Ohm Walsh Micro Talls: who's actually heard 'em?

Ncore-12 may be a good solution. I have not heard one and can't afford $12k anyway.

Coot, while I do admit that I am extremely fond of Ncore technology, and a well broken-in Ncore NC1200 amp seems completely incapable of producing nasty jaggies in multi-part high strings, class D amplifiers tend to take a long time to break in.... In my experience 1,000 hours for Ncore-based Merrill Veritas, 600 hours for Icepower1000ASP-Based Bel Canto REF1000M, and 1200 hours for Rowland M312 based on the same ICEpower 100ASP module. Before a class D power amp is well stabilized, it has the uncharming propensity of going into periodic funks.... shrill one moment, saggy and lifeless another moment. The 100 hours mark seems to be just the beginning of the typical class D wild ride.

I have no experience with D-Sonics amps, but I suspect that around the 100 hours mark they may be still very young and raw kittens, and may be deserving of some audiophilic patience.

Regards, Guido

That was a very interesting post, Guido. I was also thinking D-Sonic maybe needed more break-in time by just leaving it on 24/7. You have restored my faith in class D amps. Thanks.

Well Guido, you seem to be knowledgeable on the subject. I was going by Dennis' figures of 40-100 hours based on users experiences. I have already sent them back, so I can't experiment. After 100+ hrs neither my wife nor I could tell it had made any difference whatsoever. Further listening was painful - literally. You may be correct, but compared to my sweet old B&K it was no contest.

Interesting thing is, we became so enamored with the new W4S Dac that we have at least for the time being decided the B&K is doing to job just fine. Bass - which is what I wanted improved, now IS. Every aspect of the listening experience has improved dramatically. Better soundstage (I now know what the word means!), detail, correct tonal coloring, etc, etc. I used to read that Ohms were "good speakers, but not the last word in detail'. Well mine are, now!

As for amp burn-in, if I manufactured amps, or any component, I would feel it incumbent to burn-in before shipment as long as necessary. I thought they did that. Guess some do, some don't.

I probably won't be dippin' my toe in the class D pond again anytime soon.

Hi Coot, unfortunately no audio manufacturers have the financial resources and patience to warehouse and immobilize assets for two months of break-in before shipping... Unless one of their relatives were makers of fine Parmizan cheese or Barolo wine, that is.
And very much like Parmezan and Barolo, class D amps fresh-off the factory floor are hardly instant gratifiers.

So they make up these fanciful urban legends about their particular products blossoming into marvellous music makers just after a couple of days of break-in.

Having said this, not having, uhrn... taste tested the D-Sonics at all, I have no idea whether their early intemperant asperities would eventually evolve into the complex bouquet of a mature Amarone, or slide into the matter of factness of a Texas red.

G.