Sorry bluesy41,
My experience does not match yours at all.
I've heard many Class A which I liked less than the Parasound A/B amps, and those are the equal of the Class Ds I have now. I think the idea that all Class A is better than all class D is nonsense.
Best,
E |
@sfseay -
I owned Mark Levington, Krell and ARC and their class D amps did not move me the way class A tube amps does. In fairness it could have more to do with it being solid state vs my preference tubes, however the best amp I ever heard was the Ayre MXR 20. So yes an ignorant statement on my part in saying all. I will clarify and say the class D amps I have heard didn’t sound as musical.
Cheers |
class D is not as musical as a class A amps.
You have not heard a good one with a pair of Ohm Walsh speakers perhaps? |
@bluesy41 - since you haven’t heard all Class D amps I wonder how you can make a blanket statement. If your $12K Class D amp was the Esoteric I-03 and you didn’t think it was musical then I wonder what “musical” is? I own the Esoteric I-03 and the Mark Levinson No. 585 and I they both sound fantastic to me.
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I love all the comments but their is really no comparison, class D is not as musical as a class A amps. Not saying that anyone shouldn’t love their class D amps but let’s not fool ourselves into believing they’re on par with a good class A amp. Like I said earlier I paid 12k for a very reputable manufacturers class D amp and it made me want to trash the rest of my system and speakers. It drove me crazy for over a year and then I finally ended up buying a class A amp and now I can’t stop listening to music. It’s like I have my very own personal concert every night.
Cheers |
OR.....Ayre monoblocks for totally different reasons.
The CJ8's are juicy as hell. The Ayre warm to dark. |
I just wanted to say I have been pure Class D for about 3 years and I have never, not once thought to myself "I'm listening to a switching amplifier."
Now, are there things I want differently? Sometimes. Can I attribute that to Class D. Nope, not at all.
Before this I was using a pair of Parasound linear amps to power my main speakers. I've never looked back nor gone "wow, I can really hear the slow switching speed distortion."
Now, if I had tons of cash and space, I'd probably have a pair of CJ Premiere 8s (mono right?). Wow, what amazing amps. But that's because they are just amazing amps, not because I need to get off Class D.
Best,
E |
Agreed it might have been better to be able to tailor the eq manually instead of just having the option to change preset curves from neutral.
However so far in my room to my ears I am liking it.
I performed a 12 point calibration initially and now I cannot bear to listen to it without the roomperfect running as i have way too much bass colouration.
Additionally the built in dac suits my needs well, all I would wish for is a little more power but it seems you truly cannot have everything...lol |
@uberwaltz - I would have liked to tone down the midrange a little from what RoomPerfect picked, but you can’t make manual adjustments unlike the Classe. It just didn’t work for me in my room. |
Could not leave it 666 posts!
sfseay...
Just curious how you came to rank the Lyngdorf last?
For my needs the room correction may be a winner.
Thank you |
@uberwaltzi used the Classe for all my video sources and my DAC. It worked very well. If I wouldn’t have tried the Esoteric I could have lived with the Classe for a long time. I didn’t use the internal DAC or streaming capability though.
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@sfseay.
I am looking at the classe 2200I right now considering a purchase.
How did you find its performance on digital sources? Very interested in your thoughts on this
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I have tried a several Class D amps over the past 18 months. I have owned a PS Audio HCA-2, Classe Sigma 2200i, Lyngdorf TDAI 2170, and now have an Esoteric I-03 integrated.
My ranking in in order of preference is:
Esoteric I-03
Classe Sigma 2200i
PS Audio HCA-2
Lyngdorf TDAI-2170
I can’t imagine ever imagine getting rid of the Esoteric! Wonderful imaging, dead silent, and tons of power. This 68 pound tank blew me away compared to the other three Class D amps I’ve owned, or any of the other amplifiers I have auditioned/owned for that matter.
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tweakjunky
I struggle to understand why this tech isn’t more prevalent today. Because mainstream semiconductor manufacturers like Motorola, Hitachi, Sanken ect, haven’t tooled up for it yet, probably because the inventors of the GaN devices EPC (a small company in comparison) I would say have a provisional patent on it, who were if you dig deeper from what I’ve found maybe also the inventors of the Power Mosfet transistor as well way back. And are now maybe waiting for the best offers from the big boys above. Till then they are probably happily supplying in small numbers to Technics for their SE-R1 poweramps. tweakjunky
Am curious to open my amps and check the components but given the heatsinks present I suspect it’s not based on GaN tech.
