New Class D amplifiers

I did the tour with the Orchard Audio Starkrimson Stereo Ultra and had it in my system for about 9 days. It’s a fantastic amp — dynamic, great bass, good soundstage. It was better in many ways than my Belles Aria monoblocks but not enough to make me want to switch. I also spent a day listening to the Atmasphere Class D monoblocks. Also fantastic amps but felt that the Aria monoblocks were a little more dynamic and transparent. I feel like class A/B amps still have the edge but getting to be almost indistinguishable between the two.

+1 to Wyred4Sound IcePower class D amps. I have the ST500, which I bought used. It sounds at least as good as any solid state amp I've had. Just as important, it doesn't have thin/parched harmonics, dry treble, or that soulless "accuracy" class D is sometimes accused of.

There's an ST1000 F.S. by a Canadian seller on the other audio site that matters. Cheap money and a low-risk way to dip a toe in class D.

krell_fan1

Yes my Lyngdorf MP-40 is probably my last processor. I think it does about as good as I'm goona get. Love it's over the top adjustability and more importantly its sound. Just killer ...

@grantgg that's a pretty BIG list! What's your plan to narrow your choices? Price? Form factor?

The two preeminent digital audio gurus of our time are Bruno Putzeys of Mola Mola fame and Peter Lyngdorf. They’re actually friends and have collaborated. Take a look at their amps. Lyngdorf makes a few that include RoomPerfect, the greatest room correction software ever invented. Mola Mola offers small footprint mono blocks that are said to rival the very best Pass Labs amp costing 100k. Their mono blocks are 17k. 

Thanks everybody, Lots of great suggestions here.   i've compiled a list below of the Class D equipment that seems most appropriate for me to pursue.  Many of those suggested seemed like slam dunks as I read about them further, but I must consider things like integrated or not which is a factor for me, I'm leery of getting three pieces equipment versus one.   

 The fun part of course is researching to see what's best!  I will no doubt be selecting one of the amps below.  

 in no particular order.

 

 

     

 

@thewetdog59 

 

You have a great system!  Really interested in how you think the Gan1/BS Node compares to your Mac/Bryston system you have.  The Maggie 3.7i are Great speakers.

I just bought D-Sonic ma3 3000s 1500 watts per channel at 8 ohms.  I have only just got them but the background noise is silent.  Black.  Can't hear a thing.  I have only had them on for 2-3 hours so far but I think they sound very nice.  I bought D-Sonic 11 channel amp also 400 w per channel for my home theater room to try.  Wiring it up this weekend.  Mytek Audio has a monoblock ganfet technology at 10K a pop that I am going to try when they are ready (soon).  I  have the Mytek Empire Network Streamer with Roon core and it is unbelievable.  The best music I have ever heard in my life through Von Schweikert towers.  You have to work full time and spend every penny in this hobby and then and only then will you not have nearly all fo what you want LOL

Harley of Pearl acoustics- the British YouTuber- dropped a video yesterday that  outlined the status of Class D today very well I thought. Some explanations were new and enlightening. I suggest anyone wanting to learn about the best way to go have a watch.

People who I respect for their experience and knowledge either own Ralph's product- I too am hoping for an INT from him someday- or they spent less and bought the Orchard Audio gear. The two mini mono's they make are cute as bugs ear hanging in mid air from the speaker binding posts. 

Somehow at this point I see the new Class D Ganfet amps best use for bass power. Very soon that may change but for now I'll keep the Pass gear.

This was mentioned earlier in this thread, and in the forum, but I thought I'd post a link here, because it may be of interest in this topic. 

I have one of these being delivered today. I plan on trying it with a Bluesound Node and a pair of Ohm Walsh 1000's, which are also on order. My current system consists of McIntosh preamp, Bryston 4B3 amp, and Maggie 3.7i's, and analog & digital sources. The new stuff will be a secondary system, but it will be an interesting comparison.

I have AGD Gran Vivace arriving tomorrow or early next week. I am super stoked because I already know they have terrific synergy with my speakers. I will reply with my early findings.

I have a Legacy Audio system. 7.4

The last component added was my Legacy Class D V:2 and V:5 Amps. Previously I had ATI Signature series 6007 Top of the line. ATI was noisy, hot and solid as a rock. These Legacys are dead quiet, cool as a cucumber and just as solid. If there is warmth difference, I can’t tell it. I love them. Best move I’ve made.

 I most recall from my brief time with them, which left me wanting more air and sparkle. But that’s my ears, my system, of course.

