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The Hifi Trajectory Of Class D Amplifiers

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I bought my first digital SLR camera back in 2005. Film SLR cameras were still king back then. Longtime film camera hobbyists and pros thumbed their noses at digital. Ten years later, film cameras have been surpassed by digital cameras and are nearly extinct. Millions of people use cameras. The market was already in place for anyone that would advance the technology of digital photography.

With Class D amps, you don't have a marketplace the size of the camera marketplace. There doesn't seem to be enough economic incentive to spend the necessary research dollars to advance the technology to get the same sort of improvement trajectory that digital photography has enjoyed.

Anyone care to speculate how long it will take for Class D amps to consistently rival the best tube, Class A and Class A/B across the board....and do it without resorting to the stratospheric prices that current non-Class D amps are priced at.
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mitch4t

Showing 2 responses by aolmrd1241

aolmrd1241
1,043 posts
 
Atmasphere,as much as a lot of folks here love the sound quality of tube equipment [me included] your assessment and comments on SS class D amps just doesn't sit well with me.

We know that you make great sounding tube equipment,but this thread is about solid state class-D amplification. You really do not have to defend your business every time someone speaks about liking SS kit better than tube kit.

I may be going out on a limb here... but I would presume that you never sat down and gave a serious listen to the likes, of say, a Merrill Audio Veritas mono block amp. If you can ever get the opportunity to hear them,I think you will be picking your jaw up off the floor...
aolmrd1241
1,043 posts
 
Atmasphere.

"Has Class D arrived? Sure. But do they beat tube amps? That's an entirely different question!

So I am sticking to my position, which is not based on a personal bias or some need to 'defend my business' that it is possible for class D to surpass not only traditional solid state but also tubes, **but the latter day has yet to arrive**."
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I understand your position of necessity on the matter but,to my ears, class D has and does surpass tube amplification,for many,many reasons... Key being,it just sounds like a real music... in real time... in a more believable way. Of course,horses for courses...
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