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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
bluorion
stray_cat
69 posts
 
sold out, was willing to give it a go, too bad so sad lol.
jfuquay
107 posts
 
Given my experience with my Rogue Sphinx v.2 driving .7 Magnepans, pairing a tube front end with their Hypex class D amps is a winning combination. The folks at PS Audio are taking the same route with their latest Stellar amps. I will allow that my little 15-watt Class A monoblocs sound sweet with high-efficiency speakers, but I won’t put up with the heat that a high-power Class A amp puts out if you need lots of juice to drive a lower-efficiency speaker. It seems to me it’s all about the total circuit and how complementary the different stages are. 
yimingd
2 posts
 
Class D Amp, the D means digital. It uses the digital way to emplify the signal, not sine wave anymore. It came out about 2 decades ago.I remember Janpanese brand Sharp had one.  But it represents  high efficiency but rough sound. These years, some high end product begans to show on the market.  I read from a HiFi magazine, the Lindemann from Germany and Jeff Rowland had already revealed a very high level stereo class D amp early 2020, but very expensive.
fastfreight
786 posts
 
So what does the A mean?  

jaytor's avatar
jaytor
765 posts
 
The D in class D has nothing to do with digital. This amplifier topology just happened to be the fourth (after A, B, and C) to be described and was assigned the letter D. 

It does so happen that class D switches the output transistors, but then so does class E. 

It would be nice if this thread focused more on what differentiates a great sounding class D amp from a mediocre one, instead of the unsubstantiated reasons why class D can't possibly be considered high end. 

My personal experience with class D is limited. I had a pair of Nord NC500 monoblocks for a little while. There was a lot to like about them - the were very detailed, quiet, and powerful, as well as being small, light and cool - but I just didn't feel the emotional connection to the music that I did with the big Krell amp they replaced or the Parasound JC5 that replaced them. 

However, I don't believe my experience with the amps is an inherit limitation of class D. I just don't think these particular amps were a good match for the system I had at the time. 

I think class D has a lot of potential and I'm very interested to understand what makes some class D amps sound better than others.

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