@wrm57, yea that is one of the differences I heard between the AtmaSphere and the XA30.8.   I found the Pass to offer a little more detail/resolution, or at least present things in a more forward way compared to the AtmaSphere.   In the high frequencies I did find my Pass offered more 'sparkle' and maybe more finesse in the small details overall.   With a handful of other amps I've compared with either a X250.8 or XA30.8 it was always the other amps offering a little more detail over the Pass, so its strange for me to hear a solid state amp that presents a more laid back presentation than the Pass.   AtmaSphere does specialize in tube amps after all :) 

I switched between both amps a few times and its not like the general details are missing, its just they are more detailed and noticeable with the Pass, where the AtmaSphere seems to paint the overall sound with a wider brush and maybe has a little more color/fullness (think meat-on-the-bones) sound.    My speakers are pretty detailed and not forgiving at all so I can live with the few rows back sound.   

I found the AtmaSphere to offer a blacker background, way better bass, and excellent imaging, along with a very similar sound signature to the Pass.

Being the Pass is now $7100 I think the AtmaSphere Monos like most good amps I've compared to the XA30.8 (some more and some less expensive) are all in the same league, its just more personal taste/system matching.   At this point to my ears at least, it is no longer the Class A design just beats the Class D design, its more of a what sound signature and attributes am I looking for...   Compared to my first Class D amp I tried back in the early 2000s, that is a big step forward as the XA30.8 is great sounding amp!

I'm in the Hypex and Purifi camp, Bruno Putzeys is a wizard.  I have the March Audio P502 and it's been a high wattage wonder in driving my inefficient Maggies and Vandies.  Wonderful detail and clarity, and driving bass to get the toes tapping and the emotions rolling.  Dead silent, no noise whatsoever.  March has gone all Purifi, can't go wrong there, currently I would get the P422 stereo power amp.  Love the compact chassis, build quality and efficiency.  IME separates are nicer than an integrated, just got the Topping Pre90 not too long ago and that's all the pre you'll ever need, wonderful relay-based volume control, a bargain, and the drive of all balanced connections is great.  Alternatives to March are Audiophonics and VTV, who offer Hypex and Purifi based amps.

@ddafoe , glad you found the Atmas to your taste. No doubt your back and energy bill will be as happy as your ears. Smooth and warm are the characteristics I most recall from my brief time with them, which left me wanting more air and sparkle. But that’s my ears, my system, of course.

@wrm57, I just sold my Pass XA30.8 after purchasing the AtmaSphere Monos.  I like a few things better with each amp, and more than not I find they sounded pretty similar.  Of all the other SS amps I've tried against my Pass amps I find the AtmaSphere the closest in terms of smoothness, warmth, and lack of fatigue.

In the end, two 14 pound boxes and zero heat swayed the decision...  Packaging and shipping the Pass (106 pounds boxed and that is the baby of the family) was not fun :)

I’m a tube head and never warmed to many Class D amps. But, as time went on and I heard more Class D offerings that and began to find them sonically appealing.

About a year ago, I bought a "summer amp" to substitute in for my tube amps during the heat of the summer. I tried a Ken Ishiwata voiced Marantz reference Ruby integrated. It sounds as good as several of my tube amps, and better than a few well known names. It doesn’t beat my 48 watt SET 805 Class A amp, but it’s really, really, good. I hate to list the tube amps that the Marantz beat in my system.

I think the key to Class D is voicing by the designer. I’ve tried several other Class D amps that sounded a bit too dry and lacked warmth and life.

Having owned the 2Cherry, which at the time sounded better than a number of other amps I had owned/auditioned...I would say that the Starkcrimison Stereo Ultra improves upon the 2Cherry in that it has both a more detailed and a more powerful low end.

At the end of the day, all we can do as enthusiasts is try products that seem to be getting a good buzz and see if they are compelling in our own systems...and then if so, decide whether to make a change.

I have owned the Cherry amps (both the stereo and the monoblocks) and the Atma-Sphere monoblocks - I thought both were outstanding Class D amps. I now own a D-Sonic stereo amp which IMO rivals both of the above. The Cherrys are gone for obvious reasons and I sold the Atma-Spheres once I heard the D-Sonics which are about half the price. I can't say the D-Sonics were better, but to me they sounded as good and at half the price they were a much better value in my system

Digital Amplifier Company made some great class D gear. It's a shame Tommy isn't around any longer. I loved the Cherry amps I had. I haven't seen anyone mention D-Sonic and I am curious why. I like the D-sonic amps I have heard with a Tube stage in front of them. Are D-Sonic amps behind the times or where do they stack up on the Class D ladder?

