New Class D amplifiers

@atmasphere I agree, thanks.

Indeed, functionality is higher in the sense user has more options in how to connect the amp to a DAC, be it built in or external.

But my understanding is that at the time of developing their GaN amp Peachtree  was solving for how to make that level of amp performance available at a lower price point. And they realized they could do without the analog to digital conversion needed inside the GaN amp. It follows their approach should deliver a given sound quality at a lower price point vs competitors with analog inputs, at the cost of flexibility in inputs. It remains to be seen how GAN 1 compares to other amps in the same price point, though. But I can see use for such an amp and find the concept appealing 

I don’t understand why Roon requires having your amp on all day, but putting that aside, going from A all the way to D strikes me as somewhat extreme for one who is used to the Pass. Why not look into a good A/B first? 

The modded GAN1 is close sonically to my CODA #16 amp. The CODA has the first 100 watts class A and has 150 total at 8. It doubles to 2 Ohm though the Class A likely goes down with Ohms. It is a very elegant sounding amp but with massive power. Too much power for my KEF LS50 Metas. I get a bit of ear fatigue because the #16 puts out a bit too much bass out of the LS50 Meta (without a sub). 

The modded GAN1 is ALMOST as good power wise as the CODA #16. That extra bass on the #16 is nice, but not for long periods in my small room.

I use the GAN1 in my office and the CODA #16 sits idle (will be used in a much bigger room later).

I recently bought a Audiophonics HPA-S400ET Sparkos Edition, Class D, Purifi, 2 x 400 watts @ 4 ohms / 2 x 200 watts @ 8 ohms amplifier.  I am very happy with it.  Take a look at the reviews on Audio Science Review.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/audiophonics-hpa-s400et-review-stereo-amplifier.32014/

In Conclusion!  I have gotten an Orchard audio Starkrimson Stereo Ultra.  I've been very happy with this amp, and will not try to repeat the positive reviews it's received. It was primarily by chance that I selected this unit because I got it at a very good price Used.  I still have my pass labs, but I'll probably look to sell that in the near future.

My next quandary is selecting a good preamp, I'm using a Schiit Freya S  that seems to work well , but I'm really not sure what's the best choice.  That's another story...

I use Freya+ with Starkrimson monoblocks.

Whenever I use different tubes, it change tones.

I can make it sound fuller or sharper depending on vintage tubes.

Fortunately, I have more than 80 diffferent kinds of 6sn7 and variants.😀

Thomas

I have had the Atma-Sphere Class D now for a couple of months and can't be happier. Sound stage is wide and sound is very real sounding to me, in my system. I liked the sound so much, I ended up upgrading a bit more of my system.

Now

PS Audio Power Plant 12 > Innuos Zen > Weiss DAC 502 > Atma-Sphere MP-3 > Atma-Sphere Class D > Rethm Saadhana

PC LessLoss 

IC XLR

Speaker Cable LessLoss with LessLoss firewall for loudspeakers

Happy Listening, all, on your own systems. I hope it brings you the same pleasure my system gives me.

I gave the PeachTree GAN400 a nice long trial run on my office Magnepan LRS+. I used a Holo Audio Serene preamp (amazing) and my trusty old Benchmark DAC3B.

The GAN400 drove the LRS+ very well. Almost as good as my CODA #16. However, the CODA #16 had much more engaging sound to it. If the GAN400 is 8.5/10 then the CODA was a 10/10. I used the CODA with a Benchmark LA4 preamp and DAC3B. However, those components were moved to my main rig so the GAN400 was purchased.

I put the Peachtree GAN1 (modded by EVS) back into the LRS+. It lacks a bit of power compared to the GAN400. I also need to move the volume dial on ROON higher than when using my preamps. However, it is a very engaging sound. Like the CODA #16 but with less deep power. This is tolerable with the LRS+ speakers and my small office.

The PeachTree GAN400 is being returned. It is good but the modded GAN1 is great, even if it could use a small boost in power for the LRS+. I got to figure out how to connect my KEF KC62 sub to the GAN1. It so much easier to hook up the sub when using a preamp like the LA4 or Serene.

Congrats OP on success with choosing an amp.

A whole thread on new class D amps and no love (nor mention) for the Nilai500?

Perhaps too inexpensive lol.

Im having success with a pair of these behind a Supratech preamp

I would love to hear more opinions about the Nilai500, I currently have DIY Ncore 400 monoblocks. Is it worth upgrading to the Nilai500? It supposed to be as good or even better than the Purifi amps. I am also considering the new Aavik amplifiers (I180/280/580) which are based on the Pascal modules.