Only the $20k Technics SE-R1 has them so far, and you need connections to get one. PS: Just dug up the link to EPC being the co-inventors of the HEXFET power MOSFET back in the day. https://epc-co.com/epc/AboutEPC/Team.aspxCheers George |
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10 years ago class D had already been around for a while, but back then they weren't bringing home the bacon against the prior art. But it was obvious even ten years ago that it was a rising star.
In the last few years though its become a technology to be taken seriously. So about a year ago we began working on our own design.
Despite this, I can't call it a mature technology, a since price/performance curves define what is mature, and the technology is still improving at a rapid rate.
The major problem, as George points out, is the switching speed, but in recent years that is a problem that is fading. Part of the issue of switching speed has to do with the introduction of dead time, which makes distortion. But there have been a lot of advances in relatively cheap semiconductors recently, and the result has been that for a given switching speed, there is less dead time required because the newer devices are so much faster.
This means also that higher switching speeds are showing up.
Somewhere in this, a threshold is being crossed. We see this with the many responses on this thread. Class D, while like any other technology that has its better and worse executions, has arrived.
Its my opinion that any amp manufacturer that ignores the implications of class D is doing so at their own peril.
Looks like our first patent in the field will be filed soon...
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@georgehifi
And no one is more invested in making sure they know you don't like Class D than you are.
Best,
Erik
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Greetings One and All So i fell across and have enjoyed reading this thread from page 1 - quite the hike. As an entry level audiophile with a passion for both stereo and home cinema and given the title of the thread I thought i'd chime in. Very much an enthusiast I have some basic understanding, have tweaked existing hardware replacing crossover components etc but do not pretend to understand some of the more advanced electronics principles involved in this discussion. I currently have a combination of class A/B and class D both in my car and home and have a mix of passive and active filters. I don't expect to convince people looking for high end as up to now I have no experience in this domain but it is clear to me that class D amps are capable of some very serious sound and at specific price points can better other alternatives, this I believe is the common denominator for anyone interested in quality audio and the reason for my post. I stumbled across and am very very pleased with my latest class D amp which happens to find itself inside a pair of floorstanders, admittedly a bit of an exception from most of this thread. I can highly recommend people investigate the Nubert active range, I'm currently running the Nu-Pro A-700 This is a fully digital class D implementation, so is digital up to the output stage, no DAC but a high end ADC for line in, it has the advantages of 3 way drivers with one amp per driver ( 2 x 90w mid and tweeter, 1 x 300W for the 2 woofers) phase correction and group delay as well as frequency response are managed by the onboard DSP. There is a lot of technology at work here and I continue to be surprised by these speakers every time I listen. I took the risk of purchasing without listening base on reviews translated from a variety of German audio sites, one of which suggests there is currently no better active speaker under 10k€, class D or otherwise. at 2500 euros the pair they are worth looking into and there are other less expensive models built on the same principles. Here's one of the reviews that show some of the guts: http://mein-heimkinotest.de/standbox-revolution-fuer-2500e-paarpreis-die-nubert-nupro-a700/(seems the link for the translated version gets cut short) Thanks all for the very informative thread :) Cheers Phil |
Wake up and smell the roses sunshine, Class-D is not as Dandy as you try to make out it is YET. I can quote many more just as esteemed as Nelson Pass if you like.
In the future with higher switching frequencies that look to be promised by the semiconductor tech-heads, it very well maybe the amp of choice, then our heavy, gas guzzling linear amps will become door stops or boat anchors.
Class-D today certainly has it's niche in audio, but it can't mix it with the real top of hiend yet.
Cheers George |
The esteemed Mr. Pass has done so much for the DIY and audiophile community that I absolutely loathe to criticize him or his works in an open forum, especially since he is not the one participating, george is.
Instead, I will only say that you should spend money to satisfy yourself, not anyone else, including me. Listen for yourself. Buy what pleases you for whatever reasons they may be.
I go to bed tonight able to rest because I know every 4th or 5th message in this thread @georgehifi will be raining on our parade, like warm spring showers on a cloudless day.
Best,
Erik
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I would not mind auditioning a Primare I32 just to evaluate how far it has evolved from the I22 model.
Happy Listening!
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Seems like there's a great deal of very positive buzz (no pun intended) about the Bel Canto REF600M's, and at 5K/pr they're not in the stratosphere. I wonder how they would sound against a 5K Pass design. |
@slbenz
Welcome to the believers!
