Hi Justin -
I own the Class D Audio CDA 250 amp that you are referring to. I purchased it about 6 months ago and could not be happier with the amp.
If you are in this hobby for any appreciable time, you will research at some point the different classes of amps and how class D amps work as compared to class A, the more traditional AB, and so on. Class D amps (the circuits, not the company) have not enjoyed the best of reputations, mostly because the earlier implementations of this circuit type have sounded sterile as auxinput has noted.
Enter the company, Class D Audio. The amps manufactured by this company do not sound sterile, quite the opposite. I am finding the CDA 250 very musical and not at all fatiguing. I swapped out my tube amp and am using the Class D Audio in my main system and I am pleased.
Granted I am running different components than you are and I am not sure how your Onkyo will perform as a preamp only, which will be the bigger determinant of the sound you get. The Onkyo is a receiver and I owned some variant of this receiver 20 years ago and while it was a good receiver, I am not sure how well if it would stand alone as a preamp.
There are better amps for your money than the Emotiva. You lose nothing by trying the Class D Audio CDA 250 and see how it goes with your Onkyo. It will definitely be an improvement over the Onkyo alone, though I would not be surprised if you go preamp shopping down the road.
As an aside, if you are considering an integrated amp solution, Upscale Audio has a special on the Musical Fidelity M2SI integrated. A $1000 amp for $600. This would fit your bill nicely.
https://www.upscaleaudio.com/collections/sweet-deals/products/musical-fidelity-m2si-integrated-ampli...
Rich
I own the Class D Audio CDA 250 amp that you are referring to. I purchased it about 6 months ago and could not be happier with the amp.
If you are in this hobby for any appreciable time, you will research at some point the different classes of amps and how class D amps work as compared to class A, the more traditional AB, and so on. Class D amps (the circuits, not the company) have not enjoyed the best of reputations, mostly because the earlier implementations of this circuit type have sounded sterile as auxinput has noted.
Enter the company, Class D Audio. The amps manufactured by this company do not sound sterile, quite the opposite. I am finding the CDA 250 very musical and not at all fatiguing. I swapped out my tube amp and am using the Class D Audio in my main system and I am pleased.
Granted I am running different components than you are and I am not sure how your Onkyo will perform as a preamp only, which will be the bigger determinant of the sound you get. The Onkyo is a receiver and I owned some variant of this receiver 20 years ago and while it was a good receiver, I am not sure how well if it would stand alone as a preamp.
There are better amps for your money than the Emotiva. You lose nothing by trying the Class D Audio CDA 250 and see how it goes with your Onkyo. It will definitely be an improvement over the Onkyo alone, though I would not be surprised if you go preamp shopping down the road.
As an aside, if you are considering an integrated amp solution, Upscale Audio has a special on the Musical Fidelity M2SI integrated. A $1000 amp for $600. This would fit your bill nicely.
https://www.upscaleaudio.com/collections/sweet-deals/products/musical-fidelity-m2si-integrated-ampli...
Rich