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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
milpai's avatar
milpai
2,412 posts
 

@erik_squires ,

Thanks for sharing your experience. The A21 is a killer amp and punches above it's price point. I believe I will have to put in significantly more money to upgrade this to another Class AB or D.

Making speakers is how I enjoy my hobby

That is the most important (No.1) goal of this hobby and good to know that you are having a great time with it.

gmichaellittle
2 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara  I had the Coda 16 and it was just not a good match with my Spatial X5s.  So its hard to compare the sound.  In my system the Coda 16 never sounded as good as the professional reviews or the testimonials by posters here on Audiogon.  In my system, the PSAudio M1200 monoblocks sound better and give me superlative sound.  The Spatial qualities of these amps is superb.  Their clarity is stunning and given that they are hybrids there is nothing sterile about them. 

yyzsantabarbara
4,917 posts
 

@gmichaellittle that is interesting and a great win for you since you saved money in that exchange. I was about to buy a used M1200 last month but went with the even cheaper Schitt Wotan.

I found that the #16 needs a DAC or other sources that play nice with Class A. A rolled of DAC is a no go for me with the #16.

I have not done head-to-head with the Wotan and the #16 on my cone speaker but have on my Magnepan Mini. The $2k Wotan sounds a lot like the #16, It is a bit warmer than the #16 and it also has tremendous bass response like the #16. I even removed my KEF KC62 sub from my Mini system when using the Wotan since the bass was too much.

I cannot think of any audiophile attribute that the Wotan does not come close or match the #16. The Wotan seems a bit more aggressive than the #16.

If any of you have heard the well-received Schott Aegir v1 amp, the Wotan sounds like a cleaner version of that amp on top, a very energetic sound (not laid back), and huge bass. I like this amp.

erik_squires OP
16,276 posts
 

My experience with ICEPower and Parasound was that they tend to be warm and have lots of bass.

The Coda lacks the warmth but has the bass.  When I last heard the matching preamps I felt they were not a good match and always felt Codas would do better with an amazing tube pre.

ddafoe
256 posts
 

I found that the #16 needs a DAC or other sources that play nice with Class A. A rolled of DAC is a no go for me with the #16.

@yyzsantabarbara, I just purchased a Coda S5.5 which is 50w Class A and find it so clean and revealing compared to my two previous amps (Pass XA30.8 and AtmaSphere Class D) that my Weiss DAC might not be the greatest fit and a slightly warmer DAC might be better.   I actually find the Coda closer to the Benchmark AHB2's presentation in terms of 'hearing into' the recording, but does keep some of the Class A imaging and 3d depth with a little texture that I expected from the Pass Class A sound I'm used to.

As to Eric's point, I don't find the Coda warm either, at least when compared to the Pass and Class D AtmaSphere.   I also owned a PS Audio amp based on ICEpower back many years ago and that sound did make me think of my PrimaLuna integrated, warm and cozy sounding, but with lots of dynamic slam.

 

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