I think the Nuforce and now the Nuprime were/are very underrated class D amps and I have absolutely no intention of looking for a replacement for the ht rig anytime soon.
We cannot even get past 50 on the volume without it being literally too much to bear for long. And that I mean in a good way, not that the sq has degraded but just it is more than our ears and room can handle or need to handle.
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Uberwaltz, I would have to agree with you. I think we have the same Nuforce amp and I used to have the same Emotiva amps. The Nuforce sounds more like live music than the Emotiva amps ever did. The Nuforce even sounds more live than my Marsh A200 amp or Rotel Class D amp. That little Nuforce amp is small and unassuming but when turned on, it is amazing. |
Nelson Pass's statement on Class-D in an interview yesterday. "JS: There has been an explosion in high-end Class D amps in recent years. Some companies now market some fairly sophisticated – and expensive – Class D models. Pass currently manufactures Class A and AB lines only. What are your thoughts on Class D?
NP: Personally I think it’s a miracle that they work at all, but then I think that about my phone, too. I have great respect for people who can make Class D amplifiers sound pretty good, and for delivering low cost, high power, and efficiency. They have earned their place in the industry. That said, I am not tempted to go in that direction." https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2018/02/21/an-interview-with-hifi-legend-nelson-pass/
Cheers George
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@mdeblanc I bought the basic cherry amp. I just updated my system info today w/pics etc. Had a couple blokes over yesterday for a 2 hour jam, the prior prez of the Boise Audio Club (who also has his eye on PMC) + the bloke who intro'd me to Cherry when he brought his over a month back. Thumbs up all around from them. The rig is singing.
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Tim,
Thanks for your thoughts on my post. Your observations on switch-mode vs linear power supplies were especially interesting. I know that, historically, switch-mode supplies were often prone to generating high frequency noise. With that knowledge in the back of my mind, I always attributed at least some of the fatiguing sound of earlier Class D amps to that aspect of the design. Call it a hunch. :) Perhaps more recent designs have resolved this issue. It would be enlightening to hear the same amp with both types of power supplies, but that obviously is not logistically very easy. I think I'll be connecting with the very pleasant & helpful folks at Rogue to ask them if they had ever used a switch-mode power supply in the Sphinx (or its bigger brother, the Pharaoh) during the design process and why they ended up with a linear supply...
As far as the tube preamp section goes, I think that its positive affect on the overall sound is pretty much indisputable. I also have tube rolled with my Sphinx and it has significantly changed the character of the sound. The JJ 12AU7 stock tubes supplied by Rogue were more than adequate. However, I finally ended up with a pair of Psvane tubes. They provide quite a bit more "air", as well as much more holographic "fleshed out" images. Gotta love it.
Cheers - Michael
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@scott_w
I have a pair of Cherry Amp 60V King Marischinos. Prior to, I auditioned Merrill Audio's Taranis; I ordered the Cherries afterwards. I was impressed with both. Both needed about 4 hrs of music before sounding good. Honestly I find all stereo gear need varying amounts of time to break-in. Which model did you get and what are your impressions?
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Hi riskymichael,
I've never had the pleasure of listening to the Rogue Sphinx integrated amp but find it very interesting because of its combination of a tube preamp section with a class D amplifier section.that uses a traditional toroidal power supply rather than a smps (switch mode power supply) like typical class D amps.
As many class D amp users, including myself, have already stated earlier on this thread, the combination of tube preamps with class D amps has resulted in exceptionally good system performance with a broad range of both tube preamps and D amps. I can attest to very good results pairing a VTL 2.5L (the standard Chinese tubes being rolled to a set of NOS Mullard tubes) with my first class D amp, a Class D Audio SDS-440-CS that was my main amp for a few years and also has a toroidal power supply.
Obviously, Rogue is well aware of this synergy of tube preamps with class D amps and it's likely a major reason why your Sphinx sounds so good.
The subject of whether there's a performance benefit to using the more traditional toroidal power supplies rather than the newer switching ones in class D amps is less clear. I now use 3 class D amps in my combo 2-ch and ht system, 2 stereo amps with toroidal power supplies and a pair of mono-blocks with the newer switch mode power supplies. I notice all have the usual class D attributes of very low background noise, low distortion, high detail levels from top to bottom, very good dynamics and being very accurate and neutral overall.
