Meridian G95 Class D amp with my Revel M22s?


I'm confused and need help. I'm thrilled with my recent purchase of Revel M22s (accompanied by a Revel C12 center, S30 surrounds and Sunfire Junior sub) as part of my home 5.1 theatre system. I listen mostly to 5.1 concert DVDs. A few people have advised that I should consider upgrading from my Marantz SR-18 receiver to get the most of my Revel system.

I have a $2,000 - $2,500 budget for a used receiver or amp/preamp combo. I'm looking at Meridian's G95 class D surround receiver w/built-in DVD player. I can't seem to find information (which I can understand in laymen's terms) on the advantages/disadvantages of class D amps. I know they're more efficient than A, B and AB amps - and, therefore, take-up less space (which is a consideration for me). I also see that class D amps have a few disadvantages like distortion. But then again I've read that the disadvantages can be overcome with the right approach. What I can't find is whether or not Meridian has overcome the class D disadvantages. I also wonder if the Meridian has enough current to drive my Revel speakers. The Meridian alternative seems to be a Krell Showcase amp/preamp combo - but I'd like to minimize space if possible. I'm willing to do my homework, but can't find information which explains all this in laymen's terms. Sooo - I'm confused. Any suggestions on either reading material or YOUR OWN expertise and alternative recommendations would be EXTREMELY appreciated. Thanks!
kewadinbob
It's funny you should mention Class D and Revel. There was just a review on Audioholics mentioning that. Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.audioholics.com/amplifier-reviews/red-dragon-m500mkii-m1000mkii-amplifier-review

First of all, any amp can have distortion. That happens when you push the amp past it's capabilities. Distortion will therefore happen to any amp, and not just Class D. The gist of the review is interesting and makes an interesting point that with the Class D amps there may be certain frequencies prone to distortion if the amp cannot drive them. Again, that's going to happen with any amp.

Now, your Revel M22s are the same ones I own. They are wonderful speakers and I loved them. They are not super-difficult to drive but they do sound really good with better amplification.

The Revel M22s are nowhere near as difficult to drive as the Ultima2 Salons, which are mentioned in the review. I've powered mine with Marantz and NAD and Lexicon gear for years without issue.
Thanks so much Internetmin. Your insights are great and the article was perfect since it used Revel and Lexicon. And it led to another helpful article. I'm also glad to know you used Marantz with your M22s. I really and happy with the sound I'm getting out of my Marantz SR-18 - but don't want to miss-out if I'm neglecting the M22's capabilities.
If you are anywhere near Texas, you should consider contacting Dennis Deacon at D-Sonic. Besides designing and manufacturing D-Sonic aps, he is also a Revel distributor. I wouldn't be at all surprised if revel speakers do not play a key role in the design process. I doubt that he would design amps that make his other lines sound bad.

FWIW, I am now exactly one year into an experiment to see if his new monoblocks have any business in a system with a $25k phono front-end to replace a pair of Atmaspheres I cannot afford to repair.

Unless that Meridian receiver is dirt cheap, you are best off to avoid it. The technology in that design is from about 2005 - ancient history for class D amps. One thing that makes Class D amps interesting now is that there have been so many huge performance improvements in the last 10 years compared to all the other amp classes combined. No knock against the other classes intended, but they have been around for so long that they have been undergoing improvements for so long that major sonic breakthroughs are rare and most amp improvements and radical new circuit designs are few and far between, Ralph Karsten's Atmasphere design not withstanding. Class D, however, is still in its design infancy and as a result, breakthroughs in core technology are being made at a much more rapid pace. This pace of R&D seems to be spurred by a healthy dose of competition by circuit design engineers around the globe, but especially in Scandinavia, to partner with their customers, the amp manufacturers and designers, to come up with breakthrough products. Most of the drivel you read about class d amps is at best, the result of equipment that is 2 or 3 generations old already, despite only being 7 or 8 years old. I am curious to know when the current generation of class a and a/b amps was birthed.

Here is a link to a review: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/dsonic/1.html