I'm really surprised that no-one has brought up SPEC audio amps (from Japan) in this thread. They appear to be very carefully and thoughtfully designed and manufactured.
High end Class D amps?
Just an observation and a question. Are there 'high end' Class D amps out there that are just as good as Class A, A/B amps? I realize that's a sensitive question to some and I mean no disrespect---but whenever I see others' hifi systems on social media, all of the amps are A or A/B. There's always Pass, McIntosh, Moon, Luxman, Accuphase, etc. Where are the Class Ds? For folks out there that want more power for less efficient speakers and can't afford the uber expensive Class As, A/Bs, what is there to choose from that's close to those brands? Thanks
Showing 18 responses by twoleftears
These are the most interesting Class D amps I've yet come across, using
Korg Nutube buffer, which emulates a triode. https://atm-audio.com/class-d-amplifier/ Unfortunately, they don't seem to have made it to the US yet, but if Nord, Apollon and March have, surely they will too. |
@jaytor Tube buffers are clearly the way to go. https://atm-audio.com/class-d-amplifier/ https://vtvamplifier.com/product/vtv-amplifier-monoblock-purifi-audio-1et400a-amplifier-with-vtv-vacuum-tube-buffer/ |
One honking toroidal and two little ones. https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/5798/493521/5f3cfbd3ad232/1597831733864.jpg [LKV Veros class D] |
You should really add these to your list. https://www.cherryamp.com/ Also, take a look over at AudioCircle; there are a number of active forums from Class D manufacturers and a variety of other threads. |
@bluorion I recommend you google a few basics on Class D amps. First of all, the D does not stand for digital; A, B, and C, were all already taken, so it was simply the next letter in the alphabet. A class D amplification circuit has a different topology/operation from the others. Simplifying a lot, you'll find that many of the amps for sale contain three basic elements, an input buffer, the amp proper, and a power supply. There's a lot of mix and match with these three elements. There are different kinds of input buffer, and even ones that incorporate a tube. There are different amp modules, from Purifi, Hypex, IcePower and several others. There are switching-mode power supplies and linear power supplies; a subset of linear power supplies is those that employ toroidal transformers. Some makers allow you to "assemble" your own amp on their website selecting from the available alternatives. From here it gets a lot more complicated. There are some genuine digital amps (not that many), and the next big thing will likely be GaN amplification. All of these terms are googleable. |
OK, so in the world of Purifi, alongside Apollon (Austria) https://www.apollonaudio.com/ or March (Australia) https://www.marchaudio.net.au/ or Nord (G.B.) https://www.nordacoustics.co.uk/ you're also got ATM Audio (Spain) https://atm-audio.com/ Audiophonics (France) https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/ Rouge (Italy) https://en.rougeaudiodesign.com/ and Vera (Norway) https://www.vera-audio.com/ among others. In the US you've got VTV, so beloved of a certain member of Audiogon https://vtvamplifier.com/ and at a very different price point LKV https://sites.google.com/view/lkvresearch/home A lot of these produces share the same or similar input buffers and power supplies, as well as the Purifi module, though it isn't always clear on the websites exactly what goes into each unit. Some differences are attributable to the quality and cleanness of the construction, some (perhaps) to design, unique components, and topology. GaN is already here with Orchard, AGD and others, while the much-delayed and much-anticipated LSA Voyager is reportedly coming soon (perhaps). |