Let us not forget that class D amp in particular, before break in is complete at about 1000 hours in most cases, may sound anything but sweet and musical, leading to premature short shrifting and dismissal of otherwise excellent components by rushed audiophiles and reviewers alike. G. |
Gvickerschtick, Like amps of all other types, class D amps vary in performance, tembral signature, and price. . . it is difficult to make a broad-stroke statement on how class D sounds any longer. One common trait is that they take a very long time to break in, and before complete break in at about 1000 hours of music making, they can sound rather dry. . . or at least rather odd. Audiophiles who seek a modicum of tube bloom have successfully paired class D amps with tube linestages and front ends. As I prefer a more neutrally approach to musical sound, I have recently gone completely SS with a JRDG 312 and a JRDG Capri linestage and couldn't be happier. . . . well, until the next upgrade. . . you understand (grins!)
Seems to me also that like with most other technologies, power cords, ICs, and power conditioning may have a significant effect.
The bottomline answer is that class D can 'sound' in many different ways, including 'sweet', provided the software and the rest of the system make it so. |
Nick778, what is your preferred PC for the Spectron amp. . . and why? Thanks, Guido |
kory, there is a lot of variability in class D, but I'll try to answer never the less. As a group, class D amps seem to be quite linear through the frequency range. They tend to lack obvious empasized areas from the midrange down to the low bass. . . on the other hand, in olden days -- that means for models that are more than a couple of years old -- there was a tendency in more than some class D amps to sound 'matter of fact, with only moderate harmonic development and with less than stellar microdynamics. The result was at times more outwardly impressive than ultimately musical. In more recent times deesigners have been evolving topologies that have addressed such limitations. . . often by regulating the power supplies and by preconverting the AC to DC even upstream of the power supply with a variety of techniques. The more successful devices now are not only very linear top to bottom, have excellent bass authority, dynamics staging, imaging. . . but also possess excellent harmonic texture, extremely subtle micro dynamics, detail, and a very extended and 'musical' treble and bass. Some designs are very successful. . . while others may be just a little less.
Merry Christmas everyone! G. |
Stanwal, I looked on the HifiCritic website, but did not find the actual article online, nor the list of models tested. There was only a paragraph listing brands: Bel Canto, NuForce, ProJect, Flying Mole, and the hint at observation on older consumer-grade devices by Sony, Yamaha, and Sharp.
My problem with Mr. Collom is his inappropriate application of the induction step to prove a negative. . . . he has examined some older consumer grade device, then at a later time, he has examined some newer devices which may not even represent state of the art, from his analysis, he extrapolates and generalizes that All switching amplifiers regardless of brand, model, design, past present and future, are inherently flawed.
G. |
Stanwal, you may want to consider reading the mags a little less, while auditioning a little more away from the beten path. . . at least, if you still do not find any class D devices of your liking, you can speak out of personal experience, rather than from trite canonic rote. |
Coffeey, your stalwart apology of the 'ancient regime' is most commendable. As for Mr. Colloms, my recommendation is for him to have his ear canals pressure washed at his earliest convenience. After the treatment he may experience significantly reduced "wide frequency range noise, both correlated and de-correlated." The relatively painless medical procedure should also enable him to evaluate class D amps significantly more representative of the state of the art than the cute little Flying Mole, lest he fires his next scaving broadside based on insufficient data. |
I believe that the correct Latin passive periphrastic form in the quoted sentence makes use of the gerundive mode rather than the past participle. . .
"De gustibus non disputandum est."
I also spent 4 wonderful years studying under the Jesuit Fathers. . . no paddles used at my school. . .Father Castellarin -- the head proctor -- much prefer to lift boys by their ears and evaluate cranial resonance in adolescent male subjects by tapping their heads against message boards. . . . a very high end audiophile approach to discipline, of course. Not sure if the study of acoustics under field conditions ever saw formal publication, but it may very well have formed the basis for the recent development of Acoustic Resonators . G. |
Very powerful analogy Fafafion. . . I am staggered by the scope of your Weltanschauung. G. |
"So much for the subject line of this thread."
Do not worry Stltrains. I have discovered that my JRDG 312 is not sounding any less sweet right now playing Dvorak trios, in spite of the few electronic obscurantists around here. . . I am starting to suspect it may be immune to Agon thread noise (chuckles!) G. |
Yawn. . . . (zzzzzzzs!) G. |