The mono-blocks are more expensive,use different class D power modules and are much more powerful than both stereo amps. I do notice the monos are even more detailed, even smoother and more life-like in the mid-range/treble and portray a more solid and stable soundstage illusion which I attribute mainly to the different class D power modules. I also notice the monos have more powerful dynamics, especially on better 24/96Khz files recorded direct to digital, which I mainly attribute to the significant increase in power and perhaps the power modules and smps, too.
However, I'm unwilling and unable to claim whether the difference in power modules or power supplies are responsible for the clear improvement in dynamic range of my mono-blocks.
Without comparing otherwise identical versions of our amps, one version with a toroidal and the other with a switch mode power supply, I don't think we can determine which performs best. But even this comparison would not address the relative degree that the power modules and power supplies affect amp performance.
The only things I can state with certainty is that my smps monos are more efficient and run cooler than my toroidal stereo amps.
Tim
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I'll second tsugury's recommendation of the Rogue Sphinx. I've had one in my system for a couple of years now and continue to be impressed with its performance, especially considering its very modest cost. I hesitated considering this amp, as I've previously found Class D amps to be somewhat sterile sounding and fatiguing over time. Not Rogue amps. I believe that this can be attributed somewhat to modern Class D modules, but also to Rogue's tube preamp section and their use of a beefy linear power supply. Quite musical and dynamic! |
I’d take good class D over most class a/b amps in a heartbeat. Class. d uses modern switching technology to compete effectively with good class A but can deliver more sound per $$$ when needed due to its efficiencies and is more practical for most especially when lots of power and current are called for as is often the case with modern smaller less efficient speakers with greater bass extension.. Its that good now and still getting even better as the technology continues to improve.
Class a/b is old compromise technology. Class D may put it to rest totally someday. I had a class G amp once. Yuck. Class D stomps that. Class A is a different story as are tube amps which still provide a truly different way to deliver distinctive results. |
"
This is all great discussion but doesn’t it come down to your ears, budget and preference for the love of music."
Yes, bluesy41, it does all come down to what equipment enables one to most enjoy reproduced music in their rooms based on their ears and budget.
I think it's generally known and accepted that great sounding systems can be assembled using tube, class A and the best class AB amps. But these amps are not only very expensive they are also very large, heavy, electrically inefficient and emit a lot of wasted energy in the form of heat. However, nobody can accurately claim that they don't sound very good.
An underlying theme of this thread has been the revolutionary and egalitarian nature of good class D amps. More Individuals are now able to attain 'hi-end' sound quality at an affordable price. The fact that these amps are relatively small, lightweight, electrically very efficient and emit little heat are all just additional benefits to the very good sound quality
In the not very distant past when good class D amps didn't yet exist, those not able to afford the steep price of the best amps were limited to finding an affordable class AB amp they liked. It still comes down to your ears and budget, class D has just expanded everyone's options.
Tim |
@georgehifi
Yes I’ve been using the 4ohm tap and it sounds glorious.
Cheers |
I'm using Devialet (Class A/D Hybrid) after many years of Krell, Pass Labs, BAT, Mark Levinson and McIntosh ownership, and I have no plans to go back to using legacy (Class A/B) amplifiers. The size, weight, efficiency, aesthetics and sound of the new technology is awesome. |
Very understandable, as your Maggie 2.7's like most Maggie's has a very benign 4ohm load that doesn't need that much current, just watts.
You should use the 4ohm tap for best control, penalty is you'll loose wattage compared to the 8ohm tap.
Cheers George
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@georgehifi I have the PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium HP x2 (monoblock) 96wpc in stereo and 190wpc mono driving 20.7's. using 16 KT150 total. Glorious sound with plenty of head room. cheers |
Hi scott_w,
Congrats on your soon to arrive DAC amp. You're fortunate you were able to audition 2 different class D amps in your system before you purchased. Typically, you’re required to purchase the amp and then audition it during an in-home trial period. But I suspect companies have a very low % of amps returned through these programs.
You named 2 of the 3 main common sonic qualities I’ve experienced with good class d amps: a very neutral flavoring and effortless dynamics. The other main sonic quality that is typically clearly evident in good examples of class D amps is how quiet they are. Music seems to emerge from a dead silent background that seems to enhance the musical impact and details perceived.
Welcome to the Great Sounding Green Amps Club.
Please post back with your impressions once you’re able to audition for awhile.
