Some 30 years ago bought my first Class A power amp (42W pure Class A). 7-8 years later, out of sheer curiosity, I initiated a period of using Class D-based amps, from ICEpower, NuForce and others. I liked the NuForce variants the best. Then about 15 years ago I returned to Class A with a Belles amp (SA-30), and preferred it over the more popular Pass amp variants (Pass amps in general are too polite/polished or even boring sounding to my ears - I just don’t find them to sound natural but too "hifi" somehow).
The Belles Class A amp is the amp I’ve owned for the longest time - within any reasonable amount of money (easily up to $20k) I haven’t heard anything better. That is, until just a few years ago when I replaced the Belles amp with Class A/B amps from a british manufacturer of pro use studio amps, as to my surprise I actually preferred the latter. I’ve never heard amps less "intrusive" and more balanced sounding, with an equally and naturally analogue, tonally accurate and resolved sound than these. To boot: they’re very powerful.
What’s to make of all this from an amp topology perspective, I can’t say. I’d love to try out Class D again at some point and see where it’s gotten so far, but having now found the Class A/B amps referred to earlier I’m not in any hurry nor the least inclined as is to seek out something new here. When/if I do get to that point however, Class D will get its chance - yet again.