That is not what I said. Class D sound sound and design has progressed a lot and will continue to. |
GaN, aside, I definitely recommend people always seek out and consider the latest and greatest technical innovations that can clearly help move things forward, Class D or otherwise, especially before dropping big bucks on older technology alternatives that have not evolved much but now cost more than ever.
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Geez the guy who knows how to make good ones that have been successful likes them and the ones that don’t and make other stuff that must compete are not sold. What a shocker! Why is your name not in that article George?
Oh and the guy who has done it successfully is only a "semi pro".
I’m sure when you come out with your own Class D amp someday it will be the bees knees but threads like this might convince me to turn in my audiophile card sooner rather than later and I will surely miss out. |
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There are two reasons I will be keeping my Class D amps for a long time:
1) they work and sound great
2) the longer I wait the better (and more affordable) this still evolving technology will continue to get in years to come for many many reasons.
Same reasons I tend to hold on to most good quality digital gear (and cars) I buy for as long as I can as well.
BTW I believe it was Merrill Class D amps I heard driving German Physiks speakers at CAF 2017 and loved what I heard, not unlike what I hear with my Class D amps and OHMs at home.
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Zero-feedback Class D would seem to be a unique twist.
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Yep been there done that. That’s pretty much how these things always work. |
All I can say is the good recordings sound scary real including piano brass and vocals and its dead quiet in my little 12x12 office when the music stops.
Squeezebox Touch -> mhdt Constantine DAC -> Arc sp 16 preamp -> Bel Canto ref1000m Class D amps -> KEF ls50s. Klipsch sw308 sub tossed in for good measure.
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I am as big a fan of metrics as the next guy but fact is they never tell the whole story.
So glad I do not let naysayers detract me from trying well documented real and factual new technology innovations. I have yet to regret it. I’d still be living within the outdated constraints of the 20th century if I did. |
The evidence of my ears are telling me Class D must do distortion right. Go figure!
Dead quiet.
Very dynamic and nuance/detailed yet smooth and lush.
Soundstage and imaging to kill for.
A touch warm even.
Where is the distortion? Must be there somewhere.... |
I'm in rapture listening to the glorious distortions of my Class D amps as I write. |
Tubes are way cool and if not for deciding to try the latest and greatest new amp technology (Class D) first I might well have headed down the tube amp path several years back but hasn’t happened and I have little interest these days. Technology does in fact keep advancing and you don’t know what is possible until you try it so older technologies face more challenges these days than before perhaps.
Looks do count though and tube amps still look way the coolest by far.
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Great topic BTW! Amp technology HAS come a log way in recent years and continues to evolve and getting the right amp for ones needs and speakers is one of the most critical decisions to be made towards the goal of getting the best sound possible at a particular price point. Class D is a game changer for sure! |
Good quality Class D is the practical ticket these days (efficient and sound great done well) if your speakers require lots of power and current to do their best and you care about higher SPLS.
The only equivalent alternative is a more traditional giant, bulky, expensive power-sucking monster amp of yore which are becoming increasingly hard to find and afford because frankly hardly anyone wants to have to deal with all that.
The other popular and unique use case for Class D is you just want something very inexpensive and small that represents a very practical and good value. That can be had for <$100 and matched to the right also inexpensive but good quality small speakers can get you a significant portion of the way there for practically nothing on the high end audiophile scale of things.
That is very bad news unfortunately for high end audio! Perhaps one reason for some of the derision heaved towards Class D in some cases.
If your speakers have limited bass extension, or are just an easy load to drive, and perhaps are somewhat more efficient, or you just do not listen at higher SPLs, then any good quality more modest power amp design might do.
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@mapman
What does anything I said have to do with what I've heard? I was just roughly explaining the technology to a guy who asked a question. Hmm well you did kinda put a pretty negative spin on that technical explanation I would say.
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Kosst so what Class D amp setups have you actually heard? What other set ups are you comparing to?
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People dissing Class D should really mention what Class D amps they have heard in what kind of setup and what they are comparing to. Blanket statements have no value.
BTW each of my Class D amps ($75, $2000, $6000 retail) sound very different much like one might find with 3 different amps of any type especially in diverse price categories so beware making blanket statements based on limited exposure and personal biases even perhaps.
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I have 3 Class D amps in the house now that retail for $6000, $2000 and $75. Guess what? Even $75 buys a very good sounding Class D amp these days easily as good or better than other older SS amps costing several times that 40 years ago.
I use an ARC tube pre-amp with the $6000 amps and yes very nice! I will probably dump tubes altogether again though someday as I continue to downsize and discover viable alternatives. |