Tim |
I just ordered a Cherry amp, from digital amplifier company, arrives in 3 days. My local buddy brought his over for a jam. Another buddy loaned me NCore / hypex 400 monos AND Rowland 525 monos, all in the last month. Lotsa Class D for me lately on audition. Anyhoo, the modern Class D coming out now are amazing. Lightweight, barely uses juice, runs cool, all that. But the sound! Neutral, effortless dynamics due to the huge power. If you've not heard a higher end D amp in a rig, go try to. Anyhoo II, I'll post my Cherry thoughts soon I reckon, later this month. I'm sure y'all on edge of seat in anticipations. |
Bel Canto Design REF600M was the Absolute Sound co-amp of the year and second place Stereophile for amp of the year, behind the $99K Boulder. The Bel Canto Black EX amp is even better. |
But again that’s preference. I was mislead by dealer and the internet that led me to believe that Maggie’s required brut power it wasn’t until I decided to let my ears be the judge and bought a class A amp that puts out a whopping 95wpc. I’m not saying class D is bad I’m just saying that for my system and listening preference I went class A.
What was this 95w linear Class-A amp?? Cheers George |
This is all great discussion but doesn’t it come down to your ears, budget and preference for the love of music. Budget and listening preference will ultimately be the deciding factor. Yes, oh my Goddess, it’s like we are twins... If person A has a budget of 50 - 60k he’s not looking at Class D period in of story. Oh, wait, what????? I disagree. Just because I have x amount of dollars doesn’t mean I’m going to spend it. My goal is not to spend $x, it’s to spend as little of $x as I can and be happy with it. If I’m happy with $x/10 then that’s all I will spend. To do this however you have to give up the notion that price is any sort of arbiter of performance. I no longer believe this is the case. If you feel that the market value expresses your desire, then make yourself happy. :) Best, E |
This is all great discussion but doesn’t it come down to your ears, budget and preference for the love of music. Budget and listening preference will ultimately be the deciding factor. If person A has a budget of 50 - 60k he’s not looking at Class D period in of story. I went down the class D route a few years ago when I first purchased my Maggie’s and told I needed a amp with at least 300wpc. So I ended up buying an Audio Research DS450M monoblock amp that put out 600wpc into 4ohm load. At the time for 12k and looked like a pretty good way to go, but after a few years of trying to recreate the sound that made me fall in love with the Maggie’s I knew the amp was my problem. Could it play loud an emphatic- yes, did my Maggie’s produce an audible sound - yes, was it musical to my ears, I would say no. But again that’s preference. I was mislead by dealer and the internet that led me to believe that Maggie’s required brut power it wasn’t until I decided to let my ears be the judge and bought a class A amp that puts out a whopping 95wpc. I’m not saying class D is bad I’m just saying that for my system and listening preference I went class A. |
Anyone experience IQ Audio M300 monoblocks? |
Mapman,
Your last post was an excellent summary of the current state and future possibilities of class D amps. I agree with all of it.
"
I don't know why people have to defend or overly praise Class D compared to other amplifier topologies when the end result is if you like it then keep listening."
Hi sfseay,
While I generally agree with you, I think many readers of these class D threads are considering trying one of these amps for the first time and base their decisions largely on the impressions of people like us who already have experience using them in our systems.
I know I was reading class D threads for this purpose when I first began considering trying a class D amp about 5 years ago.
But that was an earlier time in class D's evolution and, as I recall, there was a more even balance between praisers and detractors at that time. If I'm not mistake, I believe mapman was one of the early adopters praising class D but there were also many claiming class D would never be a good choice for anything other than a sub amp.
I finally just decided to try one and decide for myself how the current good examples of this technology performed in my stem. I thought it'd be more useful to start developing my own experience with class D amps than to rely on others' impressions. I was thinking just as you stated: If I liked it then I'd keep listening.
Perhaps what you consider irritating and excessive praising of class D is just considered useful positive feedback to some still considering whether to try one of these amps in their systems.
Tim
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"I don't know why people have to defend or overly praise Class D compared to other amplifier topologies when the end result is if you like it then keep listening. - @sfseay
Those defenses, explainations, and informed opinions are what helped motivate me to explore and eventually buy a class D. We don't all come to the forums from the same level of expertise or knowledge. @2channel8 - Class D vary wildly in quality. To paint with a broad brush and heap praise on Class D amps is silly. There are plenty of bad Class D amps, but you seem to put all of them in the same category."
I have broad experience with several different Class D amps, and I listed the specific Class D amps I have owned and used. Having said that, I wouldn't lump them all together as quality amplifiers.
