amps.  Imagine buying a $20,000 class A/B amp today and it goes dead in 10 years.......by then you could probably get a $2000 amp that sounds better.....so just have the old amp fixed and try and sell it to someone.  We are reaching the end of the "You have to pay thousands and thousands of dollars to get great sound game"

Now if you have an amp designed years ago by someone now dead and there are not any schematics for it (for instance Spectron Audio....makers of class D amps from 20 years ago)........then good luck trying to get it fixed.  So, just junk it and buy todays even better sounding class D or class A/B amp for less than what you paid for the Spectron......not really a big deal unless you are really cash tight.

ricevs
1,543 posts
 
What amp is it and what amp did you have before?
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