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The Truth about Modern Class D

All my amps right now are Class D. ICEpower in the living room, and NAD D 3020 in the bedroom.

I’ve had several audiophiles come to my home and not one has ever said "Oh, that sounds like Class D."

Having said this, if I could afford them AND had the room, I’d be tempted to switch for a pair of Ayre monoblocks or Conrad Johnson Premiere 12s and very little else.

I’m not religious about Class D. They sound great for me, low power, easy to hide, but if a lot of cash and the need to upgrade ever hits me, I could be persuaded.

The point: Good modern Class D amps just sound like really good amplifiers, with the usual speaker/source matching issues.

You don’t have to go that route, but it’s time we shrugged off the myths and descriptions of Class D that come right out of the 1980’s.
erik_squires

Showing 2 responses by auxinput

auxinput
2,920 posts
 
So, to sum it up,   Class D - you either like it or you don't.  No middle ground here.
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
@phomchick - well it's a good suggestion, and the cost of Class D can make it possible to create a separate amp for each driver and use an active crossover.  But you're still forgetting the challenge of Class D to reproduce the ultra high frequency "air" that a good Class AB amp will do.  I am in the same camp as stereo5 in that I have not heard a Class D amp that really "sings".  Granted, they are so extremely clean that it's insane (I have actually been told that sound engineers like to use them because they can hear individual instruments when doing the mix for a record), but every Class D I have heard leaves me wanting more.  It just doesn't have that extra edge of "life" that Class AB gives you.
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