FWIW, a friend brought over his two class D amps (Peachtree stereo and Atma monos) to compare to my two class A amps (Reference Line Silver and modded Plinius SA103). The class A was better in virtually every way. He was disappointed and sold his amps. I was also disappointed because I like the idea of a light amp that uses little power, and was willing to switch if it sounded as good. But the trade-off is too great for me--and for him. He also has the 25-watt Pass class A. Nice thing about the Plinius is that it idles in A/B and you can switch to A when you want to listen.

Orchard's class d ganfet amp is the real deal- read the review in audio express. It uses post filter feedback and has a frequency response that is load invariant, meaning it doesn't change character with a speaker's varying impedance. Most well designed class d amps will be load invariant. Not so for many of those using the gan module used in the peachtree and lsa gan amps. Be careful with those as they might sound fine with speakers with a tame impedance equal to the design point but anything that varies wildly and doesn't sit nicely at the design point impedance will change character.

The best performing class d is currently coming from Hypex and Purifi. VTV, Buckeye, March, and others are selling amps at unbelievable pricing using these amp modules.

Having compared the Orchard Audio Starkcrimson Stereo Ultra GanF class d with amps from Sanders, Wells and Parasound Halo in my system and my buddies system...let me just say that this amp, which was the affordable great sounding darling of the Florida Audio expo this year deserves both respect and an audition...which as noted above, is available on the tour link for those who are interested.

Audioholics is like ASR lite.  

@innersound300 Never trusted audioholics, or plainly said; Gene is just full of it. Not everything that measures well sounds well; CD vs Vinyl, solid state vs. Tubes, and so on. Been there, done it (with the same equipment they promote). 

That's where you select between good sound and smaller electricity bill. I was in the same boat as you are; Pass class A or something else. I got Musical Fidelity (A/B) instead and keep Pass for when I need something different. Just cannot let Pass amp go.

 

@mglik Thanks for the great feedback.  Very helpful!

Yes, @curtdr , Technics does bristle at the suggestion that their integrateds are Class D but I was just being lazy. 😄

All  the best,
Nonoise

I’d done quite a bit of research before settling on a GoldNote PA-10, which I really adore. But down the line, I’d really like to try the Starkimson (mentioned above), an LSA Voyager GaN amp, and (even preferably) a Peachtree GaN 400:

 

How about the Marantz Ruby amp? I nabbed one for less than $3k, open box

it certainly does not sound "cold" nor "clinical" , nor does it sound overly warmed nor colored... just clear, spacious, image-rich, robust with great dynamics, headroom, reserve

however, it is an all analogue design... my dac work is done well by the accompanying Ruby sacd player

and @nonoise  +1 ... like nonoise, I'd suggest:  If you want to go "higher" (though honestly there isn’t really all that much more "up there" from the Ruby), there’s the newish Technics, like the su-r1000, which is not exactly D but in the ballpark and has excellent dacs built in and includes what is supposedly an unsurpassed phono section (if you’re into vinyl) . The less expensive Technics g700m2 is also an option, if you want to go smaller and save some $$.

It is a difficult choice between the AGD Audions and the Atma Ds.

I may keep both.

Speaking generally, they are greatly characterized by the nationality of their designers. Alberto, being from Italy, has created amps that, very much, have a romantic, organic bent. The tube like output stage of the Audions is more than a way to easily upgrade. But a tribute to SETs which also inspires the sound.

The Audions are beautifully and lovely to listen to. Easy on the ears. Delicious detail. Terrific sound staging and imaging. And mellifluous.

The Atmas are American meat and potatoes. More meat on the bones. More detail. And tremendous bass. They are also more dynamic. They sound like Ralph’s tube amps with more clarity and bass.

I use an Atma MP-1 preamp and there is clearly synergy. This may ultimately inform my decision on which to keep.

@aldnorab - There is! My amps did not take advantage of this feature so I’m not sure if that would fix my problem. :)

My 250 ASP units were 2W in Standby (not used) and 7W idling.

@erik_squires is there a standby mode? My Orchard Audio is in standby as long as it is plugged in. My Ice powered PSAudio S300 has two power switches to toggle between the two modes. 

Thanks,

aldnorab

Forgot something important. As ithers have discovered, my IcePower amps need 48bhours of being on to sound good. No idea why. Don’t need to be playing, just stay on.

It is warm up time, not break-in.

Thanks for the shout out @aldnorab.

