Class D is just Dandy!

Erik,
Great informative post, with accurate descriptions of the objective differences of the sound of Class D vs. other fine amps.   You nailed it.  Class D amps do not presently have the euphonic sound of the best Class A solid state or tube amps, but I think they are exceeding accurate, so one must pick their poison, so to speak.  I dig "green" gear that needs minute amounts of electricity to make my speakers sing and doesn't heat up my listening room in the blistering hot CA summers which was always the curse of my many tube amps, running a half dozen KT88's hard.  To my ears, a tube preamp and solid state amp, including Class D amps, is a match made in audio heaven.  Cheers.     

Gents,
I had a pal construct a Class D amp in a nice wood cabinet that set me back the princely sum for $125.  It won a blind comparison against a pricey Class A ss amp at a gathering of the Bay Area Audio Society.  I initially felt the sound of the amp was rather dry sounding compared to my tube amps, but upon further listening, I conclude that it has a very neutral sonic signature.  However, this 125 wpc amp, paired with a Don Sachs 6SN7-based tube preamp, is a wonderful combination.  It drives my Dali Zensor 3 speakers with ease with great detail and extension.

I believe Class D amps are clearly the wave of the future.  They run so cool and efficiently and the new wave of designs I suspect will be able to mimic attributes of the sound of tube gear that so many of us like.  

Erik,
What a most informative thread you have going here!   Thanks to the fellows above who share their take on the progression of the design of amplifiers.  I won't be parting with my delightful Dennis Had Inspire EL84 SET anytime soon, but this Class D amplification has come of age and will only get better in the future.  

Several of the Class D amps mentioned above are uber-expensive and clearly out of my budget, but likely not for others.   This technology will emerge in more modestly-priced gear in time, such as with the Wyred4Sound gear that can be had for a song.  BTW, a pal sent me a note recently telling me that he had acquired a pair of Nu-Force mono's and they bested his high-end Pass Labs amp by a fair margin.  

I read elsewhere that RF interference can be a problem with these amps, as well as the need for power conditioners and better power cords, so this may be an issue to be aware of.  Cheers, Mark