Class D has come a long way since the sterile, dryer sounding modules in the beginning or some overly warm designs that lack air and inner detail. There are some difference between designs. My preference is now GaN FET as I find them the best overall.
Being a tube designer the past 20 years, I am finding Hybrid GaN FET designs to be the perfect balance. That’s what we focus on but will always design with tubes.
!!!OK OK - I'm Big Enough To Admit I Was DEAD WRONG!!! Class D Doesn't Always Suck!!!
In preparation for a move to the Philippines later this year,I needed a system I could pack in my travel trunk that offered:
small enough size & light enough weight to travel well,multi voltage operation(120/240 volt) so that I can use it anywhere,plenty of digital inputs including USB/Optical,Bluetooth 5.0 along with a decent headphone circuit & lastly,sound at least comparable to the SimAudio Moon 240i/Harbeth M30.2Xd system I was replacing...
I started with a Vincent Audio Class A/B,compact hybrid integrated..While I could easily live with the sound,it just wasn’t small enough,even with it’s half size frame,to be a viable option + NO USB input..Next was an Advance Paris,Class A/B,MyConnect 60..Same result,fine sounding by just too big & again,NO USB input...
I finally accepted the fact that I was going to have to bite the bullet & give a Class D option a try..I demo’d a few amps,a PS Audio Sprout 100,a fosi something,a Topping & an SMSL,even a fairly expensive Primare but I just wasn’t "feeling"the music..Oh they were technically decent,offering great bass & decent enough staging & imaging,but none of them had that organic,natural tone I craved...
Then I discovered Creek Audio had rebooted the venerable 4040 integrated amplifier in a modern,compact,lightweight Class D configuration,offering all the features I required including 120/240 volt operation..I remember the original 4040 from long ago,with it’s wonderful green display & natural,organic sound driving Celestion speakers..
Remembering that original experience with the CAS4040,& having owned an Evolution 50a, I was well versed in the Creek house sound & had a pretty good idea that if anyone could make Class D sound musical,natural & organic,Mike Creek would be the guy..
Well 3 weeks ago,based solely on that gut feeling, I grabbed one of the few remaining,updated 4040a units in Black finish available at the untarrifed price of $1280.00 delivered, & have had it playing a little under 2 weeks now..My beloved Harbeth M30.2Xd’s have been rehomed & replaced with the miniscule yet wonderfully musical ProAc Tablette Anniversaries & I’m STILL wearing a mile wide smile!
Yes,I did give up a bit of deeper bass,mainly at low listening levels,but with just a bit of volume,the bass those tiny titans put out,driven by the Creek amp is full,deep enough to allow a kick drum to sound like it should & leave me wanting for nothing..Cellos have such a beautiful dark,deep voice they will make you cry & the bodies have resonance you can really feel..Everything I listen to just sounds right...
Imaging & staging in pretty amazing..I am spoiled having had a couple of really good tube amps in the past & I will say hands down,the Creek OUTPERFORMS the SimAudio 240i in these areas of performance,being deeper,wider & better defined!
Headphone performance?Driving either HiFiMan Ananda Nano's or iBasso SR-1's,late night listening sessions are magical..Mike Creek really understands how important headphone listening can be!
So yea,I was wrong about Class D..With the right implementation it is highly musical,wonderfully natural & organic,and when it comes to it’s physical characteristics of size & weight just can’t be bettered...