For anybody looking to join the tour here is the link:
 

 

Another vote for full digital class D.  The Peachtree Gan 1 ($1400) or the $1600 VTV D300 (also GaN based) amps are as above....fully digital driven PWM....so no DAC or preamp needed.  Right now I am finishing mods on the GaN 1 and driven by a $400 IFI Zen Stream with custom super linear power supply.....the sound is amazing....better than any class D I have heard (I have heard modified IceEdge (the amp that Tweak 1 owns), modified Purifi, modified LSA Voyager Gan based amp and modified Hypex)....all driven by modified DAC).  By the end of the week I will be then doing the same mods to the VTV D300 I have here.  Slightly more powerful than the Peachtree.  What a simple inexpensive killer source and amp!

One of the best amps on the market, although it's a true FDA (full digital driven PWM), so not "exactly" a "class D" (which is analog driven PWM) :

http://audiobidules.blogspot.com/2022/08/review-amplificateur-numerique-technics.html

 

@grantgg I second the idea of joining the Orchard Audio Starkrimson Stereo Ultra amp tour, mentioned above by shkong78. It was an ear opener. I immediately ordered the upgraded Ultra Stereo dual power supply model with extra capacitance. Improved imaging, transients, and realism are the results. 

I'm used to VTL ST150 and diy Pass Son of Zen class A amps. Always thought amps had to get hot to sound good. Not any more. Give one a try.

Thanks,

aldnorab 

Daniel Hertz Maria DAC/Pre/Amp and Active Crossovers all in one box...

I am currently waiting for a LSA Discovery Warp One to arrive.  It is going in a secondary system.

For TAS to like an item at that price point ($1200) I think it will be a good test for my first Class D experience.  I am pairing it with an Audio GD preamp.

Bel Canto amps are really nice.

@jbuhl AFAIK, the Edge products are modular.  They sell a chipnand design guidelines and you put together the surrounding circuit.  This allows you to create almost any sized amplifier module.

Icepower is their pre built amp modules.

Anyone in the northern NJ area we would love to hear your amps. Send a message please 

If I am not mistaken the IceEdge module is of IcePower. 

 

@tweak1

 

Sorry to point out something obvious but the picture of the amplifier board inside says "ICE" right on the circuit board. :) Look just to the left of the big filter caps.

 

@jbuhl 

According to this review the M700s do not have IcePower modules

 

If you are interested in an integrated solution for your Heritage setup, Aavik has amazing synergy with Danish loudspeakers. They are not cheap but sound amazing. 

I am in the process of upgrading all of my Dynaudios to either Børresen or Raidho and am going to be pairing them with an Aavik setup. (I am only upgrading due to not being able to source the Evidence Masters).

Also, your Heritage sound much better than my Contours. I actually thought about doing the Heritage route, but my room is fairly large.

I am envious of your Heritage setup - Enjoy whichever path you choose.

I have also recently switched to AGD Audions after years of running an Atman-Sphere S30 Mk3 OTL. I love the sound of the S30 OTL amp but was getting frustrated at valve availability, adjustments and energy consumption.

The AGD Audions have been a terrific addition to my system. They are silent when idle (important as my speakers are 107dB/W) and require no warm-up period. The sound is even more transparent with wonderful imaging extending well beyond the speakers and further back. Instruments are easier to pick out from a complex mix.

The bass is very tuneful with overall a slightly ‘lighter’ feel to it than with the OTL amp. I’m able to tweak this as my speakers (Avantgarde Duo) allow me to adjust bass crossover/gain. I’ve also found that my REL S812 sub seems to go even deeper and ‘faster’.

I’me really impressed and think you’re on the right track with either the AGD Audions or the Atma-Sphere Class D amps.

@mglik In greater detail, how would you compare the Atmasphere and AGD amps?  I assume they’re both near SOTA, but would be very interesting to hear your impressions of the differences between the two for anyone who may be on the fence between these two awesome amps.  Thanks for any thoughts. 

After auditioning Orchard Audio Starkrimson Ultra for 8 days, I had been listening to Line Magnetic 508 and Rogue Cronus Magnum II fitted with vintage tubes.

8 days is too short to reach clear conclusionl without doing cable rolling or comparsion with other refutable class D amp like Atmashphere or Audion.


But Starkrimson clearly has no serious fault at all.

It sounds very transparent with lot of details.

Soundstage is wide and deep enough ( not the best but close to it).



Starkrimson works nice with both Lansche 4.1 and Vaugn Cabernett II.

Thus it is a nice value for sure.

 

I recommend you try it by being in the line for tour.

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/orchard-audio-starkrimson-stereo-ultra-amp-tour.1148415/

 

Thomas