I’ve never owned the Ncore 400’s but always wanted to try them. When I finally went to give them a try the Nilai500 had been released as their replacement.

This is the first time I’ve ever used class D for my stereo mains amplification.
I have Crowns for subwoofer duty, and I’ve tried using them for powering the left and right mains but they sounded just awful to me.

But not the Nilai. Very clean and powerful without the horrible edge (resulting in fatigue) that the Crowns presented.

The balanced line option (xlr) is also nice. Running fully balanced from start to finish is interesting… it really does seem to lower the noise floor in the room, being able to put your ear right up against 100db sensitivity horn loudspeakers and hear absolutely no hiss, hum or buzz of any kind is pretty remarkable in my opinion. I certainly could not do that with my unbalanced lines 

so far so good!

Good point about Nilai500. Would be great if someone heard them together with one of the GaN amps mentioned in this thread, especially those in the lower price bracket.

+1

Just out of curiosity - anyone here compare between Purifi Vs Nilai Vs GaNFet? I think most posters who have been happy with Class D amps previously owned Solid state amps. Very very few replaced tubes with Class D. Is that right?

I think quite a few folks have gone to Class D amplifiers using tubed pre-amplifiers. @milpai 

 Very very few replaced tubes with Class D. Is that right?

@jeffrey125 

Just to clarify - question was about amplifiers, not preamplifiers.

Like I said @milpai most are using that configuration is it that confusing? And yes many have converted from Tubes to Class D.

@jeffrey125 ,

It looks like my question is confusing you. Did I ask about configuration? I don’t care about that. I was hoping owners to chime in, on which type (solid state OR tube) of amp they replaced with Class D. But good to know that you replaced a tube amp with Class D.

There’s only a handful of user reviews that I have come across that mentioned about replacing tubs amps with GaN. Not come across people who have replaced tube amps with Purifi or other Class D.

@milpai they are out there good luck in your search.

Yep, I just commented on @vsrrr system. He replaced a tube amp and First Watt amps with Atmasphere Class D. And again, this is GaN based and not Purifi/Hypex or other Class D.

While this is NOT a true representation, since we do not know what majority of folks have done, but based on the limited data, it seems like GaN has a better adoption compared to other Class D amps.

@milpai I know that one member here did go from a tube integrated to a Aavik Class D integrated. He seems to jump around a bit (upgrading) a nice guy and knowledgeable. I think his handle is Afriq?

BTW I still have a tube integrated. 

One of the two amps I’m about to mention is hardly new. But I thought my experience might be of interest to to those whose primary interest in class D is musical realism & ear-friendly tonality, not just accuracy and detail.

I have a rather cramped desktop system in the home office. For years I ran a series of powered speakers/monitors + sub here. In 2018 ago I picked up an interesting pair of sealed/acoustic suspension 2-way passive monitors (ATC SCM12 Pro) and had to get an amp to power them. I had done many weeks of reading about class D amps, the only kind that would fit. Positive user comments + a favorable 6Moons led me to the Wyred4Sound ST-500 stereo amp. With some trepidation over what class D would sound like on revealing studio monitors, I found a used ST-500 and installed it. Well, I lucked out. The review and comments were correct: the amp sounded very good, more like solid classic AB amps I’ve had in the past. It had power to spare, but was not bright, edgy, harmonically thin, any of that. I had needed to hit a home run, and the ST-500 was it.

Well, 6 years later the upgrade bug has struck. I have a pair of gently used, recent vintage Harbeth 30.1s on the way here from the UK, and got the itch to try another class D brand I’ve been reading about: Bel Canto, specifically the 600M mono amps--again because of occasional user comments and critical reviews saying these amps sound like music. They arrived and I installed them 2 days ago. Well, NCore vs ICEPower does make a difference. The 600Ms are clearly more resolving, capable of greater detail and subtlety, especially in the entire bass range and at low volumes. But tonally, the Bel Cantos differ little from the ST-500. They don’t have that dreaded edgy, forensic sound too many report with class D, even now. I appear to have hit another home run.

It’s only fair to note that I never tried the high-price names whose class D amps are often described as sounding wonderful: Rowland, Merrill, AGD, Atmasphere, Tambaqui, etc. Even used I really can’t afford to spend that much on an amp. But so far, I’m holding my own in the land of class D amplification.