What Class D amp are you currently using? |
"I don't know why people have to defend or overly praise Class D compared to other amplifier topologies when the end result is if you like it then keep listening." - @sfseay
Those defenses, explainations, and informed opinions are what helped motivate me to explore and eventually buy a class D. We don't all come to the forums from the same level of expertise or knowledge. |
Noble, thanks for that well thought out clarification.
My ears tell me the latest and greatest Class D sounds great, absolute top notch sounding when done right, top to bottom, can compete and often win with most anything else, at least in its price range.
My technical self tells me that the technology is still not yet fully mature, has not yet peaked, and that it will continue to only get better, at least on paper and in tests. To what extent that matters practically listening to music right now is another question. Just like the old is CD resolution good enough question.
Practically, it has not mattered enough to stop me from being squarely in the Class D camp for several years now, starting with when I acquired the Bel Canto ref1000m amps in my main system several years back and more recently when I gave the BEl Canto c5i a crack in my second system, thereby avoiding taking an experimental plunge into tube amps and the speakers needed to make those sound best.
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"If bias was a disqualifier, these forums would be dead quiet."
Hi mapman,
Good point. I agree that most of us, including myself, have developed biases along our audio journeys.
I view my bias in favor of class D as based on research and personal experience using these amps. But I also realize that, in the end, all of our personal and particular biases are just our opinions.
Rereading the previous 6-8 threads, I think the thread topic took a turn for the worse toward a discussion of bias and prejudice when I posted stating I liked the way erik_squires had characterized those claiming the switching frequencies used in most class D amps as being too low. This is erik's comment:
" It is the notion that Class D switching speeds are the cause, and that someday they'll be fixed that irritates me. It's a type of prejudice not born in evidence. It's the equivalent of "all feedback is bad" sales pitch for some amplifier designs."
I then posted my response below:
""Hi Erik,
'A type of prejudice not born in evidence' is a very accurate and succinct way of describing how some class D detractors have a knee-jerk response, whenever class D is mentioned, of proclaiming a completely unproven theory that current class D switching frequencies are too low and negatively affect frequencies in the audible range."
I thought that would be the end of discussions about bias and prejudice. However, cleeds than posted the following post responding to my post:
"
It's interesting how some defenders of Class D amps go to such lengths to classify the critics of these amplifiers as a minority, yet then go on to claim that the critics are prejudiced. Hmmm ... "
I found the point of cleeds statement above to be undecipherable and responded with a post asking him to clarify. In retrospect, I think I made a mistake posting my response since you responded to my post before cleeds responded to clarify.
, I think your response of: "
If bias was a disqualifier, these forums would be dead quiet. " was completely appropriate and accurate since my response standing alone, without a response from cleeds clarifying his point, just seems like me ranting about class D detractors' biases.
I regret having to write this difficult post but I think it was important to clarify the sequence of responses to explain to readers of this thread that it was not my intent to turn the discussion toward the subject of biases and prejudice. My original intent was to complement erik_squires on his post, that succinctly and accurately described the efforts of a few class D detractors to claim switching frequencies are too low, when he stated "
It is the notion that Class D switching speeds are the cause, and that someday they’ll be fixed that irritates me. It’s a type of prejudice not born in evidence." Subsequently, it was my intent to have cleeds clarify the point of his post, which I hope he will still do soon.
I hope this post clarifies things for all.
In conclusion, I just want to state that, although I currently use class D amps and have admittedly developed a favorable bias toward or opinion of them, I don't think they're right for everyone and I know that others have developed a favorable bias toward or opinion of other amplifier types. I think that's just the way it should be.
Sorry about the confusion,
Tim
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Perhaps the ideas of Bruno Putzey hold some weight, as without his inventions and Hypex Ncore product, Class D amps might not yet have been in hifi amps. Here are his thoughts on Class D vs A and AB in an interview with Sound & Vision last year. S&V: Generally speaking, what are the key benefits of Class D versus the traditional Class AB and Class A designs that have long been favored by audiophiles? BP: Efficiency and therefore the ability to construct amps that are powerful for their size. Only that. Modern Class D amps, in particular mine—ahem—sound good not because they’re Class D, but in spite of it. I can’t repeat that often enough. Left to its own devices, a switching power stage tries to do just about anything except amplify audio. You choose Class D to save energy but it’s all elbow grease after that. People don’t realize how much more challenging Class D is compared to Class AB. It’s truly an order of magnitude. Read more at https://www.soundandvision.com/content/bruno-putzeys-head-class-d#Rp4w1mKbWublPse8.99 |
