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Technics SU-R1000 - Good but not the king of switching amps

Was looking at the measurements for the Technics SU-R1000 Integrated published by Stereophile. I never bother with the reviews of the sound quality as there’s 1 reviewer there whose ears I trust and it’s not this reviewer.

To be clear, this IS a digital amplifier, and is not a Class D amplifier. Atmasphere will always disagree with me, but given Technics nomenclature and the use of an A/D converter, and PWM output I think if any amplifier qualifies as digital this one does.

What I find kind of interesting here is that the measurements are OK but not absolute Class D killing results. I am particularly unimpressed by the performance of the impedance compensation circuit, LAPC, which at the end of the day does not seem to have performed significantly better than actual, non GaNFET amplifiers, particularly in removing the effects of the output filters Class D amps require. I really hoped to see a huge win here... but it’s not. It’s just making the PWM perform almost as good as a true Class D amplifier.

I have not heard this integrated, but the claims and expectations laid out for the technology seem to not be proven in the measurements. This is a very expensive integrated that does everything differently, and measures about the same as previous generation, also excellent sounding, Class D engines I’ve seen measured.

My stance that Class D was already very good and that new, faster switching amps would have to be truly spectacularly better to unseat them remains, in my mind, uncontested.

Can’t wait to see everyone trashing Class D on the measurements suddenly decide that this amp should be heard and not measured.

erik_squires

Showing 2 responses by ben_campbell

ben_campbell
1,169 posts
 

Who had these technical expectations? And how would it manifest itself other than how it sounds? 

Not sure if this is an ironic satirical stance? If the Technics sells it'll be on it's functionality, features, looks and sound. Won't be the measurements. 

ben_campbell
1,169 posts
 

I have just bought one and it sounds great. I haven't done extended testing with the LAPC and a few reviewers say they can't tell the difference but I am sure with my speakers Zingali Evo Twenty there is more resolution with the option on.

 

The whole Class D thing and the Technics name seems to have pressed a lot of buttons. I've went from tubes to this amp and I have no regrets. I would say only the Esoteric A-100 which I owned for a while sounds close to this amp but that was a while back and I never heard it with my Zingalis.

 

I trialed the original Jeff Rowland Class D and this is in another universe altogether. Measurements are measurements. I think we all use amps to listen to not run around them with meters.....

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